Support device

Abstract

A support device with at least first and second support members movable with respect to each other in a direction parallel to their longitudinal axes. The support device having distal ends and the distal ends each including an anchor portion to engage directly or indirectly with a suitable surface in use, the support device including a biasing assembly for biasing one or more of the distal ends of the support device into engagement with a suitable surface in use, and the biasing assembly is located at or adjacent an end of at least one of said first and second support members and between said support member end and the anchor portion nearest to said support member end. The support device is particularly suited to a safety fence or assembly or a worker protection system.

Claims

1. A support device, said support device comprising: at least first and second support members, each support member having a longitudinal axis, said at least first and second support members movable with respect to each other in a direction parallel to each longitudinal axes, distal ends and the distal ends each including an anchor portion to engage directly or indirectly with a surface in use, a biasing assembly for biasing one or more of the distal ends of the support device into engagement with the surface in use, wherein the biasing assembly is located at or adjacent an end of at least one of said first and second support members, and located between said at least one of said first and second support member end and the anchor portion nearest to said at least one of said first and second support member end, engagement means for engaging the biasing assembly to at least one support member end provided with a support member flange; and wherein the biasing assembly is provided with a biasing flange, radially outwardly protruding or outwardly protruding member which acts as an interface with the support member flange or outwardly protruding member of the at least one support member end and the engagement means joins the biasing and support member flanges together and joins the biasing assembly to the at least one support member in use.

2. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the biasing assembly is located at the end of the first or second support members, at least part of which acts as an inner member of the support device in use.

3. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the biasing assembly includes biasing means or at least one biasing member.

4. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the support device includes locking means for locking the at least first and second support members in a user selected position relative to each other in use.

5. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the at least first and second support members are slidably movable relative to each other.

6. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the engagement means engages the biasing assembly to the end of at least first and second support member in use.

7. The support device according to claim 6 wherein the end of the at least first and second support member is provided with the support member flange, and the biasing assembly is engaged with the support member flange via the engagement means.

8. The support device according to claim 7 wherein the biasing assembly is also provided with the biasing flange which acts as an interface with the support member flange of said at least first and second support member, and the engagement means is provided to join the support member flange and biasing flange together and hence join the biasing assembly to the at least first and second support member in use.

9. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the engagement means includes one or more members selected from the group consisting of: screws, nuts and bolts, inter-engaging members, clips, friction fit, and welding.

10. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the biasing assembly is separate to and external of the at least first and second support members.

11. The support device according to claim 1 wherein one of the first and second support members has a first end adjacent to the anchor portion and is at or adjacent one of the distal ends of the support device and a second end of the support member locates in or around another support member.

12. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the biasing assembly is located on, at or adjacent an end of the at least one first and second support member which acts as an inner member of the support device.

13. The support device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second support members is a hollow portion, and at least part of the other of the first and second support members is movably mounted within the hollow portion of the at least one of said first and second support member.

14. The support device according to claim 13 wherein the at least first and second support members are slidably movable relative to each other so as to be moved between an extended and a retracted position.

15. The support device according to claim 1 wherein a length of the support device is adjusted to allow engagement between two opposing surfaces and the support device is adjustable by a user to allow engagement between said two opposing surfaces.

16. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the support device is in the form of an elongate support post.

17. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the anchor portion allows at least one anchoring and/or engagement of said anchor portion with the surface and is provided in the form of a plate including one or more teeth or engaging portions for engaging with the surface.

18. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the support device includes locking means for locking the at least first and second support members in a selected position.

19. The support device according to claim 18 wherein the locking means includes user actuation means to allow movement of the locking means between locked and unlocked positions.

20. The support device according to claim 1 wherein one or more spacer members are provided between the support member flange of the support member and the biasing assembly, and the biasing assembly engages with the one or more spacer members and/or the support member flange of the support member.

21. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the biasing assembly includes an inner shaft which is used to provide support and rigidity to the biasing assembly and/or to secure the biasing assembly to the support member or to a spacer member at a first end and/or to the anchor portion at a second end.

22. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the biasing assembly includes a housing,, and the a biasing means is contained within the housing and the housing of the biasing assembly is located between the biasing flange of the biasing assembly and/or support member and the anchor portion.

23. The support device according to claim 22 wherein the biasing assembly includes first and second biasing means, said first biasing means separated from the second biasing means by a spacer member.

24. The support device according to claim 1 wherein compression indication means are provided on or associated with the support device, at least one of the biasing assembly and/or the housing of the biasing assembly for providing an indication to a user as to whether the support device has been placed under sufficient compression in use.

25. The support device according to claim 1 wherein said biasing assembly is a resilient biasing assembly and the support device is adjustable telescopically, said biasing assembly provided with a support plate or foot portion at one end and, at an opposing end, a location means and biasing means are provided between the said support plate or foot portion and the location means and a shaft extends between said location means and the support plate or foot portion.

26. The safety fence including one or more support devices as defined in claim 1.

27. The support device according to claim 1 wherein the biasing assembly includes first and second biasing means, the first biasing means separated from the second biasing means by a spacer member.

28. A support device, said support device comprising: at least first and second support members, each support member having a longitudinal axis, said at least first and second support members movable with respect to each other in a direction parallel to each longitudinal axes, distal ends and the distal ends each including an anchor portion to engage directly or indirectly with a surface in use, a biasing assembly for biasing one or more of the distal ends of the support device into engagement with the surface in use, wherein the biasing assembly is located at or adjacent an end of at least one of said first and second support members and between said at least one of said first and second support member end and the anchor portion nearest to said at least one of said first and second support member end engagement means for engaging the biasing assembly to at least one support member end provided with a support member flange; and wherein the biasing assembly is provided with a biasing flange, radially outwardly protruding or outwardly protruding member which acts as an interface with the support member flange or outwardly protruding member of the said support member and the engagement means joins the support member and biasing flanges together and joins the biasing assembly to the at least one of said first and second support member in use; and wherein one or more spacer members are provided between the support member flange of the at least one first and second support member and the biasing assembly and the biasing assembly engages with the one or more spacer members and/or the support member flange of the at least one first and second support member.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) According to further independent aspects of the present invention there is provided a method of using a support device and/or a method of using a biasing assembly.

(2) Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to Figures as follows:

(3) FIG. 1 illustrates in a schematic manner, a support device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail, the support biasing assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a support biasing assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) Referring firstly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a support device 2 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention and it will be appreciated that the middle section 4 of the device is not shown due to the fact that the length of the support device can be provided to be of any suitable length within a predetermined length range. At each end of the support device, there is provided an anchor plate or foot portion 6, 8 respectively. These are provided so as to engage with surfaces between which the support device extends and could, for example, be a floor and a ceiling of a structure so that the support device extends between the floor and the ceiling with the anchor plates 6, 8 in location therewith. The support device typically is provided with attachment means (not shown) to allow one or more panels or barriers to be attached thereto in use. Typically the panels or bathers are arranged so as to extend between adjacent spaced support devices in use.

(7) The support device includes a first support member 12 which is an inner member and a second support member 10 which is an outer member. The inner member 12 is provided to be slidably moveable as indicated by arrow 14 within a hollow interior of the outer member 10 so as to act in a telescopic manner and therefore allow the length of the support device to be selected to suit the particular location at which the same is to be fitted. For example, the first and second members 12, 10 can be moved between extended and retracted positions to allow detachable engagement of the support device, and particularly engagement of the distal ends of the support device, between two surfaces in use.

(8) In accordance with the invention, one of the members, and in this case the inner member 12, is provided with a biasing assembly 16 located at an end 18 thereof. The biasing assembly biases the anchor plate 6 outwardly of the inner support member 12 to ensure the support device is placed in sufficient compression to ensure engagement between the two surfaces in use. The end 18 to which the biasing assembly 16 is located is typically the end which is the free end of the inner member 12 (i.e., the end which is not located within the outer member 10). At the end 18 of the inner member 12, there is provided a flange or other form of locating means 19 and with which a flange or other form of locating means 22 of the biasing assembly 16 is directly or indirectly located. In the illustrated example, a spacer member 20 is provided between a flange of the biasing assembly 16 and the flange 19 of the inner member 12. However, the flange 22 of the biasing assembly 16 could be engaged directly with flange 19 of the inner member 12 if required.

(9) This arrangement is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2 and it will therefore be seen that the biasing assembly 16 extends from the anchor plate 6 at one end to flange 22 at the opposing end. The flange 19 is typically attached to the end of the inner member 12, and in one embodiment, this can be achieved via a weld connection 24. The flanges 19, 22 and spacer member 20 are provided with corresponding channels 26 for the receipt of bolts or other engagement means 28 to allow the flanges to be joined together and hence the biasing assembly 16 to be located on the end of the inner member 12.

(10) The biasing assembly 16 includes an inner shaft 30 which extends from a head portion 32 adjacent to the anchor plate 6, along the longitudinal axis 34 of the assembly to be engaged with the flange 22. Thus, the shaft acts to provide rigidity and support to the assembly 16 and to secure resilient biasing members of the biasing assembly 16 in position along the longitudinal axis 34.

(11) The head portion 32 of the inner shaft 30 is larger than an aperture defined in anchor plate 6 through which the inner shaft 30 is located, thereby preventing the head portion 32 from passing through the aperture in use and preventing removal of the inner shaft 30 from the anchor plate 6 in use.

(12) An opposite end 33 of inner shaft 30 is engaged in a recess within flange 22 to maintain the position of the inner shaft in use.

(13) Resilient biasing means or first biasing members in the form of compression members (shown by dotted lines 35) are provided around the inner shaft 30 and between flange 22 and a washer or plate 38 of the biasing assembly 16. Thus, the first biasing members are provided externally of and separate to the inner support member 12.

(14) The biasing assembly 16 includes a housing 36 which passes around the inner shaft 30 and first biasing members 35 to protect the same in use. Although the housing 36 is located on the biasing assembly 16, it is typically a loose fitting or detachably attachable so as to allow easy removal of the same from the biasing assembly in use. This allows for easy maintenance and repair of the biasing members 35 in use.

(15) The biasing assembly 16 can include a second biasing member in the form of a compression spring 40. The second biasing member is provided between the washer 38 and the anchor plate 6. Biasing member 40 acts to provide a biasing force to allow activation of a compression indication member 41 in use.

(16) Both the first and second biasing members 35, 40 provide a biasing force in the direction 42 away from the flange 22 of the biasing assembly 16 and the support member 12.

(17) It will be appreciated that the first and/or second biasing members could be of any suitable form but, in the example shown in FIG. 2, is a series of Belleville washers or a spring. The biasing members are resilient such that if a force is applied in the direction 44 on the anchor plate 6 in use, then, while the anchor plate 6 can move in the direction of 44 towards the support member 12 within a given range, when the force is released, the biasing members 35, 40 will cause the anchor plate 6 to move in a direction away from the support member 12 to a rest position. This thereby allows the support device to be moved into position between two surfaces in use, and retained in said position when the locking means between the first and second members of the support device are in a locked position.

(18) The compression indication member 41 in this example is pivotably mounted to the external surface of housing 36 via pivot pin 45 and movable between at least two different positions. When the support device is placed under sufficient compression to allow secure engagement between two surfaces, member 41 is in a horizontal position or a position that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support device. When the support device is not placed under sufficient compression or when no compression is being applied, member 41 is at an acute angle to the horizontal or to the longitudinal axis of the support device. This allows a user to quickly and easily visualise whether the support device has been placed under a correct amount of compression in use.

(19) FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the biasing assembly 16 is again provided with an anchor plate 6, flange 22 and inner shaft 30 provided along a longitudinal axis 34. However, in this embodiment, the resilient biasing means are provided in the form of a compression bush arbour which, in one embodiment, comprises a series of compressible parts 46 located between holders 48. The compressible parts 46 can compress together in a resilient manner when force is applied in the direction of arrow 44 to the anchor plate 6. Thus, once again, there is provided a biasing assembly which can be mounted to an end of the inner member 12 of the support device and allows the required compression and movement of the anchor portion 6 to be achieved and to be achieved in a controlled manner whilst allowing the biasing assembly to be accessible for maintenance and to reduce the possibility of ingress of dirt and debris therein.