Abstract:
A stanchion base shoe support for railings. The stanchions are set into a concrete slab or curb during the construction. Only the top surface of a mounting plate is exposed prior to mounting the base shoe extrusion. The stanchion is constructed from steel or a similar material. A flange plate at the top of the stanchion provides an easy place to mount a temporary support member when placing the stanchion into the concrete formwork. The stanchion system eliminates all field drilling of concrete. The stanchions have a top plate and cylindrical members that have a set of internal threads. After the concrete is cured, workers apply a base shoe, securing it to the stanchions. This makes drilling and securing the base shoe simpler, easier and more accurate. Once the base shoe is installed, the railing system is built up in the normal manner.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to base shoes glass railing systems and particularly to base shoes having stanchion supports. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     This new invention serves to overcome a series of installation issues currently experienced by those mounting a base shoe for structural glass railing systems to a concrete surface. 
     The current state of the art, involves mounting the U-shaped base shoe to a concrete surface with some form of expansion bolt or self-tapping anchor. With this method, the installers must accurately drill both the extruded aluminum base shoe and the corresponding concrete balcony surface. The base shoe extrusion is typically drilled in factory conditions based on field dimensions, and the concrete surface is obviously drilled in the field using masonry drills and special concrete bits. The alignment and spacing of these holes are critical to the success of the installation. Given that many typical installations require holes spacing in the 6″ to 12″ range, many holes must be very accurately drilled. Holes that are drilled in the wrong position or even slightly out of alignment will likely not allow the fasteners to engage. Then, the entire assembly must be removed, and new holes drilled for each of the affected locations before and another attempt to fit the base shoe is made. It is common that even when all holes line up properly, the anchors will not engage properly due to galling of the threads or an anchor that has improper engagement in the slab spins in its hole. These problems also require the complete disassembly of the base shoe section until all locations are remedied. In fact, the potential for problems with this mounting method is so great that many General Contractors now require an independent consulting engineer to sign off on the proper installation of each fastener to verify that the finished system meets the minimum engineering requirements. It is also known that concrete anchors that utilize an expansive action or thread-cutting action to create the mechanical connection exert stress to a concrete structure and increase the possibility of spalling and cracking at each drilled location. Given that field labor costs are so negatively impacted by this inefficient installation method, a new mounting method had to be created. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention overcomes these problems. It solves the installation issues described above because the base shoe mounts to an embedded steel stanchion rather than the concrete. This stanchion is cast into the concrete slab or curb during the construction or renovation of the structure. The stanchion is constructed from steel or a similar material. The stanchion has a vertical centrically member that is embedded in the concrete and a flange plate, positioned at the top of the stanchion, which provides an easy place to mount a temporary support member when placing the stanchion into the concrete formwork. The flange plate has threaded members, which are capped at the bottom to keep concrete and other debris out of the threaded area. Only the top surface of the flange plate is exposed prior to mounting the base shoe extrusion. The installation contractor can have this component painted or coated to protect against corrosion. Given the much greater strength of this type of mounting method, the base shoe requires fewer drilled holes. 
     The flat surface of the flange also aids the concrete contractor in floating the fresh concrete pour so that it maintains an even height from stanchion to stanchion. The stanchion embed typically has a removable film on the exposed face of the flange to keep concrete and other debris from fouling the threads on the device. A further advantage of the embedded stanchions is that, unlike concrete anchors, an embedded, or cast, element does not exert any stress or pressure to a concrete system. Moreover, field drilling of concrete creates hazardous cement dust and requires the technician to wear protective respirator equipment. The stanchion embed system eliminates all field drilling of concrete. A vent hole is formed in the flange plate to allow air to escape when inserting the stanchion into a core pocket that is already filled with grout. The stanchion tube portion is machined with a notch to act as a grout lock. 
     After the concrete is cured, workers apply the base shoe, securing it to the stanchions. This makes drilling and securing the base shoe simpler, easier and more accurate. Once the base shoe is installed, the railing system is built up in the normal manner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a railing incorporating the new design. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a balcony with a set of stanchions embedded in a concrete curb. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of a balcony with a set of stanchions embedded in a concrete curb. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a corner section of the balcony showing placement of a corner stanchion for a system that is not installed in a concrete curb. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a corner stanchion. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-section of a railing showing the placement of the major components. 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged detail view of the portion of  FIG. 6  labeled “7”. 
         FIG. 7   a  is a modified version of  FIG. 7  showing the system installed without a concrete curb. 
         FIG. 8  is a partially exploded perspective view of the section shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged detail view of the infill installation system. 
         FIG. 10  is an elevation view of a portion of a railing system using the instant invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a detail of a top rail splice. 
         FIG. 12  is a detail of a corner section of a railing using the instant invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a detail of a base shoe joint showing splice pins installed. 
         FIG. 14  is a side detail view of a stanchion. 
         FIG. 15  is a side detail view of one type of block out piece used in forming for pouring concrete. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the block out piece of  FIG. 15  used in forming for pouring concrete. 
         FIG. 17  is a side detail view of a section of base shoe. 
         FIG. 18  is an end view of a section of top rail. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a railing incorporating the new design is shown. Here, a balcony  100  with building walls  101  is shown. The balcony is typically reinforced concrete. At the outer perimeter of the balcony is a railing  1 . The railing has a base shoe  2 , a number of infill panels  3  and a top rail  4 . The infill panels  3  are typically glass, but can be any material ordinarily used for the purpose. The major difference between this railing system and others commonly used is that the base shoe  2  is not mounted directly into the concrete slab or curb. Rather, the base shoe  2  is secured to a number of stanchions that are embedded into the concrete. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a balcony with a set of stanchions embedded in a concrete curb. Here, the balcony  100  is shown without the base shoe and railing in place. In this view, the stanchions  10  are clearly shown. 
       FIG. 3  shows the stanchions  10  embedded in a concrete curb in a plan view. Note that there are two types of stanchions used. The first type  10  is used in straight sections. As shown, the straight section stanchions  10  have a straight flange plate. The second type  10   b  are used at corners. These stanchions have a flange plate that is “L” shaped to form a right angle. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a corner section of the balcony showing placement of a corner stanchion  10   b  and straight section stanchions  10 . 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of a corner stanchion  10   b . Note that each stanchion has a pair of holes  11  drilled as shown. These holes are used to secure the base shoe to the stanchions, as discussed below. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-section of a railing showing the placement of the major components. At the top of the assembly is a top rail  4 . Note that the top rail  4  has a channel  5  to receive the infill panel  3 . The infill panel  3  is set in a base shoe using any common method. This figure show a system using a pressure plate system, discussed below. The base shoe  2  is secured to the stanchions  10 , which are embedded in a concrete curb  100   a , which is set on the balcony  100  as shown in  FIG. 7 , or, the curb can be omitted and the stanchions are then set in the slab itself, as shown in  FIG. 7   a .  FIG. 7  is an enlarged detail view of the portion of  FIG. 6  labeled “7”.  FIG. 7   a  is a modified version of  FIG. 7  showing the system installed without a concrete curb. 
       FIG. 8  is a partially exploded perspective view of the section shown in  FIG. 6 . Here, the key components of the preferred installation system are shown. Again, at the top is the top rail  4 . In the channel  5  a rigid PVC insert  12  is placed to insulate the infill panel (glass or similar material). The infill panel is placed into a rigid PVC protective insert  13 , which protects the glass when it is inserted into the base shoe  2 . A stainless steel plate  14  is positioned opposite to the PVC pad. The stainless steel plate is coated with a neoprene pad  14   a  on the surface facing the infill panel (see  FIG. 9 ). A setscrew  15  is used to secure the assembly in place, as discussed below; this screw is covered by a cap  15   a . As discussed above, this is the preferred embodiment, however, many methods that can be used to hold the infill panels in place. In this figure, the steel stanchion  10  is shown installed in the concrete slab  100 . The base shoe  2  is secured to the stanchion using two stainless steel socket drive cap head screws  16 . 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged detail view of the preferred infill installation system. Here, the infill panel  3  is shown above the base shoe  2 . At the rear of the panel is the stainless steel plate  14  showing the ⅛-inch thick neoprene pad  14   a . In the front of the infill panel is the rigid PVC compression pad  13 . The setscrew  15  is secured to the base shoe through holes  17  placed at regular intervals in the base shoe. A cap  15   a  is used to cover the top of the screw for aesthetic reasons. 
       FIG. 10  is an elevation view of a portion of a railing system using the instant invention. Here all of the key components are shown. The stanchions  10  are shown spaced apart in the slab  100 . The base shoe  2  is shown secured to the stanchions. The infill panels  3  are installed in the base shoe and the top rail  4  is attached to the infill panels. Note that this view shows the spacing of the rigid PVC compression pads  13  (only two are shown, but the pad systems are distributed along the base show at regular intervals). Note that the setscrews, the stainless steel plates  14  and the ⅛-inch thick neoprene pad  14   a  are placed at these positions as well, as shown in  FIG. 9 . This system provides stability without complex field installation techniques being required. 
       FIG. 11  is a detail of a top rail splice. In long runs, the top rail sections are joined by splices  20  as needed. 
       FIG. 12  is a detail of a corner section of a railing using the instant invention. At corners, the top rail sections are cut at miters  21 . These are the only field cuts that need to be made and are relatively straightforward and generally kept to a minimum. These miters are formed using standard techniques. Note that the corners use the corner stanchions as discussed above. Note this figure also shows two end caps  4   c  attached to the ends of the top cap  4 . 
       FIG. 13  is a detail of a base shoe joint showing splice pins installed. As shown in  FIG. 17 , the sections of base shoe  2  have rounded openings  22  in them that receive splicing pins  23 . The splicing pins are used to connect lengths of base shoe as needed for long runs. Of course, any style and size of base shoe can be used with this system. This is only one example. 
       FIG. 14  is a side detail view of a stanchion  10 . In the preferred embodiment, the stanchion base  10   c  is made of 2 in×2 in×¼-inch wall type  304  stainless steel tubing 6 inches long. The top plate  10   d  is preferably made of ½×2 inch type  304  stainless steel plate, also 6 inches long. At the base of the plate on both sides of the stanchion are two threaded cylinders  10   e  with ½-inch threads that are formed on the base of the stanchion plate. Two clearance holes  11  are drilled through the plate to accommodate the fasteners as discussed above. A vent hole  10   f  is provided in the top flange plate to allow air to escape when inserting the stanchion into a core pocket that is already filled with grout. A grout lock  10   g  can be formed near the bottom of the stanchion base  10   c  as shown. This is essentially a V-groove cut into the base. 
     The stanchions can be cast directly into the concrete slab or curb during the construction or renovation of the structure. In these installations, only the top surface of the top plate  10   d  is exposed prior to mounting the base shoe extrusion. The top plate  10   d  also provides an easy place to mount a temporary support member when placing the stanchion into the concrete formwork. The flat surface of the flange also aids the concrete contractor in floating the fresh concrete pour so that it maintains an even height from stanchion to stanchion. The stanchion embed typically has a removable film on the exposed face of the flange to keep concrete and other debris from fouling the threads on the device. 
     Although it is possible to cast the stanchions directly into the concrete, it is also possible to create holes in the pour into which the stanchions are set after the concrete cures. This is done using grout in an ordinary manner. One method to create the stanchion pockets uses block out pieces.  FIG. 15  is a side detail view of one type of block out piece used in forming for pouring concrete. In the figure, the deck base  115  is shown as well as a dashed line  116  that indicates the position of the top of the poured concrete. A form board  117  is the standard forming used to pour the slab. Foam block out pieces  118  and plywood  119  are used to create the needed space in the slab for the stanchions. Note that the plywood pieces  119  are secured to the form board by nails  120 .  FIG. 16  is a perspective view of block out piece used in forming for pouring concrete. Here, the lower foam block  118  is shown. In the preferred embodiment, this foam block is 4 inches in diameter (or 4 inches square) and 4 inches long. The top board  119  is a length of ¾-inch plywood. A groove  119   a  is cut to line up the block out pieces at the proper locations along the main form. The block  118  is secured to the plywood with construction adhesive and with adhesive tape  121 . 
       FIG. 17  is a side detail view of a section of base shoe  2 . In the preferred embodiment, the base shoe is 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, although any other size of base shoe can be used. It has a through hole  2   a  through which the mounting hardware is run. In this view, the rounded openings  22  for splicing are also shown. 
       FIG. 18  is an end view of a section of top rail  4 . In the preferred embodiment, this rail is 2½-inches high. It has a ¾-inch notch  5  to receive the infill panel. Two anchor clips  4   b  are also shown. These clips receive fasteners for an end caps  4   c  (see  FIG. 12 ). Again, any size or style of top rail can be used with this system. The type shown is not intended to be limiting. 
     The present disclosure should not be construed in any limited sense other than that limited by the scope of the claims having regard to the teachings herein and the prior art being apparent with the preferred form of the invention disclosed herein and which reveals details of structure of a preferred form necessary for a better understanding of the invention and may be subject to change by skilled persons within the scope of the invention without departing from the concept thereof.