Abstract:
Extension assemblies for connection to one or both ends of a safety barrier to increase its width include top and bottom elements, each having a horizontal channel therethrough, a vertical connection element extending therebetween, and assembly elements which extend through the respective horizontal channels and into aligned holes in the barrier to resist lateral forces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to safety barriers, such as for children or pets, which can be removably secured in apertures in buildings, e.g., in doorways, staircases and windows. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     To adapt safety barriers to fit specific apertures, it is known to equip such gates with threaded rods or similar devices in the corner, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,732. Using lock nuts, these threaded rods can then be adjusted so the safety barrier can be fitted and secured in the aperture in question. Threaded rods make it possible to vary the width of the gate within a limited interval. However, for security reasons the distance between the surroundings of the aperture such as a doorframe and the safety barrier must not be too large, i.e., such that a child can squeeze its head through the passage. Moreover, a long unsupported threaded rod is not sufficiently rigid. This means that several standard gate widths are needed. One of the disadvantages of adjusting safety barriers using threaded rods is that the amount of adjustment possible is very limited. 
     To obtain a larger adjustment, extension sections of different widths are used. The extension sections have studs which fit into the holes used for the threaded rods. The threaded rods are then mounted at the end of the extension section facing the wall or frame. The benefit is that a standard barrier can be used. This however requires stocking of extension sections of different widths. Placing such extension sections in continuation of each other renders the barrier unstable, since the addition of each new extension section results in an additional junction point, making the barrier increasingly unstable. 
     A different type of barrier is known which includes two parts displaced in relation to each other. The two parts are each longer than half the width of the passage and are assembled with overlying ends. Further, such barriers do not have their own frame, and are designed for attachment to a door frame or wall using screws or similar attachment systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to provide a safety barrier that can be adjusted in width within a large interval but with a minimum of junction points. At the same time, the safety barrier must retain the necessary rigidity and resistance to impact in sideways (lateral) directions. 
     The object of the invention is achieved by providing that the extension section is formed of at least one unit having at its top and bottom a longitudinal aperture or channel to accommodate top and bottom assembly devices that respectively extend all the way through each of the units. 
     By means of the units, various lengths of extension section, or widths of the provided safety barrier, can be achieved using assembly devices of a corresponding length. As the assembly devices extend all the way through the units, the extension section becomes very rigid. Making the units identical reduces the need for stockpiling of parts even further, but they could also be different to achieve a special appearance of the barrier. 
     In one embodiment the length of the assembly devices may be less than the width of the number of extension units in question. The result is that the extension units are jammed between the securing means and the barrier itself. In other words, the securing means sits tight against the outermost extension unit so that the extension units are fixed in position and cannot be moved. 
     In a further embodiment the length of the assembly devices are longer than the width of the number of extension units in question. This ensures that the axial force on the top and bottom elements, when the barrier is secured in the aperture, is transmitted directly to the assembly devices. This is the best mode of ensuring correct attachment. 
     The safety barrier with extension sections can be fitted with a control pin on one closing surface by the gate locking mechanism, with a hole designed to accommodate this control pin on the opposite closing surface. This control pin helps to increase the rigidity and resistance of the gate to impact at right angles. 
     The assembly devices can be designed to ensure that standard securing devices to secure the barrier fit therein. Designing the assembly devices in this way means that the standard fitting that normally belongs to the barrier in question can also be used if extension sections need to be mounted on the barrier. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be explained in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     In the figures, 
     FIG. 1 shows a fully mounted safety barrier with extension sections, 
     FIG. 2 shows the same barrier before assembly, 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the locking mechanism 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the upper part of the extension section to the left in FIG. 1, and 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged detailed view of the lower part of the extension section to the left in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The safety barrier shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed of two main elements, namely a standard barrier  1  and extension sections  2   a  and  2   b  at opposite sides thereof. 
     The standard barrier includes a rigid U-shaped frame  3  having a horizontally-extending beam  4  and at either ends thereof vertically-extending pillars  5   a  and  5   b . Further, the standard barrier includes an openable gate  6  which includes parallel upper and lower horizontal bars  7  and  8 . A plurality of spaced, vertically-extending rods  9  are disposed between the upper and the lower horizontal bars  7  and  8 . The gate at one side is hinged to the U-frame  3 , one end of the lower horizontal bar  8  being hinged at  10  to the upwardly-facing side of the horizontal beam  4  of the frame  3  and the corresponding end of the upper horizontal bar  7  being hinged at  12  to a cap element  11  rigidly secured to the top of the neighboring pillar  5   b . The opposite top corner of the gate  6  is furnished with a locking mechanism  13  cooperating with a cap element  14  on the top of the respective pillar  5   a . The horizontally-extending beam  4  preferably has a rectangular cross section placed edgeways. The pillars  5   a  and  5   b  also have a rectangular cross section, the width of which corresponds with the width of the beam  4 , and are welded or soldered thereto. The horizontal bars  7  and  8  of the gate  6  have a square cross section and the bars  9  have a circular cross section. The locking mechanism  13  and the hinges  10  and  12  are not further described as they are not part of the present invention; however, further information as to the nature of these parts can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,732. 
     Extension sections  2   a  and  2   b  of different lengths can be made from one or more units  15  formed of a top element  16   a , a bottom element  16   b , a connection member  21 , and two identical assembly devices  17 . The top and bottom elements  16   a  and  16   b  have horizontal through holes  18  into which the respective assembly element in the form of a length of pipe can be inserted. Further, the top and bottom elements  16   a  and  16   b  each have a vertically-extending sleeve  19  with a hole  20  for accommodation of the adjacent end of a vertically-extending member or rod  21  identical to the rods  9  in the gate. The end of the rod  21  is tightly retained in the sleeves  19 . Alternatively, the sleeves can be replaced by knobs and the ends of the rod, which can be hollow, can be pressed over them. The length of the rod  21  is such that the top and the bottom elements  16   a  and  16   b  will be in alignment with the upper rod  7  of the gate  6  and the lower horizontal bar  4  of the U-shaped frame, respectively. The bottom element  16   b  includes a downwardly-extending rib  16   c  whose lower edge is flush with the bottom of the horizontal beam  4 . 
     The right hand side of the barrier  1  is furnished with an extension section  2   a  formed of one unit  15 . The unit is placed against the barrier and an assembly device  17  is inserted into the top element  16   a  and pushed forward into a hole  22  in the cap  14  of the pillar  5   a , this hole  22  being designed to receive the end of the assembly device  17  in a snug fitting manner. The length of the assembly device  17  is measured such that it terminates at the outer end of the hole  18  in the top element  16   a  and does not protrude from the element. The bottom element  16   b  is attached to the barrier  1  in a similar manner, the assembly device  17  entering a hole  23  in a plug  24  inserted into the end of the horizontal beam  4 , which is hollow. The assembly element can be in the form of a rod, bar or length of pipe, and preferably has a square or rectangular cross section to prevent rotation of the elements through which it extends. 
     A securing means  25  can be inserted into the ends of the assembly device  17  for securing the barrier with extension sections in a doorway, staircase or the like aperture. The securing means  25  includes a threaded rod  26  bearing a foot member  27  at the outer end and a lock nut  28 . The end of the threaded rod  26  can be inserted into the assembly device  17  and the lock nut  28  can be tightened against the front  29   a ,  29   b  of the top and bottom elements, respectively. The securing means is described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,732. 
     It should be noted that the securing means  25  also can be used directly in connection with the standard barrier  1  as the securing means fits into holes  22  and  23  in the cap  14  on the pillar  5   a  and the horizontal beam  4 , respectively, see FIG.  3 . 
     The other side of the standard barrier  1  (see FIGS. 1,  2 ,  4  and  5 ) is furnished with an extension section  2   b  formed of three units  15 . The assembly devices  17   b  have a length  13  measured such that they extend through all three units. The ends of the assembly devices  17   b  are like before respectively accommodated in a hole  22   a  in the cap  11  at the pillar  5   b  at the hinge side of the gate  6  and a hole  23   a  at the end of the horizontal beam  4  of the frame. The assembly device  17  is accommodated in the holes in a snug, tight-fitting manner as described before. 
     It should be understood that the assembly devices  17  are available in various lengths l 1 , l 2 , l 3  matching a specific number of extension units  15  depending on the width of the extension section  2   a  and  2   b  required. Using assembly devices  17  which as one piece extend through the units  15  makes the extension section very rigid and can resist perpendicular (lateral) loads on the sides of the barrier or the extension section itself without lateral deflection which otherwise would make the securing means  25  loosen their contact with the surrounding aperture. 
     FIG. 3 shows details of the locking mechanism. The surface of the cap  14  facing the gate  1  is equipped with a control pin  30  that fits a hole  31  in part of the locking mechanism on the gate. This control pin  30 , together with assembly devices  17  and the securing means  25 , hinge  12  and locking mechanism  13 , provides a safety barrier  1  having extension sections  2   a  and  2   b  with optimum rigidity. 
     It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific barrier shown in the drawings. For example, the element  21  could be in the form of a panel interconnecting the top and bottom elements  16   a  and  16   b . The barrier could also be of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,732 having the openable gate at one side thereof.