A FENCING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY INTENDED FOR SMALL CHILDREN

Abstract: A safety barrier device, particularly intended for small children, and comprising at least two fence-like sections which may be interconnected and positioned at an angle, characterized in that the sections are interconnected by hinge links comprising two cooperating toothed rims arranged so that they may be lifted out of engagement, thereby allowing the sections to be freely positioned at an angle. The structure makes it possible to produce fireguards, pens or beds.

Description: A fencing device, particularly intended for small children. The present invention relates to a safety barrier device, particularly intended for small children, and comprising at least two fence-like sections which may be interconnected and be positioned at an angle. Different forms of safety barrier devices for small chil- dren are available, said devices being configured to satisfy specific purposes. An example is a fireguard which is placed in front of stoves or fireplaces, open or closed, to keep the children at a safe distance from these so that they do not get burned. Another example is child safety barriers intended to be positioned in door openings or at staircases so that the children can move freely in a confined room or section of the housing without getting hurt. As regards babies, they may be put in a pen. The invention provides a new form of safety barrier device which is characterized in that the sections are interconnected by hinge links comprising two cooperating toothed rims arranged so that they may be lifted out of engagement, thereby allowing the sections be to freely positioned at an angle. This opens up the possibility of configuring a safety barrier device so that it is useful as a fireguard, a pen, a bunk bed, etc. An embodiment of the invention will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of the joint between two sections. The sections 1, 2 are here lattice structures comprising upper and lower cross members 3, 4 of pipes having a square cross-section. The upper and lower cross members have interposed between them lattice bars 5 of a circular cross-section positioned with a spacing as specified by safety regulations. The sections are interconnected at the top and at the bottom by a hinge 6 , 7. The upper hinge 6 comprises two parts 8, 9 which, with a hollow, are pressed inwardly over the ends of the upper cross member and the lower cross member, respectively. The one hinge part 8 on a projecting portion is formed with a toothed rim 10, and the other hinge part 9 is formed with a corresponding toothed rim 11 in a well in which the first toothed rim 10 may be received. The well accommodates a shaft 12 which fits into a mating hole in the other hinge part 8. The lower hinge 7 also comprises two parts 13, 14, of which the part 14 is likewise formed with a well having a toothed rim 15 and a tubular upwardly extending pin 16. The other hinge part 13, like the upper hinge, comprises a part having a toothed rim 19 which fits into the well on the other hinge part. The upper side of the hinge part 13 is formed with an angular recess 17 whose bottom is inclined from the periphery upwardly toward the centre, which is formed with a hole 18. The two sections are assembled in that the respective hinge parts are telescoped into each other. A connecting pin 20 is passed into a hole 21 in the bottom of the upper hinge part 9. A spring 22 pressing the pin downwards is provided at the bottom of the hole. The connecting pin is moved with its lower end in the angular recess 17 in the hinge part 13 until the end slides down into the hole and further down into the tubular pin 16 in the hinge part 14. It is noted that, after assembly, the connecting pin 20 forms a lattice bar in the barrier. It will be seen that the two sections may be positioned at an angle by lifting the section 1 until the toothed rims on the hinge parts are disengaged, whereby the sections can rotate freely with respect to each other. When the section 1 is lowered, the toothed rims are again mutually engaged and the sections are locked in the desired position. It is noted that the "heads" with the toothed rims on the hinge parts are angularly offset relatively to the "ste parts" by which they are secured to the sections. The offset is arranged so that the hinges are seated on one side of the sections, while the other side has a one- plane appearance . At the end of the section 1 which is not shown, there is a set of hinge parts, as shown on the other section 2, while, on the other hand, it has a set of hinge parts at its other end as shown on section 1. The structure also allows a door to be arranged in a sec- tion in a manner similar to a child safety barrier. The stated structure makes it possible to produce a fireguard, a pen or a bed. The pen and the bed will of course consist of four uniform sections, alternatively two pairs of sections, where a pair of long sections forms sides, while two short sections form ends . The lattice bars and the lower cross members create a natural basis for the mounting of a bottom in the structure, e.g. with fittings which are fixed around the lattice bars . The fireguard may be composed of an arbitrary number of sections. It should be stated in this connection that the structure may of course be used for blocking any area and not just a stove or fireplace, open or closed. Sections in the form of a lattice structure have been de- scribed in the foregoing, but, of course, other forms of sections may be used, e.g. plate- or net-shaped ones. The hinge links described in the foregoing are provided with a toothing on a wall face, but, of course, nothing prevents the toothing from being arranged on end faces, e.g. on the underside of the elevation on the one hinge part and at the bottom of the well on the other hinge part, respectively. Of course, it may also be a combination of the two toothings. The fineness of the toothing is determined on the basis of strength and production considerations and the fineness desired in the angular positions of the sections.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s : 1. A safety barrier device, particularly intended for small children, and comprising at least two fence-like sections (1, 2) which may be interconnected and positioned at an angle, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sections are interconnected by hinge links (6, 7) comprising two cooperating toothed rims (10, 11, 15, 19) arranged so that they may be lifted out of engagement, thereby allowing the sections to be freely positioned at an angle. 2. A safety barrier device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that one part (8, 13) of a hinge link comprises a projecting portion provided with a toothing (10, 19) on the periphery, and that the other part (9, 14) of the hinge link has a depression whose side wall is provided with a toothing (11, 15) for receiving the projecting portion on the first part of the hinge link. 3. A safety barrier device according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hinge links are provided with a control pin (12, 16) about which the parts of the hinge links can rotate. 4. A safety barrier device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sections (1, 2) at the upper and lower edges are provided with a hinge link (6, 7) which is interconnected with a connecting pin (20) extending therethrough. 5. A safety barrier device according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the lower part (9) of the upper hinge link (6) has a hole (21) for receiving the end of the connecting pin (20), and that the upper part (13) of the lower hinge link (17) has a through hole (18) for the opposite end of the connecting pin (20), and that the lower part (14) of the same has a blind hole for receiving the end of the connecting pin. 6. A safety barrier device according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hole (21) in the upper hinge link is a blind hole with a spring (22) for affecting the connecting pin (20) with a spring force down in the lower hinge link (7). 7. A safety barrier device according to claim 4, 5 or 6 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the upper part (13) of the lower hinge link (7) has a cut-out, preferably an an- gular cut-out (17), for catching and inserting the end of the connecting pin (20). 8. A safety barrier device according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the bottom of the cut- out (17) is inclined upwardly from the periphery and until the connecting position of the connecting pin. 9. A safety barrier device according to any one of claims 1-8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sec- tions (1, 2) are constructed as a lattice structure with upper and lower cross members (3, 4) between which lattice bars (5) are arranged, and that the hinge links (6, 7) are configured for mounting on the end of the upper and lower cross members (3, 4), preferably in that these have a hole for receiving the ends of the cross members which are secured as a pres fit in the holes . 10. A safety barrier device according to any one of claims 1-9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hinge links (6, 7) are constructed so that the part with the toothing (10, 11, 15, 19) is disposed on one side of the sections, while the hinge links with the other side are flush with the sections. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 19 January 2000 (19.01.00); original claims 1-10 replaced by amended claims 1-8 (2 pages)] P a t e n t C l a i m s : 1. A safety barrier device, particularly intended for small children, and comprising at least two fence-like sections (1, 2) which may be interconnected and positioned at an angle, where the sections are interconnected by hinge links (6, 7) comprising two cooperating toothed rims (10, 11, 15, 19) arranged so that they may be lifted out of engagement, thereby allowing the sections to be freely positioned at an angle c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that one part (8, 13) of a hinge link comprises a projecting portion provided with a toothing (10, 19) on the periphery, and that the other part (9, 14) of the hinge link has a depression whose side wall is provided with a toothing (11, 15) for receiving the projecting portion on the first part of the hinge link where the hinge links are provided with a control pin (12, 16) about which the parts of the hinge links can rotate. 2. A safety barrier device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hinge link (6, 7) is interconnected with a connecting pin (20). 3. A safety barrier device according to claim 1 or 2 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the lower part (9) of the upper hinge link (6) has a hole (21) for receiving the end of the connecting pin (20). 4. A safety barrier device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hole (21) in the upper hinge link is a blind hole with a spring (22) for affecting the connecting pin (20) with a spring force down in the lower hinge link (7). AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 10) 5. A safety barrier device according to any one of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the upper part (13) of the lower hinge link (7) has a cut-out, preferably an angular cut-out (17), for catching and inserting the end of the connecting pin (20). 6. A safety barrier device according to any one of claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the bottom of the cut-out (17) is inclined upwardly from the periphery and until the connecting position of the connecting pin. 7. A safety barrier device according to any one of claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sec- tions (1, 2) are constructed as a lattice structure with upper and lower cross members (3, 4) between which lattice bars (5) are arranged, and that the hinge links (6, 7) are configured for mounting on the end of the upper and lower cross members (3, 4), preferably in that these have a hole for receiving the ends of the cross members which are secured as a pres fit in the holes . 8. A safety barrier device according to any one of claims 1-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hinge links (6, 7) are constructed so that the part with the toothing (10, 11, 15, 19) is disposed on one side of the sections, while the hinge links with the other side are flush with the sections.

Inventors: ANDERSEN FINN, ANDERSEN, FINN
Applicants: ANDERSEN FINN, BABY DAN A S, ANDERSEN, FINN, BABY DAN A/S
Application year: 1999
Main classification: E06B11
IPC codes: E05D11, E06B9