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.

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.