Patent Publication Number: US-6662514-B2

Title: Impalement protection safety system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE 
     This application claims priority of Provisional Application No. 60/269,952, filed Feb. 20, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Presently, it is known to use protective caps on exposed ends of individual reinforcement bars used in the construction industry. Typically, the caps have a “mushroom” shape. These caps are designed to prevent the various injuries that can occur through accidental contact with the exposed ends of the reinforcement bars. These caps are generally successful in preventing assorted minor injuries that can arise through contact with the exposed ends of reinforcement bars. More serious injuries which can occur by forceful impacts with the exposed ends of reinforcement bars may not be adequately addressed by the caps, such as when a worker at a construction site falls from an elevated work platform onto the cap covering the exposed end of a reinforcement bar. Workers who fall onto these reinforcement bars having caps thereon are still at a serious risk of being impaled. 
     Various impalement protection devices have been used. One is a safety cover that consists of a relatively large cover plate operatively secured to a collar that mounts to an upper end of a reinforcement bar. Often, a steel insert is included to prevent the reinforcement bar from penetrating the cover plate. One version of such a safety cover includes a safety cap that snap-fits to a mushroom type protective cap with a steel insert therebetween. Other versions provide a one-piece cover plate and collar. 
     Still other alternatives exist for providing impalement protection with linearly arranged reinforcement bars. One known product uses a guardrail for guarding reinforcement bars including a housing with structure for capturing the reinforcement bars therein. Still other alternatives include a safety cover-like device with upwardly extending sidewalls for capturing a 2″×4″ piece of lumber over linearly arranged reinforcement bars. 
     All of the various options described require maintaining an inventory of numerous different products specific to each particular application. Moreover, some of the products can be difficult and expensive to manufacture. 
     The present invention is directed to further improvements in safety systems for use with linearly arranged reinforcement bars. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention there is provided a safety system for use with linearly arranged reinforcement bars including an adapter removably received on a safety cover. 
     Broadly, there is disclosed herein in accordance with a first aspect of the invention a safety system for use with linearly arranged reinforcement bars. The safety system includes a plurality of safety covers and a plurality of adapters. Each safety cover includes a cover plate and a collar operatively associated with and extending downwardly from the cover plate for mounting to an upper end of a reinforcement bar. Each adapter has a center section and opposite upwardly turned side sections defining a channel. The center section is adapted to removably receive one of the safety covers to secure the adapter to the reinforcement bar. The channel receives an elongate body extending between two or more of the adapters on linearly arranged reinforcement bars. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the adapter center section includes a through opening whereby the cover plate of one of the safety covers is disposed in the channel and the collar extends downwardly through the opening to removably receive one of the safety covers. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the adapter center section includes opposite downwardly extending support members and the cover plate of one of the safety covers is supported between the support members to removably receive the one of the safety covers. 
     It is a feature of the invention that the side sections include a plurality of openings for receiving fasteners to fasten the elongate body to the adapter. The side sections may include inwardly extending bosses surrounding each opening. 
     It is another feature of the invention that each adapter includes tabs hingedly mounted to and extending upwardly from the side sections for attaching to the top of the elongate body. 
     It is a further feature of the invention that the side sections include inwardly extending ribs. 
     It is still another feature of the invention that the center section includes upwardly extending pins receivable in openings in the cover plate to snap-fit the adapter to one of the safety covers. 
     It is still a further feature of the invention that each adapter is of one-piece plastic construction. 
     It is yet another feature of the invention that each adapter comprises a generally planar elongate plate having a pair of laterally extending grooves to define living hinges between the center section and the side sections and the side sections are folded upwardly about the living hinges to define the channel. 
     There is disclosed in accordance with another aspect of the invention an adapter for supporting an elongate body above linearly arranged reinforcement bars in a safety system, the safety system including a plurality of safety covers, one for each linearly arranged reinforcement bar. Each safety cover includes a cover plate and a collar operatively associated with and extending downwardly from the cover plate for mounting to an upper end of one of the reinforcement bars. The adapter comprises a center wall connected to opposite upwardly turned side walls to define a channel, the channel for receiving an elongate body extending between two or more of the adapters on linearly arranged reinforcement bars. Securing means are operatively associated with the center wall for removably securing the adapter to one of the safety covers. 
     Further features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the specification and from the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety system in accordance with the invention for use with linearly arranged reinforcement bars; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a safety cover used with the safety system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an adapter used with the safety system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the adapter of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line  6 — 6  of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 7 is an end elevation view of a safety system in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a safety system  10  is illustrated for use with linearly arranged reinforcement bars, also known as rebars,  12 . The safety system  10  includes a plurality of safety covers  14  and a plurality of adapters  16 . 
     Each safety cover  14  includes a cover plate  18  and a collar  20 . The collar  20  is operatively associated with and extends downwardly from the cover plate  18  for mounting to an upper end of one of the reinforcement bars  12 . Each adapter  16  has a center section  22  and opposite upwardly turned side sections  24  and  26  defining a channel  28 . The center section  22  is adapted to removably receive one of the safety covers  20  to secure the adapter  16  to the reinforcement bar  12 . The channel  28  is adapted for receiving an elongate body  30  extending between two or more of the adapters  16  on the linearly arranged reinforcement bars  12 . In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the elongate body  30  comprises 2″×4″ lumber. Alternatively, the elongate body  30  could include a 4″×4″ beam of lumber or be of other material. 
     In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the adapter  16  can be mounted on the reinforcement bars  12  at four-foot increments, to satisfy requirements for California OSHA regulations. Thus, the safety covers  14  and adapters  16  support the 2″×4″ lumber  30  which spans the four foot distance and provides protection against impalement. In the illustrated embodiment, safety covers  14  are includes atop each of the reinforcement bars  12 . However, adapters  16  are only provided at four-foot increments. As such, the safety covers  14  without the adapters  16  support the elongate body  30  from below while the adapters  16  retain the elongate body  30  atop the safety covers  14 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the safety cover  14  comprises a safety cap system such as described in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,887,394 and 5,613,336, the specifications of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Alternatively, the safety cover could be manufactured in accordance with the various embodiments illustrated in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,478, the specification of which is also incorporated by reference herein. These different embodiments generally consist of a rebar cap for mounting to the reinforcement bar, a steel insert and a cover which is snap-fit onto the cap. Alternatively, the cap may be permanently joined to the cover subsequent to manufacturing or the cap and cover can be an integrally molded unit with or without a steel insert, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The particular form of the safety cover is not critical to the claimed invention. Instead, the invention contemplates an adapter removably secured to a safety cover for supporting the elongate body. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the exemplary safety cover  14  is illustrated in greater detail. A protective cap  30  has a mushroom shaped head  32  and a cylindrical body  34  defining the collar  20 . The head  32  closes one end of the cylindrical body  34 . The cylindrical body  34  defines an interior space  36  accessible through an open end  38  for receiving the reinforcement bar  12 , see FIG. 1. A fin assembly  40  extends into the interior space  36  to frictionally engage and surround the upper end of the reinforcement bar  12  in a conventional manner to securely maintain the protective cap  30  over the reinforcement bar  12 . 
     A cover includes a generally planar top wall  42  which is approximately 4″×4″ square defining the cover plate  18 . A skirt  44  depends downwardly from the top wall  42  and defines a receptacle  46  for receiving a steel insert  48 . An inwardly directed circumferential projection  50  extends around the skirt  44  opposite the cover plate  42  to capture the protective cap head  32  with the steel insert  48  sandwiched between the head  32  and the top wall  42 . An opening  50  is provided through the top wall  42  within the skirt  44  to verify that the steel insert  48  is in place. Support fins  52  are operatively connected to the skirt  44  and top wall  42  to support the top wall  42 . 
     Although not shown, the protective cap  32  could be integrally fused to the skirt  44  at the circumferential projection  50 . 
     The safety cover  14  as described above is generally similar to that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,613,336 and 5,887,394 incorporated by reference herein. The safety cover described therein is modified in accordance with the invention by the addition of four through openings  54  through the top wall  42  around the periphery of the skirt  44 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the adapter  16  is illustrated in greater detail. The adapter is manufactured of one-piece molded plastic and comprises a generally planar elongate rectangular plate  60 . The plate  60  has a pair of laterally extending first and second grooves  62  and  64  equally spaced from its respective first and second ends  66  and  68 . The grooves  62  and  64  are V-shaped to define living hinges. The center section, or center wall,  22  is disposed between the grooves  62  and  64  and is approximately 4″ square corresponding to the size of the cover plate  18 , as discussed above. The first side section, or side wall,  24  is disposed between the first hinge  62  and the first end  66 . Similarly, the second side section, or side wall,  26  is disposed between the second groove  64  and the second end  68 . The length of the side walls  24  and  26  is approximately 3¼″, approximately the height of two 2″×4″s and the thickness of the cover plate  18 . Thus, the side walls  24  and  26  are folded up about the hinges  62  and  64 , respectively, to define the channel  28 , see FIG. 1, to capture the elongate beam  30  therebetween. 
     Each side wall  24  and  26  includes four laterally extending ribs  70 . A plurality of nail openings  72  are provided through the side walls  24  and  26  between individual pairs of the ribs  70 , as shown. A boss  74  may optionally be included surrounding the openings  72 , as illustrated in phantom for one of the through openings  72 . The height of the boss  74  corresponds to the height of the ribs  70 . 
     The center wall  22  includes a circular through opening  76  which is of a size slightly larger than the safety cover skirt  44 . Radially extending rectangular openings  78  surround and are connected to the circular openings  76 . Four pins or posts  80  extend upwardly from the center wall  22  surrounding the circular openings  76 . Particularly, the size and location of the rectangular openings  70  corresponds to the circumferential position of the radial fins  52  of the cover  41 . Similarly, the position of the pins  80  corresponds to the position of the cover plate openings  54 , see FIG.  2 . 
     The adapter  16  further includes tabs  82  extending from the ends  66  and  68 . The tabs  82  are hingedly connected to the plate  60  via living hinges  84 . Particularly, the tabs  82  are integrally formed with the plate  60 . Each tab  82  includes pair of through openings  86 . 
     In use, the safety cover  14  is removably secured to the adapter center wall  22  by inserting the collar and skirt  44  downwardly through the opening  76  with the fins  52  received in the rectangular opening  78 . The four pins  80  snap-fit into the openings  54 . As is apparent, the adapter  16  could be removed from the safety cover  14  for replacement or storage or the like upon completion of the work. 
     With the safety cover  14  removably secured to the adapter  16 , the side walls  24  and  26  are folded upwardly about the hinges  62  and  64  to define the channel  28 . The elongate body  30 , i. e., the stacked 2″×4″s, can then be placed in the channel  28 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. As is known, the 2″×4″ lumber is actually 3½″ across. Owing to the 4-inch size of the cover plate  18 , the ribs  70  fill in the space between the side walls  24  and  26  and the lumber. Nails  90 , or other suitable fasteners, can then be hammered through the opening  72  into the sides of the elongate body  30  to secure it to the adapter  16 . Additional nails  90  can be used through the tab openings  86  to permit the adapter to be nailed to the elongate body  30  from the top. 
     In addition to, or instead of, the pins  80  received in the openings  54 , the safety cover  14  can be further secured retained in the adapter  16  using rubber bands  92 , see FIG.  1 . The rubber bands  92  may be UV-protected rubber bands. 
     As a still further alternative, the safety cover  14  could be force-fit within the opening  76  to maintain the adapter  16  in assembled relation with the safety cover  14 . In any of these versions, the safety cover  14  is essentially removably secured to the adapter  16  by having the cover plate  18  within the channel  28  sandwiched between the center wall  22  and the elongate body  30 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the safety cover skirt  44  is operativelly associated with the collar  20  via the interconnection between the skirt  44  and head  32 . More broadly, the skirt  44  can be considered as forming a portion of the collar  20  with the specific configuration of the collar  20  depending on the specific configuration of the safety cover  14 . Particularly, as broadly comprehended, the collar is generally wider in the area that supports the cover plate  18  and generally narrower at the portion receiving the reinforcement bar  12  to securely maintain the safety cover on the reinforcement bar  12  and to properly support the cover plate  18 . 
     Referring to FIG. 7, a safety system  100  in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The safety system  100  uses the safety cover  14  described above relative to FIGS. 2 and 3 along with an adapter  102 . The adapter  102  includes a center section or center wall  104  disposed between opposite upwardly extending side sections or side walls  106  and  108 . In this embodiment, the center wall  104  does not include an opening for removably securing the adapter to the safety cover. Instead, opposite support members  110  and  112  extend downwardly from the center wall  104  below the respective side walls  106  and  108 . Each support member  110  and  112  comprises an extension to the associated side wall  106  and  108  below the center wall  104  and an inwardly turned flange  114  and  116 . The adapter  102  is removably secured to the safety cover  14  by sliding the cover plate  18  below the center wall  104  between the support members  110  and  112  to be supported from below by the flanges  114  and  116 . As with the embodiment above, rubber bands (not shown) could be used to further maintain the adapter  102  and safety cover  14  in assembled relation. The adapter  102  comprises an extruded part. Nevertheless, the adapter  102  could be formed by other means. 
     Thus, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a safety system including an adapter removably secured to a safety cover for use with linearly arranged reinforcement bars.