Edge protection fence with rotating panel

Abstract

An edge protection fence for positioning adjacent to the edge of a floor of a building under construction. The fence comprises one or more support posts securable to a surface of the floor, and a fence panel rotatably mounted to the one or more support posts. The fence panel is rotatable about a horizontal axis between a deployed position and a stowed position. When in the deployed position the fence panel is generally vertically oriented and positioned adjacent to the edge of the floor of the building to provide edge protection. When in the stowed position the fence panel has been rotated away from the edge of the floor of the building by a predetermined distance.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An edge protection fence for positioning adjacent to the edge of a floor of a building under construction, the fence comprising:
 one or more support posts securable to a surface of the floor, and   a fence panel rotatably mounted to the one or more support posts,   wherein the fence panel is rotatable about a horizontal axis between a deployed position and a stowed position, when in the deployed position the fence panel being generally vertically oriented and positioned adjacent to the edge of the floor of the building to provide edge protection, when in the stowed position the fence panel having been rotated away from the edge of the floor of the building by a predetermined distance.   
     
     
         2 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 1  comprising two support posts having a first rail extending there between, the first rail oriented generally parallel to the floor of the building and comprising the horizontal axis, the fence panel mounted to the first rail and rotatable between the deployed and the stowed positions through rotating the fence panel about a longitudinal axis of the first rail. 
     
     
         3 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 2  comprising support arms having first ends rotatably coupled to the first rail and opposed second ends secured to the fence panel. 
     
     
         4 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the support posts, when secured to the surface of the floor, have a vertical height, when measured from the surface of the floor, less than that of the fence panel when the fence panel is in the deployed position. 
     
     
         5 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 3  further comprising a second rail mounted to and extending between the two support posts, the second rail being parallel to the first rail. 
     
     
         6 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the fence panel comprises a first panel portion and a second panel portion, each panel portion having a horizontally oriented longitudinal edge, the first and second panel portions hingedly secured together along their respective longitudinal edges. 
     
     
         7 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 6  comprising secondary support arms having first ends securable to the second panel portion and second ends releasably securable to the second rail to maintain the second panel portion in a vertically stacked configuration relative to the first panel portion when the second panel portion is rotated relative to the first panel portion about the hinged connection, and when the first panel portion is in the deployed position. 
     
     
         8 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 5  including braces extending between the support arms and the second rail to maintain the first panel portion in the deployed position. 
     
     
         9 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the support posts comprise tension posts extending from the floor surface to the ceiling of an immediately adjacent upper floor. 
     
     
         10 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 3  further comprising a net secured to the first panel portion, when the first panel portion is in the deployed position the net extending downwardly from the floor of the building under construction to direct debris that may fall from that floor onto an immediately adjacent lower floor. 
     
     
         11 . An edge protection fence for positioning adjacent to the edge of a floor of a building under construction, the fence comprising:
 one or more support posts securable to a surface of the floor;   a fence panel rotatably mounted to the one or more support posts; and   a net secured to the fence panel;   wherein the fence panel is rotatable about a horizontal axis between a deployed position and a stowed position, when in the deployed position the fence panel being generally vertically oriented and positioned adjacent to the edge of the floor of the building to provide edge protection, when in the stowed position the fence panel having been rotated away from the edge of the floor of the building by a predetermined distance,   and wherein when the fence panel is in the deployed position the net extending downwardly from the floor of the building under construction to direct debris that may fall from that floor onto an immediately adjacent lower floor.   
     
     
         12 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 11  comprising two support posts having a first rail extending there between, the first rail oriented generally parallel to the floor of the building and comprising the horizontal axis, the fence panel mounted to the first rail by a pair of support arms having first ends rotatably coupled to the first rail and opposed second ends secured to the fence panel so that the fence panel is rotatable between the deployed and the stowed positions through rotating the fence panel about a longitudinal axis of the first rail. 
     
     
         13 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising a second rail mounted to and extending between the two support posts, the second rail being parallel to the first rail, wherein the fence panel comprises a first panel portion and a second panel portion, each panel portion having a horizontally oriented longitudinal edge, the first and second panel portions hingedly secured together along their respective longitudinal edges. 
     
     
         14 . The edge protection fence as claimed in  claim 13  comprising secondary support arms having first ends securable to the second panel portion and second ends releasably securable to the second rail to maintain the second panel portion in a stacked configuration relative to the first panel portion when the second panel portion is rotated relative to the first panel portion about the hinged connection, and when the first panel portion is in the deployed position.