US 6,607,053 B1Granted

Retractable safety cage

OwnerWilliam Paul Warreninventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A retractable safety cage is provided that occupies a minimum amount of vertical space within a manhole and which provides, in an extended position, a safety barrier surrounding the entrance to the manhole or ladder. A fixed upper periphery rail provides a substantially horizontal perimeter around the opening of the ladder. One or more floating periphery rails are suspended therefrom to provide additional perimeter blocking as well as additional support for the ladder user. The safety cage comprises two vertical members that are slideably received in a bracket that can be attached to either a ladder or a support wall. A counterbalance assists movement in the extending direction and slightly impedes movement in the retracting direction. The retractable safety cage can also be easily removed from the manhole by using a guide bracket with a coupling foot.

Claims62

Dependent claims

A retractable perimeter-defining safety cage for fixed ladders or subsurface openings comprising:

a) at least one adjustable guide bracket further comprising a slide housing connected to a guide bracket extension for attachment to said wall or said ladder;
b) at least two main rails having proximal ends and distal ends, wherein at least one of said at least two main rails is slideably mounted within said slide housing for sliding between a retracted position and an extended position;
c) a locking mechanism for engagement with said at least two main rails for releasably locking said retractable safety cage in either said extended position or said retracted position;
d) a counterbalance mounted to said at least one adjustable guide bracket and connected to said distal end of said at least one of said at least two main rails that provides a bias force in the direction of said extended position;
and
e) a fixed first periphery rail having a first end and a second end wherein said first end and said second end are connected to said proximal ends of said at least two main rails, and wherein said fixed first periphery rail defines a barrier adjacent said proximal ends of said at least two main rails in said extended position wherein said retractable safety cage further comprises a floating periphery rail having a first end and a second end wherein said first end and said second end are slideably attached to said at least two main rails and wherein said floating periphery rail is connected to said first periphery rail with non-rigid connects.

3 more elements

A retractable removable safety cage for mounting on a wall or ladder comprising:

(a) adjustable guide brackets further comprising a slide housing connected to a guide bracket extension for attachment to said ladder or wall;
(b) at least two main rails having proximal ends and distal ends, wherein said at least two main rails are slideably received within said slide housing for sliding between a retracted position and an extended position;
(c) a coupling foot further comprising a rail extension having a proximal end and a distal end wherein said distal end is affixed to a stop having a portion protruding outwardly from said rail extension, wherein said proximal end of said extension rail is open and fixedly receives a tab that extends longitudinally outwardly from said proximal end of said extension rail;
(d) a locking mechanism for releasably locking said retractable removable safety cage in either said extended position or said retracted position, and allowing said at least two main rails to be completely removed from said adjustable guide brackets;
(e) a counterbalance mounted to said adjustable guide bracket and connected to said foot that provides a bias force in the direction of said extended position;
and
(f) a fixed first periphery rail having a first end and a second end wherein said first end and said second end are connected to said proximal end of said main rails.

4 more elements

A retractable removable safety cage for mounting on a wall or ladder comprising:

(a) adjustable guide brackets further comprising a slide housing connected to a guide bracket extension for attachment to said ladder or wall;
(b) at least two main rails having proximal ends and distal ends, wherein said at least two main rails are slideably received within said slide housing for sliding between a retracted position arid an extended position;
(c) a coupling foot further comprising a rail extension having a proximal end and a distal end wherein said distal end is affixed to a stop having a portion protruding outwardly from said rail extension, wherein said proximal end of said extension rail is open and fixedly receives a tab that extends longitudinally outwardly from said proximal end of said extension rail;
(d) a releasable locking mechanism for releasably locking said retractable removable safety cage in either said extended position or said retracted position, and allowing said at least two main rails to be completely removed from said adjustable guide brackets;
(e) a counterbalance mounted to said adjustable guide bracket and connected to said foot that provides a bias force in the direction of said extended position;
(f) a fixed first periphery rail having a first end and a second end wherein said first end and said second end are connected to said proximal end of said main rails;
and
(g) a floating periphery rail having a first end and a second end wherein said first end and said second end are slideably attached to said at least two main rails and wherein said floating periphery rail is connected to said at first periphery rail with non-rigid connectors.

5 more elements

A retractable removable safety cage for fixed ladders or subsurface openings comprising:

(a) a first adjustable guide bracket and a second adjustable guide bracket, said first adjustable guide bracket further comprising a first slide housing connected to a first guide bracket extension for attachment to said fixed ladder or a wall within said subsurface opening, and said second adjustable guide bracket further comprising a second slide housing connected to a second guide bracket extension for attachment to said fixed ladder or a wall within said subsurface opening;
(b) a first main rail and a second main rail, each of said first and second main rails having proximal ends and distal ends, wherein said first main rail is slideably received within said first slide housing and wherein said second main rail is slideably received within said second slide housing for sliding between a retracted position and an extended position;
(c) a coupling foot for either said first main rail or said second main rail further comprising a rail extension having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said coupling foot a said distal end further comprise a stop having a portion protruding outwardly from said rail extension, wherein said proximal end of said rail extension is fixed to said distal end of said first or second main rail;
(d) a locking mechanism for releasably locking said retractable removable safety cage in either said extended position or said retracted position, and allowing said first and second main rails to be completely removed from said first and second adjustable guide brackets;
(e) a counterbalance mounted to said first or second adjustable guide bracket and connected to said coupling foot that provides a bias force in the direction of said extended position;
and
(f) a fixed first periphery rail having a first end and a second end wherein said first end and said second end are connected to said proximal end of said first and second main rails.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/962,374Filed 25 Sep 2001 · us provisional application
Priority: 26 Sep 2000
Granted: 19 Aug 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

E06C 7/182
Additional gripping devices, e.g. handrails: situated at the top of the ladder
E06C 7/185
Devices for preventing persons from falling: devices providing a back support to a person on the ladder, e.g. cages
E06C 9/02
Ladders characterised by being permanently attached to fixed structures, e.g. fire escapes: rigidly mounted
E06C
Ladders