Abstract:
A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels. Each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly. Each hinge assembly has a rotational axis offset from a vertical plane of one of the adjacent panels. The barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein the panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space, such as an elevator machine room, and a deployed configuration wherein the panels are unfolded to form a barrier blocking access to a segregated work area. Each of the panels of the barricade has a different width to enable the panels to fold flat against an adjacent panel in the folded configuration. In one embodiment the barricade comprises a mounting assembly for rotatably mounting a first one of the panels to a support structure within the confined space. The mounting assembly permits vertical displacement of the barricade relative to the support structure when the barricade is moved between the folded and deployed configurations. Each panel of the barricade is symmetrical about a centerline extending between first and second side edges thereof. The barricade may thus be positioned in either a first orientation adapted for left-hand mounting on a support surface or in a second orientation inverse to the first orientation adapted for right-hand mounting on a support surface.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This application relates to a foldable safety barricade for blocking access to a work area. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Industry regulations require the use of safety barricades to identify active work areas within public spaces. For example, safety barricades have been widely used in the elevator and escalator industry to segregate work areas and block public access. Folding barricades of various types have existed for well over 10 years and have usually included a tubular frame with fabric panels or interlocking corrugated plastic panels. Such barricades are typically temporary in nature and are transported to and from work site locations by maintenance and repair personnel. 
         [0003]    Though current tubular frame and corrugated plastic safety barricades have met with commercial success, there is a need for barricades which are more easily stored, transported and deployed. There is a particular need for barricades which can be conveniently stored in very confined spaces, such as elevator machine rooms. 
         [0004]    The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the applicant&#39;s foldable safety barricade mounted within the interior of an elevator machine room and showing the machine room door open and the barricade deployed in an extended position. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the barricade of  FIG. 1  showing the barricade adjusted to its folded position. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 3A-3C  are top plan views of the applicant&#39;s barricade showing adjustment from a folded to a deployed position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  a side elevational view the applicant&#39;s barricade in a fully deployed position 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the barricade in a fully folded position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of a first panel of the barricade. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of a second panel of the barricade. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of a third panel of the barricade. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is side elevational view of a fourth panel of the barricade. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of a first and second panel of the barricade coupled together with a hinge assembly. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the barricade of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged, top plan view of a portion of the hinge assembly of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  is an enlarged, top plan view of the mounting assembly for mounting the barricade on a support structure. 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  is an enlarged, perspective view of a portion of the mounting assembly for mounting the barricade on a support structure. 
           [0020]      FIG. 15A-15D  are perspective, top, side and end views respectively of the slotted hinge pin component of the hinge assembly. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 16A-16D  are perspective, top, side and end views respectively of the unslotted hinge pin component of the hinge assembly. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 17A-17D  are perspective, top, side and end views respectively of the top and bottom unslotted hinge pin components of the hinge assembly. 
           [0023]      FIG. 18  is an exploded, perspective view of hinge assembly components. 
           [0024]      FIGS. 19A-19D  are perspective, top, side and end views respectively of the shuttle hinge of the mounting assembly. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 20A-20D  are perspective, top, side and end views respectively of the mounting block of the mounting assembly. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense. 
         [0027]    This application relates to a foldable barricade  10  comprising a plurality of interconnected panels  12 . In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , barricade  10  includes four panels  12 A,  12 B,  12 C and  12 D. However, in some alternative embodiments barricade  10  may comprise a different number of panels  12 , for example between two and six panels  12 . 
         [0028]    As described below and as best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , barricade  10  has a slim profile when it is in a fully folded position. This enables barricade  10  to be stored in a confined space. One particular application of the invention is for storage in the machine room  14  of an elevator or escalator ( FIGS. 1-3 ). Some machine rooms  14 , such as the Hydrofit™ system sold by Otis Elevator Company, have a very limited amount of space between the machine components  16  and the closed door  18 . For example, in some cases the gap between an interior surface of closed door  18  and the machine room components  16  may be as small as 1.5-2 inches. As described below, one application of barricade  10  is to block public access to machine room components  16  after machine room door  18  has been opened ( FIG. 1 ). As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, in other applications barricade  10  may also be used to identify and block access to any active work area within a public space. 
         [0029]    Barricade  10  may either be free-standing or mounted on a support surface. As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , in one embodiment barricade  10  is configured for mounting on a support surface  24  within machine room  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, support surface  24  is a bracket mounted on a machine room component  16  using fasteners  25  (as best seen in  FIGS. 3A and 14 ). Barricade  10  may be mounted in either a left-hand or right-hand orientation depending upon the hinge placement of door  18 . To achieve this versatility barricade  10  is longitudinally symmetrical relative to a centreline  26  ( FIG. 4 ), as discussed further below. After door  18  is opened to allow access to machine room components  16 , barricade  10  may be deployed from the folded position ( FIG. 2 ) to an extended position ( FIG. 1 ). In the extended position barricade  10  identifies and blocks access to machine room  14 . 
         [0030]    In one embodiment best illustrated in  FIGS. 3A-3C  and  14 , a first side edge  28  of first panel  12 A is mounted within machine room  14  just inside door frame  20  using a mounting assembly  30 . The other, second side edge  32  of first panel  12 A is interconnected to second panel  12 B using a panel connecting hinge assembly  34 . Each successive panel  12 C,  12 D, etc. is similarly interconnected to the preceding panel  12  using a hinge assembly  34 . As described below, each hinge assembly  34  employs an offset hinge arrangement so that panels  12 A- 12 D may be folded flat against one another to achieve a slim profile in the fully folded position ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 A and  5 ). 
         [0031]      FIGS. 3A-3C  illustrate one arrangement of mounting assembly  30 . Assembly  30  enables barricade  10  to move between a fully folded position ( FIG. 3A ) to a partially deployed position ( FIG. 3B ) to a deployed, extended position ( FIG. 3C ). As best shown in  FIGS. 14 and 19 , assembly  30  includes a plurality of shuttle hinges  36  which are mounted proximate to first edge  28  of panel  12 A at vertically spaced-apart locations. Each shuttle hinge  36  has a flat mounting surface  38  secured to panel  12 A and a generally conical body  40  extending outwardly therefrom. A reamed borehole  42  extends longitudinally through body  40  at a location offset away from mounting surface  38 . Shuttle hinges  36  may be mounted on panel  12 A, for example using fasteners  44  ( FIG. 14 ) which are received in tapped holes  46  extending laterally from flat surface  38  part-way into the interior of body  40 . 
         [0032]    Mounting assembly  30  further includes a plurality of mounting blocks  48 . In the illustrated embodiment ( FIGS. 14 and 20 ), each block  48  has a flat mounting surface  50  for mounting on support surface  24  within machine room  14  and a generally conical body  52  extending outwardly therefrom. Reamed boreholes  54  extends longitudinally part-way through body  52  at either end thereof at a location offset away from mounting surface  50 . Mounting blocks  48  may be mounted at spaced-apart locations on support surface  24  within machine room  14 , for example, using fasteners  56  which are received in reamed holes  58  extending laterally from flat mounting surface  50  through the interior of body  52 . 
         [0033]    As best shown in  FIG. 14 , each shuttle hinge  36  mounted on first panel  12 A is connected between two mounting blocks  48  by a connecting pin  60 . In particular, pin  60  extends through borehole  42  of shuttle hinge  36  and an end portion thereof is captured within a borehole  54  of an adjacent mounting block  48 . This arrangement enables displacement of shuttle hinges  36  (and attached barricade panels  12 A- 12 D) relative to mounting blocks  48  which are fixed on support surface  24  within room  14 . Thus, although barricade  10  is mounted for storage within the interior of room  14  ( FIG. 2 ), it can be displaced upwardly and swung over door sill  22  or any other protrusion, obstacle or the like and then displaced downwardly to contact the floor surface outside machine room  14  ( FIG. 1 ). This ability to vertically displace barricade  10  (i.e. panels  12 A- 12 D) relative to the supporting structures also serves to accommodate variances in the elevation of floor surfaces within machine room  14  (where barricade  10  is stored) and outside of machine room  14  (where barricade  10  is deployed). In order to accommodate door sill  22  or other protrusions or obstacles after barricade  10  has been deployed ( FIG. 1 ) panel  12 A includes a clearance allowance cut-out portion  62  at its lower and upper ends adjacent first edge  28  (as best seen in  FIG. 6 ). Only the lower cut-out portion  62  is required, but the two cut-outs  62  allow barricade  10  to be flipped upside down for right-hand or left-hand mounting depending upon the orientation of the machine room door  18 . 
         [0034]    Barricade  10  can be similarly displaced vertically relative to the support structure in the reverse order as described above when it is adjusted from the deployed ( FIG. 1 ) to the folded ( FIG. 2 ) positions. 
         [0035]    In one embodiment, the first side edge  28  of panel  12 A may be mounted to a support structure as described above and the second side edge  32  of panel  12 A is hingedly connected to panel  12  B using a hinge assembly  34 . As shown best in  FIG. 6 , second side edge  32  of panel  12 A includes a plurality of spaced-apart, protruding mounting tabs  64  which are secured to hinge assembly  34  as described further below. Recessed portions  66  are located between mounting tabs  64 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , the structure of panels  12 B- 12 D differs in some respects from panel  12 A. Each panel  12 B- 12 C has a first side edge  68  and a second side edge  70 . In panel  12 B side edge  68  comprises alternating mounting tabs  64  and recessed portions  66 , similar to second side edge  32  of panel  12 A. Side edge  70  comprises alternating insert tabs  72  and recessed portions  74 . In the illustrated embodiment insert tabs  72  are slightly less protruding than mounting tabs  64  and include end portions  76  which are notched. Mounting and insert tabs  64 ,  72  are disposed on opposed side edges  68 ,  70  in an alternating array. That is, in the illustrated embodiment each mounting tab  64  is laterally aligned with a recessed portion  74  and each insert tab  72  is laterally aligned with a recessed portion  66 . 
         [0037]    Panel  12 C ( FIG. 8 ) has a structure similar to panel  12 B ( FIG. 7 ) except that first side edge  68  comprises alternating insert tabs  72  and recessed portions  74  and second side edge  70  comprises alternating mounting tabs  64  and recessed portions  66 . Panel  12 D ( FIG. 9 ) has a second side edge  70  which comprises alternating insert tabs  72  and recessed portions  74 , similar to panel  12 B. Since, in the illustrated embodiment, panel  12 D is the terminating panel  12  in barricade  10  it has a straight first side edge  68  which forms an end of barricade  10 . 
         [0038]    Each panel  12 A- 12 D also includes hand-holes  78  to assist in carrying barricade  10 . As explained above, barricade  10  can be carried and deployed in both a right-hand and left-hand orientation which are vertically inverse. Accordingly hand-holes  78  are provided near both the “top” and “bottom” of each panel  12 A- 12 D. Each panel  12 A- 12 D also includes one or more mounting holes  80  for fastening panels  12 A- 12 D together in the fully folded position or for hanging barricade  10  on a support hook etc. 
         [0039]    In one embodiment of barricade  10  panels  12 A- 12 D may be made of closed cell PVC board for light weight and optimum strength. Safety warnings, signage or other suitable indicia may be mounted on panels  12 A- 12 D as desired. 
         [0040]    In order to ensure that panels  12 A- 12 D rest flat against one another in the fully folded position ( FIGS. 2 and 5 ), each successive panel is smaller in width than the preceding panel to accommodate the thickness of each hinge assembly  34 . That is, the overall width of panel  12 A is greater than panel  12 B which is greater than  12 C which is greater than  12 D etc. Although each panel has a different width, hand holes  78  and mounting holes  80  are positioned such that such holes are aligned when barricade  10  is in the folded position ( FIG. 2 ). This enables the hand holes  78  to be used for carrying barricade  10  in the folded position or for mounting on a support structure. Aligned mounting holes  80  can also be used to secure panels  12 A- 12 D together with a strap inserted through holes  80  or for mounting supplementary signs or notices on barricade  10 . 
         [0041]    In one embodiment of barricade  10  shown for example in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the largest panel  12 A may be the innermost panel and the smallest panel  12 D may be the outermost panel when barricade  10  is in the folded position. In an alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the largest panel  12 A may be the outermost panel  12  and the smallest panel  12 D may be the innermost panel  12  when barricade  10  is in the folded position. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 10-11  and  15 - 18  illustrate panel connecting hinge assembly  34  in greater detail. Assembly  34  includes a slotted hinge pin  82  and a unslotted hinge pin  84 . As explained in detail below, each slotted hinge pin  82  receives an insert tab  72  of a panel  12  while each unslotted hinge pin  84  is secured to a mounting tab  64  of a panel  12 . Adjacent hinge pins  82 , 84  are rotatably coupled together so that panels  12  can fold and unfold relative to one another as described above and shown in the drawings. 
         [0043]      FIGS. 15A-15D  illustrate slotted hinge pin  82  in detail. Slotted hinge pin  82  is conical in shape and includes a longitudinal slot  86  for receiving an insert tab  72 . A plurality of spaced-apart apertures  88  are formed in hinge pin  82  for inserting fasteners (not shown) into the edge of each tab  72  once it is fully inserted ( FIG. 4 ). Thus each insert tab  72  projecting from a side edge  68 ,  70  of a panel  12  is securely coupled to a slotted hinge pin  82 . 
         [0044]    Each slotted hinge pin  82  also includes reamed holes  90  formed in their end portions. Each hole  90  receives an end portion of a connecting pin  92  for coupling a slotted hinge pin  82  to an adjacent unslotted hinge pin  84  ( FIG. 18 ). As best shown in  FIG. 15B  the end portion of each longitudinal slot  86  is tapered to receive the end portions  76  of an insert tab  72 . The notched end portion  76  of tab  72  ensures that the insert tab  72  will not interfere with connecting pin  92  when it is fully inserted into slot  86 . 
         [0045]      FIGS. 16A-16D  illustrate an embodiment of unslotted hinge pin  84  in detail. As indicated above, each unslotted hinge pin  84  is secured to a side surface of a corresponding mounting tab  64 . Hinge pin  84  includes a flat surface  94  and a generally conical body  96 . Small reamed holes  98  are provided at opposite ends for receiving an end portion of a connecting pin  92  ( FIG. 18 ). A plurality of mounting holes  100  are provided for securing each hinge pin  84  to a mounting tab  64  using suitable fasteners. 
         [0046]      FIGS. 17A-17D  illustrate an unslotted hinge pin  84 A for mounting at the end portions of hinge assembly  34 , i.e. at the top and bottom of a panel  12 . Hinge pin  84 A has the same basic structure as hinge pin  84  except that flat surface  94  does not extend the entire length thereof. Rather, hinge pin  84 A has an end portion  102  which is conical in shape. The other end of hinge pin  84 A is the same as hinge pin  84  and includes a reamed hole  98  for receiving an end portion of a connecting pin  92  ( FIG. 18 ). 
         [0047]    As described further below, a removable rubber foot  104  may be fitted on end portion  102  for supporting barricade  10  on a floor or other support surface ( FIG. 1 ). Alternatively, a removable caster wheel  106  (not shown) may be fitted on end portion  102  to aid in transporting a free-standing embodiment of barricade  10  when it is in the folded position, i.e. by rolling movement rather than lifting and carrying. Panels  12  may include a notched portion  105  at their upper and lower ends for accommodating foot  104  or caster wheel (FIGS.  1  and  6 - 8 ). 
         [0048]    As shown best in  FIGS. 1 and 9 , the terminating panel  12 , in the illustrated embodiment panel  12 D, may include a protruding foot or skid pad  108  to ensure that panel  12 D is supported at the same elevation as the other panels  12 . 
         [0049]    As shown in  FIG. 3A , the offset arrangement of hinge assembly  34  results in each panel  12 A- 12 D being slightly offset relative to an adjoining panel  12 A- 12 D. For example, in one embodiment each successive panel may be offset approximately 0.25 inches, i.e. by approximately the thickness of a panel  12 . This arrangement ensures that in the folded position panels  12 A- 12 D will be oriented flat against one another in parallel planes to achieve a slim overall profile. With reference to  FIG. 12 , each unslotted hinge pin  84  or  84 A is mounted on a side surface of a mounting tab  64  such that hinge pins  84  and  84 A of an assembly  34  are in vertical alignment. Aperture  98  is offset toward the flat side surface  94  of hinge pin  84  or  84 A ( FIGS. 16D and 17D ). Slotted hinge pins  82  are aligned between pairs of unslotted hinge pins  84 ,  84 A and connecting pins  92  are insertable into apertures  90  and  98  to rotatably couple hinge pins  82 ,  84  together ( FIG. 18 ). Thus, in a hinge assembly  34 , all of the unslotted hinge pins  84  or  84 A are fixed to one panel  12  and all of the slotted hinge pins  82  are coupled to another panel  12  ( FIG. 12  shows an unslotted (upper) hinge pin  84 A and a slotted (lower) hinge pin  82  in vertical alignment). A teflon washer  93  may optionally be disposed between hinge pins  82 ,  84  or  84 A to facilitate rotational movement therebetween during the folding and unfolding operations ( FIG. 18 ). When a hinge assembly  34  is fully assembled, each hinge pin  82  is disposed in a recessed portion  66  formed at one edge of a panel  12  and each hinge pin  84  is disposed in a recessed portion  74  formed at one edge of another panel  12 . 
         [0050]    While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.