Patent ID: 7516816
Filing Date: 2009-04-14
Classification: E04D,E04G

Abstract:
1. A safety rail assembly for surrounding a structure protruding from a support surface, said safety rail assembly comprising: at least three base units for positioning in a free-standing manner on a support surface, support members each extending in use substantially vertically from a respective base unit; barrier members each extending in use between and supported by a respective pair of successive support members; each base unit comprising: a substantially planar lower face; a side face of the shape which, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the lower face, defines a recess which in use, accommodates part of the structure protruding from a surface on which the base unit rests, each said side face faces inwards towards another of the base units or a position between two or more other base units of the assembly, and, as viewed in a direction parallel with a length of the support members extending from the base unit, each said side face defining said recess, so that said recess restrains lateral movement of the safety rail assembly away from the protruding structure, in two mutually perpendicular directions which are each perpendicular to the length of a support member; a passage extending from an upper face of each said base unit towards a respective lower face in a direction substantially perpendicular relative to said lower face of the base unit for receiving a lower end of one of said support members, said passage comprising two coaxial spaced apart passage sections each for providing support to said one of said support members; a cavity between said two spaced part passage sections which is aligned with said passage; and a retainer located within said cavity and held captive when secured to portion of a support member extending through said cavity said retainer being in the form of a retainer ring having a screw-threaded aperture to receive a locking device, wherein the retainer ring comprises a boss portion, which extends radially outwards of the retainer ring, said screw-threaded aperture extending through said boss portion, and the dimensions of the retainer ring and cavity being such that when the retainer is secured to a support member, the boss portion is always visible through an access opening that provides access to the cavity and is unable to rotate to a position at which it ceases to be accessible for re-tightening or release.