Railing post blockout device for concrete slabs

Abstract

A railing post blockout device for use when pouring a concrete slab includes a base member that fastens to the concrete slab forming system, an elongate dowel threadably fastened to the base member, a washer received over the dowel, a polystyrene foam blockout received on the dowel and a nut for securing the polystyrene foam blockout on the dowel at an adjusted height, fixed position. The polystyrene foam blockout acts as a placeholder to create a void where a future railing post will be installed in the concrete slab.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railing post blockout device for creating a void in a formed concrete slab, the device comprising:
 an elongated dowel having a lower end portion, an upper end portion and a central portion extending between the lower end portion and the upper end portion;   a base member structured and disposed for fixed attachment to an underlying deck of a concrete slab forming system and the base member including a centrally positioned support structure for receiving the lower end portion of the dowel and for supporting the dowel in a vertical fixed position;   a washer with a central opening sized to allow passage of the dowel therethrough, and the washer sized and configured to rest horizontally on a top of the support structure of the base member;   a blockout member formed of a solid foam material and including a top end, a bottom end and a central axial bore extending between the top end and the bottom end, and the axial bore being sized and configured for allowing passage of the dowel therethrough so that the blockout is held on the dowel with the bottom end seated on the washer; and   a nut removably attachable to the upper end portion of the dowel to secure the blockout member in fixed position on the dowel and the base member.   
     
     
         2 . The device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the lower end portion and the upper end portion include an exterior male threaded surface, and the centrally positioned support structure of the base member includes an inner female threaded surface for threaded engagement with the exterior male threaded surface on the lower end portion of the dowel to thereby support the dowel in the vertical fixed position on the base member. 
     
     
         3 . The device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the base member includes a plurality of feet members positioned outboard of the centrally positioned support structure, and the plurality of feet members being structured and disposed for supported engagement with the underlying deck of the concrete slab forming system. 
     
     
         4 . The device as recited in  claim 3  wherein the plurality of feet members each include a vertical channel formed therethrough to allow for passage of a hardware fastener through the channel in order to fixedly secure the base member to the underlying deck. 
     
     
         5 . The device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the blockout member is formed of polystyrene foam. 
     
     
         6 . The device as recited in  claim 5  wherein the blockout member includes an enlarged opening at the top end, and the enlarged opening being concentric with the central axial bore, and the enlarged opening being sized and configured for receipt of the nut therein when the nut is secured to the upper end portion of the dowel. 
     
     
         7 . The device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the base member includes a central aperture aligned with a central vertical axis of the support structure for allowing precise fixed positioning of the base member on the underlying deck.