Patent Abstract:
Stackable supports for supporting upright fence posts are arranged in overlying relationship, forming an “X” shape with sockets ( 30 ) extending from the support blocks ( 22 ) up through openings ( 44 ) of the cross blocks that receive the end portions of the fence posts ( 15 ), with lock pins ( 50 ) that extend through the aligned openings of the sockets and the fence posts.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention concerns a portable fence assembly for use in hazardous conditions, such as on sloped surfaces, particularly in the roofing construction business where workers are required to install roof coverings, such as shingles, on a sloped roof surface that is high above the ground. 
         [0002]    The workers that install roof structures work in hazardous conditions and are required to move about the roof surface while removing old roof materials, disposing of the removed roof materials, bringing the new roof materials up to the level of the roof, retrieving new roof materials, and installing new materials on the support surfaces of the roof structure. 
         [0003]    The work is hazardous, particularly after the workers have worked for an extended time on the roof. Also, atmospheric conditions such as heat, cold, wind, precipitation and other physical conditions of the environment may be undesirable and dangerous while performing the work. Therefore, it is highly desirable to reduce the hazards that a roofer is exposed to, particularly the hazard of falling from the roof. 
         [0004]    In order to avoid the unbalance and falling of a worker on a typical roof, a portable guard rail usually is, and sometimes must be installed on the roof structure. The prior art guard rail or “fence” usually is a very heavy structure so as to assure that the structure is stable and likely capable of arresting the fall of a roofer and possibly arresting the fall of materials off the roof structure. 
         [0005]    The typical roof fence has a series of heavy bases that support the fence posts. The bases of the posts each usually weigh more than 100 pounds and are difficult to lift, move, install and readjust the typical roof fence because of the excessive weight of the bases of the fence. The workers are exposed to substantial hazard just by bringing the parts of a portable guard rail up to the roof surface and then arranging and installing it on the roof. 
         [0006]    It would be desirable to have portable roof guard rails that are convenient to bring to and take away from a roof surface, that are formed in segments that weigh less than the segments of the prior art fences so the fence is stable and can be easily assembled and disassembled, thereby reducing the physical hazards associated with the roofer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Briefly described, the present invention concerns a portable guard rail assembly for mounting on roof structures and other sloped structures that are light in weight, easy to install, and improve the safety of the work conditions of the worker. 
         [0008]    More particularly, the invention includes two-piece nestable pole supports for supporting vertical fence poles and the horizontal fence rails of a fence. The weight of the pieces of the nestable pole supports may weigh approximately 75 pounds, which is about one half of the weight of the prior art fence pole supports, and together would weigh more than the prior art fence pole supports. The pole supports are sized and shaped so a worker can pick them up and move and install them only one at a time while arranging the fence poles and other parts of the fence, thereby substantially reducing the hazard of assembling the fence. And the components of the pole supports are shaped to “nest” together so that the worker does not have to bolt them together. 
         [0009]    Also, the two-piece fence mounting assembly can be placed in a nested configuration to form a heavier portable base of a fence that is built progressively and that meets the standards and requirements provided in OSHA rules. 
         [0010]    The components of the improved base assembly are formed so that they can be separated into components with handles for lifting, carrying and placing about the roof structure. The base assembly is formed in segments that nest together to form a single base. These segments and the fence posts are placed at appropriate intervals about the roof structure, and the fencing is installed on adjacent ones of the posts. 
         [0011]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portion of an assembled fence showing one of the heavy base assemblies at the intersection of the fence rails. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the support block, showing the top surface. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the cross block showing the top surface, with dash lines showing how the upper cross block can nest with lower support block. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the nested assembly, showing the upper cross block in its nested position on the lower support block. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of both the lower support block and upper cross block with the lower support block positioned on top of and in alignment with the upper cross block, for convenience and storing and ground transportation. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view, similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing multiple ones of the pairs of lower support blocks nesting and the upper cross blocks nesting in stacked pairs for storage and transportation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a segment of the portable fence assembly  10  that includes fence segments  11 ,  12  and  13  having vertical fence posts  15  and horizontal fence rails  16 . The fence segments are conventional in the art. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows the vertical posts at one end of each fence segment supported by the assembled support base  18 , with a board, such as a 2″×4″ board  20 , supported at one end by the assembled support base  18 . 
         [0020]    The assembled support base  18  is formed in two main pieces, support block  22  in  FIG. 2  and cross block  24  in  FIG. 3 . The upper surface of support block  22  includes enlarged end portions  25  and  26  and recessed support platform  27  extending between the end portions and upwardly facing recessed cross groove  28 . A plurality of sockets  30  is mounted to the recessed support platform  27 , with the sockets including a circular side wall  31 , axial opening  32 , and opposed side openings  34  that intersect the axial opening  32 . 
         [0021]    The enlarged end portions  25  of the support block  22  each define a handle opening  35  and an end slot  37 . A resilient boot is formed about the end and lower surface of the enlarged end portions  25  and  26  of the support block  22  that forms a shape for receiving the end portion of the board  20  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0022]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the cross block  24  includes enlarged end portions  40  and  41  and recess support platform  42  extending between the enlarged end portions. Socket openings  44  are formed in the recessed support platform  42 , and the recessed support platform  42  of the cross block  24  forms a downwardly facing cross groove  46 . 
         [0023]    The enlarged end portions  40  and  41  also include end slots  47  for the purpose of supporting the ends of boards  20  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0024]    Handle openings  45  are formed through the enlarged end portions  40  and  41 . 
         [0025]    The downwardly facing cross groove  46  of the cross block  24  is sized and shaped to straddle the recessed support platform  27  of support block  22 , with the socket openings  44  receiving the sockets  30 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The shapes of the support block  22  and cross block  24  allow the cross block  24  to “nest” with the support block  22 , with the upper end portions of the sockets  30  of the support block protruding through the socket openings  44  of the cross block  24 , with the opposed side openings  34  exposed at the upper surface of the cross block  24 . 
         [0026]    When the blocks  22  and  24  are assembled as shown in  FIG. 4 , fence posts  15  are inserted down into the sockets  30 , and connector pins  50  are inserted through the aligned openings  34  of the sockets and the pin openings  51  in the lower end portions of the vertical fence posts  15 , thereby locking the fence segments  11  to the support block  22 , and locking the cross block  24  to the support block  22 . 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the cross block  24  is configured so that it may receive a support block  22  on its top surface so that the cross block and support block are aligned with one another. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows that a multiple number of pairs of support blocks  22  and cross blocks  24  may be vertically stacked for shipment and storage. 
         [0029]    Once the blocks  22  and  24  are received at a work site, the workers can retrieve the support block from the top of the stack of blocks and next retrieve the cross block so that the blocks are movable in organized sequence from the delivery site to the roof surface. The workers are able to grasp the support block in one hand and the cross block in the other hand. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the lock pins  50  may be initially stored between the cross block  24  and support block  22  while the blocks are arranged in vertical pairs of stacked blocks, and when a part of support block and cross block are moved from the stack of  FIG. 6 , the pins  50  tend to travel with the moving blocks to the erection site. Typically, cords  51  are looped around the opposed ends of the lock pins  50  and through an opening  44  of the cross block  24  during storage of the lock pins. 
         [0031]    Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the disclosed embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4