GB2286214A

GB2286214A - Safety gateway arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2286214A
Application number: GB9402375A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Edward Berrisford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-02-08
Filing date: 1994-02-08
Publication date: 1995-08-09
Also published as: GB9402375D0

Abstract

A safety gateway arrangement comprises anchors 14 releasably securable to the ground, posts 12 each retainable at one end in a respective anchor portion, and means 16 defining an upper boundary of the gateway connectable between a pair of adjacent posts 12. The posts and boundary means are preferably adapted to provide high visibility. The gateway may be readily assembled and disassembled. <IMAGE>

Description

Safety Gateway Arrangement The present invention concerns a safety gateway arrangement of the kind recommended to define each end of a passageway running underneath an overhead electric line for use by mobile plant and vehicles working in the vicinity of the line.

Overhead electricity lines forming part of the national electricity supply system are typically uninsulated and may take a voltage sufficiently high that contact or near contact with them by an object will cause an electric discharge capable of giving a fatal or severe shock and burns to any person nearby.

Accordingly, guidance notes are published by the Hea]th and Safety Executive relating to appropriate safety procedures when construction work and the like is being carried out in the vicinity of such lines. These recommendations cover the correct siting and marking of access roads or passageways which necessarily pass underneath the overhead line. The passageway is normally marked at each end by overhead gateways which form an appropriate gap in barriers restricting access to the line. Such gateways are frequently prepared from any readily available materials, with the result that construction is difficult and/or time consuming. There may also be safety problems associated with the resultant structure.

The present invention seeks to mitigate or obviate these or other difficulties.

According to the invention there is provided a gateway arrangement for passage of mobile plant under overhead electricity lines, the arrangement comprising a plurality of anchor portions adapted to be releasably secured on the ground, a plurality of post members, each of which is adapted at one end to be releasably retained in a respective anchor portion, and means releasably connectable between respective other ends of a pair of adjacent post members to define an upper boundary of the gateway, the post members being adapted to provide high visibility.

According to the invention there is further provided a gateway arrangement for passage of mobile plant under overhead electricity lines, the arrangement comprising a plurality of anchor portions adapted to be releasably secured on the ground, a plurality of post members each comprising a plurality of sections releasably connectable in an end to end relationship and including a base section adapted to be releasably retained in a respective anchor portion and means releasably connectable between respective upper sections of a pair of adjacent post members to define an upper boundary of the gateway, the post members being adapted to provide high visibility.

Preferably the upper boundary is provided by a tape or webbing, respective ends of which are attached to the post members. Alternatively, the boundary may be provided by a line carrying flags or bunting or other highly visible material. Preferably the webbing is adapted to provide high visibility. Preferably the upper post section includes attachment or retaining means for the webbing. The retaining means may comprise an upwardly directed hook to retain a looped end of the webbing around the post section at a predetermined position. Alternatively, the retaining means may comprise a plastics clip releasably mountable over the looped end of the webbing on the post.

Preferably the anchor portion comprises a plurality of spaced stabilising elements and means permitting the attachment thereof to the base section of a post member. Preferably the attachment means comprises a tapped aperture to receive a threaded bolt on a lower end of the post member. The post member may further comprise means facilitating the removal thereof from the anchor portion. Each stabilising element preferably includes a through aperture by means of which it may be staked to the ground.

Preferably each post member comprises two sections, each in the form of a hollow cylinder. The sections may be connected together by means of an insert each end of which is a friction fit within an open end of the respective section of the post member.

The arrangement may further comprise an outer sleeve on the post member formed from or carrying a highly visible material such as a fluorescent or day glow or reflective plastics material. Alternatively the post member may be formed from an appropriate highly visible material or an outer surface of the post or the sleeve maw be covered with a tape or a spiral or other band of appropriate highly visible material.

Preferably the post members are constructed from an electrically insulating material such as plastics.

Preferably the upper boundary is also defined by an electrically insulating material.

The invention will now be described for the purposes of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a gateway according to the invention: Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial side elevation of a post of the Fig. 1 arrangement; and Fig. 3 is a simplified top plan view of an anchor portion.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a gateway assembly 10 defining one end of a predetermined path underneath overhead electric lines, for moving plant such as cranes, excavators and like working in the vicinity of the lines. The assembly comprises two spaced, parallel posts 12 each upstanding from a base or anchor 14. The upper limit of the gateway is defined by a woven tape 16, opposite ends of which are attached to respective upper parts of the posts 12. An upwardly directed hook 18 projects from each post 12 adjacent an upper end thereof. Each end of the tape 16 is formed into an adjustable loop by passing it through an appropriate securing ring. The loop is then passed over the upper end of the post 12 and retained by the hook 18. The tape is adjusted by means of the securing rings (not shown in the drawing) to extend substantially horizontally between the post 12.The tape 16 is marked with diagonal stripes 20, preferably so coloured as to render the tape 16 highly visible. For example, alternate stripes 20 may be red and white, or black and yellow.

Referring to Fig. 2, each post 12 consists of two sections 12A, 12B. The sections 12A, 12B are releasably secured together end to end to form the post 12, but may be quickly and easily separated for transportation and storage of the gateway 10. Each section comprises an inner hollow tube 22 of circular cross-section, in this case made from a suitable rigid plastics material. The tubes 22 of respective sections 12A, 12B are joined together by means of an insert 24 having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the tube 22 whereby the insert 24 is a friction fit within respective adjacent ends of the tubes 22, thereby securing the tubes together.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 the tube 22 is provided with an outer sleeve 24 extending around substantially all the outer surface of the tube 22. The sleeve 24 has an outer face provided with a highly visible marking in the form of fluorescent, day glow or reflective stripes or other markings whereby each post 12 is highly visible. In alternative embodiments (not shown) each tube 22 may itself be formed from a suitable highly visible material, or the external surface of the tube or of the sleeve may be coated with highly visible paint, tape or other markings. A spiral of a suitably visible plastics material may be wrapped around the tube or the sleeve.

As shown in Fig. 2, the section 12B is provided adjacent an upper end thereof with a pair of aligned through apertures 26 in opposite sides of the tube 22.

A metal bar (not shown) may be inserted into the apertures 26 and used to apply a rotational force to the tube 22 for the purposes of attachment and removal of the post from the base 14 as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The base 14 of the gateway 10 is best shown in Fig. 3. The base comprises a substantially planar plate 28 which may be formed from a metal such as steel. A threaded aperture 30 is provided in an upper surface of the plate 28. A correspondingly externally threaded bolt (not shown) is provided on the end of the tube 22 of the lower section 128 of the tube 22 whereby the post 12 may be secured to the base 14, prior to erection of the remaining components. Stabilising arms 32 project from the plate 28 in the plane thereof. A through aperture 34 is provided adjacent the free end of each arm 32 for receiving a pin or stake (not shown) which is driven into the ground through the respective aperture 34 to secure the base 14 in a required position. Each arm 32 may be formed from a suitable metal, welded or otherwise attached to the plate 28.

The components of the gateway 10 as described may be easily stored and transported. In particular, each post 12 is formed from two sections 12A, 128 so that each section may be of a convenient length for transporting within a truck or similar vehicle. The gateway 10 may be quickly and easily erected on site to provide a stable and highly visible structure. Each anchor 14 is located in a required position and secured to the ground by driving appropriate pins or stakes through apertures 34. The lower tubes 22 are secured to respective bases 14 as previously described.The posts are then formed by fitting sleeves 24 around tubes 22 and by connection of the sections 1 2A and 1 28 by means of the insert 24, the tape 16 having been looped around respective upper ends of the posts 12 as hereinbefore described and retained b virtue of the hooks 18. Each anchor 14 is located in a required position and secured to the ground by driving appropriate pins or stakes through apertures 34.

There is thus provided a structure which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and to transport and erect. The posts 12 may be formed from suitable electrically insulating materials as recommended in safety guidelines, and may be provided with any required markings or colour combinations.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. Although each post 12 has been described as having two sections, it will be appreciated that there may alternatively be employed only one section, or three or more sections depending upon particular storage or height requirements. The tape 16 may be replaced by a line carrying flags or bunting or other appropriately coloured or reflective material. The base 14 may be different from that described and shown, and the post 12 may connect to the base in any required manner.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing Specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims:

1. A gateway arrangement for passage of mobile plant under overhead electricity lines, the arrangement comprising a plurality of anchor portions adapted to be releasably secured on the ground, a plurality of post members, each of which is adapted at one end to be releasably retained in a respective anchor portion, and means releasably connectable between respective other ends of a pair of adjacent post members to define an upper boundary of the gateway, the post members being adapted to provide high visibility.

2. A gateway arrangement for passage of mobile plant under overhead electricity lines, the arrangement comprising a plurality of anchor portions adapted to be releasably secured on the ground, a plurality of post members each comprising a plurality of sections releasably connectable in an end to end relationship and including a base section adapted to be releasably retained in a respective anchor portion and means releasably connectable between respective upper sections of a pair of adjacent post members to define an upper boundary of the gateway, the post members being adapted to provide high visibility.

3. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the upper boundary is provided by a tape or webbing, respective ends of which are attached to the post members.

4. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the upper boundary is provided by a line carrying flags or bunting.

5. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 3, in which the tape or webbing is adapted to provide high visibility.

6. A gateway arrangement according to any of Claims 2 to 5, in which the upper post section includes attachment or retaining means for the webbing or bunting.

7. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 6, in which the retaining means comprises an upwardly directed hook to retain a looped end of the webbing or bunting around the post section at a predetermined position.

8. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 6, in which the retaining means comprises a clip releasably mountable over a looped end of the webbing or bunting on the post.

9. A gateway arrangement according to any of the preceding Claims, in which the anchor portion comprises a plurality of spaced stabilising elements and means permitting the attachment thereof to the base section of a post member.

10. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 9, in which the attachment means comprises a tapped aperture to receive a threaded bolt on a lower end of the post member.

11. A gateway arrangement according to any of the preceding Claims, in which the post member comprises means facilitating the removal thereof from the anchor portion.

12. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 9, 10 or 11, in which each stabilising element includes a through aperture by means of which it may be staked to the ground.

13. A gateway arrangement according to any of Claims 2 to 12, in which each post member comprises two sections, each in the form of a hollow cylinder.

14. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 13, in which the sections are connected together by means of an insert each end of which is a friction fit within an open end of the respective section of the post member.

15. A gateway arrangement according to any of the preceding Claims, further comprising an outer sleeve on the post member formed from or carrying a highly visible material.

16. A gateway arrangement according to Claim 15, in which the highly visible material is fluorescent or day glow or reflective

17. A gateway arrangement according to any of Claims 1 to 14, in which the post member is formed from an appropriate highly visible material.

18. A gateway arrangement according to any of the preceding Claims, in which an outer surface of the post or the sleeve is covered with a tape or a spiral or other band of high visible material.

19. A gateway arrangement according to any of the preceding Claims, in which the post members are constructed from an electrically insulating material.

20. A gateway arrangement according to any of the preceding Claims, in which the post members are constructed from plastics.

21. A gateway arrangement according to any of the preceding Claims, in which the upper boundary is defined by an electrically insulating material.

22. A gateway arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding Claims.