IMPROVED BARRIER

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a barrier, a method of assembly of a barrier, and components for use in a barrier.

BACKGROUND ART

In this specification unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a documen:, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not to be construed as an admission that the document, act or item of krowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available; known to the public, part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

It is currently known to use transparent sheets of glass as protective barriers around balconies and other outside installations.

It is known to use means to hold a glass sheet at each of its corners, which can then provide an upper edge of glass sheet, which then defines an uppermost edge of a barrier.

In an alternate arrangement, a gfass sheet is held by having each of its side vortical edges within a slot within an aluminum extrusion, but again an upper edge of the glass in many cases is then located so that ft is vulnerable to accidental impact.

It is now a requirement in at least one legal jurisdiction that a barrier using a glass sheet as the main material providing the barrier effect shall include an upper railing.

PROBLEMS TO WHICH THIS INVENTION IS DIRECTED

Where glass is used for a barrier, it is currently the case that a glass sheet will need to be selected which exhibits characteristics that make it safe in all of the circumstances for which it is to be used.

If the glass sheet is being used as a barrier for a balcony, such glass will be selected from those which provide resistance to impact, or in the event of impact will not break into sharp shards which may then further injure either the person impacting the glass sheet or cause injury to those who might be below the balcony somewhere.

Such glass is known (toughened glass is an example) and would be an appropriate glass to be used in such an application but it is known that this glass is particularly vulnerable to impact against its edge.

A further oroblerπ currently in providing barriers using predominately glass sheets is that they will either have a lower edge above a ground base for instance the floor or top of a slab of a balcony or, a further current system, involves embedding a bottom edge of the glass sheet in a slot cut into the floor or slab or similar of the balcony.

A problem with this second technique is that, in practice, if the glass sheet is fractured, it is found that it is extremely difficult and therefore expensive to remove the shattered remains embedded within the floor or slab. ^'

However if a lower edge of the sheet of glass is positioned so as to leave a gap between it and the slab or floor, then there is found to be a disadvantage where water typically resulting from rain, will pass beneath the glass and run over an cuter edge of the balcony slab or floor.

The prob'em with this is that such incidental overflows very often carry sediments, dissolved salts and other materials which to a larger and lesser extent will variously stain the outer visible face of the balcony floor or slab-

One of the difficulties then with fitting a glass sheet into some structure to act as a barrier is also the difficulty that any floor or upper surface of a slab will often be sloping in order to provide effective runoff in the event of rain.

For any fixed frame structure then, unless a slot is cut on a custom basis into

the floor or slab, which then can take up any relative misalignment between an upper surface of the floor or slab and a lower edge of the glass sheet given that the glass sheet in each case is of rectangular proportions, means that such a glass sheet then will necessarily, with the current available techniques, be held so as to leave a clearance between the lower edge and the upper surface of the floor or slab.

There are further problems when one comes to look at particular techniques using for instance stainless steel for framing or an upper railing or even a lower railing, which will be later discussed.

OBJECT OF THIS INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to propose a barrier and as well a method of assembly of a barrier which will at least to some extent reduce one or more of the above difficulties or at the least provide the public with useful alternative.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

For the purpose of this specification the word "comprising" means "including but not limited to", and the word 'comprises' has a corresponding meaning.

One of these problems is directed to enabling a rectilinear glass sheet to be used as ει barrier which technique also facilitates the use of stainless steel and provides a practical arrangement that facilitates installation and also replacement rf ever necessary.

In referring to glass and in referring to stainless steel, it is not intended in its broadest sense that the invention should be limited to either of these two materials- specifically in that the invention can apply in its broadest sense to techniques that can be used with other materials. However they have particular benefit because they further enable these preferred materials to also be used in this demanding application.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention in one form, although this need not necessarily be the only or indeed the broadest form of this invention, can be said to reside in a barrier including an upper railing supported between and by two upright posts, a transparent or translucent sheet having an upper edge nesting within and being supported by a slot within the upper railing, a first side edge of the sheet being spaced apart from a first adjacent vertical post supporting the railing, and a second side edge of the sheet which is oppositely positioned with respect to the first side edge being spaced apart from a second adjacent vertical post supporting the railing, a lower railing having a slot receiving a lower edge of the sheet, and means to enable the upper railing to be raised or lowered with respect to the sheet so as to facilitate installation and replacement of the sheet.

By having such a relative height adjustment of both ends of an upper railing with respect to the vertical posts means that a lower railing can either be fixed in position between the posts leaving a lower gap between an upper surface of the flooring or slab of the balcony and the railing, or it means that the lower railrng can be positioned directly on and therefore leaving no effective gap there between of the upper surface of a slab or flooring of a balcony as a typical instance and the lower edge of the lower railing.

With the upper edge of a transparent or translucent sheet which will conveniently be of rectangular dimensions is nesting and being supported by being within a slot within the upper railing, this allows for tolerance with respect to alignment of the upper edge of the sheet which may be caused for typical instance by the necessity of having a sloping alignment following a drainage slope of the upper surface of a floor or slab.

One of the difficulties with simply having the upper edge of the translucent or transparent sheet simply nesting and being supported by being within a slot within the upper railing, is that if the slot is shaped to be of sufficient depth to easily accommodate the variation in position possible with a potentially sloping ftoor, then a sheet may be movable with respect to the upper railing.

It is considered undesirable to have such potentially easily relatively movable status.

Accordingly, in preference, the upper railing is provided as a longitudinally

extending hollow member with the slot being a slot within the wall of the hollow shape but there also being an inner material providing at least some fill which wo jld be selected to be soft against any glass edge but also provide a seat against which at least some of the glass can be bedded against when within the slot

In preference, such infill material is a foamed plastics material adapted to resilieπtly engage around and provide a resilient reaction where more of the glass sheet or indeed any translucent sheet if this be the case, is required to be accommodated along one portion of the upper railing slot as compared to another.

Accordingly, by having both ends of the upper railing adjustably supported with respect to the respective upright posts, the upper railing can be both adjusted in absolute height and it can also be adjusted to ensure that its alignment will be horizontal even with varying sloping floor positions.

Further, in the event that a sheet is to be used so as to provide an effective block to sny water passing beneath the sheet, then the adjustability of the upper railing especially with some resilient inner packing means that there is now a technique, which will reduce the problems previously set out.

This technique also enables stainless steel to be used particularly for the upper railing and if desired for a lower railing. This is a preferred material but historically has not been conveniently been able to be used in this type of application.

One of the problems with stainless steel tube is that, in accordance with conventional manufacturing techniques, it is formed by being rolled from sheet so that ^* rf a slot is cut longitudinally, there will be some release of restrained tension and there is a possibility that the sides of the slot will spring outwardly.

Further, one of the problems with using a hollow member with a slot specifically for the upper railing and also when appropriate for a lower railing, is that where the glass finishes and there is therefore a distance between the glass and the upright post or indeed prior to a respective end of the railing, there will be a gap that will either enable insects and dirt to get within the

hollow of the railing or at the least this will look unsightly.

We have discovered that firstly, by cutting slots in tubing which do not then extend the full length of the tube, leaves end portions which firstly therefore are completely closed and secondly resist outwardly springing of the otherwise unrestrained sides of the tube shape.

In preference, a slot within the upper railing is co-terminus with the upper edge length of a respective transparent or translucent sheet.

In preference, a tube to be used as an upper railing is filled with a catalysed plastic monomer such that the tube then is filled subsequently with expanded plastic foam which, by appropriate selection of plastics materials, will provide firstly adhesion to the inner walls of the tube and then subsequent strengthening of these against any subsequent expansion or bowing and furthermore, will provide an appropriate resilient seat against which an edge of the transparent or translucent sheet can then engage and also provide tolerance as previously clarified.

Also, if there is a "spread" after a slot is cut then we can clamp the sides while the plastic foam is used to fill the railing and once cured will hold the sides thereafter

A methoc of the invention then includes steps for installation of a transparent or translucent sheet as a barrier between adjacent vertical posts and an upper and lowe ^" railing, the steps of inserting a lower edge of the sheet into a slot within a lower railing, then lowering the upper railing with respect to the respective upright posts while aligning the upper edge of the glass or other sheet with a slot within the upper railing and then affixing the respective ends of the upper railing to the respective upright post.

In preference, the method further includes as a preliminary step, to provide a filler of expanded plastics foam within a hollow tube providing the upper railing.

In preference, there is a further step which is to have an appropriate slot within the tube :o be used as an upper railing which will receive a plug similar to the expected upper edge alignment and shape of the glass or other sheet then

filling the hollow of the railing with plastic monomer catalysed to effect an expandec plastics foam, then withdrawing the plug and then subsequently fitting the railing as an upper railing in the manner described.

In preference, if a plug is used in the manner described, there is advantage in providing a sealant cap which can be fitted around a plug and which then can be left in situ subsequent to the removal of the plug or can be further removed with the plug.

Such a sealant can be of any conventionally available material which is used to fill gaps and adhere appropriately to the selected sheet material if desired and this is often referred to as a silicone rubber material although it is not intended that this should necessarily be limited to such a type of materia!.

While we have referred predominately to the upper railing, in the event that a fixed lower railing is to be positioned to leave a space beneath the glass sheet and an upper surface of a floor or slab, then such a lower railing can also be used which is fixed in its position with respect to the side upright posts and otherwise can also be of a structure being hollow with a slot cut to be co terminus with the width of a glass sheet or other, and to be prefilled as appropriate with an infill material such as a foam expanded plastics material.

In a further form, the invention may be said to reside in a method of facilitating a barrier of indefinite length where there are at least three spaced apart upright posts parallel one with the other, an upper rail extending between respective posts and a lower rail parallel to the upper rail extending between respective posts, and transparent or translucent planar sheets held between respective upper and lower rails, means supporting the upper rail which allow for the rail to be changed in relative height with respect to the lower rail, each sheet being of rectangular proportions and being positioned so that its side edges are parallel to each adjacent upright post, the method including as a preliminary step to facilitating the barrier, of selecting a common sheet size from a small number of previously manufactured sheets of standard sizes and then adjusting distance between each edge of each sheet and either an adjacent sheet or an edge of a post so that these are of equal size, sheet to post or sheet to sheet, and also adjusting the number of upright posts to be equally spaced between end posts to accommodate the sheets and chosen spacing between them and the posts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of this invention ft will now be described with reference to embodiments which shall be described with the assistance of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view showing one side of a barrier installation according to a first embodiment and including an example of the position of an upper railing lifted from an upright post;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment as shown in Figure 1 the cross section being in side elevation through the upright post;

Figure 3 of a tap of the upright post according to the first embodiment illustrating an included spanner to tighten or loosen engagement of a bolt and the upper railing within a slot within the top of the upright post;

Figure 4 is a further example of tightening as described in Fig 3 in this case incorporating a ball ended Allen key;

Figure 5 s a perspective view of a barrier assembly according to the first embodiment;

Figure 6 ιs a cross sectional view along the lines 6-6 in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a schematic view illustrating a step in the method of manufacturing and assembling the barricade as in the first embodiment where a plug coated with a silicone rubber is inserted into a slot within a hollow railing prior to introduction into this of a catalyzed plastics monomer;

Figure 8 Ilustrates the plugs as in Figure 7 being located in position and a catalysed plastics monomer being poured from one end;

Figure 9 illustrates the next step where the plastics monomer has been caused to expand and polymerise and a silicone rubber sheath is now left in position with the removal of the plug;

Figure 10 shows a further step when the last prepared railing whether this be

the upper railing or a lower railing is then caused to receive an edge of a sheet of barrier material;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a portion of the upper railing as in the first embodiment prior to inclusion of foamed plastics material or a silicone rubber sheath;

Rgure 12 is a further portion of the same railing as in Figure 11 ;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a railing according to a further embodiment in which there are three separate slots cut into the railing so that there would be then three separate sheets of transparent or translucent material;

Rgure 14 is an upper railing with two separate slots, which is the status for the first embodiment;

Figure 15 is an upper railing with one long slot it being noted in every case however that the slot or slots do not extend the full length of the railing and therefore provide restraint from opening;

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a barrier constructed according to a second embodiment in which a lower railing is positioned above an upper surface of the floor or slab of a support structure;

Figure 17 i$ a cross sectional view along the lines of Figure 16;

Figure 16 is a side elevation of a third embodiment;

Figure 19 is a perspective view of the bottom right hand corner of the third embodiirent as shown in Figure 18;

Figure 20 is a side cross section in elevation of the first embodiment showing each of the functional elements in a single drawing;

Figure 21 is a perspective view of a barrier constructed according to a further embodiirent, wherein the lower rail is telescopic;

Rgure 22 is a cross-sectional view through the lower rail of the barrier

W 2

10 In Figure 21 ;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of a barrier constructed according to a further embodiment wherein the slot in the lower rail is continuous through this;

; and

5 Figure 24 is a perspective view of a barrier constructed according to a further embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Now referring to the drawings in detail, and in particular the drawings illustrating the first embodiment, this is constituted by a barrier 1 which includes two io spaced apart vertical posts 2 and 3 which are supported in conjunction with a lower railing 4 which in turn is supported so as to engage with and sit directly onto an upper surface 5 of a slab 6.

The lower railing in this case is constituted by a metal strip 7, which is attached by any suitable means to the top of the slab 6. There is a plug 8 which is 15 attached by a mutually screw threaded shaft 9 so that the upper post 2 which is of hollow cylindrical shape sits on and is positively supported by the plug 8.

At an upper end of the upper post 2 in this case but it is repeated with other upright posts as well especially post 3, there is a slot 10 having an 20 uppermost open end 11 arranged to facilitate the passage there through of a bolt 12 so that its head 13 will engage against the inner side of the post 2 and its body will engage with a mutually engaging screw thread a molding 14.

This molding 14 has on one side a shape adapted to wrap around a portion of the cyl πdrical shape of the post 2 and its further end is adapted to engage 25 with nesting fit, an end of a cylindrical tube which forms an upper railing 16.

This upper railing 16 is adjustable in height relative to the post 2 at one end and the post 3 at the other by the same mechanism in which there is a tightenable bolt engaging through an uppermost open slot.

It is this mechanism then that allows the upper railing 16 to be moved upwardly or downwardly within the limits of the slot or being lifted entirely from the slot.

The top of the upright post 2 has a removable cap 17 which will normally be in a position closing the top of the post but which can be removed to enable access to the head of the bolt 13 and we have shown several examples of spanner or ball ended Allen key to effect such tightening.

Now further referring to the upper railing 16, in this embodiment this is comprised of a thin walled stainless steel tube which has had cut through some of its length but not all of its length, a slot coinciding with an expected width of glass sheet that will be embedded there through and supported thereby.

The advantage of a partial slot rather than a full slot is that this then inhibits at least unwanted release of spreading tension that may have been imparted into conventional stainless steel tube by reason of its method of manufacture and it also leaves a continuous surface where the slot would otherwise be.

One of the difficulties disclosed earlier has been that if a glass sheet, particularly a toughened glass sheet is left to be positioned only within a hollow tube, this then leaves it to be potentially easily displaceable and possibly able to be moved even by elements of the weather. Such freedom to move is undesirable for several reasons including ability for others to easily shift the sheet or another reason is that potentially the surface can be engaged directly as perhaps metal to glass with possible scratching potential or even noisy rattling.

An answer then has been to provide a filler within the tube against which the glass can be bedded.

While this can be various materials including for instance even wood insofar that this provides a receptive surface, there is advantage in having a consistent engagement across the length of a glass sheet and a material that has beer found to be particularly suited for this is foamed plastics material especially foamed urethane.

We will later describe a method by which such foam can be incorporated into the hollow cylindrical tube, which is particularly suited for this application,

Again now referring specifically to the figures describing the first embodiment, there is a bottom metal plate 7 which in this case is sitting on the upper surface 5 of the slab 6 and such that it would either allow no or negligible passage of water there past in a typical draining situation as might occur on the edge of a balcony.

Above this bottom plate 7 is a cover plate 18 which extends along the length of the barrier 1 and is broken into such sections as is convenient for installation but it also includes a slot 19 which is also again co terminus with the width of ε respective glass sheet 20 allowing however for a surrounding silicone rubber as shown at 21.

Figures 3 and 4 show alternate ways in which the bolt 13 in the one case as shown in Figure 3 or the bolt 14 in the other case as shown in Figure 4 can be appropriately accessed.

In Figure 3, the bolt has a hexagonal head, and in Figure 4, there is a bolt with a head having a hexagonal aperture so that an Allen key 22 with a ball head can be used for tightening of this conveniently at a modest angle.

One of the features of this first embodiment is the upper railing and there will be later described the use of a similarly modified railing as a lower railing and Figures 7 through 10 illustrate the way in which the railing is comprised of a stainless steel tube with slots partially extending along its length.

Accordingly, the tube 30 has a slot 31 cut along some of its length which is chosen so as to be substantively co terminus, allowing for infill of silicone rubber or sealant material, and then one of the ends is locked by a plug 32 and.the slots are filled by plugs 33 and 34 which in each case include a capping 35 of silicone rubber.

The tube 30 is then upended and a liquid mixture of just catalysed plastic monomer is then poured using an appropriate container 36 and then tube 30 is then left for the foam, in this case polyurethane foam to appropriately expand and polymerise and eventually cure.

It is found that generally a sealant rubber such as that from which the capping 35 is made, will not adhere to polyurethane foam so this can then be removed or it can be left in place with the plug only being removed and thereafter with the polyurethane foam 36 as an infill, a glass sheet 37 can then be appropriately inserted into the slot.

Because Df the open cellular nature of polyurethane foam or by reason of selection of the particular characteristics of a foam for this purpose, there is a degree of resiliency retained within the foam once cured and it is this feature that is of value when subsequently an upper railing having this material to provide a bed for the upper edge of the glass or other transparent or translucent materials is required.

Figures 11 through 15 illustrate alternate configurations for an upper railing but showing h each case that a slot will not extend the full length of the tube 41 in the case of Figure 13 but will include two further sections 42 and 43 for instance.

The length of each slot is selected so as to be co terminus with the width of a sheet of f aπsparent or translucent material which would typically be toughened glass of planar configuration and this has the specific advantage that the stainless steel which is usually wrapped under tension and then joined together to form a circular tube will exhibit only marginal spreading subsequent to such a cut being performed.

Figure 14- shows a hollow cylindrical tube 44 with in this case only two slots but both being only partial length along the full length of the tube these two slots being shown at 45 and 46.

Finally there is a tube 47 in another configuration in which there is a long slot 48 but again this leaves ends such as at 49 and 50 which have not been cut and which therefore help to resist against an opening springing.

We now refer to a second embodiment, which is illustrated in Figures 16 and 17.

The difference here from the first embodiment is that there is a lower railing 50 which is permanently affixed to the respective uprights 51 and 52 and the

position is such that there is a gap between a lower edge of the lower railing 50 at 53 above the upper surface of the slab 5.

The lower railing 50 however is also again in this embodiment a stainless steel tube with a slot that is cut to be co terminus with the width of each 5 respective glass sheet shown at 55 in one case and 56 in the other.

Within each of the railings including the upper railing 57 and the lower railing 50, there is also expanded polyurethane foam to provide appropriate resilient nesting for the edges of the glass sheets 55 and 56 and there is an appropriate sealant such as a silicone rubber shown at 58 for the upper railing i o and 59 for the lower railiπg.

This application is appropriate for people who are not wishing to have the barrier provide a seal against water overflow from a balcony or other surface.

In a further case as shown in Figures 18 and 19 _r this being a modification of the first embodiment, the barrier 60 again has co terminus slots in an upper 15 railing 61 and 62 and the upper railing in both cases is adjustably secured with respect to each of the upright posts 63 in the one case, 64 in a further case and 65 in another case.

A glass sheet 66 in one case and 67 in another being cut to rectangular proportions as is appropriate and easier cut this way for a number of practical 20 reasons, s then able to be fitted but in the lower railing 68 this includes a lowermost plate 69 and a cover plate 70 within which there are also co terminus slots but beneath which there is also compressed foam strip in this case then so that there is jointly some resilience in the upper railing 61 or 62, and also additional resiliency with respect to the lower railing 71.

25 Figure 20 simply shows the functional elements of the first embodiment but does also show the alignment of a rectangular sheet of glass where the upper edge at 72 is further intruding into more compressed urethane foam thus holding the sheet relatively secure but allowing for a sloping bottom support 74.

30 Referring now to Figure 21 , where there is illustrated a barrier 100 having a lower rail 102 comprised of at least two components, where a first of these

components 104 is sized so to slide neatly inside of the other 106 like the sections of a telescope. This telescoping action thereby enables the rail 102 to be extended or shortened as required.

The slot 108 in each of the two components 104 and 106 comprising the a lower telescoping railing 102. is open at the overlapping ends of these components, and closed at the respective opposing ends, so that this slot 108 can be made co-terminus with the edge length of the transparent or translucent sheet or sheets 110 nested therein. Moreover, the slots 108 in each of these components are of the same width, and align when the two o components are overlapping.

The free ends of the components of the assembled lower rail are shaped so as to nest around the posts of the barrier, although an alternative fs for there to be a hole through a rail component so that this rail component must be located over and slid down the post, this being considered a preferable way 5 to finish the lower railing at an end of the barrier.

In use, this telescoping lower rail 102 may be located by clips that are fixed to the floor surface supporting the barrier, and which include upwardly extending ^, wings that locate the lower rail in position. There is a smaller clip 120 which is intended to sit inside of the innermost of the two telescoping rail 0 components 104 so that the wings 121 of this register against the inside of the side walls of this innermost of the two components. This is also a larger clip 122, which is sized so that the wings 124 of this extend up and register against the outside surface of the sidewalls of the outermost of the two components. These clips are best viewed in a cross-sectional view as 5 illustrated in Figure 22.

Referring now to Figures 23 and 24, where there is illustrated a barrier 150 of similar construction to that illustrated in Figure 16, in that the lower rail 152 extends between the posts 154 so as to be suspended above the floor level, this barrier differing in that the slot 156 in the lower rail 152 extends right 0 through this, from one end to the other. The upper rail 158 may be similarly slotted in this fashion.

An advantage of this arrangement is that the rails 152 and 158 may be manufactured in continuous lengths, which are then cut to a specific length if this

is required. Moreover, rails of this type readily lend them selves to use as a part of a telescoping assembly similar to that illustrated in Figures 21 and 22.

The inventor has ascertained that using a barrier having either telescoping rails or rails having a continuous slot passing there through as described in the embodiments above, will enable the customization of the barrier to any application using only two different Off the shelf, commercially available sizes of glass sheet, by adjusting the gap between respective sheets and/or posts. This eliminates the need to customize the size of the glass sheet to the application, thereby minimizing the cost of the glass, which is made more expensive where custom sizes must be provided.

It will now be seen that what has been described provides an effective practical approach to providing transparent or translucent sheets of material but which would be conventionally toughened glass in a barrier arrangement in which a number of problems have been overcome or avoided-

The invention in its broadest sense is not intended to limit the application to simply stainless steel materials and it is not intended to be limited to glass although both of these materials have unique advantages and it would be expected that the invention will be mainly applicable to the use of stainless steel and to toughened or similar glass sheet.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is coπceive-l to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognised that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.