Adjustable Safety Gate

Abstract

A removable plate is affixed to a gate structure to define the rest position of the gate. The plate is affixed to the gate structure, either to a swinging gate member or to a rail support, preferably by one or more bolts. In a first preferred embodiment, the plate is affixed to the swinging gate member for abutting engagement with a backing plate on the rail. In a second preferred embodiment, the plate includes an L-shaped slot for each bolt so that the plate may be removed from abutting engagement with the backing plate while remaining affixed to the swinging gate member.

1 . A safety gate for attachment to a safety rail, the gate comprising; 
 a. a swinging gate member adapted to be affixed in rotationary relationship to the safety rail; and    b. a removable plate between the safety rail and the swinging gate member, wherein the removable plate defines a first position between the swinging gate member and the safety rail and a second position between the swinging gate and the safety rail.    
   
   
       2 . The safety gate of  claim 1 , wherein the first position defines a right angle between the swinging gate and the safety rail and wherein the second position defines a parallel position between the swinging gate and the safety rail.  
   
   
       3 . The safety gate of  claim 1 , further comprising a backing plate for abutting contact between the removable plate and the backing plate in the first position, and further wherein the backing plate and the removable plate do not contact in the second position.  
   
   
       4 . The safety gate of  claim 1 , wherein the removable plate is removably affixed to the swinging gate member.  
   
   
       5 . The safety gate of  claim 1 , further comprising a vertical structural support member on the swinging gate member.  
   
   
       6 . The safety gate member of  claim 5 , wherein the removable plate includes a circular bolt hole to receive a bolt to affix the removable plate to the vertical structural support member.  
   
   
       7 . The safety gate member of  claim 5 , wherein the removable plate includes an L-shaped slot to receive a bolt to movably affix the removable plate to the vertical structural support member.  
   
   
       8 . A safety gate for attachment to a safety rail, the gate comprising; 
 a swinging gate member adapted to be affixed in rotationary relationship to the safety rail, the swinging gate member having an upper horizontal bar, a lower horizontal bar and a vertical structural beam between the upper and lower horizontal bars; and    a removable plate arranged to be removably affixed to the vertical structural beam and positioned between the safety rail and the swinging gate member, wherein the removable plate defines a first position between the swinging gate member and the safety rail and a second position between the swinging gate and the safety rail.    
   
   
       9 . The safety gate member of  claim 8 , wherein the removable plate includes a circular bolt hole to receive a bolt to affix the removable plate to the vertical structural beam.  
   
   
       10 . The safety gate member of  claim 8 , wherein the removable plate includes an L-shaped slot to receive a bolt to movably affix the removable plate to the vertical structural beam.