Adjustable Wall Mounted Walkway with Optional Handrail Attachment

Abstract

A safety parapet system for securement to the wall surfaces of building structures and which can be disposed on uneven ground that may surround the building structures includes at least two stanchions located adjacent the wall structure with each stanchion capable of receiving a drop-in safety rail post that is telescopically adjustable along the length of the stanchion for locking into place with the safety rail posts being independently adjustable on the stanchions so that a walkway can be supported in a horizontal disposition on laterally extending members of each safety rail post whether the safety parapet system is disposed on level or uneven ground. An optional handrail can be mounted to the safety rail posts for use if the worker is located six feet or more above the ground surface.

Description

The present invention pertains to worker safety and fall protection systems, and more particularly pertains to a wall-mounted walkway that is adjustable for set-up on uneven ground surrounding residential and commercial construction sites.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is widely known that in the building and construction industry in the United States, falls are the leading cause of worker fatalities. On average each year between 150 and 200 workers are killed, and a staggering number of more than 100,000 workers are injured as a result of falls occurring at such building and construction sites. OSHA, the federal government agency that oversees labor and industry standards, has come to recognize that accidents are generally complex events that commonly involve a variety of factors. As a consequence, the standard for fall protection deals with both the human and equipment-related components in designing and implementing standards for protecting workers from fall hazards.

For example, in order to insure the protection of workers it is recommended that both employers and employees implement the following steps or procedures: 1.) where protection is required, select fall protection systems appropriate for that situation; 2.) use proper construction and installation of safety systems; 3.) supervise employees properly; 4.) use safe work procedures; and 5.) train workers in the proper selection, use, and maintenance of fall protection systems.

More importantly, OSHA has developed specific rules, procedures and systems designed to prevent workers from falling off, onto or through working levels, and to protect workers from being struck by falling objects. These performance-oriented requirements facilitate the ability of employers to provide the mandated protection. The systems and procedures cover most construction workers except those inspecting, investigating, or assessing workplace conditions prior to the actual start of work or after all work has been completed. Areas or activities where fall protection is needed include ramps, runways and other walkways, excavations, hoist areas, holes, formwork and reinforcing steel, leading edge work, unprotected sides and edges, overhand bricklaying and related work, roofing work, precast concrete erection, wall openings, residential construction and other walking/working surfaces. In addition, in order to provide uniform consistent protection, fall protection equipment is required when the worker is disposed at the threshold height of six feet or 1.8 meters. This means that building and construction employers must protect their employees from fall hazards and falling objects whenever the affected employee is located six feet (1.8 meters) or more above a lower level. Protection also must be provided for construction workers that are exposed to the hazard of falling into dangerous equipment.

Under the above rules, systems and procedures employers are able to select fall protection measures and equipment that are compatible with the type of work being performed and the particular work site. Thus, fall protection systems and equipment can be provided through the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, positioning device systems, and warning line systems. While the aforementioned systems cover many situations, one critical problem is the current non-availability of any type of parapet-type safety and fall protection system that can be easily set up and attached to the wall surfaces of home or building structures that may be surrounded by uneven or un-level ground, especially uneven ground surrounding the eaves of the structure. It is often the case that a walkway is constructed on the site by carpenters using 2×4's and 2×6's that in many cases is the building material that should be used in the home construction, but is instead diverted to construct a hand-built, makeshift walkway prone to failure and accidents. Thus, the prior art discloses a variety of guardrail and safety systems.

For example, the Bourn et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,257) discloses a guardrail stanchion that includes a clamping member for clamping onto the floor, an upright member for supporting handrails, and a horizontal support member for interconnecting the upright member to the clamping member. The Bourn device is for exclusive use at the open edge of a floor section of a building structure.

The Warren patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,898) discloses a temporary guardrail post that attaches to a concrete slab and which includes at least two posts with each post having an upper bracket for supporting a handrail, a bottom bracket for resting on the slab, and a movable jaw for clamping against the under surface of the slab. The Warren patent is exclusively designed for attachment to the floor perimeter of a multi-storied structure.

The Kettelkamp, Sr. et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,131) discloses an adjustable guardrail for use on flat or pitched roofs that includes an upright post member to which a plurality of guardrail receiving members are mounted. A strut extends laterally from the bottom of the post member, and the strut supports a clamping member for clamping onto the rafter.

The Myers patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,586) discloses a safety guard apparatus for use on a pitched roof, and which includes support members interconnected to each other and disposed at various angles with at least one support member vertically extending for supporting a handrail.

The Flynn patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,549) discloses a walkway system for attachment to a building wall, and includes at least two support bars that support a horizontal brace for a walkway and a plurality of brackets that hook over the wall for attaching the walking system to the wall. The Flynn walkway cannot be directly mounted to the wall of the structure by must be hooked onto the upper edge of the building wall.

The Palmer patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,150) discloses a guardrail scaffold assembly for attachment to an aboveground structure and includes at least two post members for supporting the scaffold with each post member having a base member for releasable connection to the aboveground structure. The Palmer device is unable to attach to the wall of the structure due to the configuration of the base member.

Despite the ingenuity of the above systems and devices there remains a need for a safe, reliable adjustable walkway that can be directly mounted to the wall surface of a structure and can also accommodate the uneven ground adjacent the structure so that the walkway is disposed in a level and safe manner for use by the workers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprehends a safety parapet system, and more particularly comprehends a wall-mounted walkway having an optional handrail attachment, and which is adjustable for accommodation and setup on uneven ground surrounding the eaves of a residential or commercial building structure.

The safety parapet system includes at least two walkway stanchions for securement against the wall of the building structure. Each stanchion includes a foot for disposition upon the ground surface, and a plurality of through holes spaced along the vertical length of the walkway stanchion. Slidably insertable on each stanchion is a triangular-shaped safety rail post. Each safety rail post is independently telescopically adjustable on each stanchion to compensate for the uneven ground and for locating each safety rail post at the same vertical position so that a level support surface can be provided for the workman. Once the appropriate position for each safety rail post is found, a locking pin is inserted through the safety rail post and the stanchion thereby locking the safety rail post in place on the stanchion. Each safety rail post includes at least one horizontally extending brace or support that is placed flush against the wall surface so that fasteners can be inserted through the brace and into the structures metal or wood studs thus fixing the stanchion in position against the wall of the building structure. Each safety rail post includes laterally extending members that support a walkway whereon the workman can stand. A receiving collar or end socket interconnects the laterally extending members, and a handrail upright can be placed in each end socket for supporting a handrail as an optional and additional safety feature should the worker be six feet or more above the ground.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a wall-mounted safety parapet system that is adjustable so that the safety parapet system can be disposed on uneven ground surrounding the walls of commercial or residential building structures.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a wall-mounted safety parapet system that includes an optional handrail attachment for use if the position or height of the worker exceeds six feet above the ground surface.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a wall-mounted safety parapet system that gives the worker a cost effective and simple way to prevent falls.

It is still yet another objective of the present invention to provide a wall-mounted safety parapet system that can be easily set up and broken down by one worker in several minutes.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a wall-mounted safety parapet system that is lightweight and portable for set-up and use at different construction sites.

Yet still another objective of the present invention is to provide a wall-mounted safety parapet system that can support up to 550 pounds and meets all current OSHA safety regulations.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wall-mounted safety parapet system of the present invention illustrating the disposition of the safety parapet system against the wall surface of a building structure with the handrail attachment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wall-mounted safety parapet system of the present invention illustrating, in partially exploded view, the assembly of the safety parapet system by the slidable disposition of the safety rail post on one stanchion and the alignment of the walkway with the safety rail posts prior to the placement of the walkway thereon;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the wall-mounted safety parapet system of the present invention illustrating the disposition of the safety parapet system on level ground adjacent the wall of the building structure;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the wall-mounted safety parapet system of the present invention illustrating the disposition of the safety parapet system against the wall surface of the building structure with the handrail attachment mounted thereto; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the wall-mounted safety parapet system of the present invention illustrating the disposition of the safety parapet system on uneven ground surrounding the building structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 is a safety parapet system 10 for use by workers at various residential and commercial building and construction sites. The safety parapet system 10 can be used on both even and uneven terrain surrounding and adjacent to the building structure 12, and includes features that accommodate and compensate for any uneven ground so that the worker is always supported in a stable horizontal manner on the safety parapet system 10. The safety parapet system 10 of the present invention is a lightweight, portable system that can support approximately 550 pounds and can be set-up, broken down and moved about that construction site, or transported to a different construction site, by one individual. More specifically, the safety parapet system 10 is placed against the wall surface 14 of the building structure 12 and is secured to the wooden or metal studs 16 of the structure 12 as shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the safety parapet system 10 of the present invention includes a pair of elongated supports or stanchions 18 that are placed adjacent to the wall surface 14 of the building structure 12. The stanchion 18 is preferably manufactured from square metal tubing and includes a plurality of through holes 20 spaced along its length. Each stanchion 18 includes a foot 22 to assure that the stanchion 18 is stably placed on the ground surface such as the level ground 24 of FIGS. 1-4. While two stanchions 18 are shown in FIG. 1, it possible that a number of stanchions 18 can be placed along the length of the wall 14 of the building structure 12 to accommodate more than one worker and to cover a particularly long wall of a building structure. The stanchion 18 can vary in length, but should be of sufficient length to permit telescopic adjustment of at least between four and 20 feet as will be hereinafter further described.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the safety parapet system 10 also includes at least two triangular-shaped safety rail posts 26 with each safety rail post 26 capable of slidable, telescopic movement for positioning and repositioning on each respective stanchion 18 in order to determine and set the proper height desired by the worker. Each safety rail post 26 is independently telescopically adjustable on each stanchion 18 and can generally slide up and down along the entire vertical length of the stanchion 18. Each safety rail post 26 includes a generally tubular-shaped vertical member 28 having a channel 30 extending through the vertical member 28 so that the stanchion 18 can extend through the channel 30, as shown in FIGS. 1-5, when the safety parapet system 10 is disposed for use against the wall surface 14 of the building structure 12. Each safety rail post 26 also includes an angled member 32 and a horizontal member 34, both of which laterally extend from the vertical member 28 and away from the wall surface 14 when the safety parapet system 10 is set up for use. The lateral extension of the horizontal member 34 is at least 26 inches from the vertical member 28. The distal ends of the angled member 32 and the horizontal member 34 are interconnected by a square-shaped receiving collar or end socket 36. The vertical member 28 includes at least one pair of aligned apertures 38 at the lower end of the vertical member 28. These apertures 38 are aligned with the through holes 20 of the stanchion 18 so that a locking pin 40 can be inserted through the vertical member 28 and the stanchion 18 thereby locking the safety rail post 26 at the desired height. As shown in FIG. 1, both safety rail posts 26 would be locked in position at the same level to insure that the worker is supported in a stable, horizontal manner on the safety parapet system 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, each safety rail post 26 includes at least two wall supporting crosspieces, and more specifically, mounted to the vertical member 28 and extending transverse thereto, is an upper crosspiece or brace 42 and a lower crosspiece or brace 44. Both braces 42 and 44 are channel-shaped and at least the upper brace 42 includes fastener or screw holes 46 spaced along the length of the brace 42 for insertion therethrough of a screw 48, preferably a three inch screw, for securing the stanchion 18 to the wooden or metal stud 16 of the wall 14 as shown in FIG. 4. In the preferred embodiment two screws 48 are used to mount the stanchion 18 to the stud 16, but more than two screws 48 could be used if additional securement was desired and the spacing of the studs 16 could accommodate the additional screws 48. It should be noted, as shown in FIG. 4, that the stanchion 18 is not contiguous to the wall surface 14 when attached thereto but is slightly spaced from the wall surface 14 by the channel-shaped braces 42 and 44 that are disposed flush with the wall surface 14.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the vertical member 28 is square-shaped and includes a flat upper walkway supporting surface 50 for supporting thereon a walkway 52 that is preferably either a 12 foot by 8 inch or 12 foot by 12 inch walkway. After each safety rail post 26 has been slid onto the respective stanchion 18, positioned at the desired height and then locked in place by the insertion of the locking pin 40 through the holes 20 and apertures 38, the walkway 52 can be laid upon the upper supporting surface 50 of each vertical member 28 of each safety rail post 26. The walkway 52 is of sturdy, lightweight metal construction so that it can readily support up to 550 pounds, and can be easily lifted, positioned and moved by only one worker.

If the worker is to be working six feet or more above the ground surface 24, OSHA requires an additional safety feature, and the additional safety feature includes a handrail 54. The handrail 54 includes handrail uprights 56, and each upright or post 56 has an upper end and an opposite lower end, with the lower end being insertable or receivable within the end socket 36 of the safety rail post 26. At least two spaced-apart horizontally extending rails 58 are mounted to the uprights 56 for protecting the worker and preventing the worker from falling off the walkway 52.

FIG. 1 illustrates the safety parapet system 10 set up against the wall surface 14 wherein level ground 24 surrounds the building structure 12. The safety rail posts 26 are located at the same height on each stanchion 18 and the uprights 56 for the handrail 54 have been attached to the end sockets 36 of the safety rail posts 26 for mounting of the handrail 54. The walkway 52 is supported on the horizontal members 34 of the safety rail posts 26.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the assembly of the safety parapet system 10 and shows the alignment and drop in feature of the vertical member 28 of the safety rail post 26 on the left of FIG. 2 onto the corresponding stanchion 18. FIG. 3 illustrates the disposition of each safety rail post 26 on each respective stanchion 18 when the surrounding ground 24 is level. The screws 48 that are inserted through the upper braces 42 for fastening into the studs 16 of the building structure 12 are also shown. FIG. 4 illustrates the spacing of the stanchion 18 from the wall surface 14 of the building structure 12 and the lateral extension of the horizontal and angled members 34 and 32 of the safety rail post 26. The handrail 54 has been mounted to the end socket 36 of the safety rail post 26. FIG. 5 illustrates the disposition of each safety rail post 26 on each stanchion 18 when the surrounding ground 60 is not level and thus the foot 22 of one stanchion 18 is placed on the ground 60 at a lower point than the foot 22 of the other stanchion 18. Since each safety rail post 26 is telescopically adjustable on each respective stanchion 18, and the safety rail posts 26 are independently adjustable with regard to each other, by the trial and error of sliding the safety rail posts 26 up and down on the stanchions 18 the worker can position both safety rail posts 26 at the same height and then lock them in place even if one stanchion 18 rests lower on the ground than the other stanchion 18 thereby allowing the safety parapet system 10 to be set up on uneven ground 60 such as shown in FIG. 5.

It should be understood that while a certain preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, numerous modifications, alterations and variations are possible and practicable, the invention is not to be limited except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A safety parapet system for placement against the wall of a building structure and for securement to the studs of the building structure for supporting a worker thereon, the safety parapet system, comprising:

a pair of stanchions for disposition adjacent and parallel to the wall of the building structure with each stanchion having a foot for placement on the ground surface and a plurality of through holes spaced along the length of the stanchion;

a pair of safety rail posts with each safety rail post slidably disposed on each respective stanchion for selective telescopic adjustment thereon so that the height of each safety rail post can be set at the same location on each stanchion;

each safety rail post including laterally extending members that are interconnected at their distal ends;

a locking pin for locking the safety rail post to the stanchion after the desired height of the safety rail post is determined;

a walkway for removable placement upon the laterally extending members of both safety rail posts for supporting the worker thereon;

a handrail capable of removable securement to the distal ends of the laterally extending members of the safety rail posts for use if the worker is located six feet or more above the ground surface; and

each safety rail post capable of selective and independent telescopic adjustment on the respective stanchion so that the safety rail posts can be set at the same height even if the ground surface is uneven and the foot of one stanchion is located lower on the uneven ground surface than the foot of the other stanchion.

2. The safety parapet system of claim 1 wherein each safety rail post includes a vertical member and the vertical member having a channel through which the stanchion extends thereby allowing for the slidable telescopic adjustment of the safety rail post on the stanchion.

3. The safety parapet system of claim 2 wherein the vertical member of each safety rail post includes at least one aperture that can be aligned with the through holes of the stanchion so that the locking pin can be inserted through the vertical member and the stanchion for locking the safety rail post to the stanchion.

4. The safety parapet system of claim 3 wherein the laterally extending members of the safety rail post include a horizontal member and an angled member interconnected at their respective distal ends.

5. The safety parapet system of claim 4 wherein the horizontal member and the angled member are interconnected to each other at their respective distal ends for an end socket.

6. The safety parapet system of claim 5 wherein the horizontal member includes a flat upper walkway supporting surface for placement thereon of the walkway.

7. The safety parapet system of claim 6 wherein each safety rail post includes an upper brace and a lower brace with both braces extending transverse to the stanchion and abutting the wall when the stanchion is secured to the studs of the building structure.

8. The safety parapet system of claim 7 wherein the handrail includes at least two spaced-apart handrail uprights with each upright removably insertable into the end socket of each safety rail post.

9. The safety parapet system of claim 8 wherein the handrail includes at least two rails that extend between and are attached to the handrail uprights for preventing the worker from falling off the walkway.

10. A safety parapet system, comprising:

a pair of stanchions for securement to the wall surface of a building structure with each stanchion having a foot that rests upon the ground surface and a plurality of through holes spaced along the length of the stanchion;

a pair of safety rail posts with each safety rail post capable of slidable telescopic adjustment on the respective stanchions so that the safety rail posts can be set level with each other whether the stanchions are disposed on even or uneven ground;

each safety rail post including laterally extending members that are interconnected at their respective distal ends;

a locking pin for locking the safety rail post to the stanchion after the position of the safety rail post has been determined;

a walkway for removable placement upon the laterally extending members of the safety rail posts for supporting the worker thereon;

a handrail for removable securement to the distal ends of the laterally extending members of the safety rail posts for use if the worker is located six feet or more above the ground surface; and

each safety rail post capable of selective and independent telescopic adjustment on their respective stanchions so that the safety rail posts can be set at the same level despite the stanchions being disposed on an uneven ground surface wherein the foot of one stanchion rests on the ground surface at a position that is lower than the foot of the other stanchion.

11. The safety parapet system of claim 10 wherein each safety rail post includes a vertical member and the vertical member having a channel for receiving therein the stanchion so that the safety rail post is capable of slidable telescopic adjustment thereon.

12. The safety parapet system of claim 11 wherein the vertical member of each safety rail post includes a pair of aligned apertures that can be aligned with the through holes on the stanchion so that the locking pin can be inserted through the vertical member and the stanchion for locking the safety rail post at the desired height on the stanchion.

13. The safety parapet system of claim 12 wherein the laterally extending members of the safety rail post include a horizontal member and an angled member that are interconnected at their distal ends.

14. The safety parapet system of claim 13 wherein the horizontal member includes a flat upper walkway supporting surface for receiving and supporting thereon the walkway.

15. The safety parapet system of claim 14 wherein each safety rail post includes an upper brace and a lower brace with both braces secured to and extending transverse to the vertical member and contiguous with the wall surface when the stanchion is mounted to the building structure.

16. The safety parapet system of claim 15 wherein the handrail includes at least two spaced-apart handrail uprights with each upright removably insertable into the end socket of each respective safety rail post.

17. The safety parapet system of claim 16 wherein the handrail includes at least two spaced-apart rails that extend between and are attached to the handrail uprights for preventing the worker from falling off the walkway.