Access Tower Guard Rail Hooks for Deck Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing access tower systems face limitations in flexibility and safety due to the need to reposition advanced guard rails when adjusting deck positions, which can destabilize the structure and create hazardous openings, violating safety regulations and requiring complete disassembly in some cases.
Innovation Solution
The access tower design incorporates advanced guard rails with a frame comprising an upper, lower, and two intermediate horizontal members, aligned with end frame rungs, and equipped with hooks for secure attachment, allowing decks to be moved without repositioning the guard rails, ensuring continuous safety and structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the advanced guard rail is repositioned to maintain safety rail alignment with the deck, then safety compliance is improved, but the access tower becomes destabilized and requires complete disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The guard rail system is divided into multiple independent horizontal members (upper, lower, and two intermediate members) that can function independently. When the deck position changes, only the relevant intermediate member needs to provide safety coverage, rather than requiring the entire guard rail assembly to be repositioned, thus maintaining stability while ensuring safety compliance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the advanced guard rail is removed and repositioned to close hazardous openings, then safety hazards are eliminated, but time is lost and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate horizontal members are pre-positioned at fixed intervals along the vertical stiles during manufacturing. This preliminary arrangement ensures that regardless of where the deck is positioned, there is always an intermediate member at the correct height to serve as a safety rail, eliminating the need for time-consuming removal and repositioning operations.
3Reliability
If additional bracing members are added to provide safety rail functionality, then safety coverage is improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate horizontal members of the advanced guard rail serve dual functions: they provide structural support as part of the guard rail assembly and simultaneously function as safety rails when positioned appropriately relative to the deck. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate safety rail components, reducing overall system complexity.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the advanced guard rail is left in place during deck repositioning, then structural stability is maintained, but hazardous openings are created that violate safety regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate horizontal members act as intermediaries between the fixed guard rail structure and the movable deck. They provide continuous safety coverage at predetermined heights, bridging the gap between the stationary guard rail and the variable deck position, ensuring that hazardous openings are prevented without requiring guard rail repositioning.
Data Source
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AI summary
An access tower (1) comprising: two end frames (2), each comprising a pair of generally vertical stiles (4) connected by a plurality of generally horizontal rungs (5), the rungs (5) of an end frame (2) being vertically distributed by a distance X, at least one advanced guard rail (12) arranged between the two end frames (2), the advanced guard rail (12) having a frame including a plurality of horizontal members (13-16) vertically distributed by said distance X, the advanced guard rail further having a hook (19) provided at each respective corner of the frame, each hook (19) receiving a respective rung of (5) a respective end frame (2), wherein the at least one advanced guard rail (12) is arranged between the end frames (2) such that the horizontal members (13-16) of the advanced guard rail are substantially aligned with the rungs (5) of the adjacent end frames (2).