Safety cover for a storage bay

Abstract

Right and left columns are attached to vertical side supports of a standard storage bay containing multiple horizontal storage platforms. A biased cable moves over a pulley within the columns connected by a shaft driven by an electric motor. A vertical slot in an inside wall of the columns receives multiple slide blocks clamped to the cable at one end and connected to a clip on another end. The clip is attached to a side edge of a heavy duty curtain that moves up or down upon actuation of the motor.

1 . A retractable curtain guard for a storage bay having multiple levels separated by horizontal storage platforms and vertically spaced apart side supports attached on a first and second front and rear side of the storage platforms, the retractable curtain guard comprising: 
 a right and left hollow column attached to the first and second front or rear side supports;    a cable moving over a pulley within the right and left column;    a means for driving the pulley to release or retract the cable;    a vertical slot in an inside wall of the right and left column;    multiple slide blocks clamped to the cable and movable in a vertical direction within the vertical slot in the right and left column;    a heavy duty curtain positioned between the right and left column and attached on a first and second side edge to clips connected to the multiple slide blocks; and    a horizontal rod attached to a bottom edge of the curtain, a first and second end of the rod connected to a slide block so that upon actuating of the means for driving the pulley the curtain is either lowered to cover at least one entrance to a storage platform or retracted to expose the storage platforms.    
     
     
         2 . The retractable curtain guard according to  claim 1  wherein the means for driving the pulley is an electric motor turning a shaft connected to the pulley.  
     
     
         3 . The retractable curtain guard according to  claim 1  wherein the means for driving the pulley is a hand crank.  
     
     
         4 . The retractable curtain guard according to  claim 1  wherein the cable is biased.  
     
     
         5 . The retractable curtain guard according to  claim 1  wherein each slide block has oppositely positioned side grooves riding over oppositely positioned edges of the vertical slot in the right and left column.  
     
     
         6 . The retractable curtain guard according to  claim 1  wherein the right and left hollow columns are attached to the first and second front vertical side supports for the storage bay by bolted brackets.  
     
     
         7 . The retractable curtain guard according to  claim 1  wherein the right and left hollow columns are attached to the first and second rear vertical side supports for the storage bay by bolted brackets.  
     
     
         8 . The retractable curtain guard according to  claim 1  wherein the heavy duty curtain contains indicia.  
     
     
         9 . The retractable curtain guard according to  claim 1  wherein the heavy duty curtain is a nylon sheet.  
     
     
         10 . A protective curtain apparatus for a storage bay having multiple levels separated by horizontal storage platforms and vertically spaced apart side supports on a first and second front and rear side of the storage platforms, the protective curtain apparatus attached by hollow right and left side columns to the vertically spaced apart side supports, the protective apparatus additionally comprising: 
 a biased cable moving over a pulley within the hollow side columns;    a means for driving the pulleys to release or retract the cable;    a vertical slot in an inside wall of the right and left hollow column;    multiple slide blocks clamped to the cable, the slide blocks movable in a vertical direction within the vertical slot in the right and left column;    a heavy duty curtain positioned between the right and left columns and attached by clips on a right and left side edge of the curtain to the slide blocks; and    a horizontal rod attached to a bottom edge of the curtain, a first and second end of the rod connected to a slide block so that upon actuating of the means for driving the pulley the curtain is either lowered to cover at least one entrance to a storage platform or retracted to expose the storage platforms.    
     
     
         11 . A protective curtain apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the means for driving the pulleys is an electric motor turning a shaft attached to the pulleys.  
     
     
         12 . A protective curtain apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the slide blocks have grooves on opposite side surfaces engaging an opposing edge on each side of the vertical slot.  
     
     
         13 . A protective curtain apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the heavy duty curtain is a nylon sheet.  
     
     
         14 . A protective curtain apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the nylon curtain contains indicia.  
     
     
         15 . A method for the prevention of goods falling from multi-level storage platforms, the platforms having front and rear, right and left side vertical posts supporting the multi-level storage platforms, the method comprising: 
 attaching right and left hollow columns to the right and left side vertical post respectively, each column having a vertical slot along an inside wall;    attaching a pulley to a wall in the right and left hollow columns;    mounting a biased cable over the pulleys;    mounting an electric motor in a housing positioned above the right and left hollow columns;    driving the pulleys with a shaft turned by the electric motor;    clamping multiple slide blocks to the cable;    attaching multiple clips to a right and left side edge of a heavy duty curtain and connecting each clip to a slide block;    attaching a rod to a bottom edge of the curtain and connecting a first and second end of the rod to a slide block; and    activating the motor and the pulleys with a switch.