Safety toe guard

[57] ABSTRACT

A platform is vertically movable with respect to the floor from a position within a recess in the floor to above the floor. About the periphery of the platform, a band of rubber extends horizontally out from the edge of the platform a substantial distance over the floor area. This band is sufficiently flexible so that when encountering an obstacle during its descent it will deform upwardly to prevent placing undue pressure on that obstacle.

Claims, 4 Drawing Figures

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U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,920,101

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LAWRENCE I. RICHARDS

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ATTY

U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 2 of 2 3,920,101

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&lt; 3,92 ' 1

SAFETY TOE GUARD

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a protective device for use about the periphery of vertically moving platforms to warn a person standing adjacent the descending platform to ensure that the person inadvertently does not get a toe trapped between the bottom of the platform and the edge of the floor area.

When workmen are operating about a descent platform which moves into a recess in the floor, there is always a danger of their inadvertently getting a toe trapped under the platform and above the floor area upon which they are standing. This can result in a serious injury. Various protective devices have been employed to guard against this happening. For example, in many instances the platform will have a downwardly extending skirt immediately adjacent the floor area. This shirt is of such a vertical dimension that it will always close off the space below the platform when the platform is raised. Another proposal has been to use an angularly positioned skirt which will act as a cam to push a person’s foot out of the danger area. The principal problem with such devices is that they add substantially to the cost of the installation. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a protective device which is effective against this danger, but which will be substantially less expensive than the present commercial practice.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial section as seen at line 2—2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing one stage of operation of the embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing another stage of the protective operation.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The following disclosure is offered for public dissemination in return for the grant of a patent. Although it is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements.

There are many installations where there is a platform 10 which is received in a recess 11 in a floor 12. In the course of use the platform is raised from the recess to a position above the floor. This is accomplished by power means, not shown, which might be a vertically positioned hydraulic ram, a scissors lift, etc. As previously discussed, there is a danger when the platform is again lowered into the recess that a person standing immediately adjacent the platform will have his foot trapped between the bottom edge 13 of the descending platform and the top of the floor area 12.

The protective device of the present invention essentially comprises a flexible band 15 which is secured to and extends outwardly from the periphery of the platform. Thus there is an angle 16 secured to the periphery of the platform as by means of bolts 17. The upper

0,101 leg of the angle is coplanar with the top of platform 10 and spans only part of the gap 18 between the outside 19 of platform 10 and the wall 20 which defines recess 11. The band 15 is secured to this upper leg of the angle ⁵ as by means of rivets 21.

A recess 24 is formed in the floor 12 immediately about the periphery of wall 20. Thus there is an angle 25 set in the concrete of the floor and forming a step down to recess 24. Also, there is an angle 26 at the top 10 of wall 20. The vertical depth of recess 24 is approximately equal to the thickness of band 15 plus the thickness of the top leg of angle 16. The base of this recess, which is identified by the number 12', is in effect a part of the floor area.

I⁵ The band 15 has the following requisites. It must be sufficiently rigid to project substantially straight out from the platform so long as no deforming force is applied thereto. It must be sufficiently flexible so that when it encounters an obstacle during the descent of ²⁰ the platform 10, that it will bend and not apply sufficient pressure to that obstacle to cause harm. While one of a variety of elastomeric materials might be employed for this purpose, the use of rubber is recommended. By the term rubber I include both the natural ²⁵ and synthetic materials. A neoprene of approximately durometer has proven eminently satisfactory. It must extend sufficiently far over the floor area about the periphery of the platform so as to serve as a warning, as hereinafter described. A width of approximately ³⁰ 6 inches is adequate for this purpose. It must be sufficiently thick so as to carry any loads imposed on it when the platform is down. I recommend the use of % inch thick neoprene for this purpose. Actually, as will be seen from FIG. 2, there is only a very slight gap that ³³ is structurally bridged by the band 15; that is, that amount of gap 18 which is not bridged by the top leg of angle 16.

Assume that a platform 10 has been raised from the position illustrated in FIG. 2 to that illustrated in FIG.

3 and now commences to descend. The bottom edge 13 of the platform will move downwardly along the dotted line 28. Inadvertently a workman is standing sufficiently close so that the toe 29 of his shoe 30 projects beyond line 28 and thus under the descending edge 13 ⁴⁵ of the platform. Should he not move his foot in time, the toe of the shoe will be trapped between the bottom of the platform and the top of floor area 12' and his foot is likely to be injured. However, with the protective device of the present invention, the band extends ⁵⁰ sufficiently far out so that it will brush against that person’s body when he is this close to the descending platform. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the outer edge of the band 15 is brushing against the leg 31 of the individual. This pressure against the individual’s leg warns him ⁵⁵ that he is in a danger area and must move back. The band itself will not apply sufficient pressure against the person to harm him but merely to urge him backwardly out of the way.

Suppose that the individual moves back, but not suf60 ficiently far to get his toe 29 out from under the descending band 15. This situation is illustrated in FIG. 4. Here his toe 29 is trapped between the floor area 12' and the descending band 15. However, because of the flexibility of the band, it merely bends upwardly and does not injure the person’s foot even though the platform 10 descends fully to the level of the floor (the FIG. 2 position).