Safety Railing Support System

Abstract

A support system for attaching safety railings, especially useful on construction sites. A clamp allows attachment to beams or posts of differing sizes, squeezing the beam or post using mechanical fasteners and, optionally, shims or spacers. A support arm is mounted on the clamp, and upright posts for safety wires or railings are removably mounted to the support arm.

1 . A safety railing support system comprising:
 a) a clamp comprising:
 i) a clamp base having a plurality of holes; 
 ii) a plurality of fastening plates, each plate having a plurality of holes aligned with holes in the clamp base; 
 iii) a plurality of bolts, each passing through a hole in the clamp base and a hole in a fastening plate, such that tightening the bolts draws the clamp base and the fastening plates together, holding the clamp to a support located between the clamp base and the fastening plates; 
   b) a support arm fastened to the clamp base at one end; and   c) an upright post slideably mounted upon an upper surface of the support arm and held in place by a fastener passing through a plurality of flanges extending downward along sides of the support arm.   
     
     
         2 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the clamp further comprises a plurality of spacers between the clamp base and the fastening plates. 
     
     
         3 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the holes in the clamp base are elongated slots. 
     
     
         4 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the holes in the fastening plates are threaded. 
     
     
         5 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the fastener holding the upright post on the support arm passes through holes in the support arm. 
     
     
         6 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the fastener holding the upright post on the support arm passes underneath the support arm, and tightening the fastener draws the flanges together, squeezing the flanges to the support arm. 
     
     
         7 . The support system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of holes in the upright post, spaced apart along a length of the post, for passage of safety wires. 
     
     
         8 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the upright post is formed with a longitudinal slot along a length of the post, and the support system further comprises a wire grip plate held to the post by a fastener passing through the longitudinal slot and having a head inside the post, such that tightening the fastener draws the wire grip plate against the post, gripping a safety wire between the wire grip plate and the post. 
     
     
         9 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the support arm is formed with a longitudinal slot along a length of the support arm, and the support system further comprises a ring slideably mounted to the support arm by a fastener passing through the longitudinal slot and having a head inside the arm. 
     
     
         10 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the support arm is formed from a rectangular extrusion having a width, a depth and a length, comprising:
 a) a hollow box section; and   b) a T-shaped slot section adjoining the box section, having a side-to-side portion extending across the width of the extrusion and a longitudinal slot portion extending along the length of the extrusion, passing from the side-to-side portion to an outside of the extrusion.   
     
     
         11 . The support system of  claim 10 , further comprising a wire grip plate held to the post by a fastener passing through the longitudinal slot and having a head inside the side-to-side portion, such that tightening the fastener draws the wire grip plate against the post, gripping a safety wire between the wire grip plate and the post. 
     
     
         12 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the upright post is formed from a rectangular extrusion having a width, a depth and a length, comprising:
 a) a hollow box section; and   b) a T-shaped slot section adjoining the box section, having a side-to-side portion extending across the width of the extrusion and a longitudinal slot portion extending along the length of the extrusion, passing from the side-to-side portion to an outside of the extrusion.   
     
     
         13 . The support system of  claim 12 , further comprising a ring slideably mounted to the support arm by a fastener passing through the longitudinal slot and having a head inside the side-to-side portion. 
     
     
         14 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the support arm is welded to the clamp base.