SAFETY DEVICE FOR UNSTABLE SURFACES AND THE LIKE

Abstract

 A safety device (1) for unstable surfaces and the like of the type present on roofs (B) and other parts of the covering structure of any building at openings designed for the entry of natural light and/or ventilation. The device (1) comprises: at least one pair of metallic longitudinal members (2) which can be stably fixed along mutually opposite perimeter walls of a respective opening, said longitudinal members (2) having a plurality of transverse holes (3) at respective portions that face toward and are proximate to said respective opening; a plurality of metallic crossmembers (4), each one provided with respective longitudinal channels (5) at least at its ends (4a, 4b); fixing screws (6) with shape and dimensions complementary to those of the channels (5) of the crossmembers (4), wherein each crossmember (4) is configured for mounting between the longitudinal members (2) at aligned pairs of the holes (3). Two mutually opposite screws (6) pass through a corresponding hole (3) of a specific member (2) and are screwed into a respective channel (5) of the crossmember (4), to define a walkable protection structure for the unstable surface.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like, in particular designed for the protection of any glazed surface or other unstable surface upon which an operator could accidentally walk or stand, for the purpose of preventing the weight of the operator from leading to a breakage of the surface and the operator falling to the ground.

[0002] The term "unstable surface" should be understood to mean all surfaces made of glass or of another, technically-equivalent material, like plexiglass, methacrylate or any other transparent polymeric material.

[0003] In the construction industry, the use is known of openings made in the roof of a building in order to allow natural light to enter: at such openings, specific frame fittings are normally installed which comprise at least one transparent sheet (of glass or of another, optically-equivalent material). These frame fittings can be constituted by a simple transparent sheet attached, by way of a respective fixing frame, to the perimeter of the opening (such as for example skylights), or they can comprise a structure for supporting the at least one respective sheet, in this case taking the form of a window leaf (such as for example windows for pitched roofs or flat roofs).

[0004] Obviously the installation of these transparent surfaces at openings of the roof of a building implies the adoption of contrivances to ensure correct waterproofing, thus preserving the protective function of the roof in which they are installed.

[0005] Current safety regulations for roofing require that all openings present on the roof of a building must be fitted with anti-fall safety devices, designed to prevent objects or operators from accidentally falling into the building through these openings.

[0006] Generally these anti-fall devices are constituted by a safety net made of metallic material or by a grille made of metallic material, in both cases fixed to the perimeter of the opening, on the inner side of the roof.

[0007] Conventional safety nets and grilles fulfill their anti-fall function exclusively after the transparent surface (the skylight or window on a pitched roof) has given way under the weight of a load (an object or a person) and therefore they do not preserve the surface from breakage and they receive a mechanical stress that is impulsive (in that the load falls on them after having assumed a predefined velocity in the trip between the broken surface and the net (or grille) itself.

[0008] Another drawback of conventional safety nets (or grilles) consists in that the fixing thereof, by often requiring the perforation of the structure of the skylight (or of the sloping window), can compromise the waterproofing of the area of intervention.

[0009] It should be noted that, in any case, the openings present on the roof (be they protected by a skylight or by a window) constitute sources of hazard for operators who need to work on roofs because if they were to walk on them they would fall until their fall was broken by the net (or grille): it is therefore not possible to forestall an accident, in such case, even though the fall is prevented by the presence of the net (or grille).

[0010] It should also be pointed out that, owing to increasing requirements for environmental protection, conventional safety devices (in this case anti-fall devices) have an excessive environmental impact in that they entail the adoption of multi-material components (for example constituted by metals and polymers) which are difficult to recycle (i.e. they require complex processing for the separation of the various materials).

[0011] The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned drawbacks by providing a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like that is intrinsically safe for operators who are at work on the roof of the building on which the device is installed.

[0012] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like that can be easily recycled at the end of its service life.

[0013] Another object of the invention is to provide a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like that is simple to install.

[0014] Another object of the invention is to provide a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like that is adapted for use both as an anti-fall device and as an element for protecting the glass panes with which it is associated.

[0015] Another object of the invention is to provide a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like that is adaptable to any type of skylight or on any window installed on a sloping pitch of a roof or other unstable surfaces with similar characteristics.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like which is of low cost, easily and practically implemented and safely applied.

[0017] This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like of the type present on roofs and other parts of the covering structure of any building at openings designed for the entry of natural light and/or ventilation, characterized in that it comprises:

• at least one pair of metallic longitudinal members which can be stably fixed along mutually opposite perimeter walls of a respective opening, said longitudinal members having a plurality of transverse holes at respective portions that face toward and are proximate to said respective opening;
• a plurality of metallic crossmembers, each one provided with respective longitudinal channels at least at its ends;
• fixing screws with shape and dimensions complementary to those of said channels of said crossmembers, each crossmember being configured for mounting between said longitudinal members at aligned pairs of said holes, two mutually opposite screws passing through a corresponding hole of a specific member and being screwed into a respective channel of said crossmember, to define a walkable protection structure for said unstable surface.

[0018] Such aim and such objects are also achieved by an installation method for a safety device for unstable surfaces of roofs and other parts of the covering structure of any building at openings designed for the entry of natural light and/or ventilation, characterized in that it consists in:

• coupling at least one pair of metallic longitudinal members along mutually opposite perimeter walls of a respective opening, said longitudinal members having a plurality of transverse holes at respective portions that face toward and are proximate to said respective opening;
• aligning a plurality of metallic crossmembers, each one provided with respective longitudinal channels at least at its ends, with a pair of corresponding holes of said pair of longitudinal members;
• inserting a fixing screw into each hole of a member facing toward and proximate to a crossmember and screwing it into the channel aligned therewith of a respective crossmember, said crossmembers screwed onto said longitudinal members defining a walkable protection structure for said unstable surface.

[0019] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the safety device for unstable surfaces and the like, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded schematic perspective view of a possible embodiment of a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the device of Figure 2 installed on the roof of a building;

Figure 6 is a schematic front elevation view of a possible embodiment of a device according to the invention;

Figure 7 is a schematic front elevation view of a further embodiment of a device according to the invention;

Figure 8 is a schematic front elevation view of a further embodiment of a device according to the invention;

Figure 9 is a schematic front elevation view of a further embodiment of a device according to the invention;

Figure 10 is a schematic front elevation view of a further embodiment of a device according to the invention;

Figure 11 is a schematic front elevation view of a further embodiment of a device according to the invention.

[0020] With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a safety device for unstable surfaces and the like.

[0021] The term "unstable surface" should be understood to include all glazed surfaces A, the surfaces of skylights (of any type), the surfaces of windows installed on roofs and/or on sloping pitches of roofs of buildings and other forms of panel installed at openings in the roof B of a building.

[0022] Such openings are generally provided on the roofs of buildings in order to allow natural light to enter or in order to allow the ventilation of air.

[0023] The safety device 1 advantageously comprises at least one pair of metallic longitudinal members 2 which can be stably fixed along mutually opposite perimeter walls of a respective opening that is present on the roof B of a building or on a sloping surface thereof.

[0024] The longitudinal members 2 have a plurality of transverse holes 3 at respective portions that face toward and are proximate to the respective opening in the roof B or in a sloping surface of the building.

[0025] The device 1 according to the invention can conveniently comprise a plurality of metallic crossmembers 4, each one provided with respective longitudinal channels 5 at least at its ends 4a, 4b.

[0026] The device 1 according to the invention profitably further comprises fixing screws 6 with shape and dimensions complementary to those of the channels 5 of the crossmembers 4.

[0027] Each crossmember 4 is advantageously configured for mounting between the longitudinal members 2 at aligned pairs of holes 3.

[0028] In such configuration, two mutually opposite screws 6 pass through a corresponding hole 3 of a specific member 2 and can be screwed into a respective channel 5 of a crossmember 4.

[0029] The rigid assembly constituted by the two longitudinal members 2 and the plurality of crossmembers 4 rigidly coupled to them by way of the screws 6 will define a walkable protection structure for the unstable surface (for example a glass pane A).

[0030] With particular reference to an embodiment of undoubted practical and applicative interest, it should be noted that the metallic crossmembers 4 can positively be extruded profiled elements provided with a longitudinal through channel (in practice the channels 5 extend for the entire length of each crossmember 4).

[0031] In such case the longitudinal through channel (which coincides with the channels 5) will usefully comprise at least two radially protruding bands 7 which have their ends facing at a distance not greater than the diameter of the root of the thread of the screws 6 for screwing the screws 6 between the ends of such bands 7.

[0032] The advantage of this embodiment consists in the possibility of using screws 6 of the self-threading type that can cut the shape of the respective threading into the ends of the bands 7, thus making it possible to expel any shavings that may be formed in the interspace defined between two contiguous bands 7. This ensures that the screw 6 can be easily engaged in the channel 5 (for example using an automatic screw gun or even a manual screwdriver), without needing to interpose further components.

[0033] The presence of further components would present a problem from the point of view of environmental impact, in that the use of plugs to be interposed between the channel 5 and the screw 6 (by biting into the plug, the screw produces an increase in the diameter of the plug with consequent locking in place thereof in the channel 5) produces an increased complication in operations to recycle the device 1 at the end of its service life.

[0034] Such plugs are generally made of polymeric material (which needs to be removed from the device 1 before it is melted down to recover the materials constituting it) and this entails the need to disconnect each crossmember 4 from the longitudinal members 2 in order to remove the plugs before the recycling operations.

[0035] The use is also known of plugs made of metallic materials that are easily deformable (such as for example some heavy metals like lead or other alloys): however, such materials have been banned in many countries owing to their extremely negative environmental impact.

[0036] In such implementation context it should be noted that there can positively be at least three protruding bands 7, equally distributed angularly inside the channel 5: if a version is made that comprises three bands 7, these will be arranged in the channel 5 at 120° from each other. Preferably, with reference to the embodiment shown by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying figures, there can be four radially protruding bands 7, each one arranged at 90° with respect to the contiguous bands. Embodiments are not ruled out in which there are more than four bands 7.

[0037] It is convenient to note that the metallic crossmembers 4 can have a shape of type chosen from linear, curved, segmented and contoured. Each crossmember 4, more precisely, can have a shape of type substantially complementary to that of the unstable surface (for example a glass pane A) on which the safety device 1 is installed. In this manner it will be possible to also protect unstable surfaces that protrude with respect to the roof B/wall of installation, as occurs in some cases with skylights.

[0038] It should be noted that the longitudinal members 2 and the crossmembers 4 of a device 1 according to the invention can conveniently be made of a material chosen from steel, aluminum, alloys of aluminum, metallic alloys and combinations thereof.

[0039] The exclusive adoption of metallic materials (chosen from metals and alloys that have a low environmental impact and are easily recyclable) simplifies any operations to recycle devices 1 that are cast off at the end of a predefined period of use.

[0040] It should furthermore be noted that each one of the at least two longitudinal members 2 can be constituted by a metallic laminar body, conveniently folded so as to give it a shape complementary to that of the perimetric edges of the unstable surface (for example the edges for fixing the glass pane A or the anchoring profiles of a skylight or the fixed frame of a window) for juxtaposition with shape mating therewith. By having a shape mating of the longitudinal members 2 with the perimetric edges of the unstable surface, a high stability of fixing thereof is obtained, which will also determine an excellent stability of the device 1 (to the advantage of the safety of the operators who need to walk on the roof B on which the device 1 is installed).

[0041] The protection offered by the present invention also covers an installation method for a safety device 1 for unstable surfaces of roofs and other parts of the covering structure of any building, which is arranged at openings designed for the entry of natural light and/or ventilation.

[0042] The method according to the invention entails, in a first step, attaching at least one pair of metallic longitudinal members 2 along mutually opposite perimeter walls of a respective opening (beside the unstable element to be protected). These longitudinal members 2 will have a plurality of transverse holes 3 at respective portions that face toward and are proximate to the respective opening in the roof B or in a sloping surface of the building (at which the unstable surface is attached).

[0043] In a subsequent second step, it will be necessary to align a plurality of metallic crossmembers 4, each one provided with respective longitudinal channels 5 at least at its ends 4a and 4b, with a pair of corresponding holes 3 of the pair of longitudinal members 2.

[0044] In a third step, it will then be necessary to insert a fixing screw 6 into each hole 3 of a member 2 facing toward and proximate to a crossmember 4 and screwing it into the channel 5 aligned therewith of a respective crossmember 4. The crossmembers 4 screwed onto the longitudinal members 2 will define a walkable protection structure for the unstable surface.

[0045] The method according to the invention can further comprise a preliminary step of shaping the longitudinal members 2, which consists of folding a metallic sheet to give it a shape complementary to that of the perimetric edges of the unstable surface of installation. In this manner, when juxtaposing such folded sheet (which constitutes a longitudinal member 2) with the edges of the opening (corresponding to the edges of the unstable surface), a shape mating will occur between the longitudinal member 2 and the corresponding edge, which will determine a stable mutual fixing (the adoption is not ruled out of additional forms of coupling such as adhesive bonding, screws, rivets, seaming and the like in order to further increase the fixing of the longitudinal members 2 to the edges of the opening).

[0046] Advantageously the present invention solves the above mentioned problems, by providing a safety device 1 for unstable surfaces and the like that is intrinsically safe for operators who are at work on the roof B of the building on which the device is installed: in fact even if an operator imprudently happens to walk on the unstable surface, he or she will stand (and therefore discharge his or her weight) solely on the device 1, thus guarding against the risk of falling for the operator and protecting the unstable surface.

[0047] Conveniently the device 1 can be easily recycled at the end of its useful life: being entirely metallic, in fact, it can be subjected to recycling processes in a simple manner, without the need for anticipatory disassembly operations and/or removal of components.

[0048] Positively the device 1 according to the invention is simple to install, by following the teachings of the method according to the invention.

[0049] Profitably the device 1 according to the invention is adapted for use both as an anti-fall device and as an element for protecting the glass panes with which it is associated.

[0050] Advantageously the device 1 according to the invention is adaptable to any type of skylight or on any window installed on a sloping pitch of a roof B or other unstable surfaces with similar characteristics.

[0051] Positively the device 1 according to the invention is easily and practically implemented and is of low cost: such characteristics make the device 1 according to the invention an innovation that is safe in use.

[0052] The invention, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

[0053] In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

[0054] In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

[0055] Where the technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference numerals and/or signs, those reference numerals and/or signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference numerals and/or signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference numerals and/or signs.

Claims

1. A safety device for unstable surfaces and the like of the type present on roofs (B) and other parts of the covering structure of any building at openings designed for the entry of natural light and/or ventilation, characterized in that it comprises:

- at least one pair of metallic longitudinal members (2) which can be stably fixed along mutually opposite perimeter walls of a respective opening, said longitudinal members (2) having a plurality of transverse holes (3) at respective portions that face toward and are proximate to said respective opening;

- a plurality of metallic crossmembers (4), each one provided with respective longitudinal channels (5) at least at its ends (4a, 4b);

- fixing screws (6) with shape and dimensions complementary to those of said channels (5) of said crossmembers (4), each crossmember (4) being configured for mounting between said longitudinal members (2) at aligned pairs of said holes (3), two mutually opposite screws (6) passing through a corresponding hole (3) of a specific member (2) and being screwed into a respective channel (5) of said crossmember (4), to define a walkable protection structure for said unstable surface.

2. The safety device according to claim 1, characterized in that said metallic crossmembers (4) are extruded profiled elements provided with a longitudinal through channel.

3. The safety device according to claim 2, characterized in that said longitudinal through channel comprises at least two radially protruding bands (7) which have their ends facing at a distance not greater than the diameter of the root of the thread of said screws (6) for screwing said screws (6) between said ends.

4. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are at least three said protruding bands (7) equally distributed angularly inside the said channel (5), and preferably there are at least four said radially protruding bands (7) with each band arranged at 90° with respect to the contiguous bands.

5. The safety device according to claim 4, characterized in that said unstable surface is of the type chosen from a skylight, an sloping window, a pane of glass (A), a closing panel and the like.

6. The safety device according to claim 5, characterized in that said metallic crossmembers (4) have a shape of type chosen from linear, curved, segmented, and with a contour substantially complementary to the shape of the unstable surface on which said safety device (1) is installed.

7. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said longitudinal members (2) and said crossmembers (4) are made of a material chosen from steel, aluminum, alloys of aluminum, metallic alloys and combinations thereof.

8. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said at least two longitudinal members (2) comprises a metallic laminar body that has a shape complementary to that of the perimetric edges of said unstable surface, for juxtaposition therewith with shape mating.

9. An installation method for a safety device (1) for unstable surfaces of roofs (B) and other parts of the covering structure of any building at openings designed for the entry of natural light and/or ventilation, characterized in that it consists in:

- coupling at least one pair of metallic longitudinal members (2) along mutually opposite perimeter walls of a respective opening, said longitudinal members (2) having a plurality of transverse holes (3) at respective portions that face toward and are proximate to said respective opening;

- aligning a plurality of metallic crossmembers (4), each one provided with respective longitudinal channels (5) at least at its ends (4a, 4b), with a pair of corresponding holes (3) of said pair of longitudinal members (2);

- inserting a fixing screw (6) into each hole (3) of a member (2) facing toward and proximate to a crossmember (4) and screwing it into the channel (5) aligned therewith of the respective crossmember (4), said crossmembers (4) screwed onto said longitudinal members (2) defining a walkable protection structure for said unstable surface.

10. The installation method according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a preliminary step of shaping said longitudinal members (2) which consists of folding a metallic sheet to give it a shape complementary to that of the perimetric edges of said unstable surface of installation, for juxtaposition therewith with shape mating.

Drawing