CN203546646U - Modular Security Fence Assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

A modular safety fence assembly (100) includes: a fence assembly (300) in the form of: at least two posts (310) having one or more guardrails (340) extending between the posts (310) in a fixed manner; and a handrail assembly (200) attached to at least two of the posts to form an integrated assembly (100). The posts (310) include a U-shaped beam (320) having side flanges that are tapered to allow the handrail assembly (200) to be positioned offset from the fence assembly but proximate to the fence assembly while maintaining a gap between the handrail assembly and the fence assembly (300).

Description

Modular Security Fence Assemblies

technical field

The utility model relates to a safety fence, which is used for protecting pedestrians and delimiting pedestrian traffic areas. the

Background technique

Safety fences are used in many environments and applications. the

Considering the increasing focus on workplace safety in recent years, there is a need for a safety barrier in light industrial applications such as factories, warehouses, etc. This type of industrial area receives a mix of foot traffic (pedestrians) and vehicular traffic (forklifts, delivery trucks, etc.), and this type of work area has a high potential for injury or death due to accidents. the

Curb fencing has been deployed in industrial workplaces, but this is not particularly well suited for this purpose. An example familiar to Australian drivers is the roadside barriers supplied by ARMCO Barriers Pty Ltd, which have been used on Australian roads in remote and urban areas for decades almost universal. Such barriers are primarily suited for high speed collisions without any nearby foot traffic, so their use in industrial workplaces can often cause more safety problems than they solve by themselves. the

Ad hoc measures are often taken in industrial workplaces to help avoid collisions and related accidents without impeding the free passage of people or vehicles. Often, bright yellow paint lines can be painted on the ground to demarcate pedestrian walkways from areas where vehicles should not deviate. Similarly, sidewalks can be marked with a white cross, etc. the

Permanent and semi-permanent fencing have also been deployed in some applications, such as cf. above, but are often found to be bulky, flimsy and unattractive. Furthermore, such fences often present a greater risk than the fence itself handles, for example, due to the risk of tripping over foot traffic, or due to snagging of clothing. the

In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improvements that at least attempt to address these or other limitations associated with existing safety barrier constructions. the

Utility model content

The concept of the present invention lies in a modular safety fence assembly with an integrated fence assembly and handrail assembly. This provides a small form factor and an integrated handrail assembly that extends toward pedestrians sufficiently to significantly reduce the likelihood of tripping over the posts supporting the remainder of the barrier assembly. the

The struts include U-shaped beams that are strong and rigid enough to resist side impacts while occupying a relatively small footprint. The side flanges of the U-beam are widest at the base and taper towards the upper end of the strut, which is usually closest to the handrail. This allows for sufficient clearance between the handrail and the fence assembly for convenient handrail use without compromising the protective strength of the fence. A straight or untapered post would require the handrail assembly to extend further in the lateral direction from the fence assembly to provide the same clearance. This is a less compact device using a larger footprint. the

In embodiments where the handrail is above the barrier assembly, lateral clearance from the barrier assembly is no longer an issue. However, the tapered strut design is an efficient use of material and naturally aesthetically pleasing. The side flanges may have a stepped profile to reduce the width of the side flanges, but this introduces stress concentrations and sharp corners which can snag a passerby's clothing. the

With an increasing focus on safety in the workplace, workplace managers require extensive fencing between vehicular movement and pedestrians. While current regulations may not require the use of fencing devices, OH&S (occupational health and safety) managers are likely to accept such measures because the use of safety fencing proactively addresses safety issues. the

Escape routes must be protected from obstruction by vehicles and product/pallets, as well as keep clear passages for pedestrian escape. the

A continuous or near-continuous handrail for guidance in the event of an emergency evacuation provides an additional measure of safety. In addition, the use of handrails helps to protect pedestrians from accidental contact with other parts of the fence -- such as chafing a pedestrian's foot on the posts of the fence. the

The safety fence itself preferably comprises two or three posts spaced along the length of the fence to which a pair of guardrails comprising rectangular tubing are permanently affixed. At the base of each post are orthogonally oriented end plates for supporting the safety fence and allowing the fence to be secured to the ground (eg, with anchor bolts). the

Safety barriers and handrails are preferably provided in standard length modules for on-site segmental assembly. This allows for simplicity of description, transport and assembly. As an example, standard lengths of 2000mm, 3000mm, 4000mm and 5000mm may be considered. the

Similarly, height is preferably also standardized. Preferably, the handrails are set at a standard height (1000mm) consistent with customary practices. The fence can be of matching height (1000mm) for aesthetic appearance, although other heights can be used as required. the

Description of drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of illustration only, with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a modular security barrier assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. the

Figure 2 is a detail of the view of Figure 1 where the handrail assembly meets the fence assembly. the

FIG. 3 is a side view of the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 . the

Figure 4 is a front view of the assembly of Figures 1-3. the

Figure 5 is a rear view of the assembly of Figures 1-4. the

6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a modular security barrier assembly having a lower barrier. the

Detailed ways

1-5 depict a modular security barrier assembly 100 including a handrail assembly 200 and a barrier assembly 300 . the

The handrail assembly 200 and the barrier assembly 300 are removably attached to each other by any suitable means, such as the illustrated nuts, bolts and washers. The armrest assembly 200 has a pair of T-shaped fittings 220 that receive an armrest 210 in the form of a cylindrical tube and a support member 230 in the form of a cylindrical tube. The support member 230 is bent to form a dog-leg member and has a mounting plate 240 welded to the end opposite the T-shaped fitting 220 . Mounting plate 240 has holes for the threaded fasteners discussed above. the

T-shaped fitting 220 is sized for a slight tight fit with armrest 210 and support member 230 . T-shaped fitting 220 , armrest 210 and support member 230 may also be secured by suitable threaded fasteners extending through T-shaped fitting 220 to engage armrest 210 and support member 230 . the

The fence assembly 300 has a post 310 formed from U-shaped beams 320 together with support plates 330 welded to their corresponding bases 360 (see FIG. 3 ). The side flanges 370 (see FIG. 2 ) of the U-beam 320 taper from their greatest transverse width at the base 360 towards the upper end 350 . This provides an offset 110 (see FIG. 3 ) between the armrest 210 and the upper end 350 , which is sufficient for convenient armrest use. This lateral offset 110 (ie, an offset in a direction 120 transverse to the longitudinal extension 140 (see FIG. 5 ) of the armrest 210 ) is greater than the lateral offset 130 between the armrest 210 and the base 360 of the strut 310 . Thus, there is sufficient clearance around the armrest 210 while maintaining an overall compact design with a reduced footprint. The tapered shape also provides an aesthetic appearance without compromising structural strength. the

The support plate 330 is generally square in shape and has holes near its corners for attaching the fence assembly 300 to the ground, such as by using a set of anchor bolts to attach the fence assembly 300 to the concrete floor 160 . the

Extending between the struts 310 are a pair of guardrails 340 in the form of regular tubing. As depicted, guardrail 340 is removably attached by using sets of fasteners (in this case, a series of nuts, bolts and washers) through matching holes in guardrail 340 and strut 310 to strut 310 . Use four sets of fasteners at each anchor point to ensure a secure fit. A pair of guardrails 340 are also used to give the fence assembly 300 greater structural integrity. the

The guardrail 340 is positioned to one side of the fence assembly 300 and the handrail assembly 200 is fitted to the opposite side of the fence assembly 300 . The guardrail 340 is connected to the handrail assembly 200 by the post 310 , which is firmly mounted to the ground through the support plate 330 . the

In the finished assembly, the handrail 210 is as high as the top of the upper rail 340 to provide a flat and matching appearance. The upper rail 340 and the handrail member 210 do not have to match in height and can however be at different heights, as depicted in Figure 6, the rail assembly only extends to 700mm, but the armrest assembly extends like the preferred embodiment of Figures 1-5 A full 1000mm. the

The materials used in the restraints of the assembly are relatively heavy gauge steel, of sufficient thickness to resist heavy duty use and minor impacts, and are finished with an industrial cladding that provides high visibility as well as protection against corrosion. the

The modular security barrier assembly 100 described and depicted herein has multiple uses and offers advantages over existing approaches to security issues in industrial workplaces, such as factories, warehouses, and the like. the

The barrier assembly 300 prevents vehicular traffic from inadvertently intruding into a pedestrian passageway, and also prevents pedestrian traffic from inadvertently intruding into a vehicular passage area. The handrail assembly 200 provides pedestrian safety, particularly in the event of an emergency, such as a fire or gas leak, when visibility may be poor or pedestrians may become disoriented. the

The integrated handrail assembly 200 acts in part to compensate for pedestrian traffic to help minimize the risk of tripping in addition to preventing feet from stumbling over posts 310 . The use of armrest assembly 200 that attaches directly to post 310 (rather than being free-standing) is a great advantage in this regard. the

The integration of the handrail assembly 200 with the fence assembly 300 allows for a small form factor as well as a neat and pleasing appearance in the field. The U-beams 320 used to form the vertical portion of the strut 310 give the strut 310 sufficient strength without, for example, requiring the use of perfectly rectangular tubular members. Also, the tapered side flanges of the U-beam 320 allow the handrail assembly 220 to be offset from the fence assembly 300 but close enough to the fence assembly 300 to provide a neat and compact finished assembly 100 . the

The safety fence assembly 100 is 2000mm in length and its modular nature allows multiple components to be used together to assemble a fence of any desired configuration. Additionally, other length assemblies are contemplated such that assemblies of different lengths can be used together as desired. For example, it is possible to construct similarly arranged assemblies with lengths of 3000mm, 4000mm and 5000mm. Larger length assemblies preferably incorporate additional struts and associated fastening points to ensure stability of the device. the

Optional accessories can also be added to the finished assembly 100 . As an example, a ground member in the form of an L-shaped member could be added adjacent to the support plate 330 of the post 310 to provide a surface on which a load (package, pallet, etc.) can be pushed. the

Various other modifications and additions may be made to the modular security barrier assemblies described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. the

Claims (6)

CLAIMS 1. A modular security barrier assembly comprising: a barrier assembly in the form of at least two posts having one or more bars extending in a fixed manner between the posts a plurality of guardrails; and a handrail assembly attached to at least two of the posts. 2. A modular security barrier assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said posts each have a base for fixedly mounting to the ground, and said handrail assembly has at least two of said posts The base of the strut is wider in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the armrest than at the upper end of the strut opposite the base. 3. A modular security barrier assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the width of each of said struts tapers towards said upper end such that said handrail is aligned with the width of said struts in said transverse direction. The upper end is offset by a greater amount than the armrest is offset from the base of the post in the transverse direction. 4. A modular security barrier assembly according to claim 3, wherein said posts comprise U-shaped beams having side flanges which define the width of said posts such that said side flanges are tapered retracted to allow positioning of the handrail assembly adjacent the fence assembly while maintaining a gap between the handrail assembly and the fence assembly. 5. A modular safety barrier assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the handrail assembly further comprises at least one pair of supports secured to the handrail for securing the The armrest assembly is removably attached to the post. 6. A modular security barrier assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a support plate secured to the base of the post to support the barrier assembly on the ground And attaching the fence assembly to the ground.

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