GB2205344A - Safety gate - Google Patents

Abstract

The gate (10) is moved from an in-use position into an inclined position and swung on its hinged end post (16) to an out-of-use position (14) for storage alongside the rising treads of stair (12). In this way the gate (10) is storable at the sides of the stairs (12) and does not restrict access. A mating U-shaped member (28) is adapted to be fixed to the other side of the stairs (12) for receiving the bars (22) of the gate (10) in an in-use position across the stairs (12). <IMAGE>

Description

SAFETY GATE The present invention relates to safety gates, particularly, but not exclusively, for use with stairs.

Safety gates are common in many households, particularly where young children are present. The g.te is used to prevent the child from either going up, or from falling down stairs, although gates can commonly be used to block doorways and other passages. Such gates are typically rectangular in shape and can be positioned across the stair between two opposed surfaces and secured thereat to prevent access by a child. Many such gates are freestanding so that they have to be removed and stored and against brought out of storage whenever they have to be used. This is a disadvantage and is often time consuming, as well as inconvenient.

Some other gates are of the folding type such they they concertina from a relatively small width to a larger width and can remain fixed to one side of the stairway.

However, even in the stored position these gates effectively restrict the width of the passage resulting in inconvenicence. Gates have been designed to which are fixed to one side of the stair and which are hinged so that they can be moved from an in-use position which effectively bars the passage to an out-of-use position at the side of the stairs. Although such gates have been used at the top of stairs they cannot readily be used at the bottom of stairs because it is not possible to store the gate at the side of the stairway.

A safety gate should be storable alongside the side of the stairs when not in use,but should not restrict access along the stair well and should conform to the rising treads of the stairs. This is not achieved with existing safety gates.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety gate which obviates or mitigates the aforesaid disadvantages.

This is achieved by providing a hinged safety gate which is adapted to be fixed to one side of the stairs and which can be pivoted between an in-use and an out-ofuse position. The arrangement of the gate is such that when pivoted from an in-use position to the out-of-use position the gate is adapted to fold into an inclined position for storage alongside the rising treads. In this way the gate is storable at the sides of the stairs and does not restrict access. A mating member is adapted to be fixed to the other side of the stairs for receiving and securing the gate in an in-use position to restrict access to the stairs.

According to the present invention there is provided a safety gate for closing and access, said gate comprising: a first upstanding member adapted to be pivotably secured at the side of the access, a folding barrier arrangement fixed to said first upstanding member and movable relative to said first upstanding member between the first in-use and generally horizontal position, and a second non-horizontal and out of-use position, and and means for retaining said gate closed in said out-of-use position, whereby said access is closed by said gate in said in-use position and opened when said gate is in said out-of-use position.

Preferably said safety gate is used with a flight of stairs and said first upstanding member is secured at the bottom of the stairs and said folding arrangement is stored at the side of the stairs when in said out-ofuse position.

Preferably also, said folding arrangement consists of spaced horizontal bars pivotably coupled to said first upstanding member and spaced parallel vertical bars mounted on horizontal bars, said horizontal and vertical bars being pivotable relative to each other.

Conveniently, said first upstanding member has hinges for securement to support means at the side of the stairs and for permitting said first upstanding member to be pivotably secured thereto. Preferably also, said means for retaining said gate closed in said out-of-use position is a strap having striker portions adapted to be engaged by said horizontal bars.

These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in combination with the accompanying drawing which is a generally diagrammatic and perspective view of an embodiment of a safety gate according to the invention depicted in an in-use and an out-of-use position.

Reference is now made to the drawing which depicts a safety gate generally indicated by reference numeral 10 movable between an in-use position for blocking access to a flight of stairs 12 and an out-of-use position 14, shown in broken outline, where the gate is stored alongside the rising stairs.

The gate 10 consists of a first upstanding side post 16 which has spaced hinges 18 which are fastened to the wall or post 20 at the side of the stairs. Two spaced horizontal bars 22 are pivotably fastened to the post 16 and carry a plurality of vertically disposed and spaced bars 24, which terminate above bottom step 25 and spaced from the next riser 27 to give clearance to permit the gate to be swung to and away from the wall.

A securing post 26 is secured to the other side of the stairs and has generally U-shaped striker portions 28, shown in broken outline, for receiving the horizontal bars 22 which can be lifted therein. In the in-use position shown the gate blocks access to the stairs and is particularly useful and advantageous in preventing children from climbing the stairs.

In order to move the gate to an out-of-use position the top generally horizontal rail 22 is lifted and the arrangement pivots upwardly with respect to the post 16, the user then continues to lift the gate and at the same time pivot it via hinges 18 towards the wall 20. The gate is lifted sufficiently high to clear the treads and is positioned at the side of the stairs as best seen in broken outline. The gate can readily be secured therein by a latch, a hook and eye or any other suitable arrangement when not in use. In the embodiment shown a hook and eye arrangement 30 is depicted for illustrative purposes only. It will be seen that in the folded position the vertical bars become more closely spaced.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the gate hereinbefore described without departing from the scope of the invention Although the materials used for the gate are wood they could be made of metal, plastic or any other suitable material or combination of these materials. Although two horizontal bar are depicted, this could be replaced by any other suitable number as long as the folding ability of the gate is not restricted.

Furthermore, the particular arrangement of closing the gate could be replaced by any other suitable means such as the hook and eye arrangement or latch or the like. The gate may also be used to prevent access downstairs and it will be appreciated that the gate would fold downwardly to be stored alongside the treads when not in use. The gate could be used with various types of stair wells such as circular, straight and the like and has also application in other areas. For example, it could readily be used to prevent access through a doorway to a room.

An advantage of the invention is that the gate can readily be used with stairs and can be used to prevent access upstairs or downstairs and can readily be folded to store alongside the stairs when in an out-of-use position.

The device is readily fabricated and uses existing materials and is easy to operate.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS:

1. A safety gate for closing and access, said gate comprising: a first upstanding member adapted to be pivotably secured at the side of the access, a folding barrier arrangement fixed to said first upstanding member and movable relative to said first upstanding member between the first in-use and generally horizontal position, a a second non-horizontal and out-of-use position, and means for retaining said gate closed in said out-of-use position, whereby said access is closed by said gate in said in-use position and opened when said gate is in said out-of-use position.

2. A safety gate as claimed in claim 1 wherein said safety gate is used with a flight of stairs and said first upstanding member is secured at the bottom of the stairs and said folding arrangement is stored at the side of the stairs when in said out-of-use position.

3. A safety gate as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said folding arrangement consists of spaced horizontal bars pivotably coupled to said first upstanding member and spaced parallel vertical bars mounted on horizontal bars, said horizontal and vertical bars being pivotable relative to each other.

4. A safety gate as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said first upstanding member has hinges for securement to support means at the side of the stairs and for permitting said first upstanding member to be pivotably secured thereto.

5. A safety gate as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said means for retaining said gate closed in said out-of-use position is a strap having striker portions adapted to be engaged by said horizontal bars.

6. A safety gate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.