Vertically raising safety rail

Abstract

A vertical raising safety rail having a moveable top rail, a base, a movable center rail assembly positioned above the base and below the top rail, a drive shaft, and a motor that provides rotational power to the drive shaft. The safety rail further includes a pair of spaced apart lower linkage arm assemblies that is operatively connected to the base and to the center rail assembly and configured to raise or lower the center rail assembly relative to the base when a rotational force is applied to the drive shaft. The safety rail also includes a pair of spaced apart upper linkage arm assemblies that is operably connected to the center rail assembly and to the top rail. The upper linkage aim assemblies are operably connected to corresponding lower linkage assemblies and are configured to move the upper rail relative to the center rail assembly. When the rotational force is reversed, the safely rail collapses into a compact footprint.

1 . A vertically raising safety rail comprising:
 a moveable top rail;   a base;   a moveable center rail assembly positioned above the base and below the top rail;   a drive shaft;   a motor that provides rotational power to the drive shaft;   a pair of spaced apart lower linkage arm assemblies that is operably connected to the base and to the center rail assembly; said pair of lower linkage arm assemblies being movable relative to the base and the center rail assembly when a rotational force is applied to the drive shaft and configured to move the center rail assembly relative to the base; and   a pair of spaced apart rotating upper linkage assemblies that is operably connected to the center rail assembly and the upper rail; said pair of upper linkage assemblies operably movable to the lower linkage assemblies to move the upper rail relative to the center rail assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein each lower linkage arm assembly is connected to its corresponding upper linkage assembly at a midpoint mesh gear assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein the center rail assembly includes a tubular center rail and is received into at least one slidable guide tube. 
     
     
         4 . The safety rail of  claim 2  wherein the center rail assembly includes a tubular center rail and received into at least one slidable guide tube and to which the midpoint mesh gear assembly is attached. 
     
     
         5 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein the drive shaft is operably connected to the base. 
     
     
         6 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein the rotational force from the drive shaft is transferred to linear motion to each lower linkable arm assembly through a worm gear, a corresponding threaded shaft, a drive shaft coupling, and a pillow support bracket. 
     
     
         7 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein the rotational force from the drive shaft is transferred to linear motion to each lower linkage arm assembly through an arm plate and fork bracket including a slot, said fork bracket operably connected to a ball screw and threaded nut assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The safely rail of  claim 1  wherein the rotational force from the drive shaft is transferred to linear motion to each lower linkage assembly through an arm plate, linkage arm, and a short drag linkage arm operably connected to a ball screw and a threaded nut assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein the rotational force form the drive shaft is transferred to linear motion to each lower linkage assembly through a short telescoping member attached to a fork bracket to which a ball screw and threaded nut assembly is operably connected. 
     
     
         10 . The safely rail of  claim 5  further comprising one or more rail stops that are positioned along the center rail to form a barrier along the center rail to the at least one slidable guide tube. 
     
     
         11 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein the motor may be from one of the following: pneumatic, electrical, hydraulic, or magnetic. 
     
     
         12 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein the drive shaft comprises two separate drive shaft members. 
     
     
         13 . The safety rail of  claim 1  further comprising one or more speed reducers. 
     
     
         14 . The safety rail of  claim 1  that collapses into a compact footprint when the rotational force is reversed. 
     
     
         15 . A vertically raising safety rail comprising:
 a moveable top rail;   a base;   a moveable center rail assembly positioned above the base and below the top rail;   a drive shaft;   a motor that provides rotational power to the drive shaft;   a pair of spaced apart lower linkage arm assemblies that is operably connected to the base and to the center rail assembly; said pair of lower linkage arm assemblies being movable relative to the base and center rail assembly when a rotational force is applied to the drive shaft;   a pair of spaced apart rotating upper linkage assemblies that is operably connected to the center rail assembly and the upper rail; said pair of upper linkage assemblies operably movable to the lower linkage assemblies; and   means for transmitting a rotational force to the pair of lower linkage arm assemblies.   
     
     
         16 . The safety rail of  claim 15  wherein each lower linkage arm assembly is connected to its corresponding upper linkage assembly at a midpoint mesh gear assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The safety rail of  claim 15  wherein the motor may be from one of the following: pneumatic, electrical, hydraulic, or magnetic. 
     
     
         18 . A method of creating a vertically rising safety barrier, the method comprising:
 providing a collapsible safety rail apparatus in a collapsed position with the collapsible safety rail application apparatus comprising a moveable top rail, a base, a moveable center rail assembly positioned above the base and below the top rail, a drive shaft, a motor that provides rotational power to the drive shaft, a pair of spaced apart lower linkage arm assemblies that is operably connected to the base and to the center rail assembly wherein said pair of lower linkage arm assemblies being movable relative to the base and center rail when a rotational force is applied to the drive shaft, and a pair of spaced apart rotating upper linkage assemblies that is operably connected to the center rail assembly and the upper rail; said pair of upper linkage assemblies operably movable to the lower linkage assemblies;   applying a rotational force to the drive shaft, which, in turn, applies a force to raise the pair of lower linkage arm assemblies, which raises the center rail assembly and the pair of upper linkage arm assemblies, which, in turn, raises the top rail.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein each lower linkage arm assembly is connected lo its corresponding upper linkage assembly at a midpoint mesh gear assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the motor may be from one of the following; pneumatic, electrical, hydraulic, or magnetic. 
     
     
         21 . The safety rail of  claim 1  wherein the rotational force from the drive shaft is transferred to linear motion to each lower linkage assembly through an arm plate and a double tapered bearing assembly, linkage arm, and a short drug linkage arm operably connected to a ball screw and a threaded nut assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The safety rail of  claim 3  further comprising one or more rail springs positioned between the guide tube and the at least one rail stop. 
     
     
         23 . The safety rail of  claim 1  further comprising a kick plate operatively connected to the base. 
     
     
         24 . The safety rail of  claim 1  further comprising a raisable safety curtain having an upper end and a bottom end where the upper end of the safety curtain is operably interconnected to the top rail and the bottom end of the curtain is interconnected to the base of the safety rail.