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Apparatus and method for providing a guard rail adjacent an access aperture extending through a floor surface, such as in an attic space of a residential structure. A guard rail assembly includes a top rail portion which extends adjacent at least one side of the access aperture to provide a guard ra

Apparatus and method for providing a guard rail adjacent an access aperture extending through a floor surface, such as in an attic space of a residential structure. A guard rail assembly includes a top rail portion which extends adjacent at least one side of the access aperture to provide a guard rail. An angled portion extends at a non-orthogonal angle to provide a hand grip surface for a user passing through the access aperture. A front leg segment supports an end of the angled portion opposite the top rail portion. Preferably, a rear leg segment supports the top rail portion to form a first side rail assembly. A second, nominally identical side rail assembly adjoins the first side rail assembly to form a substantially u-shaped top rail surface that surrounds the access aperture on three sides. The guard rail assembly is further preferably adjustable to accommodate different access aperture dimensions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A guard rail assembly comprising: a top rail portion which extends adjacent at least one side of an access aperture to provide a guard rail for a user maneuvering on a floor surface adjacent the access aperture;an angled portion which extends downwardly from the top rail portion at a non-orthogon

1. A guard rail assembly comprising: a top rail portion which extends adjacent at least one side of an access aperture to provide a guard rail for a user maneuvering on a floor surface adjacent the access aperture;an angled portion which extends downwardly from the top rail portion at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the top rail portion to provide a hand grip surface for the user as the user passes through the access aperture;a front leg segment having opposing lower and upper ends, the lower end disposed adjacent the floor surface and the upper end extending above the lower end to support an end of the angled portion opposite the top rail portion; andfirst and second support brackets configured to receive and engage the lower end of the front leg segment to provide multi-axial support thereto along two orthogonal axes, the first support bracket comprising a first planar base portion which contactingly engages the floor surface and a first planar support flange which orthogonally extends from an edge of the first planar base portion to contactingly engage a first vertical side of the front leg segment, the second support bracket comprising a second planar base portion which contactingly engages the floor surface and a second planar support flange which orthogonally extends from an edge of the second planar base portion to contactingly engage a second vertical side of the front leg segment, each of the first and second planar base portions having a length longer than a width thereof, the first planar base portion extending away from the front leg support so that the length of the first planar base portion extends in a first direction along an edge of the access aperture, the second planar base portion extending away from the front leg support so that the length of the second planar base portion extends in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and away from the access aperture to contactingly engage, with the first planar base portion, a substantially L-shaped area of the floor surface, and wherein an end of the first planar base portion is disposed under the lower end of the front leg segment; andwherein the second support bracket has a cutout feature configured to insertingly accommodate a portion of the first support bracket to enable both the first and second support brackets to respectively lie flat on the floor surface during said engagement with the lower end of the front leg segment without extending into said access aperture. 2. The guard rail assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rear leg segment which extends from the floor surface to support the top rail portion at a first elevation thereabove, wherein the upper end of the front leg segment supports the end of the angled portion opposite the top rail portion at a different, second elevation thereabove. 3. The guard rail assembly of claim 2, wherein the top rail portion, the rear leg segment, the angled portion and the front leg segment collectively form a first side rail assembly mountable adjacent a first side of the access aperture, and wherein the guard rail assembly further comprises a second side rail assembly substantially identical to the first side rail assembly mountable in mirrored relation thereto adjacent an opposing second side of the access aperture. 4. The guard rail assembly of claim 3, further comprising an attachment member interposed between the first and second side rail assemblies to collectively form a substantially u-shaped guard rail that surrounds three sides of the access aperture. 5. The guard rail assembly of claim 3, wherein the attachment member facilitates respective extension or retraction of the first side rail assembly with respect to the second side rail assembly to accommodate different access aperture widths from the first side to the opposing second side thereof. 6. The guard rail assembly of claim 1, further comprising an attachment member which attaches the angled portion to the top rail portion to facilitate respective extension or retraction of the top rail portion with respect to the angled portion to accommodate different access aperture lengths. 7. The guard rail assembly of claim 6, wherein the attachment member is characterized as a telescopic attachment sleeve with opposing ends into which the angled portion and the top rail portion respectively slidingly extend. 8. The guard rail assembly of claim 6, wherein at least a selected one of the attachment member, the angled portion or the top rail portion is provided with a plurality of spaced apart apertures to accommodate at least two different access aperture lengths in relation to which of said apertures respective fasteners are disposed. 9. The guard rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the angled portion extends substantially linearly at a selected angle between the top rail portion and the front leg segment. 10. The guard rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the angled portion extends in substantially curvilinearly between the top rail portion and the front leg segment. 11. The guard rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the front leg segment and the rear leg segment each extend substantially vertically from the floor surface to the respective angled portion, and wherein the top rail extends in a substantially horizontal direction. 12. The guard rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the access aperture is characterized as an attic access aperture to provide access to an attic space, wherein at least one step is provisioned adjacent one side of the access aperture for the user to step on while ascending or descending through the access aperture, wherein a selected one of the first or second support brackets comprises an elongated planar member configured to be secured to the floor surface in alignment with an edge of the attic access aperture, and wherein no portion of the guard rail assembly extends into said attic access aperture. 13. A kit for forming a guard rail assembly adjacent an access aperture which vertically extends through a horizontal floor surface, the access aperture being substantially rectangular with a front access edge, a rear edge and opposing side edges between the front access edge and the rear edge, the kit comprising: a top rail portion which extends adjacent at least one side of an access aperture to provide a guard rail for a user maneuvering on the floor surface adjacent the access aperture;an angled portion which extends downwardly from the top rail portion at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the top rail portion to provide a hand grip surface for the user as the user passes through the access aperture;a front leg segment having opposing lower and upper ends, the lower end disposed adjacent the floor surface and the upper end supporting an end of the angled portion opposite the top rail portion at a second elevation above the floor surface, wherein the respective top rail portion, the angled portion and the front leg segment are configured to be assembled together above the floor surface to provide the guard rail assembly for the access aperture; andseparate first and second support brackets configured to respectively engage the lower end of the front leg segment to provide multi-axial support for the guard rail assembly, the first support bracket comprising a first base portion which extends between the lower end of the front leg segment and the floor support surface to contactingly engage the floor support surface immediately adjacent and parallel to a selected side edge of the access aperture without extending into or over said access aperture, the second support bracket comprising a second base portion contactingly engaging the floor support surface and having a greater length dimension and a smaller width dimension, the greater length dimension extending orthogonally away from the side edge of the access aperture so as to be substantially aligned with the front access edge of the access aperture; andwherein the second support bracket comprises a clearance notch configured to facilitate placement of a portion of the second support bracket adjacent the first support bracket, the first support bracket further comprising first and second support flanges, the first support flange extending vertically from the selected side edge of the first base portion to contactingly engage a side of the lower end of the front leg segment, the second support flange extending vertically from a second edge of the base portion and adjoining the first support flange, the first and second support flanges together with the base portion to receive supporting the lower end of the first front leg segment above the base portion. 14. The kit of claim 13, further comprising an attachment member which attaches the angled portion to the top rail portion to facilitate respective extension or retraction of the top rail portion with respect to the angled portion to accommodate different access aperture lengths. 15. The kit of claim 14, wherein the attachment member is characterized as a telescopic attachment sleeve with opposing ends which slidingly engage the respective angled portion and the top rail portion. 16. The kit of claim 15, wherein at least a selected one of the attachment member, the angled portion or the top rail portion is provided with a plurality of spaced apart apertures to accommodate at least two different access aperture lengths in relation to which of said apertures respective fasteners are disposed. 17. The kit of claim 13, further comprising a protective barrier disposed between the top rail and the floor surface to provide a barrier between the access aperture and an adjacent portion of the floor surface. 18. The kit of claim 17, wherein the protective barrier comprises a plurality of spaced apart slat members. 19. The kit of claim 17, wherein the protective barrier comprises a mesh. 20. The kit of claim 17, wherein the protective barrier is configured to pivot with respect to the top rail portion to facilitate lateral movement of an object by the user under the top rail portion in a direction away from the access aperture adjacent the floor surface. 21. The kit of claim 13, wherein the floor surface is characterized as a floor surface of an attic space, and the access aperture is characterized as an attic access aperture. 22. A guard rail assembly, comprising: a top rail portion which extends adjacent at least one side of an access aperture to provide a guard rail for a user maneuvering on a floor surface adjacent the access aperture;a leg segment which supports the top rail portion; anda support assembly which supports the leg segment with respect to the floor surface, comprising:a first support bracket comprising a first base portion which extends in a first direction in contacting engagement with the floor surface for attachment thereto immediately adjacent a side edge of the access aperture and parallel thereto, and a first support flange extending from the first base portion to abuttingly support a first side of a distal end of the leg segment, wherein an end of the first base portion is disposed under a lowermost end of the leg segment so as to be axially between said lowermost end of the leg segment and the floor surface; anda second support bracket comprising a second base portion which extends in a different, second direction in contacting engagement with the floor surface for attachment thereto, and a second support flange extending from the second base portion to abuttingly support a different, second side of the distal end of the leg segment, thereby providing multi-axial stability for the top rail portion;wherein the first base portion is configured to extend with a longest length thereof substantially parallel to the selected side edge of the access aperture, and wherein the second base portion is configured to extend with a longest length thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to the selected side edge and substantially parallel to a front edge of the access aperture orthogonal to the selected side edge; andwherein the second support bracket has a cutout feature configured to insertingly accommodate a portion of the first support bracket to enable both the first and second support brackets to respectively lie flat on the floor surface during said engagement with the lower end of the front leg segment without extending into said access aperture. 23. The guard rail assembly of claim 22, wherein the first support bracket further comprises a third support flange which extends from the first support flange to abuttingly support a different, third side of the distal end of the leg segment. 24. The guard rail assembly of claim 22, wherein the first base portion and the second base portion cooperate to cover a substantially L-shaped area of the floor surface. 25. The guard rail assembly of claim 22, further comprising an angled portion which extends from the top rail portion at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the top rail portion to provide a hand grip for the user as the user passes through the access aperture over the front edge thereof, wherein the leg segment is connected to a selected end of the angled portion opposite the top rail portion. 26. The guard rail assembly of claim 25, further comprising an attachment member which attaches the angled portion to the top rail portion to facilitate respective extension or retraction of the top rail portion with respect to the angled portion to accommodate different access aperture lengths. 27. The guard rail assembly of claim 22, wherein the floor surface is characterized as a floor surface of an attic space, and the access aperture is characterized as an attic access aperture.