Protective Guards for Columns and Other Structures

Abstract

Protective guard devices are provided for protecting various structures, such as within a building or around a gas station fuel island. A pair of L-shaped guards may be provided to surround and protect a vertical column within a building. Each L-shaped guard may include a first wall and a second wall connected in generally perpendicular relationship. Each guard may include a plurality of connecting tabs, each having a bore hole adapted for receiving a bolt to secure each tab to a floor surface. A corner guard having a structure similar to an L-shaped guard may be provided to protect exterior corners of structures or items disposed in corners of buildings. U-shaped structures having a left wall, a front wall, and a right wall in a U-shaped configuration may be provided to protect vertically disposed items (e.g., plumbing pipes, electrical conduits, etc.) adjacent exterior walls of a building.

1 . A protective guard comprising:
 a front wall and a side wall disposed in generally perpendicular relationship and joined at a corner,   the intersection of the front wall and the side wall defining a first angled wall at the corner, the first angled wall extending from a top surface of the corner to a first connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the corner, and   the front wall having a left edge defining a second angled wall extending from a top surface of the front wall to a second connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the front wall.   
     
     
         2 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein the first connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the first connecting tab, and the second connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the second connecting tab. 
     
     
         3 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall and the side wall define an L-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         4 . The protective guard of  claim 1 , wherein the side wall includes a right edge defining a third angled wall extending from a top surface of the side wall to a third connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the side wall, the third connecting tab including an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the third connecting tab. 
     
     
         5 . A corner protective guard comprising:
 a front wall and a side wall disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to each other and joined to form a corner,   the intersection of the front wall and the side wall defining a first angled wall at the corner, the first angled wall extending from a top surface of the corner to a first connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the corner,   the front wall having a left edge defining a second angled wall extending from a top surface of the front wall to a second connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the front wall, and   the side wall including a right edge defining a third angled wall extending from a top surface of the side wall to a third connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the side wall.   
     
     
         6 . The corner protective guard of  claim 5 , wherein the first connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the first connecting tab, the second connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the second connecting tab, and the third connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the third connecting tab. 
     
     
         7 . A protective guard comprising:
 a left wall, a front wall, and a right wall,   the left wall joined in generally perpendicular relationship to a left edge of the front wall to form a left corner,   the right wall joined in generally perpendicular relationship to a right edge of the front wall to form a right corner,   a first angled wall disposed adjacent a left edge of the left wall and extending from a top surface of the left wall to a first connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the left wall,   a second angled wall disposed adjacent the left corner and extending from a top surface of the left corner to a second connecting tab formed adjacent the bottom edge of the left wall,   a third angled wall disposed adjacent the right corner and extending from a top surface of the right corner to a third connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the right wall, and   a fourth angled wall disposed adjacent a right edge of the right wall and extending from a top surface of the right wall to a fourth connecting tab formed adjacent the bottom edge of the right wall.   
     
     
         8 . The corner protective guard of  claim 7 , wherein the first connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the first connecting tab, the second connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the second connecting tab, the third connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the third connecting tab, and the fourth connecting tab includes an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the fourth connecting tab. 
     
     
         9 . The protective guard of  claim 7 , wherein the left wall, the front wall, and the right wall define a generally U-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled)