Wheel stop bracket and system for wheeled machinery

Abstract

A bracket for a wheel stop barrier for wheeled equipment or machinery. The bracket comprises a base releasably securable to a floor or a surface over which the wheeled equipment or machinery is operated, and a barrier retainer to releasably secure a longitudinal barrier rail to the base. The bracket limits movement of the longitudinal barrier rail, across the floor or the surface when the base is releasably secured to the floor or surface and when the longitudinal barrier rail is contacted by a wheel of the wheeled equipment or machinery. Also disclosed is a wheel stop barrier for wheeled equipment or machinery, where the wheel stop barrier comprises two or more brackets and one or more longitudinal barrier rails.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A bracket for a wheel stop barrier for wheeled equipment or machinery, the bracket comprising:
 a base releasably securable to a floor or a surface over which the wheeled equipment or machinery is operated, and   a barrier retainer to releasably secure a longitudinal barrier rail to the base and to thereby limit movement of the longitudinal barrier rail, across the floor or the surface when the base is releasably secured to the floor or surface and when the longitudinal barrier rail is contacted by a wheel of the wheeled equipment or machinery.   
     
     
         2 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the base is elongate and the barrier retainer is mounted thereon such that a longitudinal barrier rail is releasably secured to the base in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the base, the base including a post retainer to retain a bottom end of a barrier post in contact with the base when the barrier post is extended between the floor and a ceiling structure of an immediately adjacent upper floor structure. 
     
     
         3 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the base is elongate and the barrier retainer is mounted thereon such that a longitudinal barrier rail is releasably secured to the base in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the base, the base including a mount to releasably secure the base to the floor or structure. 
     
     
         4 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the base is elongate with a longitudinal axis, the base comprised of a first base portion slidably engaged with a second base portion, the barrier retainer mounted on the first base portion. 
     
     
         5 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 4  including a spring biasing the first base portion away from the second base portion. 
     
     
         6 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the second base portion includes one or more mounts to releasably secure one or both of the first and second base portions to the floor or surface over which the wheeled equipment or machinery is operated. 
     
     
         7 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the spring is a coil spring that is at least partially received about an elongate first guide member having a first end fixed to one of the first and second base portions and a second free end positioned within a first receiver on the other of the first and second base portions, the bracket having a rest configuration wherein the spring is in an uncompressed state, the bracket having a compressed configuration wherein the spring is in a compressed state and the distance between the first and second base portions along the longitudinal axis has been reduced. 
     
     
         8 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the first end of the first guide member is fixed to the first base portion and the first receiver is positioned on the second base portion. 
     
     
         9 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 8  comprising a second guide member having a first end fixed to one of the first and second base portions, the second guide member having a second end slidably received within a second receiver positioned on the other of the first and second base portions. 
     
     
         10 . A wheel stop barrier for wheeled equipment or machinery, the wheel stop barrier comprising two or more brackets as claimed in  claim 1  and one or more longitudinal barrier rails releasably securable to two adjacent brackets through engagement with the barrier retainers of the respective brackets. 
     
     
         11 . The wheel stop barrier as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the brackets include a mount to secure their bases to a floor or a surface over which the wheeled equipment or machinery is operated. 
     
     
         12 . The wheel stop barrier as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the base of each bracket is comprised of a first base portion slidably engaged with a second base portion. 
     
     
         13 . The wheel stop barrier as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the barrier retainer of each bracket is secured to the first base portion, each bracket including a spring biasing the first base portion away from the second base portion. 
     
     
         14 . The wheel stop barrier as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the mount of each bracket is positioned on the second base portion such that horizontal force applied to a longitudinal barrier rail in a direction toward the second base portion of a bracket, where the longitudinal barrier rail is releasably secured by a barrier retainer on the bracket, is at least partially accommodated through compression of the spring. 
     
     
         15 . The wheel stop barrier as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the second base portion of each bracket includes a post retainer to retain the bottom end of a barrier post in contact with the second base portion when the barrier post is extended between the floor and a ceiling structure of an immediately adjacent upper floor structure. 
     
     
         16 . The wheel stop barrier as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the mount is a pin receivable within a hole in the floor or surface, the retention of the bottom of a barrier post in the post retainer aiding in maintaining the pin within the hole in the floor or surface. 
     
     
         17 . The wheel stop barrier as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the spring is a coil spring that is at least partially received about an elongate first guide member having a first end fixed to one of the first and second base portions and a second free end positioned within a first receiver on the other of the first and second base portions. 
     
     
         18 . The wheel stop barrier as claimed in  claim 17  comprising a second guide member having a first end fixed to one of the first and second base portions, the second guide member having a second end slidably received within a second receiver positioned on the other of the first and second base portions.