Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Body catcher – Sheet or net type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-14
2001-02-06
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Body catcher
Sheet or net type
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182790
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to safety methods and apparatus for construction sites and the like, and more specifically, to safety nets designed to limit the fall of debris and thereby reduce the likelihood of bodily injury and/or property damage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of safety nets is well known in the construction industry. Such nets are typically positioned in a generally horizontal orientation to prevent objects from falling from an elevated height onto objects and/or people positioned below the net. Such nets are typically supported by beams and/or columns on the building under construction or repair. Cables or other intermediate or supplemental supports may be interconnected between the net and the building to provide a more secure arrangement. For example, border ropes are often secured about the perimeter of the net to enhance the structural integrity of both the net and its connection points with the building.
Generally speaking, conventional safety nets are manufactured in specific sizes and designed to accommodate particular applications. The nets must be strong and mounted with sufficient tension to ensure reliable retention of falling objects. In order to accommodate various building sizes, construction companies and/or their suppliers must maintain a large inventory of nets of various shapes and sizes.
An object of the present invention is to provide a safety net capable of spanning areas of various sizes and configurations without compromising performance. Additional objects of the present invention are to provide an adjustable safety net which is cost effective to manufacture and to provide an adjustable safety net which is easy to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention may be generally described as an adjustable safety net having effective dimensions which are readily adjustable to accommodate dimensional constraints for various applications. A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a netting panel circumscribed by a flexible border rope which defines a reinforced perimeter. The net spans or extends across the area or opening defined by the border rope and thereby defines a netting panel, and the edges of the netting panel are secured to the border rope. The netting panel and the border rope cooperate to define a substantially planar member having a generally rectangular shape.
Net adjuster units are spaced along one or more sides of the rectangular perimeter to selectively reduce the operational dimensions of the adjustable safety net. Each net adjuster unit comprises a web-like strap and a buckle for adjusting the effective length of the strap. The net adjuster units are mounted to the border rope and operable to reduce the distance between opposed sides of the safety net.
On one version of the invention, each strap has an intermediate portion which is looped about the border rope, a first end portion which is connected to a buckle, and a second, distal end portion. Each distal end portion is threaded through a desired opening in the net and then secured to a respective buckle to gather and bind the portion of net disposed between the desired opening and the border rope. Releasable mounting clips are connected to the border rope to facilitate connection of the safety net to cables or other support structures.
On another version of the invention, each net adjuster unit spans or extends across the length or the width of the safety net. The net adjuster units are connected to respective border ropes and extend in spaced, parallel relationship along both the length and the width of the net. In other words, the net adjuster units cooperate to define a generally orthogonal adjustment grid. Each adjuster unit includes a pair of opposite end strap sections and an intermediate strap section extending therebetween. Each end strap section includes a first end portion which is secured to a respective border rope, and a second end portion which is secured to a respective buckle. The intermediate strap section is adjustably connected between the buckles and cooperates with the end strap sections to define an effective length or width of the net. Releasable mounting clips are connected to the net adjuster units to facilitate connection of the safety net to cables or other support structures.
Another variation of the present invention provides net adjuster units suitable for mounting on the support structure which the net will span. The adjuster units are located at spaced intervals about the perimeter of the area to be spanned. Each net adjuster unit is a rigid hook which is sized and configured to retain selected strands of the net. Manually operated members may be provided to facilitate movement of the strands into engagement with the hooks.
In any of its various forms, the present invention may be described as a safety net which is adjustable to accommodate a variety of installation applications. Many of the features and advantages of the present invention may become more apparent from the detailed description which follows.
REFERENCES:
patent: 641278 (1900-01-01), Dick
patent: 1827447 (1931-10-01), Wilmore
patent: 3011820 (1961-12-01), Frieder
patent: 4986389 (1991-01-01), Halligan
patent: 5319873 (1994-06-01), Krager
Denny David S.
Ouellette Kevin D.
Chin-Shue Alvin
Mau & Krull, P.A.
Sinco Inc.
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