WO1993007352A1

WO1993007352A1 - Child safety gate and mounting frame

Info

Publication number: WO1993007352A1
Application number: PCT/GB1992/001833
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Michael De Rozarieux
Original assignee: David Michael De Rozarieux
Priority date: 1991-10-08
Filing date: 1992-10-08
Publication date: 1993-04-15
Also published as: AU2684692A

Abstract

Child safety gate having a rectangular framework of upper and lower horizontal members (10, 12) with upright struts (14, 16, 18) extending between them. The end struts (14, 18) are connected to ends of the horizontal members (10, 12) by corner fittings (22, 24, 26, 28) which at one end of the framework alos serve as hinging members (35) for hingeably connecting the gate to a support by means of a snap engaged dovetail joint. Corner fittings (26, 28) at the opposite end of the gate are threadedly engaged by spindles (52) provided with locking knobs (54). The projections (52) are engageable with latches (56) the upper one of which is provided with a manually releasable catch. The gate may be easily assembled and disassembled and mounted and demounted. The invention also provides the gate in kit form and a frame for mounting the gate. The frame includes a pair of L-shaped members, horizontal limbs of which are telescopically engaged at a lower end and adjustable apart to wedge the frame in a passageway.

Description

CHILD SAFETY GATE AND MOUNTING FRAME

The present invention relates to child safety gates and, more particularly, to a demountable safety gate which may be temporarily fitted across the top of a stairway in a doorway or across some other passageway to prevent access by an infant whilst allowing passage to adults.

Hitherto , child safety gates have comprised frameworks of preassembled members, such as, welded steel tubes or rods, and have therefore occupied an undesirable amount of space when stored and transported. Furthermore, prior safety gates have typically comprised a wicket gate hinged within a relatively wide surrounding framework by means of which the gate is secured in a required position so that the gate opening, itself, has been of significantly less width than the passageway protected by the gate.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a child safety gate which can be supplied in kit form for assembly be an end user so as to facilitate storage by the supplier and transportation. It is another object to provide a child safety gate which affords a gate opening substantially equal to the full width of the stair, door or other passageway across which the safety gate is positioned.

From one aspect the invention consists in a child safety gate comprising a generally rectangular framework having upper and lower horizontal members and upright struts extending between the horizontal members characterized in that the struts at opposite ends of the framework are assembled to adjacent ends of the horizontal members by corner fittings which at one end of the framework also serve as hinging members for hingeably connecting the gate to a support and at least one of which fittings at the opposite end of the framework includes one part of a retaining latch engageable with a cooperating part mounted on a confronting support.

The upper and lower horizontal members and the end struts are preferably a push fit in the corner fittings.

Similarly opposite ends of intermediate struts are preferably assembled to the horizontal members by means of a push fit. For example the ends of the struts may be pushed directly into preformed holes in the horizontal members and may be an interference fit therein.

Alternatively the ends of the struts may be fitted with plastics end caps which are an interference fit in preformed holes in the horizontal members. When there is likely to be a requirement to subsequent disassemble the gate, engagement of the corner fittings is preferably by means of a releasable detent mechanism.

Hence it will be apparent that the present invention provides a safety gate which may be readily assembled by an end user from a knock-down kit of parts without the need to use screws or other fastening members, adhesive or tools.

Furthermore, the invention provides a safety gate having a relatively wide access opening and which may be mounted by means of quick release fittings so that it can be rapidly demounted and removed to another location. It enables a substantially full width access opening for an adult to a stair, door or other passageway across which the gate may be fixed. When fixed directly to a wall or door frame no bottom rail is required over which an adult may trip when stepping through the gate opening.

The horizontal members and struts may be metal or plastics tubes or wood rods or any combination of such members. They may, for example, be made from coated steel tube of round, oval or square cross section and the corner fittings may be moulded from high strength plastics or cast from metal. Preferably, the horizontal members are oval in cross section and, in the assembled gate, are disposed with their major axes horizontal so as to optimise the firmness of the joint between horizontal members and the adjacent ends of the struts. Where the framework is constructed, for example from steel tubes, thinner gauge steel tube may be used than in prior gates because no welding is necessary.

Where each of the corner fittings serves as one part of a hinge, each fitting may simply be formed with a vertical journal or pin for engaging a pin or journal respectively of a complementary hinge part. The hinge pin may be disposed at or adjacent the outer end of a cantilever member. To facilitate mounting and demounting of the gate the complementary hinge part which is hingeably connected to the corner fitting is preferably slideably engageable with a corresponding support fitting which is adapted to be fastened to the support.

In order to provide a secure mounting for the gate which is easily assembled and disassembled the sliding engagement of the complementary hinge part with the support fitting is preferably by means of a dovetail joint which is snap engageable.

The or each corner fitting including a latch part may include an adjustable latching projection for engaging with a cooperating latch device attached to the wall door upright or other suitable support opposite the hinge so that the gate may be latched or locked in its closed position. The latching projection may, for example, comprise an adjustable spindle which is screw threaded into the associated corner fitting and support a locking knob which, when the spindle has been adjusted so as to engage the cooperating latch device, can be tightened to lock the spindle in the adjusted position. Preferably, both corner fittings at the latching, end of the gate are provided with latching parts for engaging cooperating latch devices.

From a further aspect the invention consists in a child safety gate having a latching projection engageable with a cooperating latch device mounted on a suitable support for locking the gate in its closed position, wherein the latch device comprises a latching member behind .which the latching projection is engageable, said latching projection being engageable with the latching member by upward movement of at least the adjacent end of the gate.

To reduce the chance of a child being able to open the gate a releasable catch member is preferably engageable with the latching projection when it is latched in the latching device to resist upward movement of the projection and release of the gate.

Conveniently the gate has latching projections at or adjacent its top and bottom edges engageable with cooperating latch devices mounted on the wall, doorframe uprights or other suitable support, each latch device comprising a latching member behind which the cooperating projection is engageable by upward movement of the gate, and only the top latch device incorporates a releasable catch member.

From another aspect, the invention consists in a kit of parts for assembling a child safety gate of the construction described above.

From yet another aspect, the invention consists in a _> -

child safety gate having a hinge by which the gate may be swung from an adjacent wall, doorframe upright or other suitable support wherein the hinge is attached to the support by a part on the hinge which is engageable with a corresponding fitting fastened to the support, and wherein means is provided for retaining the hinge in engagement with the corresponding fitting.

In order that the gate described above may be mounted in a passageway without permanently attaching any fittings to the wall or doorframe uprights the invention also provides a frame comprising upright support legs for disposing adjacent opposite sides of a passageway across which the gate is to be mounted and means interconnecting the upright support legs at ends thereof which are to be positioned adjacent the floor said means being adjustable apart to wedge the frame in the passageway.

Conveniently, the mounting frame comprises two L- shaped frame members each comprising an upright leg and a horizontal leg for disposing adjacent the floor, the hori¬ zontal legs extending between the upright legs and being interconnected.

Preferably, when uninstailed the two legs of each frame member^' are disposed at an angle to each other slightly greater than 90°, for example 100°. With this arrangement the upright legs bend inwardly of the horizontal legs when the frame members are pushed apart, which ensures a tight fit.

The horizontal legs are conveniently joined together in a telescopic manner, with the end of one leg fitting within the end of the other. They are preferably adjust¬ able apart by means of a toggle mechanism which also serves to secure the frame in the wedged position. - 5 -

The toggle mechanism may comprise a pair of toggle frames hinged together at mutually adjacent ends, and pivotally connected each to one of the horizontal legs at their opposite ends. Thus the frame members may be adjust¬ ed apart by depressing the hinge, and retaining it in such a position when the hinge is just over-centre.

Preferably, the position of one of the pivotal connections is adjustable along the length of the horizon¬ tal leg, so that the frame may be accommodated in passage¬ ways of various widths.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembled gate according to one embodiment of a first aspect of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side view of the gate of figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a fitting for mounting a gate hinge on a support surface,

Figure 4 is a view taken along the line IV-IV of figure 3,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a latch device for use with the gate,

Figure 6 is a side view of a mounting frame accord¬ ing to a second aspect of the invention, and Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the toggle mechanism of the frame of Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the gate comprises a rectangular framework, having identical upper and lower horizontal members 10,12, with several upright struts 14, 16, 18 extending therebetween. The horizontal members and upright struts are round or oval tubes, for example, thin steel tubes .

Plastics corner fittings 22,24,26,28 join the ends of the horizontal members 10,12 to adjacent ends of the upright struts 14,18 at opposite ends of the gate, as will be described in more detail below. Intermediate upright struts 16 are fitted at each end with plastics end caps 19 which are an interference fit with preformed holes in the horizontal members 10,12.

Each corner fitting 22-28 includes a sleeve 30 sized to receive an end of a horizontal member 10,12 in a push- fitting manner. Disposed at a right angle to the first sleeve 30 is a second sleeve 32 which is sized to receive an end of an upright strut 14,18. Stiffening webs 34,35 extend between the sleeves 30,32.

At one end of the gate (the right hand end as seen in Figure 1) the two corner fittings 22,24 each form one part of a two part hinge 23 and, at the opposite end of the gate, the two corner fittings 26,28 each form one part of a retaining latch 37.

The two hinge corner fittings 22,24 each include an extension aligned with the first sleeve 30 and, adjacent its outer end the extension is formed with a journal 36 extending across the extension in a direction parallel to the second sleeve 32, for receiving a hinge pin 38. Each hinge pin 38 projects from one end of a canti¬ lever hinge member 40 having a mounting plate 42 at its opposite end and reinforced by a stiffening web 44. Refer¬ ring to Figures 3 and 4, the mounting plates 42 include tapered dovetail parts for engaging a complimentary recess 46 formed in a support fitting 48. Each support fitting48 further includes an integral resilient retaining member 49 in the form of a hook overhanging the recess 46. The hook 49 has an inclined cam surface 47 and may be pushed backwards to clear the recess 46. Each support fitting 48 is secured to a wall, door upright or other support, by means of screws 50.

Each corner fitting 26,28 serving as a latch part mounts an adjustable latching projection 52 in the form of a screw threaded spindle which is aligned with the first sleeve 30 and projects from the outer end thereof. The spindle 52 may be screwed into or out of the associated corner fitting and secured in the adjusted position by tightening a locking knob 54. Referring also to Figure 5, a cooperating latch device 56 is mounted on a wall., door upright or other support by means of screws 57. A shaped recess 58 includes a cam projection 59 having an inclined cam surface 60 terminating in a seat 62 for the spindle 52. The upper latch device 56 additionally includes a catch member 64 in the form of a thin plate which is mounted in the latch device 56 above the recess 58 and has a thumb button 65 for manually rocking the catch member 64 about a pivot 66.

To use the gate, which may be supplied in kit form, the framework is first assembled into the form shown in Figure 1. The ends of the intermediate struts 16 fitted with their end caps 19, are each pushed into the holes in the horizontal members 10,12 the opposite ends of each _ q _

horizontal member 10,12 being pushed into the first sleeve 30 of a hinge corner fitting 22,24 and a latch corner fitting 26,28 respectively. The ends of the upright strut 18 at one end of the framework are each pushed into the second sleeves 32 of the two hinge corner fittings 22,24, and at the other end of the framework the ends of the upright strut 14 are each pushed into the second sleeves 32 of the two latch corner fittings 26,28.

An upper and a lower support fitting 48 are screwed to a support at one side of the passageway across which the safety gate is to be positioned with the smaller ends of the dovetail recesses 46 lowermost. With the hinge pin 38 extending upwardly, the dovetail part of the lower mounting plate 42 is slid into the lower support fitting 48, whereupon it engages the cam surface 47 to lock the retaining hook 49 backwardly, clear of the recess 46. When the mounting plate 42 is in position, the hook 49 snaps back into a position overlapping the upper edge of the mounting plate 42. The journal 36 provided in the lower hinge corner fitting 24 is then fitted over the hinge pin 38, whereafter the opposite hinge pin 38 may be slid downwardly through the cooperating journal 36 in the upper hinge corner fitting 22, whilst the dovetail part of its mounting plate 42 slides into the upper support fitting 48, as described above. The support fittings 48 are spaced apart such that, when in position, the outer extremities of the hinge pin journals 36 abut the cantilever members 40.

At the opposite side of the passageway, two latch devices 56 are similarly mounted on the wall, door upright or other support. The spindles 52 are adjusted, by screw¬ ing them into or out of the corner fittings 26,28, so as to be engageable in the cooperating recesses 58 when the gate is in its closed position, and are locked in this position by means of the knobs 54. When the gate is swung closed, each spindle 52 engages its cooperating cam surface 60 and at least the adjacent end of the gate lifts to permit the spindles to travel over the cam projection 59 and engage behind them in the seats 62. In doing so, the upper spin¬ dle 52 nudges the catch 64, which pivots out of the path of this spindle to allow it to engage the cooperating seat 62, whereupon the catch 64 returns to its initial position and engages over the spindle to resist raising of the gate. To unlock the gate, it is necessary to press the thumb button 65 to pivot the catch plate 64 and simultaneously lift the spindles 52 of the gate over the cam projections 59. The inherent flexibility of the framework of the gate permits upward flexing of the gate to allow the spindles 52 to be engaged with and disengaged from their cooperating latch devices 56.

Figure 6 shows a mounting frame for supporting a child safety gate such as that illustrated in figures 1 and 2 and comprises first and second generally 'L' shaped frame members 110,112, for example, formed of tubular steel. ^"Each frame member 110,112 has an upright leg 114,116 and a horizontal leg 118,120 disposed at an angle to each other which is slightly more than 90°, for example, 100°. The upright legs 114,116 are arranged to be disposed adjacent opposite sides of a stairway, door or other passageway across which the gate is to be mounted and are joined together by the horizontal legs which extend between the opposite upright legs 114,116 adjacent the floor. In this regard, one horizontal leg 120 slidably fits within the other horizontal leg 118 in a telescopic manner. The horizontal legs are also coupled together by a toggle mechanism which, when the mounting frame is disposed in position, controls movement of the frame members apart 110,112 in order to wedge or secure the frame in its selected position. The toggle mechanism comprises a pair of toggle frames 126,128 which span the horizontal legs 118,120 in a widthwise direction. Their mutually adjacent ends of the toggle frames are hinged together by a central pivot pin 138, and their opposite ends are pivotally connected to the legs 118,120. The toggle frame 126 is connected to the leg 118 by a fixed pivot pin 130, whilst the toggle frame 128 is connected to the leg 120 by a pivot pin 134 which extends through a slot 132 in the leg 120 and cooperates with a series of ratchet teeth 136 formed in the slot 132, so as to be adjustable along the length of the leg 120.

A recess 140 is provided in the upper side of the horizontal leg 120 of the second frame member 112 for receiving the central pivot pin 138 when the toggle mechanism is operated and the pin 138 is depressed.

The upright legs 114,116 are provided with pads 115,117 in the form of foam rubber strips attached to their outer sides for fractionally engaging under pressure with opposite sides of the passageway. Upper and lower hinge support fittings 121, for supporting hinge parts at one end of the gate are fixed to the inner face of the first upright leg 116. Each hinge support fitting 121 is provided with a dovetail recess and hook similar to those of the support fitting 48 described above; Thus the gate described may be hingeably connected to the mounting frame by sliding the mounting plates 42 into the dovetail recesses in the support fitting 121. Latch devices 119 are fixed to the second upright leg 114, for engaging with latching projections 52 provided at the opposite end of the gate.

In use, the frame is placed across a passageway with the upper ends of the uprights 114,116 bearing against the opposite walls or door uprights , as shown in Figure 6. The pivot pin 134 and ratchet teeth 136 enable the frame members 110,112 to be adjusted so that the frame may be accommodated in passageways of varying widths. Having adjusted the toggle mechanism the central pivot pin 138 is pushed downwardly to force the lower portions of the upright legs 114,116 apart so that the upright legs 114,116 bend inwardly of the horizontal legs 118,120, pressing each pad 115,117 firmly against the wall of doorframe. When the pairs of lever members 126,127;128,129 are just over centre, the pivot pin 138 is seated in the notch 140, securing the frame firmly in position. A gate as described above may then be installed in the frame using the same technique as that used when the gate is to be supported without a frame.

Whilst a particular embodiment of the invention has been described, it will be appreciated that modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the inven¬ tion. For example the horizontal members 10,12 and the end struts 18, 14 may be designed to engage the corner fittings 22, 24, 26 and 28 by means of a snap engagement in order to provide a firm gate structure which is easily dismantleable.

Claims

1. Child safety gate comprising a generally rectangular framework having upper and lower horizontal members (10,12) and upright struts (14,16,18) extending between the horizontal members characterized in that the struts (14,18) at opposite ends of the framework are assembled to adjacent ends of the horizontal members by corner fittings (22,24,26,28) which at one end of the framework also serve as hinging members for hingeably connecting the gate to a support and at least one of which fittings at the opposite end of the framework includes one part (52) of a retaining latch engageable with a cooperating part mounted on a confronting support.

2. A gate as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the horizontal members (10,12) and the struts 14,16,18) engage by means of a push fit.

3. A gate as claimed in claim 2 characterised in that the horizontal members (10,12) and end struts (14,18) engage by means of a push fit in the corner fittings (22,24,26,28).

4. A gate as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that engagement of corner fittings is by means of a releasable detent mechanism facilitating subsequent disassembly.

5. A gate as claimed in any preceding claim in combination with one or more complementary hinge parts (38,44,42) and corresponding support fittings (48) characterised in that each complementary hinge part is hingeably connected to a hinge member of a corner fitting and slidably engageable with the support fitting (48) which is adapted to be fastened to the support.

6. A gate as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that the said slideable engagement is by means of a dovetail joint (46).

7. A gate as claimed in claims 5 or claim 6 characterised in that the complementary hinge part (42) snap engages the support fitting (48).

8. A gate as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 characterised in that each corner fitting (22,24) which serves as a hinge member is formed with a vertical journal (36) or a pin for engaging a pin (38) or journal respectively of a complementary hinge part.

9. A gate as claimed in any preceding claim in combination with at least one retaining latch cooperating part characterised in that the cooperating part comprises a latch device (56) and the relevant corner fitting (26,28) includes a latching projection (52) which is latchable therewith by upward movement of at least the adjacent end of the gate.

10. A gate and retaining latch combination as claimed in claim 9 characterised in that a releasable catch member (64) is engageable with the projection (52) to resist upward movement and subsequent release of the gate.

11. A mounting frame for a child safety gate comprising upright support legs (114,116) for disposing adjacent opposite sides of a passageway across which the gate is to be mounted and means (126,128) interconnecting the upright support legs at ends thereof which are to be positioned adjacent the floor said means being adjustable apart to wedge the frame in the passageway.

12. A frame as claimed in claim 11 characterised in that it comprises two L-shaped frame members (110,112) each comprising an upright support leg (114,116) and a horizontal leg (118,120) for disposing adjacent the floor the horizontal legs extending between the upright legs and being interconnected.

13. A frame as claimed in claim 12 characterised in that when uninstalled the two legs of each frame member are disposed at angle to each other slightly greater than 90°.

14. A frame as claimed in claims 12 or claim 13 characterised in that the horizontal legs (118,120) are joined together in a telescopic manner.

15. A frame as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14 characterised in that the horizontal legs are adjustable apart by means of a toggle mechanism (126,128) one part (134.) of Which is selectively engageable with a plurality of locations on one of the horizontal legs (120).

16. A gate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 supported by and latchable to a support frame as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15.