U.S. patent application number 11/294528 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-21 for safety railing for building construction.
Invention is credited to Dennis J. Shymkowich.
Application Number | 20070137135 11/294528 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38171790 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070137135 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shymkowich; Dennis J. |
June 21, 2007 |
Safety railing for building construction
Abstract
A method of installing a safety railing in a building under
construction by providing post supports comprising open-topped post
sockets on socket supports, mounting the post sockets on a concrete
floor formwork with the post sockets spaced above the concrete
floor formwork by the socket supports and casting concrete to form
a concrete floor on the concrete floor formwork and thereby
embedding the post supports in the concrete floor with the concrete
extending beneath the post sockets. The lower ends of posts are
then inserted into the post sockets to support the posts above the
concrete floor and rails are supported on the posts.
Inventors: |
Shymkowich; Dennis J.;
(Maple Ridge, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LONG AND CAMERON
SUITE 1401 - 1166 ALBERNI STREET
VANCOUVER
BC
V6E 3Z3
CA
|
Family ID: |
38171790 |
Appl. No.: |
11/294528 |
Filed: |
December 6, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/698 ;
52/741.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G 21/3223 20130101;
E04G 5/046 20130101; E04G 15/061 20130101; E04B 1/4114 20130101;
E04G 5/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/698 ;
052/741.1 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/38 20060101
E04B001/38 |
Claims
1. A method of installing a safety railing in a building under
construction, comprising the steps of: providing post supports
comprising open-topped post sockets on socket supports; mounting
said post sockets on a concrete floor formwork with said post
sockets spaced above the concrete floor formwork by said socket
supports; casting concrete to form a concrete floor on said
concrete floor formwork and thereby embedding said post supports in
the concrete floor with said concrete extending beneath said post
sockets; inserting lower ends of posts in said post sockets to
support said posts above said concrete floor; and supporting rails
on said posts.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes covering said
post sockets during the casting of the concrete on the concrete
floor formwork to prevent the entry of the concrete into the post
sockets, and subsequently uncovering said post sockets to allow the
insertion of said posts into said post sockets.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, in which the step of covering
said post socket comprises providing said post sockets with
removable lids.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2, which includes removing said
posts from said post sockets and subsequently applying a layer of
finish concrete onto the concrete floor to thereby fill said post
sockets with the finish concrete.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes removing the
concrete floor formwork from the concrete floor after the curing of
the concrete floor, and grinding the underside of the concrete
floor to smoothen any portions of the socket supports extending to
the underside of the concrete floor.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5, which includes applying a finish
layer to the underside of the concrete floor after the grinding of
the underside of the concrete floor.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of mounting
said post supports on said concrete floor formwork includes
inserting fasteners through said socket supports into said concrete
floor formwork.
8. A method as claimed in claim 4, which includes removing the
concrete floor formwork from the concrete floor after the curing of
the concrete floor, and grinding the underside of the concrete
floor to smoothen any portions of the socket supports extending to
the underside of the concrete floor.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of mounting
said post supports on said concrete floor formwork includes
inserting fasteners through said socket supports into said concrete
floor formwork.
10. A post support for a safety railing, said post support
comprising: a post socket; said post socket having an upwardly open
top; a sockets support extending downwardly from said post socket;
said socket support comprising support members each projecting
downwardly and laterally outwardly from said post socket; said
support members each having a lower end spaced downwardly and
laterally outwardly of said post socket; and said lower ends each
having a foot portion extending laterally of the respective support
member.
11. A post support as claimed in claim 10, wherein said support
members comprise flanges molded in one piece with said post socket
and extending laterally from said post socket.
12. A post support as claimed in claim 10, wherein said feet
portions each have at least one downwardly tapered underside
portion.
13. A post support as claimed in claim 10, wherein said seat
portions each have a vertical fastener opening extending
therethrough.
14. A post support as claimed in claim 10, including a removable
cover closing said open top of said post socket.
15. A safety railing on a concrete floor in a building under
construction, said safety railing comprising a plurality of
open-topped post sockets embedded in the concrete floor with the
concrete of the concrete floor extending beneath said post sockets,
said post sockets each having a post socket support terminating at
an underside of said concrete floor, posts inserted into and
extending upwardly from said post sockets and rails supported on
said posts.
16. A safety railing as claimed in claim 15, wherein said post
socket support comprises support members each projecting downwardly
and laterally outwardly from said post socket, said support members
each having a lower end spaced downwardly and laterally outwardly
of said post socket and said support members each having a foot
portion extending laterally of the respective support member.
17. A safety railing as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of said
post sockets has three of said support members equiangularly spaced
around said post socket.
18. A safety railing as claimed in claim 16, wherein said foot
portion has a downwardly tapered underside.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to methods of installing
safety railings in buildings under construction, to safety railings
and to post support for use in safety railings.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In the construction of a multi-floor concrete building,
concrete floor formworks are employed for the casting of the floors
in succession. As each floor is cast, it is necessary to install a
temporary safety railing around the periphery of that floor, so
that workers are prevented from falling from that floor. When the
work on that floor by the workers has been completed, the safety
railing is removed.
[0005] At present, the conventional method of installing such a
safety railing is to secure brackets by nailing the brackets to the
columns of the building under construction. These brackets are then
employed to support horizontal rails. Also, it is common to gather
scrap lumber on a building site and to employ it to make posts,
with feet projecting horizontally from the posts, the feet being
reinforced by triangular pieces of plywood secured to the feet and
to the posts. With the posts positioned on a newly cast concrete
floor at a spacing of eight feet, holes are then drilled through
the feet into the underlying concrete floor and lengths of rebar
wire and nails are inserted to anchor the feet and, thereby, the
posts to the concrete. Wooden rails are then nailed to the posts or
supported in the posts by brackets fashioned from scrap wood and
nailed to the posts.
[0006] It is, however, a disadvantage of this prior method that it
is very labor intensive, since in practice it is usually necessary
to have such railing installation performed by at least one
construction worker, who is dedicated to that task and who is
normally kept so busy by this work that he is unavailable for other
work on the building site.
[0007] Also, the drilling into the concrete involves the risk of
breakage and consequential repairs and may cause damage to wiring
or pipes embedded in the concrete.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to the present invention, there is provided a
method of installing a safety railing in a building under
construction by mounting open-topped post sockets on socket
supports on a concrete floor formwork with the post sockets spaced
above the concrete floor formwork by the socket supports, casting
concrete to form a concrete floor on the concrete floor formwork
and thereby embedding the post sockets and the socket supports in
the concrete floor with the concrete extending beneath said post
sockets, inserting lower ends of posts in the post sockets to
support the posts above the concrete floor and supporting rails on
the posts.
[0009] With the method according to the present invention, there is
no need to drill into the concrete floor or the walls or columns of
the building and, therefore, no risk of damage caused by such
drilling. Also, there is a substantial saving of work as compared
with the above-described conventional method of installing safety
railings.
[0010] Because the post sockets are supported above the concrete
floor formwork, by the socket supports, during the casting of the
floor, the concrete can flow beneath the post sockets so that, when
the concrete has cured, the post sockets are supported on the
concrete which has become located beneath the post sockets.
[0011] The socket supports extend to the underside of the newly
cast concrete floor, which in accordance with conventional building
construction practice is then ground prior to the application of a
finish layer to the underside of the concrete floor. The grinding
operation serves to smoothen any projection by the lower ends of
the socket supports at the underside of the concrete floor.
[0012] The socket supports may have lower ends which are downwardly
tapered so that only a small amount, if any, of the post supports
projects at the underside of the concrete floor before the grinding
operation.
[0013] During the casting of the concrete to form the concrete
floor, the post sockets can be covered by lids, which prevent
concrete from entering into the post sockets and which, thereby,
facilitate the insertion of the posts into the post sockets. These
lids are then removed before the insertion of the posts into the
post sockets. When the safety railing is no longer required on the
concrete floor, the rails and the posts can be removed. The post
sockets are then filled and concealed by the application of a
finish layout onto the top of the concrete floor.
[0014] Also in accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a post support for a safety railing, the post support
comprising a post socket having an upwardly open top and a socket
support extending downwardly from the post socket, the socket
support comprising support members each having a foot portion
extending laterally of the respective support member.
[0015] Further, according to the present invention, there is
provided a safety railing on a concrete floor in a building under
construction, the safety railing comprising a plurality of
open-topped post sockets embedded in the concrete floor with the
concrete of the concrete floor extending beneath the post sockets,
the post sockets each having a post socket support extending
downwardly from the post socket and terminating at an underside of
the concrete floor, posts inserted into and extending upwardly from
the post sockets and rails supported on the posts.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the socket
support comprises a plurality, preferably three, of support members
each having a lower end formed with a foot extending laterally from
the respective support member and having a downwardly tapered
underside. After the post sockets have been embedded in the
concrete floor, most of the support members are above the underside
of the concrete floor, and any small portion of the downwardly
tapered undersides of the foot portions is readily removable by
grinding.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The invention will be more readily understood from the
following description of an embodiment thereof given, by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a view in perspective of a safety railing
according to an embodiment of the present invention on a
broken-away portion of a concrete floor;
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a view in perspective of a post socket forming
part of the safety railing of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIGS. 3 and 4 show, respectively, a view in side elevation
and a plan view of the post socket of FIG. 2;
[0021] FIG. 5 shows a view in perspective of a post forming part of
the safety railing of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 6 shows a broken-away view, in side elevation, of parts
of the post of FIG. 5;
[0023] FIG. 7 shows a broken-away view, in side elevation, of a
part of the post of FIG. 5, including a rail support bracket;
[0024] FIG. 8 shows a view in perspective of the rail support
bracket of FIG. 7;
[0025] FIG. 9 shows a plan view of a toe kick bracket on the post
of FIG. 5;
[0026] FIG. 10 shows a view in perspective of the toe kick bracket
of FIG. 7;
[0027] FIG. 11 shows a broken-away view, taken in vertical
cross-section, through a newly cast concrete floor on a concrete
floor formwork, with the post socket of FIG. 2 embedded in the
concrete floor;
[0028] FIG. 12 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 11, but with
the concrete floor formwork removed and finish layers applied to
the top and the undersurface of the concrete floor;
[0029] FIG. 13 shows a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3 but
showing a modification of the post socket of FIGS. 2-4; and
[0030] FIG. 14 shows a broken-away view in side elevation of a foot
portion of the post socket of FIG. 13.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0031] In FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a
safety railing, indicated generally by reference 10, which is
installed on a concrete floor 12. The safety railing 10 has post
sockets, of which only one is shown in FIG. 1 and is indicated
generally by reference numeral 14, posts indicated generally by
reference numerals 16, and horizontal rails 18 supported on the
posts 16. A lowermost rail, commonly referred to in the
construction industry as a "kick rail", is indicated by reference
numeral 20 and supported on the concrete floor 12 by the posts
16.
[0032] One of the post supports 14 is illustrated in greater detail
in FIGS. 2 through 4, and comprises an open-topped cylindrical post
socket 22, with a circular lid 24 for closing the top of the
cylindrical post socket 22.
[0033] The cylindrical post socket 22 is provided on a socket
supports formed by three legs or support members in the form of
flanges 26, which are equi-angularly spaced apart around the
cylindrical post socket 22. These flanges 26 extend downwardly and
laterally outwardly of the cylindrical post socket 22 from the
outer cylindrical surface of the cylindrical post socket 22.
[0034] Each of the flanges 26 terminates at its lower portion in a
foot portion, indicated generally by reference numeral 28,
extending laterally from the respective flange 25. In the
embodiment of the post support 14 of FIGS. 2 through 3, each foot
portion 28 has, at its underside, a pair of spaced parallel
rib-shaped projections forming downwardly tapered underside
portions 30 of the foot portion 28. A vertical fastener opening 32
extends through the foot portion 28, the opening 32 extending, at
the bottom of the opening 32, between the downwardly tapered
underside portions 30.
[0035] The cylindrical post socket 22, the flanges 26, the foot
portions 28 are formed in one piece, of plastic material, by
molding. The hollow interior of the cylindrical post socket 22 is
dimensioned to receive the lower end of one of the posts 16.
[0036] FIGS. 5 and 6 show one of the posts 16, which is formed from
a length of pipe 34, to which a vertically spaced pair of a rail
support brackets 36 and a toe kick bracket 38 are secured by
welding.
[0037] FIGS. 7 and 8 show one of the rail support brackets 36 in
greater detail. As shown in FIG. 8, the rail support bracket 36
comprises a lower portion formed by a pair of spaced, parallel
triangular flanges 40, which are bridged by an intermediate portion
42. A circularly curved edge 44 formed at one end of the
intermediate portion 42, and vertical edges 46 of the flanges 40,
fit snugly against and are welded to the outer surface of the pipe
34 of the rail 16 and are connected to the pipe 34 by welding 47.
At the end of the intermediate portion 42 opposite from the
circularly curved edge 44, an upturned flange 48 extends vertically
upwardly from the intermediate portion 42.
[0038] The flange 48 is formed with a nail hole 49, through which a
nail (not shown) may, if required, be driven into the rail 18
supported on the bracket 36 to secure that rail 18 to the support
bracket 36. The flange 48 is also formed with a slot 51, which
extends to the top of the flange 48 and which may, if required,
removably receive a nail driven into the rail 18, so that the rail
18 can be lifted from the bracket 36 if, for example, it is desired
to temporarily remove the rail 36 to allow someone to pass through
the railing 10.
[0039] As shown at the right-hand side of FIG. 1, additional rails
18A may be positioned so as to overlap adjacent ends 51 of the
rails 18 and also to overlap the flanges 48 at the rail ends 51.
These additional rails are secured by nailing them to the rail ends
51.
[0040] The toe kick bracket 38, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, has a
pair of side walls 50, with an intermediate portion 52 extending
between the bottoms of the side walls 50, and a vertical plate 54.
The intermediate portion 52 is formed with a circular opening 56,
which is dimensioned to snugly receive therethrough the pipe 34 of
the post 16.
[0041] The vertical plate 54 is formed with a rectangular cutout
58, which extends vertically downwardly from the top of the
vertical plate 54. As shown in FIG. 9, the pipe 34 is secured to
the intermediate portion 52 by welding 59 around the circular
cutout 56, and to the edges of the cutout 58 in the vertical plate
54 by welding 61.
[0042] The side walls 50, which project upwardly from the
intermediate portion 52 at opposite sides of the circular opening
56, have vertical edges 60, which terminate at a spacing above the
intermediate portion 52 and which, as shown in FIG. 9, are also
welded to the pipe 34 by welding 63. The spacings between these
edges 60 and the plate 54 facilitate the forming of the side walls
50 perpendicular to the intermediate portion 52.
[0043] The vertical plate 54 is also formed with a pair of nail
holes 55, through which nails (not shown) may be driven into the
toe kick 20 to secure the toe kick 20 to the corresponding post
34.
[0044] As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the
form of the rail support brackets 36 and the toe kick brackets 38
may be varied. For example, the two side walls 40 of the rail
support bracket 36 may be replaced by a single triangular gusset
(not shown) welded to the underside of the intermediate portion 42
and to the pipe 34. Also, the side walls 50 of the toe kick bracket
38 may be replaced by a single central gusset (not shown) welded to
the underside of the intermediate portion 56 and to the pipe 34,
the intermediate portion having a triangular or circularly curved
shape.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 1, another toe kick 20A may be installed in
overlapping relationship relative to the toe kick 20, the toe kick
20A being nailed to the toe kick 20.
[0046] FIGS. 11 and 12 shows two stages in the construction of a
building floor, indicated generally by reference numeral 62.
[0047] Before the casting of the concrete floor 62, the post
sockets 14, only one of which is shown in FIG. 11, are mounted at a
predetermined spacing from one another on concrete floor formwork,
which is shown broken-away in FIG. 11 and indicated by reference
numeral 64. The concrete floor formwork 64 is made of plywood, and
the post support 14 is temporarily secured to the concrete floor
formwork 64 by means of nails 66, which are inserted through the
vertical openings 32 in the foot portions 28 of the flanges 26 and
driven into the plywood of the concrete floor formwork 64.
[0048] When the required number of the post supports 14 have been
mounted on and secured to the concrete floor formwork 64 in this
way, with the lids 24 covering the open tops of the post supports
14, concrete is poured onto the concrete floor formwork 64 to the
level of the tops of the lids 24. As this occurs, the concrete
flows beneath the underside of the cylindrical post socket 22 of
each post support 14, so that the concrete floor 62 extends beneath
the cylindrical post socket 22.
[0049] When the concrete of the concrete floor 62 has sufficiently
hardened, the concrete floor formwork 64 is removed to expose an
undersurface 68 of the concrete floor 62. In accordance with
conventional building construction practice, this undersurface 68
is then ground to smoothen it. During this grinding operation, any
ends of the nails 66, and any parts of the downwardly tapered
portions 32 of the foot portions 28 of the flanges 26, protruding
from the undersurface 68 of the concrete floor 62 are also ground
and, thereby, smoothened.
[0050] In the next step, and also in accordance with conventional
building construction practice, a thin finish layer 70 of concrete
is applied to the undersurface 68 of the concrete floor 62, and
this finish layer 70 conceals any parts of the nails 66 and the
foot portions 28 visible at the undersurface 68.
[0051] The lids 24 are removed from the post supports 14 to allow
the lower ends of the posts 16 to be inserted into the cylindrical
bodies 22, and the rails 18 and the toe kick 20 are then installed
on the posts 16, as shown in FIG. 1 to form the safety railing
10.
[0052] When the safety railing 10 is no longer required, the rails
18 and 18A, the toe kicks 20 and 20A and the posts 16 are removed
and, also in accordance with conventional building construction
practice, a finish layout 72 of concrete is applied to the top of
the concrete floor 62. This finish layer 72 simultaneously fills
the interior of the post sockets 22 and covers and conceals the
post supports 14 embedded in the concrete floor 62.
[0053] FIG. 13 shows a post socket 114, which is a modification of
the post support 14 of FIGS. 2 through 4. Instead of having the
foot portions 28 having two downwardly extending rib-shaped
portions 30, such as those shown in the post support 14, the post
socket 114 of FIG. 13 has foot portions 28A each with only a single
downwardly extending, downwardly tapered rib-shaped portion 130 at
the underside of each lower portion 28A. This replacement of the
pairs of downwardly tapering portions 30 by single downwardly
tapering portions 130 facilitates flow of the concrete beneath the
foot portions 28A during the casting of the concrete floor 62.
[0054] It has also been found that the post support 14 or 114 can
usefully be employed in the screeding of a concrete floor. For this
purpose, two or more of the post supports are mounted on a
formwork, e.g. the formwork 64 and a laser beam is directed across
the tops of these post supports to ascertain whether they are
level. If so, then the concrete can be poured and a length of
lumber can them be positioned on the post supports and then used to
screed, i.e. to level, the concrete.
[0055] The heights of the post supports determine the thickness of
the concrete floor 62, and the post supports 14 and 114 may
therefore be produced in different sizes to enable the casting of
floors of correspondingly different thicknesses.
[0056] While each of the post supports 14 and 114 is formed with
three support members or legs 26, which are sufficient to provide
stability, it would alternatively be possible to use four or even
more legs, but that would require additional plastic material labor
for nailing and, therefore, unnecessary expense. It would also be
possible to provide each post socket 22 with a socket support
different from the above-described socket supports formed by the
support members 26, e.g. a socket support of cruciform
cross-section.
[0057] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various
modifications may be made in the above-described embodiment of the
present invention within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *