Foldable safety barricade

Abstract

A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels. Each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly. Each hinge assembly has a rotational axis offset from a vertical plane of one of the adjacent panels. The barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein the panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space, such as an elevator machine room, and a deployed configuration wherein the panels are unfolded to form a barrier blocking access to a segregated work area. Each of the panels of the barricade has a different width to enable the panels to fold flat against an adjacent panel in the folded configuration. In one embodiment the barricade comprises a mounting assembly for rotatably mounting a first one of the panels to a support structure within the confined space. The mounting assembly permits vertical displacement of the barricade relative to the support structure when the barricade is moved between the folded and deployed configurations. Each panel of the barricade is symmetrical about a centerline extending between first and second side edges thereof. The barricade may thus be positioned in either a first orientation adapted for left-hand mounting on a support surface or in a second orientation inverse to the first orientation adapted for right-hand mounting on a support surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels, wherein each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly, wherein said hinge assembly has a rotational axis offset from a plane of one of said adjacent panels, whereby said barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein said panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space and a deployed configuration wherein said panels are unfolded to form a barrier blocking access to a work area. 
     
     
         2 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said panels is a sheet which is positioned flat against another one of said panels in said folded configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each hinge assembly comprises a plurality of first hinge pins mounted in spaced relation on a side surface of said one of said adjacent panels and a plurality of second hinge pins mounted on an edge of another panel hingedly coupled to said one of said adjacent panels, wherein each of second hinge pins is rotatably coupled between a pair of said first hinge pins for rotation about said rotational axis. 
     
     
         4 . The barricade as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said first and second hinge pins are vertically aligned in a plane offset from said plane of said one of said adjacent panels. 
     
     
         5 . The barricade as defined in  claim 3 , wherein each of said second hinge pins comprises a longitudinal slot for securely receiving a corresponding tab formed on said edge of said another panel. 
     
     
         6 . The barricade as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said side surface is a surface of a protruding tab formed at one edge of said one of said adjacent panels. 
     
     
         7 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a first one of said interconnected panels is mountable on a support structure within said confined space. 
     
     
         8 . The barricade as defined in  claim 7 , comprising a mounting assembly for rotatably mounting one of said interconnected panels to said support structure. 
     
     
         9 . The barricade as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said mounting assembly comprises a plurality of mounting blocks mounted on said support surface in spaced relation and a plurality of shuttle hinges mounted in spaced relation on said one of said interconnected panels on an edge thereof, wherein each of said shuttle hinges is positioned between a pair of said mounting blocks and is rotatable relative thereto. 
     
     
         10 . The barricade as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said mounting assembly permits vertical displacement of said barricade relative to support structure when said barricade is moved between said folded and deployed configurations. 
     
     
         11 . The barricade as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said shuttle hinges are vertically displaceable relative to said mounting blocks. 
     
     
         12 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said interconnected panels has a different width. 
     
     
         13 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said barricade comprises a first end panel, a second end panel and between zero and four intermediate panels connected between said first and second end panels, wherein each panel from said first end panel to said second end panel is progressively smaller in width. 
     
     
         14 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said interconnected panels comprising at least one opening, wherein said opening on one panel is aligned with said opening on each of said other panels when said barricade is in said folded configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The barricade as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said opening is a hand-hold. 
     
     
         16 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said barricade is positionable in a first orientation adapted for left-hand mounting on a support surface or in a second orientation inverse to said first orientation adapted for right-hand mounting on a support surface. 
     
     
         17 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said panels has a first side edge and a second side edge, and wherein each of said panels is symmetrical about a centerline extending between said first and second side edges. 
     
     
         18 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said barricade in said folded configuration is approximately 0.25 inches per panel. 
     
     
         19 . The barricade as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said barricade comprises between 2 and 6 panels. 
     
     
         20 . The barricade as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said one of said interconnected panels comprises a cut-out portion adjacent said mounting assembly to provide a clearance allowance when said barricade is moved between said folded and deployed configurations. 
     
     
         21 . A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels, wherein each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly and wherein said barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein said panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space and a deployed configuration wherein said panels are unfolded to form a barrier, wherein each of said panels is positioned flat against another one of said panels in said folded configuration. 
     
     
         22 . A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels, wherein each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly and wherein said barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein said panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space and a deployed configuration wherein said panels are unfolded to form a barrier, wherein a first one of said interconnected panels is mountable on a support structure within said confined space.