FALL PROTECTION SYSTEM

Abstract

A base comprising a clamp opening on its top surface; channels on its bottom surface; and a through hole from the bottom surface to the top surface; in a safety system, the clamp receiving an end of a post secured to the clamp using a fastener inserted from one of the side walls of the base, into abutment with the post in the clamp; and/or the channels guiding posts on the bottom surface; and/or the channels guiding posts to a connector on the bottom surface; or a first channel guiding a first post to a connector on the bottom surface and a channel guiding a second post to the connector; and/or the through hole receives the post inserted therethrough thus extending on each side of the base.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to safety systems. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a fall protection system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Protection systems such as fall protection systems, guardrail systems, protections for rooftop access ladders or ladder port systems, crossovers, walkways, and travel restraint systems for example, typically comprise rails supported by posts secured by counterweights that are typically cast iron, or plates anchors, or concrete ballasts, secured to a surface such as concrete floor or roof top in case of permanent mounting.

Such safety systems, used in residential and commercial applications are submitted to building codes and regulations.

There is still a need in the art for a protection systems and methods.

The present description refers to a number of documents, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a base comprising a clamp opening on a top surface thereof; channels running on a bottom surface thereof from opposite side walls thereof; and a through hole from the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the clamp is configured to receive a bottom end of a post in a safety system.

There is further provided a base for a safety system, the base comprising a top surface, a bottom surface and side walls; at least one clamp opening within the top surface; at least one channel on the bottom surface; and at least one through hole from the bottom surface to the top surface; wherein at least one of: i) the safety system comprises a post, the clamp receives an end of the post and the end of the post is secured to the clamp using a fastener inserted from one of the side walls into abutment with the post in the clamp; ii) the safety system comprises a post, the channel guides the post on the bottom surface; iii) the safety system comprises a post, the channel guides the post to a connector on the bottom surface; iv) the safety system comprises a first post and a second post, a first channel guides the first post to a connector on the bottom surface and a second channel guides the second post to the connector on the bottom surface; and v) the safety system comprises a post, the through hole receiving the post inserted therethrough and thus extending on each side of the base.

There is further provided a system comprising at least a first base and a second base, each comprising at least one clamp opening on a top surface thereof, a bottom surface, side walls, at least one channel on the bottom surface, and at least one through hole from the bottom surface to the top surface thereof; wherein at least one of: i) the system comprises a post, the second base is positioned at a distance from the first base with a channel of the second base in alignment with a channel of the first base and a post is guided in the aligned channels; ii) the system comprises a post, at least one of the side walls of at least one of the two bases comprises at least one cutout, the channel guides the post on the bottom surface and the cutout comprises an insert in an interference fit with a top surface of the post; iii) the system comprises a post, the post is inserted through the through hole of the first base and the through hole of the second base; iv) the system comprises a post, at least one of the side walls of the first or second bases comprises at least one cutout and one of the channels of the first base is aligned with one of the channels of the second base, the aligned channels guide the post under the bottom surface of the first and the second bases, and the cutout comprises an insert in an interference fit with a top surface of the post.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the appended drawings:

FIG. 1A is a perspective top view of a base according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective top view of the base of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a section view of the base along the stippled line of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A shows a first view of a connection of a base with a post according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B shows a second view of the connection of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A shows a first view of a connection of a base with a post according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B shows a second view of the connection of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A shows details of the base of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4B is a section view of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A shows details of a base according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5B is a section view of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6A shows a connection of a base with a post according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6B shows an assembly using connections of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7A shows a connection of a base with a post according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7B shows an assembly using connections of FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8A shows a connection of a base with a post according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8B shows a connection of a base with a post according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8C shows a connection of a base with a post according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 shows details of the base of FIG. 5 according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 shows details of an assembly according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11A shows details of a base according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11B shows details of a connection with the of FIG. 11B according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12A is a top perspective view of a female part of a mold for a base according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12B is a top perspective view of the female part of the mold of FIG. 12B before positioning of the clamp;

FIG. 13A is a top exploded perspective view of a mold for a base according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13B is top exploded perspective view of the mold of FIG. 13A;

FIG. 14A is a top exploded perspective view of the mold of FIG. 13 once curing of material therein is finished;

FIG. 14B is top exploded perspective view of the mold of FIG. 14A; and

FIG. 15 is a top perspective view of the base obtained using the mold of FIGS. 12-14 according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is illustrated in further details by the following non-limiting examples.

A base 10 according to an aspect of the present disclosure comprises a body with top and bottom surfaces 102, 104, side walls 106, 108, 110, 112, and a clamp 14 open on the top surface 102.

As may be seen in FIG. 11A, the bottom surface 104 comprises channels 116 extending from opposite side walls of the base, and intersecting at a crossing 15; the crossing 15 is configured to accommodate a connector C, as shown for example in FIG. 11B, for receiving tubes T guided in the different channels 116 on the bottom surface 104 and meeting at the crossing 15.

The base 10 comprises a through hole 30 from the top surface 102 to the bottom surface 104, as seen in FIG. 1 for example, configured to allow insertion of a post and stacking several such bases one on top of the other, as illustrated for example in FIG. 6.

Each side walls comprises cutouts 13 as seen in FIG. 1A for example, discussed hereinbelow in relation to FIGS. 3, 5, 9 and 10 for example.

As exemplified in the figures, the base may be used as counterweight in counterweight configurations in a range of assemblies, such as systems guardrail systems, using a number and arrangement of bases 10 according to target counterweight requirements.

In an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 2, a post 21 is connected to the base 10 by inserting a bottom end of the post 20 in the clamp 14 of the base 10, then using a fastener such as a fastening a set screw 16 through the sidewall 106 of the base 10. The screw 16 may be made in steel with an electroplated finish for example. The post 20 may be a vertical post or a load-bearing post, depending on applications.

In an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 3, bases 10a, 10b and 10c are connected side by side using a post 21 guided in the aligned channels 116 of the bottom surface of the bases 10a, 10b and 10c as shown in FIG. 3B; once the post 21 is put in place in the aligned channels 116, it is secured by an insert 38 positioned in the cutouts 13 on facing sides of adjacent bases 10a and 10b, 10b and 10c as discussed hereinabove to relation to FIG. 1A, in an interference fit with a top surface of the post 21 underneath the bases (see FIGS. 4A, 4B; also FIGS. 7A, 7B for example) The base of claim 1, wherein a first side wall comprises a first cutout, the safety system comprises a first post guided in a first channel on the bottom surface from said first side wall and is secured to the first cutout by interference fit with a first insert and a second insert in the cutout; the insert 38 is illustrated herein as a first insert 40, and a second insert 42 positioned next to the first insert 40, by hammering for example, in the respective cutouts 13. The surface S of the insert 38 in contact with the top surface of the post 21 (shown in FIG. 4B) may comprise serrated teeth (not shown) for added gripping interference. The post 21 may be an aluminum tube and the inserts in steel for example.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, fasteners may be used to attach an accessory to the cutouts 13 on either or all sides of the base 10; for example in FIGS. 5A, 5B, a kickplate bracket 50 is attached by screws 52 to the side of a base 10; in FIG. 10, two bases are connected at a distance using a bar 53 secured at both ends thereof to respective kickplate brackets 50 attached to respective cutouts 13 of facing sides of the two bases.

In FIG. 6A, a vertical post 20 is connected to a set of two bases, which are stacked one on top of the other to achieve a target counterweight requirement for use in assemblies such as illustrated for example in FIG. 6B.

In FIGS. 7A, 7B and 8, a vertical post 20 is connected to a post 21 guided in aligned channels 116 of the bottom surface of the bases as described hereinabove in relation to FIG. 3, in a set of one base (FIG. 8C), two bases (FIGS. 7A, 7B and 8B) and three bases (FIG. 8A, 7B) connected side by side, using a J-clamp J for example.

The base 10 may be made in rubber, such as a compressed rubber material, such as a recycled rubber material bonded together with epoxy for example, with the integrated clamp 14 in a material selected for ductility in view of machinability, mechanical resistance and rusting resistance, such as a malleable cast iron with a hot-dipped electroplated finish for example; the base 10 may have a weight in the range between about 12 lbs and 50 lbs, for example about 50+/−2 lbs. The number of bases and the number and types of connections between the bases are selected according to target counterweight assemblies as exemplified herein.

In an embodiment of an aspect of the present disclosure, the base is made of compressed recycled truck tires bonded by a cured epoxy, using a hydraulic press with a mold attached to compress and heat the material.

Before manufacturing begins, the mold is heated to temperature; once the target mold temperature is obtained and the material mixture ready, the clamp 14 is placed into the female part F of the mold (see FIG. 12A) and the material mixture poured therein.

Once the material is settled with the clamp in place in the female part F of the mold, the male part M of the mold is lowered (FIG. 13A) and compressed into the female part F until abutment with stopping surfaces S the female part F (FIG. 13B); and the material is allowed to cure.

Once the curing is finished, the male part M of the mold is lifted (FIG. 14A) and the base 10 is ejected using ejection pins P on the bottom surface of the female part F (FIG. 14B; FIG. 13A).

As people in the art will now be in a position to appreciate, there is thus disclosed a one-piece base with clamp for connection to posts in a range of customable configurations according to target requirements in a range of applications. The base allows for a safe and quick installation of modular safety rail systems complying with requirements of building codes and standards such as for protection against falls from heights for example. The base may be made weather resistant and long lasting in a range of environments.

The scope of the claims should not be limited by the embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

Claims

1. A base for a safety system, the base comprising: a clamp opening on a top surface thereof;channels running on a bottom surface of the base from opposite side walls of the base; anda through hole from the top surface to the bottom surface;wherein said clamp is configured to receive a bottom end of a post in the safety system.

2. The base of claim 1, wherein said bottom end is further secured to said clamp using a screw inserted through one of said side walls.

3. The base of claim 1, wherein the channels running from the opposite side walls of the base meet at a crossing on the bottom surface of the base, said channels are configured to receive tubes and said crossing is configured to accommodate a connector between said tubes running from said opposite side walls in said channels on said bottom surface of the base.

4. The base of claim 1, wherein said base is a first one of at least two said bases stacked one on top of the other using a post inserted in through respective through hole.

5. The base of claim 1, wherein at least one of the side walls of the base comprises at least one insert housing.

6. The base of claim 1, wherein at least one of the side walls of the base comprises at least one insert housing and said base is a first one of at least two said bases, a post being connected to the respective bottom surface of said at least two bases in aligned respective channels of the bottom surface thereof, a first insert and a second insert being positioned in respective facing insert housing of the at least two bases in an interference fit with a top surface of the post underneath the bases.

7. The base of claim 1, wherein at least one of the side walls of the base comprises at least one insert cutout and a kickplate bracket attached to the insert cutout.

8. The base of claim 1, wherein at least one of the side walls of the base comprises at least one cutout and a kickplate bracket attached to the cutout, said base being a the first one of two said bases, and said two bases are connected at a distance using a bar secured at both ends thereof to respective kickplate brackets attached to respective cutouts of facing sides walls of the two bases.

9. A base for a safety system, the base comprising: a top surface, a bottom surface and side walls;at least one clamp opening in said top surface;at least one channel in said bottom surface; andat least one through hole from said bottom surface to said top surface;wherein at least one of:i) the safety system comprises a post, said clamp receives an end of the post and the end of the post is secured to the clamp opening using a fastener inserted from one of said side wall into abutment with the post in the clamp opening;ii) the safety system comprises a post, said channel guides the post on said bottom surface;iii) the safety system comprises a post, said channel guides the post to a connector in said bottom surface;iv) the safety system comprises a first post and a second post, a first one of said channels guides the first post to a connector in said bottom surface and a second one of said channels guides said second post to said connector e; andv) the safety system comprises a post, the through hole receives the post inserted therethrough and thus extending on each side of said base.

10. The base of claim 9, wherein at least one of the side walls comprises at least one cutout, the safety system comprises a post, said channel guides the post on the bottom surface and the cutout comprises an insert in an interference fit with a top surface of the post.

11. A system comprising at least a first base and a second base, each comprising at least one clamp opening in a top surface thereof, a bottom surface, side walls, at least one channel in said bottom surface; and at least one through hole from said bottom surface to said top surface; wherein at least one of:i) the system comprises a post, said second base is positioned at a distance from said first base with a channel of the second base in alignment with a channel of the first base and a post is guided in the aligned channels;ii) the system comprises a post, at least one of the side walls of at least one of said bases comprises at least one cutout, said channel guides the post on the bottom surface and the cutout comprises an insert in an interference fit with a top surface of the post;iii) the system comprises a post, the post is inserted through the through hole of the first base and the through hole of the second bases;iv) the system comprises a post, at least one of the side walls of the first and the second bases comprises at least one cutout and one of the channels of the first base is aligned with one of the channels of the second base, said aligned channels guide the post under the bottom surface of the first and the second bases, and the cutout comprises an insert in an interference fit with a top surface of the post.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein in at least of the bases, a first side wall comprises a first cutout, the safety system comprises a first post guided in a first channel on the bottom surface from said first side wall and is secured to the first cutout by interference fit with a first insert and a second insert in the cutout.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises a first and a second bases, a first side wall of the first base comprises a first kickplate bracket, the second base comprises a second side wall comprising a second kickplate bracket, and the first and second kickplate brackets are connected by a bar, thereby connecting the first and second bases at a distance.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein a vertical post is connected to a post guided in aligned channels of the bottom surface of the first and second bases.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein a vertical post is connected to a post guided in aligned channels of the bottom surface of the first and second bases, the vertical post being connected to said guided post using a clamp.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the bases are molded in rubber.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the bases are molded in rubber molded with the clamp and channels integrated therein.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the bases are molded in a plastic material with the clamp integrated therein.