The present invention relates to a post mounting footing and particularly but not exclusively to a post mounting footing for mounting a support post for a guardrail.

Safety guardrails are known which can be mounted in areas of potential danger, such as for example on roof structures. Such guardrails may have support posts mounted in socket footing structures either permanently fixed in position or temporarily. Cross members are typically clamped or otherwise secured between adjacent support posts. It is known for such guardrail structures to be hingedly mounted at a hinge footing in order to enable the guardrail to be folded flat from an upright position.

An improved arrangement has now been devised. According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a post mounting footing, particularly suitable for a guardrail or barrier system, comprising: a lower part; an upper part, hinge mounted with respect to the lower part; wherein the upper and lower parts are configured to be re-orientatable between a first position in which hinge operation is inhibited; and a second position in which clearance between the upper and lower parts is enabled so as to permit hinging.

In one embodiment, it is preferred that the upper and lower parts are configured to be re- orientatable between a first position in which abutment portions of the upper and lower parts abut one another to inhibit hinge operation; and a second position in which clearance between the abutment portions is enabled so as to permit hinging.

Beneficially, the upper part is arranged to be displaced upwardly relative to the lower part in order to move from the first position to the second position. A preferred feature is that the upper and lower parts are configured to permit hinging through substantially greater than 90 degrees. It is preferred in certain realisations that, in the first position the upper part rests in load bearing contact on the lower part.

In a preferred embodiment, a hinge formation fixed to one of the upper and lower parts is received in a slot provided in the other of the upper and lower parts. The hinge formation is preferably movable along the slot when the upper and lower parts are re-orientated between the first and second position.

A locking arrangement is beneficially provided which can lock the upper and lower parts to prevent the upper and lower parts being re-orientated between the first and second position, except when the locking arrangement is disabled or released.

In one embodiment a hinge formation fixed to one of the upper and lower parts is received in a slot provided in the other of the upper and lower parts, the hinge formation being movable along the slot when the upper and lower parts are re-orientated between the first and second position; wherein the looking arrangement comprises a locking element that can be positioned to inhibit movement of the hinge formation along the slot.

In a preferred embodiment one of the upper and lower parts (preferably the lower part) is provided with a recess having an open upper portion, an open side portion and a closed side portion opposed to the open side portion. The other of the upper and lower parts preferably comprises a portion (such as a tongue portion) arranged to be received in the recess of the other part. Beneficially a surface of the closed side portion comprises an abutment surface. In a preferred embodiment the upper and lower parts hinge such that in the hinged position, one of the parts extends out of the other part through the open side portion. According to an alternative aspect, the invention provides a post mounting footing comprising: a lower part; an upper part, hinge mounted with respect to the lower part; wherein the upper and lower parts are configured to be re-orientated between an upright position and a lowered position, wherein in hinging to re-orientate between the upright and lowered position, the upper and lower parts hinge through substantially greater than 90 degrees.

Beneficially the lower part is received in a mounting socket which mounting socket is secured to an underlaying surface.

The upper part beneficially comprises a socket for receiving an end of a post to be mounted by means of the footing.

The invention will now be further described in a specific embodiment by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of a Post mounting footing in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the post mounting footing of figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the post mounting footing of figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a view of detail of figure 3; Figure 5 is a view, in section of the post mounting footing of the preceding figures in the process of re-orientation from an upright mounting configuration to a lowered

configuration; Figure 6 is a view, in section of the post mounting footing of the preceding figures reorientated to a lowered configuration;

Figure 7 is a detailed view of figure 6; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the post mounting footing of the preceding figures reorientated to the lowered configuration.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to figure 1 , there is shown a post mounting footing 1 comprising a lower base structure 2 and a post receiving upper part 3 arranged to receive a lower end of a post 4 of a guardrail system. The base structure includes a lower hinge mounting body 5 which is arranged to be received in a socket base 6. The socket base 6 can be bolted or otherwise secured (temporarily o permanently) to a surface or structure to which the guardrail system is mounted. The lower hinge body 5 includes a part 5a which is received within the socket base 6, and an upper part 5b provided with a hinge mounting structure.

The upper part 5b of the lower mounting body 5 is provided with a recess 7 for

accommodating a tongue portion 8 of the upper part 3. The recess is provided in the upper portion and one side portion 5a of the lower mounting body 5b. The other side part 5c of the lower mounting body 5b is closed.

The upper part 3 of the post mounting footing 1 is of two-part construction and comprises a first shell piece 3 a that co-operates with a second shell piece 3b to define a pair of socket opening 9 shaped to receive a pair of posts 4 in side by side relationship. The shell piece 3 a carries the tongue portion 8 extending downwardly. The tongue portion 8 is provided with an elongate slot 10 running in an upward and downward direction and extending completely across the width of the tongue portion 8. The tongue portion 8 of the upper part 3 also includes a bore 11 extending completely through the tongue portion 8 in a direction transverse to (and intersecting with) the slot 10. The end of the bore 11 is provided with a screw thread for threaded engagement with the end of a fixing bolt 12 that fits into the bore 11. The other end of the bore 11 is countersunk to receive the head of the fixing bolt. The fixing bolt 12 head can be accessed when screwed in by means of an Allen key or other mechanical torque drive tool.

The upper part 5b of the lower mounting body 5 is provided with a hinge pivot rod 13 which is mounted in respective mounting apertures 14 in upright walls 5d 5e spaced at opposite sides of the recess 7. The post mounting footing 1 is assembled such that the upper part 3 rests in weight bearing contact on the lower mounting body 5 with the tongue 8 at a home position received in the recess 7 of the lower mounting body 5. The hinge pivot rod 13 extends through the slot 10 and is positioned at the uppermost extent of the slot 10. The fixing bolt 12 is screwed into place extending through the borel 1 such that it is positioned immediately below the hinge pivot rod 13. This situation, with the bore 11 positioned to position the bolt 12

immediately below the hinge pivot rod is shown clearly in figures 3 and 4. In this position the tongue 8 is positioned immediately adjacent the internal surface of closed side part 5c. The upper part 3 is prevented from pivoting out of the upright orientation by the presence of the fixing bolt 12 and the tongue 8 being is positioned immediately adjacent the internal surface of closed side part 5c.

The upper part 3 is however capable of pivoting on the hinge pivot rod 13 to the position shown in figures 6 7 and 8. In order to achieve this, the fixing bolt 12 is first removed from the bore 11 in the upper part 3. This enables the upper part 3 to be displaced from a home or first position, vertically upwardly (arrow A in figure 5) such that a major part of the tongue 8 comes out of the recess 7 in the lower mounting body 5b. In so moving to the upwardly displaced (or second position), the hinge pivot rod 13 moves downwardly relative to the slot 10 until it abuts against the bottom end of the slot 10. From this position, the upper part 3 can be pivoted in the direction of arrow B in figure 5 in order to re-orientate the upper part 3 to the post lowered configuration as shown in figures 6 7 and 8.

Because the upper part is first raised upwardly before pivoting (to provide the clearance of the upper part 3 and tongue 4 from the lower mounting body 5b and slot 7, the upper part can hinge through greater than 90 degrees, enabling the post lowered configuration to position the support post 4 at an angle inclined downwardly from the post mounting footing. This is particularly advantageous where the post mounting footing is used on a parapet 20 as shown in figure 6, because it means that the end 4a of the post 4 can rest on the horizontal surface 21 spaced below the level of the parapet. If the upper part 3 of the post mounting footing 1 could only hinge or pivot through 90 degrees, then the post 4 would extend directly out from the parapet as a cantilevered beam. Any accidental loading of the cantilevered beam would likely result in buckling of the beam or breakage stress at the post mounting footing. In the case of the present invention the configuration as shown in figure 6 would ensure greater spreading of any loading of the post in the lowered configuration to be spread over more than one loading point at either end of the post. Also the fact that the upper part 3 is required to be lifted in order to re-orientate from the upright position provides added safety benefits because it makes accidental

pivoting/hinging more difficult to occur (for example if the bolt 12 is not in place).