A PERIMETER SAFETY PROTECTION

Technical field

The present invention relates to a perimeter safety protection to prevent undesired or accidental accesses to at least one portion of a machine. The protection can extend along the entire perimeter or only along part of the perimeter.

Background art

Solutions are known in which there are perimeter protections that form a physical barrier. Typically, they consists of an alternating sequence of metal grids and support columns of the grids. Such grids and columns are connected together by metal cords that act as an electric bridge between the various elements. The barrier is moreover earthed.

This thus minimises the risk of a person being electrocuted by coming into accidental contact with the barrier.

One drawback of this solution is linked to the time of installation of the barrier given that a mechanical connection is first necessary between the various elements and then an electrical connection between them to permit earthing thereof.

Disclosure of the invention

In this context, the technical task underlying the present invention is to offer a perimeter safety protection which allows assembly to be accelerated.

The stated technical task and the specified objects are substantially achieved by a perimeter safety protection comprising the technical features disclosed in one or more of the appended claims.

Brief description of drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the illustrative and thus non-limiting description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a perimeter protection as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which: - figure 1 is a schematic view of a perimeter protection according to the present invention;

- figure 2 shows a detail of the present invention;

- figures 3 and 4 show details of the components of figure 2;

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

In the appended drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a perimeter safety protection to prevent undesired or accidental accesses to at least one portion of a machine.

The protection 1 comprises a barrier 11 in turn comprising a first metal grid 110.

The first metal grid 110 comprises a plurality of metal wires 120. Typically, the first grid 110 is painted. The metal wires 120 are thus painted. The wires 120 suitably intersect to form meshes of the grid 110. Such meshes can have a different shape from one another and not be all the same.

The protection 1 comprises a support 2 supporting the first grid 110. For example the support 2 could be a column but could also have a different shape.

The protection 1 comprises a clamp 3 intended to clamp the first grid 110 to the support 2. The clamp 3 further permits an electric bridge between the first grid 110 and the support 2. The clamp 3 comprises a body 30 made of electrically conductive material. For example, the body 30 is metallic. The body 30 is suitably a single monolithic body. But it could possibly be an assembly of several items. Suitably, the body presses a portion of the first grid 110 against the support 2.

Suitably, the body 30 extends in thickness between a first and a second face 301 , 302. Suitably, the body 30 has a perimeter edge interposed between the first and the second face 301 , 302. As shown by way of example in the appended figures, the body 30 could be a quadrilateral plate with one or more vertices bevelled or replaced by a fitting.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the body 30 has a constant thickness. Suitably, the clamp 3 and/or the body 30 are a flat plate. The clamp 3 and/or the body 30 extend completely parallel to an imaginary plane. The clamp 30 and/or the body 3 thus extend in a planar direction and not along a curved surface. The clamp 3 and body 30 opportunely coincide.

The body 30 in turn comprises a first notched slit 31. The first slit 31 completely crosses, in thickness, said body 30. In particular, the first slit 31 crosses the body 30 connecting the first and the second face 301 , 302. Further, the first slit 31 , starting from a perimeter edge 33 of said body 30, extends inwardly. The first slit 31 thus extends longitudinally parallel to the plane of the body 30; at the same time it crosses in thickness the body 30. The first notched slit 31 grips at least one first wire 121. The first wire 121 is part of the wires 120 of the first grid 110.

The notching enables the removal of the paint to be facilitated that is present on the first wire at the moment in which the latter is connected to the body 30. The paint in fact acts as an insulator and has to be removed to ensure the electric bridge.

The first slit 31 can comprise a first non-notched section 311 and a second section 312 that is at least partially notched and consecutive to the first section 311. The second section 312 extends mainly along a different direction from the main extension direction of the first section 311 .

At least one of the wires 120 of the first grid 110 is partially interposed between the body 30 and the support 2 and is clamped between said body 30 and said support 2 by the action of the connecting means 4 that pushes the body 30 towards the support 2.

The body 30 comprises/defines a slit 34 that crosses in thickness the body 30. This opening 34 is a through hole, in particular, a through slot. The opening 34 and the first slit 31 lie on a portion of the body 30 that extends parallel to a fictitious plane.

The protection 1 comprises mechanical connecting means 4 that connects the body 30 mechanically to the support 2. The mechanical connecting means 4 comprises a metal element 40 that crosses the opening 34 and engages in the support 2.

The connecting means 4 comprises a head 41 and a stem 42. The stem 42 crosses the opening 34 and protrudes into the support 2. The head 41 is abutted by a portion of the support 2 that delimits the opening 34. The connecting means 4 comprises, for example, a threaded connection. For example, it comprises a screw, in turn comprising said threaded stem 42 and an end head 41. The connecting means 4 protruding inside the support 2 facilitates the electric bridge (otherwise hindered by the paint present on the support 2).

Advantageously, the body 30 comprises a second notched slit 32 that crosses completely, in thickness, said body 30. The second slit 32, starting from the perimeter edge 33 of said body 30, extends inwardly. The second notched slit 32 grips a second wire 122. The second wire 122 is part of said wires 120 of the first grid 110. The second wire 122 is suitably distinct from the first wire 121. In one particular solution that is not illustrated, the second slit could however grip the first wire 121 .

The protection 1 comprises earthing means 5 electrically in contact with the support 2. This earthing means 5 is of known type and therefore will not be described further.

The barrier 1 advantageously comprises an additional support 20 to which the first grid 110 is connected. The first grid 110 thus extends between the support 2 and the additional support 20.

Suitably, an additional clamp that is identical to the clamp 3 can be used to constrain the first grid 110 to the additional support 20.

The barrier 11 comprises a second grid 112 associated mechanically and electrically with said support 2. The support 2 is advantageously arranged side-by-side and interposed between the first and the second grid 110, 112.

Suitably, an additional clamp that is identical to the clamp 3 can be used to constrain the second grid to the support 2. Suitably, the second grid is interposed between the second support and another support to which it is connected electrically and mechanically.

Suitably, the barrier 11 comprises an alternation of supports and grids connected mechanically and electrically by elements identical to the clamp 3.

In this manner all the protection 1 is electrically interconnected and earthing (which is advantageously one for the entire protection 1 ) enables the protection to be made secure at any point in which there is a contact with the user.

The object of the present invention is a method for assembling a perimeter protection 1. Advantageously, the protection 1 has one or more of the characteristics described hereinabove.

The method comprises the step of introducing the first wire 121 of said first grid 110 into the first slit 31 of the body 30 of the clamp 3.

The step of introducing the first wire 121 of the first grid 110 into the first slit 31 comprises the step of removing a surface portion of said first wire 121 to improve the electrical contact between the body 30 and the first wire 121 .

The method also comprises the step of clamping the body 30 of the clamp 3 against the support 2 by trapping at least one portion of said first grid 110 between the clamp 3 and the support 2.

The step of clamping the body 30 of the clamp 3 against the support 2 involves positioning the connecting means 4 inside the support 2 and through the opening 34. Suitably, the body 30 remains interposed between the head 41 of the connecting means 4 and the support 2. The stem 42 protrudes into the support 2. Suitably, the connecting means 4 is screwed to the support 2. The connecting means 4 thus permits an electrical and mechanical connection between the body 30 and the support 2.

The present invention achieves important advantages.

First of all, it enables assembly of the barrier to be accelerated by simplifying the connections. It further enables costs to be optimized, permitting the use of simplified components.

The invention as it is conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept characterised thereby. Further, all the details can be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, all the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any whatsoever, according to need.