1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a building barrier system, and associated method, for use with a structure that is under construction. More particularly, this invention relates to a building barrier system that can be transitioned between an erect position and a substantially flat position.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the construction of a structure (building) having multiple levels (floors), such as an office building, United States Government OSHA regulations require that some type of railing structure be erected around the perimeter of a floor when the floor is a certain height above the surrounding ground. Specifically. OSHA regulations require that the railing be able to withstand a “down and out” force of 200 pounds (lbs.) and have a height (H) of 42 inches (in.).
When such a railing structure is erected per OSHA regulations, however, access from the exterior of the structure to the interior of the structure (or vice versa) is prohibited. Accordingly, a portion of the railing structure is typically disassembled or removed when building materials are required to be imported onto the floor from the exterior of the structure. Once the building materials have been imported, however, construction crews often do not reassemble the railing structure because reassembly of the railing structure is not only inconvenient but is time consuming as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,720 discloses an enclosure system for partially enclosing a structure that is under construction. Specifically, this patent provides a construction enclosure system that comprises a plurality of frames, which are secured to the structure by brackets that are bolted to the structure's deck (floor), that are adapted to receive one or more enclosure panels used to partially enclose the structure. The enclosure panel can be moved from one deck of the structure to the next by sliding the panel along the frame members. However, similar to other railing structures, the enclosure system that is disclosed in this patent prevents building materials from being imported or exported from the structure when it is properly being used.
Therefore, there exists a need for a building barrier system that can allow building materials to be imported onto or exported from a floor without having to disassemble the building barrier system.
This invention meets this as well as other needs by disclosing a building barrier system that can transition between an erect position and a substantially flat position thereby allowing access to the interior of the structure without having to disassemble the building barrier system. Moreover, this invention discloses a method for installing such a building barrier system.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a building barrier system comprising: a deck; a first support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; a second support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; a third support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; each of said first, second, and third support posts secured to said deck and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said deck, said first support post being substantially parallel and spaced from said second support post and said second support post being substantially parallel and spaced from said third support post; a fixed panel having a first edge and a second edge, said first edge of said fixed panel positioned adjacent to said second side of said first support post and said second edge of said fixed panel positioned adjacent to said first side of said second support post, said fixed panel being secured to each of said first and second support post; a movable panel having a first edge and a second edge, said first edge of said movable panel positioned adjacent to said second side of said second support post and said second edge of said movable panel positioned adjacent to said first side of said third support post, said movable panel in a first position being removably secured to said second and third support posts, and in a second position being pivotable toward said deck; and a first shaft extending from said first and second edges of said movable panel, said first shaft being received into said first passageway disposed in each of said second and third support posts.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method for erecting a building barrier system on a deck of a structure comprising: providing a first support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; providing a second support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; providing a third support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; securing each of said first, second, and third support posts to said deck in a direction substantially perpendicular to said deck, said first support post being substantially parallel and spaced from said second support post and said second support post being substantially parallel and spaced from said third support post; providing a fixed panel having a first edge and a second edge; positioning said first edge of said fixed panel adjacent to said second side of said first support post and said second edge of said fixed panel adjacent to said first side of said second support post; securing said fixed panel to each of said first and second support posts; providing a movable panel having a first edge and a second edge; positioning said first edge of said movable panel adjacent to said second side of said second support post and said second edge of said movable panel adjacent to said first side of said third support post; securing in a first position said movable panel to each of said second and third support posts; providing a first shaft, said first shaft extending from said first and second edges of said movable panel thereby allowing said movable panel to transition into a second position, wherein said movable panel in said second position being pivotable towards said deck.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a building structure comprising: a deck; a building barrier system secured to said deck, said building barrier system including: a first support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; a second support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; a third support post having a first side, a second side, a first aperture, and a second aperture; each of said first, second, and third support posts secured to said deck and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said deck, said first support post being substantially parallel and spaced from said second support post and said second support post being substantially parallel and spaced from said third support post; a fixed panel having a first edge and a second edge, said first edge of said fixed panel positioned adjacent to said second side of said first support post and said second edge of said fixed panel positioned adjacent to said first side of said second support post, said fixed panel being secured to each of said first and second support post; a movable panel having a first edge and a second edge, said first edge of said movable panel positioned adjacent to said second side of said second support post and said second edge of said movable panel positioned adjacent to said first side of said third support post, said movable panel in a first position being removably secured to said second and third support posts, and in a second position being pivotable toward said deck; and a first shaft extending from said first and second edges of said movable panel, said first shaft being received into said first passageway disposed in each of said second and third support posts.
One object of the invention is to provide a building barrier system that allows access to the interior of a structure from the exterior of the structure (or vice versa) without having to be disassembled or removed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a reusable building barrier system.
Another object of this invention is to provide a building barrier system that can provide a degree of safety to individuals working on or visiting a structure that is under construction.
Another object of the invention is to provide a building barrier system that can provide the interior of a structure, which is being constructed, some degree of protection from weather elements, such as resisting rain and snow.
Another object of this invention is to maintain the heat within the interior of the structure when the building barrier system is in an erect condition.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for installing such a building barrier system.
A full understanding of the disclosed and claimed concept can be gained from the following Description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
a are top plan view of two embodiments of the support post;
a is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the fixed panel of
a is a rear elevational view of an embodiment of the fixed panel of
a is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the movable panel of
a is a rear elevational view of an embodiment of the movable panel of
As employed herein, the term “mechanical fastener” or variations thereof shall refer to any suitable fastening, connecting or tightening mechanism including, but not limited to, Velcro, tabs, snaps, screws, bolts, nuts, and the combination of bolts and nuts or bolts/nuts and washers.
When referring to any numerical range of values, such ranges are understood to include each and every number and/or fraction between the stated range minimum and maximum.
Directional phrases used herein, such as, for example, upper, lower, left, right, vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, above, beneath, clockwise, counterclockwise and derivatives thereof, relate to the orientation of the elements shown in the drawings and are not limiting upon the claims unless expressly recited therein.
Unlike other types and styles of enclosure/railing structures that are used during the construction of a multi-level structure, the building barrier system that is disclosed in this invention allows access from the exterior of the structure into the interior of the structure without having to remove or disassemble the building barrier system.
Referring to
The fixed panel 10, which has a first edge 16 and a second edge 18, is positioned between a first support post 20 and a second support post 22. Specifically, the first edge 16 of the fixed panel 10 is positioned adjacent to the second side 24 of the first support post 20 while the second edge 18 of the fixed panel 10 is positioned adjacent to the first side 26 of the second support post 22. The fixed panel 10 is secured to the first and second support posts 20,22 by a second shaft 28. The second shaft 28 extends from the first and second sides 16,18 of the fixed panel 10 substantially adjacent and co-planar to the first end 30 of the fixed panel 10. One end of the second shaft 28 is received into a first passageway 32 that is disposed in the first support post 20 while the other end of the second shaft 22 is received into a first passageway 34 that is disposed in the second support post 22. The fixed panel 10 is also secured to the first and second support posts 20,22 by a third shaft 36. The third shaft 36 extends from the first and second sides 16,18 of the fixed panel 10 substantially adjacent and co-planar to the second end 38 of the fixed panel 10. One end of the third shaft 36 is received into a second passageway 40 that is disposed in the first support post 20 while the other end of the third shaft 36 is received into a second passageway 42 that is disposed in the second support post 22. The fixed panel 10 can be manufactured from material that include, without limitation, plastic and fiberglass.
The movable panel 12, which has a first edge 44 and a second edge 46, is positioned between the second support post 22 and a third support post 678. When the movable panel 12 is an erect condition, the first edge 44 of the movable panel 12 is positioned adjacent to the second side 50 of the second support post 22 while the second edge 46 of the movable panel 12 is positioned adjacent to the first side 52 of the third support post 674. The movable panel 12 has a handle 54 for unlocking the movable panel 12 from the second and third support posts 22,48. A first shaft 56, which allows the movable panel 12 to pivot towards the deck 8, extends from the first and second sides 44,46 of the movable panel 12 substantially adjacent and co-planar to the first end 58 of the movable panel 12. One end of the first shaft 56 is received into the first passageway 34 that is disposed in the second support post 18 while the other end of the first shaft 56 is received into the first passageway 60 that is disposed in the third support post 678. A retractable shaft 62 extends from the first and second sides 44,46 of the movable panel 12 substantially adjacent and co-planar to the second end 64 of the movable panel 12. When the movable panel 12 is in an erect condition, one end of the retractable shaft 62 is received into the second passageway 42 that is disposed in the second support post 22 while the other end of the retractable shaft 62 is received into a second passageway 66 that is disposed in the third support post 678. In this particular embodiment, rotation of the handle 54 causes the ends of the retractable shaft 44 to retract, thereby unlocking the movable panel 12 from the second and third support posts 22,48. It should be noted, however, that despite
Once the moveable panel 12 has been unlocked from the each of the second and third support posts 22,48, the moveable panel 12 is able to pivot towards the deck 6 in the direction of arrow A which allows access from the exterior of the structure 8 to the interior of the structure 8 (or vice versa) between the second and third support posts 22,48. In other words, the moveable panel 12 can be lowered onto the deck 6 so that building materials and/or other supplies can be imported onto or exported from the deck 6 of the structure. After the materials have been imported or exported, the moveable panel 12 can be raised in the direction opposite to arrow A and the handle 18 rotated, thereby extending the retractable shaft 62 and locking the movable panel 12 to the second and third support posts 22,48.
Hereinafter, the first, second, and third support posts 20,22,48 shall collectively be referred to as the support post 67. Referring to
Continuing with
Referring to
Referring to
The support post 67 is secured to the deck of a structure 8 by first inserting the deck 6 into the cavity 90 that is defined by the first positioning plate 72 and the movable second positioning plate 74. Once the deck 6 is received within the cavity 90, the bolt/nut 78, which is located substantially adjacent to the first end 69 of the housing 68, is rotated in order to move the movable second positioning plate 74 upwards towards the deck 6 in the direction of arrow B. The bolt 78 is rotated until the movable second positioning plate 74 comes into contact with a surface of the deck 6 thereby securing (i.e. clamping or sandwiching) the deck 6 between the positioning plates 72,74.
Referring to
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While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/825,780, filed Sep. 15, 2006, entitled “BUILDING BARRIER SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD.”
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Number | Date | Country | |
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60825780 | Sep 2006 | US |