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US 12,560,026 B2Granted
Self-closing safety gate
AssigneePs Industries Incorporated
InventorsPeter Allen Letvin, Daniel Thomas Satrom, Chad Joseph Rose
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Self-closing safety gate embodiments are disclosed herein. The self-closing safety gates include a hinge plate configured to rotate about a vertical support member and engage a hoop portion. In some embodiments, the hinge plate includes at least one support arm portion with a channel. In such embodiments, the channel can be configured to receive and frictionally engage a hoop arm of the hoop portion with a compressive fastener. In some embodiments, the self-closing safety gate can be damped.
Claims33
A self-closing safety gate comprising:
- a gate frame configured to extend horizontally across an access area between a vertical support member and a vertical stop member, the gate frame comprising at least one rotatable coupling portion disposed along a vertical portion of the gate frame, the at least one rotatable coupling portion configured to rotatably couple the gate frame to the vertical support member via a support bracket connected to the vertical support member to permit the gate frame to rotatably swing between an open position and a closed position;
- a spring assembly operably coupled to the gate frame and the vertical support member to bias the gate frame towards the closed position, the spring assembly comprising a spring coupled to the support bracket, the bias of the spring assembly being adjustable based on a position of a tensioning end of the spring relative to the support bracket;
- and
- a rotary damper assembly that opposes the force of the spring assembly bias to reduce a speed of closure of the gate frame from the open position to the closed position, the rotary damper assembly being removably attached to the support bracket.
1 more element
A self-closing safety gate comprising:
- a gate frame configured to extend horizontally across an access area between a vertical support member and a vertical stop member, the gate frame comprising at least one rotatable coupling portion disposed along a vertical portion of the gate frame, the at least one rotatable coupling portion configured to rotatably couple the gate frame to the vertical support member via a support bracket connected to the vertical support member to permit the gate frame to rotatably swing between an open position and a closed position, the gate frame further comprising a hinge plate and a hoop portion, the hinge plate being rotatably coupled to the vertical support member, the hoop portion being coupled to the hinge plate, the hoop portion including a hoop distal portion comprising a strike plate, the strike plate adapted to stop the closure of the gate frame when the strike plate contacts the vertical stop member;
- a spring assembly operably coupled to the gate frame and the vertical support member to bias the gate frame towards the closed position;
- and
- a damper assembly that opposes the force of the spring assembly bias to reduce a speed of closure of the gate frame from the open position to the closed position, the damper assembly comprising a fluid-based damper, the speed of closure of the gate frame from the open position to the closed position being affected by a viscosity of a first fluid in the fluid -based damper, the damper assembly further comprising a rotary damper, the rotary damper having a damper housing portion having an engagement arm coupled to the damper housing portion, the engagement arm being configured to engage a portion of the gate frame and move with movement of the portion of the gate frame, the damper assembly further comprising a damper stud coupling the damper housing portion to the support bracket, the damper stud having a stabilizer portion extending through an opening in the support bracket.
1 more element
A self-closing safety gate comprising:
- a gate frame configured to extend horizontally across an access area between a vertical support member and a vertical stop member, the gate frame comprising a hinge plate having an upper rotatable coupling portion and a lower rotatable coupling portion disposed along a vertical portion of the hinge plate, the upper and lower rotatable coupling portions of the hinge plate configured to rotatably couple the gate frame to the vertical support member via an upper support bracket and a lower support bracket, the upper and lower support brackets being connected to the vertical support member, the upper support bracket being rotatably coupled to the upper rotatable coupling portion of the hinge plate and the lower support bracket being rotatably coupled to the lower rotatable coupling portion of the hinge plate to permit the gate frame to rotatably swing between an open position and a closed position;
- a spring assembly operably coupled to the gate frame and the vertical support member to bias the gate frame towards the closed position;
- and
- a rotary damper assembly that opposes the force of the spring assembly bias to reduce a speed of closure of the gate frame from the open position to the closed position, the rotary damper assembly comprising a damper housing portion coupled to an engagement arm, the engagement arm configured to engage and move with a portion of the gate frame,
- wherein the damper housing portion of the rotary damper assembly is a cylindrical housing containing a viscous fluid, and the engagement arm is configured to engage the gate frame and rotate relative to the cylindrical housing with movement of the gate frame.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.