Abstract:
A floor perimeter safety rail arrangement for the protection of workers on the floor of a building on which the workers are workers. The rail arrangement comprises a cement encasable hollow receiving base for attachment to a support surface and a stanchion post removably received in the receiving base. A locking arrangement is provided for both securing and unlocking the stanchion post with respect to the receiving base after the cement has been poured.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to safety rails and more particularly to stanchion posts for peripheral guard rails utilized in the building construction industry.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art  
           [0004]    The construction of high-rise buildings and multi-story construction is an arduous and hazardous task. Steel beams and girders are placed together as the underlying support skeleton or frame of that building. Each successive floor is comprised of a periphery of “I” beams supported and interconnected by further I beams and covered by sheets of corrugated steel.  
           [0005]    The peripheral I beams for safety purposes, typically have posts or stanchions welded therearound, to support a safety cable extending therebetween, for the safety of the workers on that particular floor. During the construction of each floor, a layer of concrete is typically poured thereon, about six inches thick on top of the I beams, the corrugated steel and around the base of the peripheral stanchions. As each successive floor is being completed, those stanchions must be removed. They are typically cut with a torch, at the level of the top of the concrete, which has been cured by this time. The edges cut by the torch have to be ground down and the concrete around the base of the cut stanchion or post must be repaired. This is a dangerous and time consuming job. The concrete may have an explosive reaction to the heat from the torch. Thus, such cutting of these posts for their removal, should be eliminated.  
           [0006]    Another prior art safety rail is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,281 to Murray, showing a roof perimeter safety rail system. Such a safety rail system, however, is complicated to attach and is not readily removable or coverable by a concrete layer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,829 to Franks discloses a safety rail system, which however, could be hazardous to install and/or remove.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,139 to Weber shows an anchor for a guardrail. However, with such a system, the post may not be removed after the concrete has been poured therearound. U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,016 to Wilkerson, Jr. shows a handrail positioning apparatus for stairs. This patent does show a removable stanchion, however the base would not be enclosable in concrete and still be able to remove the stanchion.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,670 to Whitmer, shows a frame erection safety system for eye beams. However, the removability of the stanchion would not occur because of the way the base is attached to that stanchion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,824 to Whitmer, shows a safety post for attachment to an I beam. U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,257 to Bourn et al, shows a guardrail stanchion, which still would not be utilizable with a concrete floor board around its base.  
           [0009]    It is thus an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantage of the prior art.  
           [0010]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable stanchion which is securable to a base, which base is enclosable in the concrete floor poured therearound.  
           [0011]    It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide a removable stanchion which is removable from its base, after the concrete has been cured.  
           [0012]    It is still yet a further object of the present invention, to provide a reusable stanchion, which is securable to a base and removable thumb bed base, after that base has been encased in a concrete floor.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    The present invention comprises a floor perimeter safety rail arrangement to be utilized with multi floor buildings under construction. The safety rail arrangement comprises a receiving base which acts as a sleeve to receive the lower end of a removable stanchion. The receiving base in the present invention has a lower end with its periphery welded to the upper side of an “I” beam. The I beam defines the perimeter of each floor of a building under construction. Those perimeter I beams, and an arrangement of corrugated plates of steel will be supported thereon are to receive a layer of concrete about six or more inches thick. It is intended that the layer of concrete and the height of the receiving base lie in the same plane.  
           [0014]    A first embodiment of the present invention comprises the receiving base of rectilinear configuration, preferably square, having a lower inner flange, across which a locking plate is disposed. The locking plate has a central orifice. A locking nut is welded to the lower side of the locking plate and has its threaded opening in coaxial alignment with the orifice or bore in the locking plate. The removable stanchion in this embodiment has a lower end which mates within the receiving base, the lower end of the stanchion butting up against the inner support. An elongated shaft extends from an upper plate at the upper end of the stanchion, and mates within the orifice of the locking plate. The elongated shaft has a threaded distalmost end which is threadably received into the nut on the lower side of the locking plate. A line loop is weldably attached to the upper end of the stanchion, which receives a guardrail or line or the like between adjacent stanchion posts.  
           [0015]    After the concrete has been poured on the upper surface of the I beam and its adjacent steel floor to a depth of about 6 inches, (that is the height of the receiving base), and has cured, the locking means on the stanchion, in this case the elongated shaft, may be unscrewed by its bolt head on the very top end of the stanchion post. This permits the lower end of the stanchion to be removed from the sleeve of the receiving base and utilized on another floor of the building under construction. The receiving base is left as is, welded to the supporting I beam and encased within the cement floor layer.  
           [0016]    The locking and unlocking means for securing and releasing the stanchion from the receiving base in another preferred embodiment thereof comprises a locking stud, of generally inverted T-shape in longitudinal cross section, having a lowermost head end and a narrower upwardly directed locking end. The upper or locking end has a bore extending therethrough. The lower end of the stanchion has a correspondingly placed bore extending thereacross at either side of a receiving cavity. A locking pin is arrangeable through the bore at the lower end of the stanchion and through the bore at the upper end of the locking stud. The receiving base has an inwardly directed annular shoulder which secures the locking stud therein. After the concrete has been poured onto the I beam and adjacent floor of the safety rail arrangement of this embodiment, and the concrete has cured, the locking pin is withdrawn from the respective bores of the locking stud and the stanchion post, permitting the locking stud to drop within the central opening of the receiving base, thus permitting the stanchion post to be removed therefrom and utilized on the next floor (with a new receiving base) under construction.  
           [0017]    A further embodiment of the receiving base and removable stanchion comprises a hollow receiving base which is weldable to the upper surface of the I beam. A locking plate is angularly disposed within the hollow receiving base and has an orifice therein. A locking nut is welded to the lower side of the locking plate adjacent to the orifice therein. The locking and unlocking means of the removable stanchion comprises a threaded bolt extending angularly through the lower end of the stanchion post. The threaded bolt has a lower end which extends through the orifice and the locking plate and threadably engages the nut on the other side thereof. The stanchion in this embodiment, is securable through the receiving base by threadably engaging the locking bolt with the locking nut on the lower side of the locking plate, and loosening of the locking nut from the locking plate and nut will permit removal of the stanchion post therefrom after the cement has been poured and cured therearound and the floor construction has been completed.  
           [0018]    A receiving base of circular cross section comprises yet a further embodiment, which receiving base is weldable to the upper surface of an I beam of a floor under construction. The receiving base has an upper, thinner surface, with a thread surface disposed therearound. The removable stanchion post has an upper end with a line loop weldably attached thereon, and a lower end having a shoulder leading to a reduced diameter shaft. The reduced diameter shaft is of circular cross section, having threads thereon which mateably engage the threads on the inner surface of the upper end of the receiving base. After the concrete has been poured and cured on the surface of the I beam and its adjacent steel sheets, up to the upper edge of the receiving base, the removable stanchion may be unscrewed from that receiving base and then re-utilized (with a new receiving base) on a further floor under construction.  
           [0019]    Thus there has been shown a unique receiving base and replaceable stanchion arrangement for use in the perimeters, both internal and external, of building floors under construction. The receiving base comprising a sleeve which anchors a removable stanchion post after that receiving base has been welded to the upper surface of an I beam, and the concrete has been poured therearound up to the upper edge of that receiving base.  
           [0020]    The invention thus comprises a floor perimeter safety rail arrangement for the protection of workers on the floor on which they are building, comprising: a cement encasable hollow receiving base for attachment to a support surface; a stanchion post removably received in the receiving base; and a locking arrangement for securing and unlocking the stanchion post with respect to the receiving base. The stanchion may be rectilinear in cross-section. The stanchion may be round in cross-section. The locking arrangement may comprise an elongated rod secured at an upper end of said stanchion, the elongated rod being threadedly secured to a threaded receiving nut in the receiving base. The locking arrangement may comprise a vertically displaceable locking stud securable in an locking orientation in an upper end of the receiving base. The locking stud may be of inverted T-shape, and the receiving base may have an annular shoulder for retention of the stud within the receiving base. The locking stud and the stanchion have a removable pin arranged therebetween to secure the locking stud to the stanchion and thereby secure the stanchion to the receiving base. The locking arrangement may comprise a diagonally arranged bolt extending through a lower portion of the stanchion and into a threaded receiving member angularly disposed in the receiving base. The locking arrangement may comprise a threaded annular surface on an upper inside surface of the receiving base, and the stanchion may have a threaded annular surface on a lower end thereof, to threadably engage and disengage of one another, for simple respective twisting securement and separation of the stanchion with respect to the receiving base.  
           [0021]    1. The invention may also comprises a method of providing a safety rail arrangement to a periphery of a floor of a building comprising: attaching a lower end of a receiving base to an I beam on the floor of the building; securing a removable stanchion to the receiving base by a locking arrangement disposed therewith; pouring concrete onto the floor of the building to a level even with an upper end of the receiving base to define a cement floor and to encase the receiving base. The method may include attaching a safety line to the stanchion; unlocking the stanchion from the base; and removing the unlocked stanchion from the receiving base; and re-using the removed stanchion as part of another safety rail arrangement in a further receiving base. The locking arrangement may comprise an elongated shaft disposed between the stanchion and the base in a threaded arrangement therebetween. The locking arrangement may comprise a displaceable locking stud engaged between the stanchion and the receiving base. The locking stud may be secured to the stanchion by a removable pin extending therebetween. The periphery of the floor of the building may comprise an inner periphery thereof.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when viewed in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a floor of a building under construction, showing the peripheral arrangement of the stanchion posts therearound;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a receiving base and removable stanchion in combination, and a receiving base without a removable stanchion therein;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a view taken along the lines  3 - 3  of FIG. 2;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of the receiving base and stanchion of the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a receiving base and removable stanchion in a further embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of the receiving base and removable stanchion of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]    Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown the present invention in a plan view, which invention comprises a floor perimeter safety rail arrangement  10  to be utilized with multi-floor buildings “B” under construction. The perimeter safety rail arrangement  10  may be utilized with external peripheries  14  and internal peripheries, as may define a shaft opening  12 .  
         [0030]    The safety rail arrangement  10  comprises a receiving base  20  which acts as a sleeve to receive the lower end  22  of a removable stanchion  24 , as shown in FIGS. 2, 4,  5  and  6 . The receiving base  20  in the present invention has a lower end with its periphery attached to the upper side of an “I” beam  26  by for example, a weld “W”. The I beam  26  defines the perimeter of each floor of a building under construction. Those perimeter I beams, and an arrangement of corrugated plates of steel (not shown for clarity) will be supported thereon are to receive a layer of concrete  28  about six or more inches thick. It is intended that the layer of concrete  28  and the top of the receiving base  20  lie in the same plane, as may be seen in FIGS. 2, 4,  5  and  6 .  
         [0031]    A first embodiment of the present invention comprises the receiving base  20  being of rectilinear configuration, preferably square, as may be seen in FIG. 3, having a lower inner flange  30 , across which a locking plate  32  is disposed. The locking plate  32  has a central orifice  34 . A locking nut  35  is welded to the lower side of the locking plate  32  and has its threaded opening in coaxial alignment with the orifice or bore  34  in the locking plate  32 . The removable stanchion  24  in this embodiment has a lower end  22  which mates within the receiving base  20 , the lower end  22  of the stanchion  24  butting up against the inner support flange  30 . An elongated shaft  36  extends from an upper plate  38  at the upper end of the stanchion  24 , and has a lower end mates within the orifice  34  of the locking plate  32 . The elongated shaft  36  has a threaded distalmost end  40  which is threadably received into the nut  35  on the lower side of the locking plate  32 . A line loop  42  is weldably attached to the upper end of the stanchion  24 , which loop  42  receives a guardrail or line  44  or the like between adjacent stanchion posts  24 , as is depicted in FIG. 1.  
         [0032]    After the concrete  28  has been poured on the upper surface of the I beam  26  and its adjacent steel floor to a depth of about 6 inches, (that is the height of the receiving base  20 ), and has cured, the locking means on the stanchion  24 , in this embodiment, the elongated shaft  36 , may be unscrewed by its bolt head on the very top end of the stanchion post  24 . This permits the lower end  22  of the stanchion  24  to be removed from the sleeve of the receiving base  20  and utilized on another floor of the building under construction. The receiving base  20  is left as is, empty, and welded to the supporting I beam  26  and encased within the cement floor layer  28 , as depicted on the right side of FIG. 2.  
         [0033]    The locking and unlocking means  50  for securing and releasing a stanchion  29  from the receiving base  53  in another preferred embodiment thereof comprises a locking stud  52 , of generally inverted T-shape in longitudinal cross section, having a lowermost head end  54  and a narrower upwardly directed locking end  56 , as shown in FIG. 4. The upper or locking end  56  of the stud  52  has a bore  58  extending therethrough. The lower end of the stanchion  29  has a correspondingly placed bore  60  extending thereacross at either side of a stud receiving cavity  62 . A locking pin  64  is arrangeable through the bore  60  at the lower end of the stanchion  29  and through the bore  58  at the upper end of the locking stud  52 . The receiving base  53  has an inwardly directed annular shoulder  66  which secures the locking stud 52  therein. After the concrete  28  has been poured onto the I beam  26  and adjacent floor of the safety rail arrangement of this embodiment, and the concrete  28  has cured, the locking pin  64  is withdrawn from the respective bores  58  and  60  of the locking stud  52  and the stanchion post  29 , permitting the locking stud  52  to drop within the central opening  57  of the receiving base  53 , thus permitting the stanchion post  29  to be removed therefrom and utilized on the next floor (with a new receiving base) under construction.  
         [0034]    A further preferred embodiment of the receiving base and removable stanchion is shown in FIG. 5, which comprises a hollow receiving base  70  which is weldable to the upper surface of the I beam  26 . A locking plate  72  is angularly disposed within the hollow receiving base  70  and has an orifice  74  therein. A locking nut  76  is welded to the lower side of the locking plate  72  adjacent to the orifice  74  therein. The locking and unlocking means of the removable stanchion  78  comprises a threaded bolt  80  extending a bore  82  diagonally arranged through the lower end of the stanchion post  78 . The threaded bolt  80  has a lower end which extends through the orifice  74  and the locking plate  72  and threadably engages the nut  76  on the other side thereof. The stanchion  76  in this embodiment, is securable through the receiving base  70  by threadably engaging the locking bolt  80  with the locking nut  76  on the lower side of the locking plate  72 , and loosening of the bolt  80  from the locking plate  72  and nut  76  will permit removal of the stanchion post  78  therefrom after the cement  28  has been poured and cured therearound and the floor construction has been completed.  
         [0035]    A receiving base  86  of circular cross section comprises yet a further embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, which receiving base  86  is welded-weldable to the upper surface of an I beam  26  of a building floor under construction. The receiving base  86  has an upper, inner surface  88 , with a thread  90  disposed therearound. The removable stanchion post  92  has an upper end  94  with a line loop  42  weldably attached thereon, and a lower end  96  having a shoulder  98  leading to a threaded reduced diameter shaft  100 . The reduced diameter shaft  100  is of circular cross section, having threads thereon which mateably engage the threads  90  on the inner surface  88  of the upper end of the receiving base  86 . After the concrete  28  has been poured and cured on the surface of the I beam  26  and its adjacent steel sheets, up to the upper edge  102  of the receiving base  86 , the removable stanchion  92  may be unscrewed from that receiving base  86  and then re-utilized (with a new receiving base) on a further floor under construction.  
         [0036]    Thus there has been shown a unique receiving base and replaceable stanchion arrangement for use in the perimeters, both internal and external, of building floors under construction. The receiving base comprising a sleeve which anchors a removable stanchion post after that receiving base has been welded to the upper surface of an I beam, and the concrete has been poured therearound up to the upper edge of that receiving base.