Patent Publication Number: US-2023144870-A1

Title: Guardrail formed from folded sheet metal

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/263,880, filed Nov. 10, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to building construction and more particularly to guardrails and guard barriers formed from folded sheet metal. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Guard barriers and guardrails may be formed by folding top and edge panels relative to a face panel from a single piece of sheet metal to form a corner as seen in  FIG.  1   . The result is somewhat unrefined and unsightly and can present a rough edge to the hand at the corner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an upper perspective view of the upper corners of a prior art guardrail. 
         FIG.  2    is an elevational view of multiple sections of a guardrail according to the invention interconnected to form a barrier. 
         FIG.  3    is an upper left perspective view of a corner of a guardrail according to the invention. 
         FIG.  4    is an upper right perspective view thereof. 
         FIG.  5    is a bottom right perspective view thereof. 
         FIG.  6    is an end view thereof. 
         FIG.  7    is an elevation view thereof. 
         FIG.  8    is an upper right perspective view of the upper corners of two adjoining guardrails according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
     A guardrail  10  according to the invention is shown in  FIGS.  2 - 8   . Multiple sections of a guardrail  10  when interconnected form a guard barrier as seen in  FIG.  2   . Each guardrail section in the illustrated embodiment is formed by folding a unitary blank of sheet metal. Each guardrail  10  includes abutting edges  11  for attachment of two adjacent guardrails, and each edge  11  may also form a presentation end as shown. As seen in  FIG.  2   , abutting sections of the guardrail may both be rectangular, as at  10 A, may both be angled, as at  10 B, or may be a combination of horizontal and angled as at  10 C and  10 D. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  3 - 5   , according to the invention a guardrail  10  comprises a face panel  12 , a top panel  14 , a return panel  16 , and an end panel  18 . The face panel  12  is vertically disposed and generally extends from or near a ground surface such as a floor, walkway, or stairs, but could extend downward any lesser distance from the top panel  14 . It may have a pattern such as the hole pattern seen in  FIGS.  3 - 7   , may have a surface embellishment, or may be unadorned. In the illustrated embodiment all the panels  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  are formed by folding a sheet metal blank (not illustrated) which has been laser cut to specification. However, the scope of the invention includes guardrails formed by methods other than folding. 
     The top panel  14  extends horizontally from the top edge  20  of the face panel  12  and the return panel  16  extends downwardly from the return edge  22  of the top panel. The top part of the face panel  12  together with the top panel  14  and return panel  16  form a downwardly oriented channel  24  as seen in  FIG.  5   . In the illustrated embodiment, the top panel  14  is perpendicular to the face panel  12 , and the return panel is parallel with the face panel  12 , but other angular relationships are contemplated to be within the scope of the invention. 
     The end panel  18  extends from the side edge  26  of the face panel  12  as best seen in  FIG.  3   . In the illustrated embodiment, the end panel  18  is perpendicular to the face panel  12 , but other angles are contemplated to be within the scope of the invention. 
     With additional reference to  FIG.  6   , the end panel  18  has a width Wi that is the same as the distance Di between the front surface  28  of the face panel  16  and the back surface  30  of the return panel. 
     In  FIG.  7    it is seen that the end panel  18  has an upper portion  32  having a width W 2  that is narrower than the width Wi of the rest of the end panel below it and is narrower than the distance D 2  between the face panel  12  and the return panel  16 . In addition, the top edge  34  of the upper portion  32  is spaced from the top panel  14 . The upper portion is thus dimensioned to be freely received in the channel  24  formed by the face, top and return panels  12 ,  14 ,  16  as shown. 
     As seen in  FIGS.  3 ,  4  and  6   , the end surface  34  of the upper portion  32  of the end panel  18  is coplanar with end edges  36  of the face, top and return panels  12 ,  14 ,  16  to present a uniformly dimensioned substantially flush end face that is aesthetically pleasing but also facilitates secure attachment together of abutting sections of guardrails  10  as seen in  FIGS.  2  and  8   . 
     As can perhaps best be seen in  FIGS.  3 - 5   , end panel  18  is formed by bending along the side edge  26  of face panel  12  below bend relief  38 , above which the upper portion  32  of the end panel  18  is spaced from face panel  12 . As seen in  FIG.  6   , the bend relief  38  is located below the top surface  40  of top panel  14  a distance E 1  that is substantially the same as the vertical dimension E 2  from the top surface  40  of top panel  14  to the bottom edge  42  of return panel  16 , thereby giving the visual impression of a hand-holdable guard rail formed together by the top part of face panel  12  and the return panel  16 . 
     Although the discussion above focuses primarily on guardrails having a horizontal top panel, by forming the top panel at an angle with respect to the end panel guardrail sections can be formed for use with angled structures such as stairs and ramps as seen in  FIG.  2   . 
     A guardrail as described above essentially moves the location of the bend relief downward from the corner, as it is found in the prior art, to a distance below the top panel that is matched by the vertical width of the return panel. The location of the bend relief together with the width of the return panel give the impression of a handrail. Moving the bend relief down from the top panel and tucking the upper part of the end panel in the channel formed by the face, top and return panels provides a smooth transition between adjoining corners and, by minimizing the bend relief, is more aesthetically pleasing than a prior art guardrail. Manufacturing of a guardrail according to the invention is simple once the sheet metal blank has been cut to specifications, and installation is quick and easy because each guardrail needs merely to be bolted down to pre-installed bolts in a support surface. 
     There have thus been described and illustrated certain embodiments of a guardrail formed from folded sheet metal according to the invention. Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it should be clearly understood that the disclosure is illustrative only and is not to be taken as limiting, the spirit and scope of the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.