Safety handrail support

Abstract

A safety guardrail support comprises first and second hollow vertical members, the latter being movably received in the former, a first clamp member secured to the lower end of the first vertical member and a second clamp member secured to the lower end of the second vertical member, upper and lower reinforcing assemblies extending from the lower ends of the first and second hollow vertical members respectively and being slidably engaged at a location spaced from the vertical members and a threaded rod extending interiorly of the first vertical member and threadedly engaging the second vertical member whereby the turning of the threaded rod causes the second clamp member to be raised or lowered in order to secure the apparatus on the open edge of the floor section of a building structure and concomitantly the lower reinforcing assembly slideably engages the upper assembly thereby supporting and reinforcing the support structure.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of guardrails or handrails, especially during the construction of multi-floor buildings during the construction stage is especially important. In the initial stages of such construction, where the floors, usually concrete, are in place and before outside wall partitions are assembled, there is significant exposure along the outer floor edges whereby workers could fall off the floors. In order to prevent such accidents, a number of guardrail supports have been proposed, for example, as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,351,311, 3,480,357, 3,531,091, 3,584,839, 3,662,993 and French Pat. No. 1,540,643. Although such patents relate to devices for being secured around the edge of such concrete floors and in which guardrails may be placed, they do not offer adequate support where extensive force is urged against them as could occur if a person would fall against the interior of the guardrail, lean heavily against it or where equipment or heavy construction materials are forced against the handrail or support. In the jaw or vice type of guardrail supports as described in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,480,257, 3,351,311 and the French patent, clamps or jaws could be spread or sprung apart simply by urging or forcing against the upperwardly extending portion of the supports. It is to the elimination of this disadvantage that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a guardrail support for being clamped along an edge of an exposed floor of a building. It is a further object to provide such a device having a reinforcing assembly which offers significant reinforcement to the clamping members of the apparatus. It is a further object to provide a handrail support which can be easily and readily adjusted for being secured on floors of different thicknesses and which can be readily removed. These as well as other objects will be evident from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away and in section illustrating the handrail support of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of FIG. 1, partially broken away and in section showing the adjustable feature thereof, and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the handrail support apparatus of the invention having a first hollow vertical member 10 to which brackets 14 and 16 are secured along the exterior length in which a guardrail in the form of a board, slat or pipe may be placed. It will be understood that these guardrail supports will be secured along the edge of a floor such as a concrete floor or the like of a building which is under construction and will be spaced along the edge at distances so that the hand or guardrails will span the distance between adjacent supports. Extending into the interior of the first hollow vertical member 10 is a second hollow vertical member 22 of cross-sectional dimensions smaller than that of the first member so that it can be moved upwardly or downwardly therein without significant friction. Thus, there should be sufficient clearance between the interior surface of the first hollow member and the exterior of the second member so as to avoid frictional engagement therebetween. It will be also appreciated that brackets 14 and 16 for the handrail should be secured to the first vertical member and so that they lie preferably or substantially along a single vertical plane and although two of such brackets are shown, one or more may be used as desired, depending on the number of handrails to be secured therein. If desired, additional brackets may be provided opposite those shown for a double handrail feature in case the interior handrail might become broken or dislodged from the brackets. The brackets can be secured to the vertical member 10 by being welded, bolted or otherwise permanently or substantially fixed.

The second or lower vertical member 22 is also hollow and has a cap 26 at the upper end (FIG. 2) thereof having a threaded orifice for threadedly engaging threaded rod 12. Means for turning the threaded rod such as a nut 18 which is secured to the upper rod and by being welded. The rod can be turned, for example, by using a wrench and turning nut 18 and will thus raise or lower second vertical member 22 because of the threaded engagement with cap 26. At the upper end of the first vertical member 24 is a cap 24 which has an orifice therein of sufficient size to allow rod 12 to be turned therein and which cap supports nut 18 so that the rod cannot fall into the interior of the hollow vertical member 10. Other means for supporting the rod may be used such as a narrow neck at the upper end of member 10. A washer 20 or equivalent member may also be secured to threaded rod 12 and spaced from nut 18 for the purpose of forcing against the bottom surface of cap 24 when rod 12 is turned to spread the clamp members apart and also to prevent the rod from being pushed upwardly if lower vertical member 22 is forced upwardly. However, such a feature is optional.

Secured at or adjacent the lower end of first vertical member 10 is a first or upper clamp member 21. This first clamp member extends substantially normal to the vertical axis of member 10 so that it will lie substantially horizontally on the horizontal upper surface of a floor and on which the apparatus of the invention is secured. The lower or second clamp member 27 is secured adjacent or at the lower end of the second vertical member 22 and extends substantially parallel with upper clamp member 21 and accordingly is normal to the vertical axis extending along member 22. These two clamp members act as jaws for clamping onto the edge of a floor as shown. Since the clamps are rigidly secured to the respective vertical members such as by being welded, bolted or even formed of the same stock of material used for the respective vertical members and thus integral therewith, they can be adjusted to tightly force and wedge against the upper and lower floor surfaces. The shape of the clamp members is not particularly critical and they may be tubular or flat, with the latter being especially preferred at the underside which engages the surface of the floor. Moreover, the length of these clamps is not specifically critical so long as they extend sufficiently so as to provide adequate support.

The reinforcing assembly of the invention which provides improved performance in preventing failure of the clamps when pressure is placed on the upper part of the apparatus comprises the reinforcing arms 11 and 17 together with their engagement with members 13 and 15 as shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the reinforcing assembly comprises a first or upper rigid arm 11 which is secured adjacent or at the lower end of first hollow vertical member 10 and preferably extends in line and parallel with upper clamp member 21 but opposite therefrom. Similarly, the second or lower rigid arm 17 secured adjacent or at the lower end of second hollow vertical member 22, in line and parallel but opposite with the lower clamp member 27.

Along the length of the lower rigid arm 17 and preferably adjacent or at the end thereof as shown is attached a vertical reinforcing arm or brace member 15. Thus, arm 15 is secured to rigid arm 17 so that it is normal to and extends substantially vertical and thus is parallel with both hollow vertical member 10 and 22. At the end of upper rigid arm 11 is a hollow tubular sleeve 13 which receives vertical arm 15 so that the arm is slidably received in the sleeve. The cross-sectional dimension of arm 15 should be such that the exterior surface thereof does not cause significant frictional engagement with the interior surface of sleeve 13 which would cause it to bind and not be easily slideable therein. The particular or specific shape of the arms 11 and 17 are not especially critical so long as they are rigid and firmly secured or attached such as by welding or bolting or formed of the same stock as the respective and opposite clamp members. In a preferred embodiment shown, the upper clamp member 21 and upper rigid arm 11 are formed of a single piece, such as a bar, with two of the bars 32 being secured to opposite sides of first vertical member 10 as shown in FIG. 3. Similarly, lower clamp member 27 and lower rigid arm 17 comprise a single bar, two of which are secured to the end of second vertical member 22, one on each side. In addition, hollow tubular sleeve 13 is secured between the ends of the two opposite upper rigid arms 11 and vertical arm 15 is secured between the ends of the two opposite lower rigid arms 17. Thus, it will be evident that the reinforcing assembly gives extensive and critical reinforcing support to the apparatus whereby pressure along the side or near the top of the apparatus such as along the first vertical member 10 will not cause the support to fail by bending lower portion 22a of second vertical member 22. In other words, where such pressure would otherwise cause the clamps to become opened by bending the lower portion 22a of the second vertical member 22 and spring the clamp members apart cannot be accomplished because of the reinforcing assembly. Where such pressure is exerted against the apparatus, the rigid horizontal arms 11 and 17 together with the cooperation of vertical arm 15 and sleeve 13 will receive the force and prevent failure or collapse of the structure and especially at lower portion 22a. Moreover, because the guardrail support comprising the hollow vertical members is doubly reinforced with second member 22 being received in the first member 10, failure of the structure will be avoided except under the most extreme circumstances.

A further feature is a front plate 34 shown in both FIGS. 1 and 3 which is attached by welding or the like across the forward end of the bars comprising upper clamp member 21. This front plate allows a toe board to be secured thereto by a rail extending through orifices in the plate embedded in the board and prevents objects on the concrete floor from accidently being pushed or kicked over the floor edge, the board acting as a stop.

In order to secure the apparatus to the edge of a building floor as shown in FIG. 1, an operator need merely adjust the distance between upper clamp member 21 and lower clamp member 27 so that it will slide over the floor edge. A wrench may be used to turn nut 18 causing rotation of threaded rod 12 which will raise or lower second hollow vertical member 22 within first hollow vertical member 10. By simply turning nut 18, the clamp members can be brought closer together to be clamped against the floor as snugly as desired. At the same time that second hollow vertical member 22 is being raised or lowered, so is vertical arm 15 being raised or lowered within sleeve 13.

It will be appreciated that other means for turning threaded rod 12 may be used such as sleeve secured to the upper end of threaded rod 12 through which a bar or handle can be inserted for turning or rotating the rod. Moreover, the length of second hollow vertical member 22 can be varied to any desired extent so long as it is sufficient to allow the distance between the first and second clamp members to fit and be secured on any thickness of floor desired for the apparatus. However, the longer the second hollow vertical member 22, the more versatility the apparatus will have and also the more support given to the apparatus along vertical member 10. It will also be noted that vertical arm 15 should be substantially the same length as and its upper end is coterminal with second hollow vertical member 22 so that no matter at what extent the clamp members are open, the vertical arm 15 will engage hollow sleeve 13.

Other bracket shapes for securing guardrails or handrails may be used as shown in FIG. 2 with a modified bracket 14a being illustrated. However, the shape of the opening within the bracket is not critical so long as it will accomodate the shape of the handrail or guardrail to be inserted or placed therein. In a specific example of materials used to form the apparatus of the invention, the first hollow vertical member 10 may be of a hollow cylindrical pipe having an i.d. of 11/4 inches being of standard steel schedule 40 and approximately 43 inches long. The second hollow vertical member 22 which is received in the first member 10 may be a 1 inch steel standard schedule 40 hollow pipe of approximately 36 inches long. As previously explained, the upper and lower clamp members and upper and lower reinforcing rigid arms may each comprise a pair of flat steel bars 36 as shown in FIG. 3, 11/2 inches wide by 1/4 inch thick and approximately 11 inches long whereas threaded rod 12 may be 5/8 inch diameter and approximately 36 inches long. However, such specific components can vary depending on the strength requirement desired and is by way of practical example only. These as well as other modifications and embodiments within the purview of the invention will be evident to those skilled in the art.

Claims

I claim:

1. A safety guardrail support apparatus comprising:

a first hollow vertical member having means attached thereto for supporting a handrail,

a first clamp member secured to said first vertical member adjacent the lower end thereof,

an upper reinforcing assembly comprising a first rigid arm having one end attached to said first vertical member adjacent the lower end opposite said first clamp member and a sleeve member secured on the other end of said first arm,

a second hollow vertical member movably received in said first vertical member,

a second clamp member secured to said second vertical member adjacent the lower end thereof,

a lower reinforcing assembly comprising a second rigid arm having one end attached to said second vertical member adjacent the lower end thereof opposite said second clamp member and a brace member secured on the other end of said second arm and extending through said sleeve of said upper reinforcing assembly, and

a threaded rod extending interiorly along at least the upper portion of said first vertical member and threadedly engaging said second vertical member said second vertical member and second clamp member being raised or lowered when said threaded rod is turned.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for holding the upper end of said threaded rod exposed exteriorly of said first vertical member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second clamp members each comprise an elongated bar extending normal to the vertical axis of said first and second vertical members respectively.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first and second rigid arms each comprise an elongated bar extending normal to the vertical axis of said first and second vertical members respectively.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said brace member comprises an elongated rod substantially co-terminal with the upper end of said second vertical member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper clamp member and said first rigid arm comprise a pair of elongated bars each bar oppositely secured to the lower end of said first hollow vertical member and said lower clamp member and said second rigid arm comprise a pair of elongated bars each bar oppositely secured to the lower end of said second hollow vertical member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including a front plate secured across the ends of said bars comprising said upper clamp member.