Guardrail with tapered vertical channel post

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9963854-B2
Application number	US-201514937294-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2015
Priority date	Nov 10, 2015
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A guardrail for a walkway of a machine includes a vertical channel post having an end wall and side walls forming an open channel. The vertical channel post may taper in the side-to-side and fore-aft directions as the post extends bottom to top. The vertical channel post may also transition from a generally rectangular cross-section near the bottom to a more rounded cross-section at the top. Curved top notches at the top of the vertical channel post allow a top rail of the guardrail to rest on top of the post and be attached. Intermediate notches along vertical edges of the side walls receive an intermediate rail of the guardrail. The top notches and the intermediate notches are arranged so that the top rail and the intermediate rail may be vertically aligned and parallel to each other and to the walkway enclosed by the guardrail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vertical channel post for a guardrail for a walkway on a machine, comprising:
an end wall having a first end wall edge, a second end wall edge opposite the first end wall edge, an end wall top edge and an end wall bottom edge opposite the end wall top edge;
a first side wall having a first closed end edge connected to the first end wall edge, a first open end edge opposite the first closed end edge, a first side wall top edge and a first side wall bottom edge opposite the first side wall top edge; and
a second side wall having a second closed end edge connected to the second end wall edge, a second open end edge opposite the second closed end edge, a second side wall top edge and a second side wall bottom edge opposite the second side wall top edge, wherein the end wall, the first side wall and the second side wall define a channel having channel opening defined by the first open end edge and the second open end edge,
wherein the first side wall includes a first top notch defined by the first side wall top edge and the second side wall includes a second top notch defined by the second side wall top edge, and the first top notch and the second top notch are arc-shaped and aligned to receive a top rail of the guardrail, and
wherein the first side wall includes a first intermediate notch defined by the first open end edge and the second side wall includes a second intermediate notch defined by the second open end edge, and the first intermediate notch and the second intermediate notch are arc-shaped and aligned to receive an intermediate rail of the guardrail.

2. The vertical channel post of claim 1 , wherein the first top notch has a first top notch center, the second top notch has a second top notch center, the first intermediate notch has a first intermediate notch center and the second intermediate notch has a second intermediate notch center, wherein the first top notch center, the second top notch center, the first intermediate notch center and the second intermediate notch center are aligned so that the top rail and the intermediate rail are parallel and vertically aligned when the top rail is received and engaged by the first top notch and the second top notch, the intermediate rail is received and engaged by the first intermediate notch and the second intermediate notch, and the vertical channel post is oriented vertically.

3. The vertical channel post of claim 2 , wherein the first top notch center and the second top notch center are horizontally aligned so that the top rail is oriented horizontally, and the first intermediate notch center and the second intermediate notch center are horizontally aligned so that the intermediate rail is oriented horizontally and parallel to the top rail.

4. The vertical channel post of claim 2 , wherein the walkway on the machine is a stairway having an incline angle relative to a horizontal line, and wherein the first top notch center and the second top notch center are aligned parallel to the incline angle when the vertical channel post is oriented vertically so that the top rail is oriented parallel to the incline angle of the stairway, and the first intermediate notch center and the second intermediate notch center are aligned parallel to the incline angle when the vertical channel post is oriented vertically so that the intermediate rail is oriented parallel to the incline angle of the stairway and parallel to the top rail.

5. The vertical channel post of claim 1 , wherein each of the first top notch, the second top notch, the first intermediate notch and the second intermediate notch define an arc of less than 180°.

6. The vertical channel post of claim 1 , wherein the end wall top edge engages the top rail when the top rail is received in and engaged by the first top notch and the second top notch.

7. The vertical channel post of claim 1 , wherein an end wall width of the end wall decreases such that a distance between the first side wall and the second side wall decreases as the end wall extends from the end wall bottom edge toward the end wall top edge.

8. The vertical channel post of claim 1 , wherein a side wall width of the first side wall and the second side wall decreases such that a distance between the end wall and the channel opening decreases as the first side wall and the second side wall extend from the first intermediate notch and the second intermediate notch toward the first side wall top edge and the second side wall top edge.

9. The vertical channel post of claim 1 , wherein the vertical channel post comprises a post upper portion above the first intermediate notch and the second intermediate notch, and a post lower portion below the first intermediate notch and the second intermediate notch, wherein the end wall in the post upper portion extends toward the end wall top edge at an end wall angle relative to a first vertical line toward the channel opening.

10. The vertical channel post of claim 9 , wherein the first open end edge and the second open end edge in the post upper portion extend toward the first side wall top edge and the second side wall top edge at an open end edge angle relative to a second vertical line away from the end wall.

11. The vertical channel post of claim 10 , wherein the end wall angle is approximately 5° and the open end edge angle is approximately 2°.

12. The vertical channel post of claim 1 , wherein each of the first side wall and the second side wall comprises a closed end portion extending away from the end wall toward a first side wall bend, a side wall portion extending away from the first side wall bend toward a second side wall bend, and an open end portion extending away from the second side wall bend toward the channel opening.

13. The vertical channel post of claim 12 , wherein an end wall width of the end wall decreases as the end wall extends from the end wall bottom edge toward the end wall top edge, and wherein a side wall portion width of each of the side wall portions of the first side wall and the second side wall decreases as the first side wall and the second side wall extend from the first intermediate notch and the second intermediate notch toward the first side wall top edge and the second side wall top edge.

14. A guardrail for a walkway on a machine, comprising:
a top rail;
an intermediate rail; and
a first vertical channel post and a second vertical channel post, each of the first vertical channel post and the second vertical channel post comprising:
an end wall having an end wall top edge and an end wall bottom edge opposite the end wall top edge,
a first side wall extending from a first end wall edge of the end wall and having a first open end edge opposite the end wall, and
a second side wall extending from a second end wall edge of the end wall and having a second open end edge opposite the end wall, wherein the end wall, the first side wall and the second side wall define a channel having a channel opening defined by the first open end edge and the second open end edge,
a first top notch defined by a first side wall top edge, being arc-shaped and having a first top notch center,
a second top notch defined by a second side wall top edge, being arc-shaped and having a second top notch center aligned with the first top notch center to receive and engage the top rail,
a first intermediate notch defined by the first open end edge, being arc-shaped and having a first intermediate notch center, and
a second intermediate notch defined by the second open end edge, being arc-shaped and having a second intermediate notch center aligned with the first intermediate notch center to receive and engage the

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Madera Robert J
• Teter John M
• Wetterich Dennis D
• Zier Timothy N
• Johnson Terril J

Classifications

• B60R3/002

  Running boards (for vehicle tops B60R3/005; at the sides of the vehicle for carrying loads B60R9/02) · CPC title

• E02F9/0833 Primary

  Improving access, e.g. for maintenance, steps for improving driver's access, handrails · CPC title

• E04H17/20

  Posts therefor · CPC title