Safety device

Abstract

A safety apparatus for fitting to a free end of an elongate member, for example a reinforcing bar, has a sleeve portion defining a receiving space for receiving a free end of the member and providing an opening of the receiving space to allow insertion of the member from a first end of the apparatus, and a covering portion which provides a barrier to prevent passage of the member through a second end of the safety device. The safety apparatus may have a gripping part which is resiliently deformable, so that it is resiliently deformed by insertion of the member so as to securely grip metal member, and so that it returns to substantially its non-deformed shape upon removal of the metal member. The receiving space may be tapered.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A safety device for fitting to a free end of an elongate member, the safety apparatus comprising:
 a sleeve portion defining a receiving space therein for receiving a free end of said elongate member, and providing an opening of the receiving space to allow insertion of an end of the elongate member into the receiving space from a first end of the safety apparatus; and   a covering portion which provides a barrier to prevent passage of the end of the elongate member through a second end of the safety device;   wherein the receiving space is elongate, the receiving space is at least partly defined by a wall part which is resiliently deformable, extends from the opening towards the second end of the safety apparatus, and wherein the receiving space is tapered along its length.   
     
     
         2 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the safety apparatus comprises a gripping part which is resiliently deformable. 
     
     
         3 . The safety device according to  claim 2  wherein the gripping part is resiliently deformed by insertion of the elongate member into the receiving space, thereby to securely grip the metal member, and such that the gripping part returns to substantially its non-deformed shape upon removal of the elongate member from the receiving space. 
     
     
         4 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the covering portion forms the second end of the safety device. 
     
     
         5 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the wall part defines a generally circular transverse cross section of the receiving space. 
     
     
         6 . A safety device for fitting to a free end of a reinforcing bar, the safety device comprising:
 a sleeve portion defining a receiving space therein for receiving a free end of a reinforcing bar, and providing an opening of the receiving space to allow insertion of a reinforcing bar into the receiving space from a first end of the safety device; and   a covering portion which provides a barrier to prevent passage of a reinforcing bar through a second end of the safety device;   wherein the receiving space is space is elongate, extends from the opening towards the second end of the safety device, and wherein the receiving space is tapered along its length.   
     
     
         7 . The safety device according to  claim 6  wherein the receiving space is at least partly defined by a wall part which is resiliently deformable. 
     
     
         8 . The safety device according to  claim 7  wherein the wall part is resiliently deformable such that the wall part is resiliently deformed by insertion of a reinforcing bar into the receiving space, thereby to securely grip the reinforcing bar, and such that the wall part returns to substantially its non-deformed shape upon removal of the reinforcing bar. 
     
     
         9 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the receiving space is tapered in a plurality of steps. 
     
     
         10 . The safety device according to  claim 9  wherein the covering portion is impregnated with a metallic component. 
     
     
         11 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the receiving space is greater in transverse cross sectional size at or adjacent the opening and reduces in cross sectional size as it extends towards the second end of the safety device. 
     
     
         12 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the receiving space is generally frustoconical. 
     
     
         13 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the wall part extends substantially the entire length of the receiving space. 
     
     
         14 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the wall part is substantially annular in transverse cross section. 
     
     
         15 . The safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the covering portion defines a curved second end surface of the safety device. 
     
     
         16 . The safety device according to  claim 15  wherein the curved end surface provides a rounded second end of the safety device. 
     
     
         17 . The safety device according to  claim 15  wherein the curved end surface rapidly broadens with distance from the second end. 
     
     
         18 . The safety device according to  claim 15  wherein the curved end surface is part spherical. 
     
     
         19 . The safety device according to  claim 15  wherein the curved end surface is part ellipsoidal.