Patent Publication Number: US-6336623-B1

Title: Portable safety barrier

Description:
This invention relates to safety barriers. More particularly, it refers to a portable safety barrier mounted along a roof edge or other precipice to prevent a person from falling off the roof or precipice. 
     Workman compensation claims made by employees in the roofing industry are one of the highest in industry. Many of these claims are a direct result of falling from a roof. Safety barriers are customarily not used on roof edges because of the difficulty of mounting them and the high cost of safety barriers together with the difficulty of removing them after a job is completed. 
     Attempts have been made in the past to construct roof safety barriers to prevent workers from falling off a precipice. One example is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,131. An upright post is spaced from an edge of a roof and clamped at a base portion to a rafter. L-shaped guard rail receiving members are movable with respect to the post. Another example is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,483. An upright post is supported by hinge arms connected to a base which is located perpendicular to a bottom of the post. Still another example is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,451. A roof attachment plate is located perpendicular to the bottom of an upright support beam. An angle adjustment brace connects the support beam to the roof attachment plate. Other guard rails are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,787,475; 4,979,725; 5,314,167; 5,431,372; 5,711,398; 5,842,685; 6,038,829; 6,039,150 and 6,053,281. 
     Although the guard rails in the above described prior art patents serve their intended purpose, they do not provide a simple, easily attachable and detachable safety barrier. Such a safety barrier is needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention solves the described problem by providing a simple, inexpensive, easily mountable and demountable safety barrier for use along or on the edge of a roof or other precipice. 
     The safety barrier has a row of posts, spaced apart, each post pivotably mounted vertically on a first base plate. Each post has multiple spaced apart transverse bores through opposed sides and multiple L-shaped brackets on at least one vertical side. The first base plate is affixed to a surface of a building or bridge abutting an edge overlooking a precipice. A triangular brace supports the post in an upright position. The triangular brace has a second base plate affixed to a surface of the building or bridge inwardly from the edge and the post. A converging pivoting arm connects each end of the second base plate to the post. A safety rope can connect the posts through the transverse bores or 2×4 wood can be mounted on the L-shaped brackets or mesh can be mounted over the same bracket to create a barrier. The second base plate is longitudinally parallel to the rope, wood or mesh to provide the required support for the post. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows the location of the portable safety barrier invention on a roof. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the portable safety barrier invention with a rope barrier. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the post and pivoting members of the safety barrier. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the portable safety barrier invention with a 2×4 wood barrier. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the portable safety barrier invention with a safety mesh barrier. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the safety barrier post base attached to a vertical portion of a roof. 
     FIG. 7 shows the location of the portable safety barrier invention on a building under construction. 
     FIG. 8 shows the location of the portable safety barrier invention on a bridge under construction. 
     FIG. 9 shows the location of the portable safety barrier invention on a sign platform. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
     Referring first to FIG. 2, the portable safety barrier  10  has an upright post  12  having four side surfaces  11 ,  13 ,  15 , and  17 . The base of post  12  is pivotably mounted by pivot joint  14  on a first base plate  16 . 
     Post  12  has bores  20  through side surfaces  11  and  15  through which a rope  22  is threaded to connect multiple spaced apart posts  12  to create a barrier. Each post  12  also has multiple L-shaped brackets  18  affixed such as by welding one above the other on side surfaces  13  and  17 . Two by four lumber  36  can be placed within brackets  18  to create a barrier as seen in FIG.  4 . Alternatively, an orange safety mesh  38  can be hung on brackets  18  to create a barrier as seen in FIG.  5 . 
     A triangular brace  40  has a second base plate  24  spaced apart inwardly from the roof edge and from the vertical post  12  as seen in FIGS. 2,  4  and  5 . A first  26  and second  28  side arm connect a first  44  and second  46  end, respectively of the second base plate  24  to the vertical post  12 . Hinge  32  allows the arms  26  and  28  to move with respect to base plate  24 . The side arms  26  and  28  converge from the second base plate  24  to sides  11  and  15 , respectively of post  12 . Holes  30  accommodate the top ends of the side arms  26  and  28  on post  12 . Bolt holes  42  can be used to secure base plate  24  to surfaces  34 . Alternatively, holes  66  on the second pivotable base plate  24  accommodate nails or screws which are used to firmly attach base plate  24  to a wood, asphalt or concrete surface. In like manner, bolt holes  48  can be used to secure base plate  16  to surface  34 . Alternatively, holes  64  on first base plate  16  accommodate nails or screws to firmly attach base plate  16  to a wood, asphalt or concrete surface. 
     As seen in FIG. 6, the first base plate  16  can be affixed to a side surface  50  of a building  52  so that post  12  is spaced from building side surface  50 , but the second base plate  24  remains attached to roof surface  34 . In this configuration, the attachments of arms  26  and  28  are in a higher spacer hole  30  along post  12 . 
     As can be seen in all of FIGS. 1, and  7 - 9 , the safety barriers  10  protects a worker  54  from falling off a roof or other high precipice at the edge of a building under construction  56 , on a bridge  58  or a sign platform  70 . 
     As can be seen in FIG. 1, an end  60  of rope  22  can be affixed to roof surface  34  or the ends of the rope  22  can be tied off at post  12 . A level  62  is alternatively positioned in top of post  12  to maintain an upright position prior to securing triangular brace  40  to the roof surface  34 . 
     The post  12  can be made of wood, steel or high strength aluminum. If the post  12  is made of wood, then L-shaped bracket  18  requires a flange with nail holes to secure the bracket  18  to the wood post. 
     The above description has described specific structural details embodying the invention. However, it will be within one having skill in the art to make modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept.