Temporary safety rail supports

Abstract

A temporary safety rail support. The support includes an elongate support member having a shoe plate welded to its lower end. A pair of open-ended boxes is mounted on the support member. The boxes are adapted to receive the ends of temporary guard-rails. Embodiments of the invention permit the boxes to be pivoted relative to the vertical axis or angularly positioned relative to the horizontal axis.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to safety devices. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a temporary guardrail safety support adapted for use during periods of construction.

2. Description of the Related Art

During the construction of commercial and/or residential buildings, it is common practice to install temporary safety railing until permanent railing is constructed. The temporary railing is installed on stairways, elevated floors, decks, etc. to protect the workers from accidental falls. In the past, 2×4 lumber has been nailed to vertical wooden standards (also 2×4) to create a safety railing system. This system did not provide the necessary strength and often became dislodged when a worker fell against it. The related art, samples of which are identified and cited in the accompanying IDS, disclose devices employed to alleviate the shortcomings of the aforementioned system. However, none of the identified and cited inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe a safety rail support as will subsequently be described and claimed in the instant application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is drawn to a temporary safety rail support. The support includes an elongate support member having a shoe plate welded to its lower end. A pair of open-ended boxes is mounted on the support member. The boxes are adapted to receive the ends of temporary guard-rails. Embodiments of the invention permit the boxes to be pivoted relative to the vertical axis or angularly positioned relative to the horizontal axis. As presently contemplated, all parts will be fabricated from rugged steel stock.

Accordingly, the invention presents a temporary rail support assembly that is rugged, efficiently designed and easy to use. The invention provides for improved elements thereof in an arrangement for the purposes described that are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes.

A clear understanding of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a first embodiment of a temporary safety rail support according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a first embodiment of a temporary safety rail support according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an environmental, perspective view of a second embodiment of a temporary safety rail support according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a second embodiment of a temporary safety rail support according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an environmental, perspective, exploded view of a third embodiment of a temporary safety support according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Attention is first directed to FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein a first embodiment of a safety rail support is illustrated. The embodiment includes a vertical tube 12 having an upper end 12a and a lower end 12b. Tube 12 has a length of approximately forty-two inches. A shoe plate 14 is welded to the lower end 12b of tube 12. A support member 16 is welded at a distal end 16a to shoe plate 14. The proximate end 16b is welded to tube 12. Support member 16 is oriented at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the vertical tube and shoe plate. Shoe plate 14 is provided with openings 14a therein so that the plate may be secured with nails, or the like, to a substrate. A pair of identically configured, open-ended, tubular boxes 18 is attached to each tube 12. The rear face of each box is solidly welded to the tube. Each box is approximately two inches wide, four inches high and five inches long. The boxes are adapted to receive and support therein the ends of two-by-four rails R. Boxes 18 are oriented so that their open ends extend horizontally. The lower box is positioned approximately twenty-four inches above shoe plate 14. The upper box is approximately forty-two inches above the shoe plate. Openings 18a are disposed in the boxes for securing rails R with screws or nails.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a second embodiment of a safety rail support. The rail support of the second embodiment is identical to that of the first embodiment except that the boxes 18 are pivotally attached to tube 12. Pins 20 are mounted in tube 12 for rotational movement therein. A respective box 18 is attached to one end of a respective pin 20. The pivoting movement of boxes 18 allows the safety rail supports to be used on an incline as in a staircase.

A third embodiment of the invention incorporates hinges 30 fixed to the ends of mating boxes 18. Hinges 30 are fixed on the front face and rear face of each box 18. This arrangement permits the safety railings to extend angularly. Note that selected placement of pivot pin 32 will allow angular movement in either the forward direction or the rearward direction.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A temporary safety rail support, comprising:

an elongate tubular member, said elongate tubular member having an upper end and a lower end;

a shoe plate, said shoe plate secured to said lower end of said elongate tubular member;

a support member, said support member having a proximate end and a distal end, wherein said proximate end is attached to said elongate tubular member and said distal end is attached to said shoe plate; and

a first and a second rail support box attached to said elongate tubular member.

2. The temporary safety rail support according to claim 1, wherein each rail support box has a rear face and a front face and wherein said rear face is welded to said elongate tubular member.

3. The temporary safety rail support according to claim 1, including plural openings disposed through said shoe plate.

4. The temporary safety rail support according to claim 1, wherein said support member is oriented at an angle of forty-five degrees with said elongate tubular member and said shoe plate.

5. The temporary safety rail support according to claim 1, wherein each rail support box is pivotally attached to said elongate tubular member.

6. A temporary safety rail support, comprising:

an elongate tubular member, said elongate tubular member having an upper end and a lower end;

a shoe plate, said shoe plate secured to said lower end of said elongate tubular member;

a plurality of openings disposed through said shoe plate;

a support member, said support member having a proximate end and a distal end, wherein said proximate end is attached to said elongate tubular member and said distal end is attached to said shoe plate, said support member being oriented at an angle of forty-five degrees with said elongate tubular member and said shoe plate; and

a first and a second rail support box attached to said elongate tubular member.

7. The temporary safety rail support according to claim 6, wherein each rail support box has a rear face and a front face and wherein said rear face is welded to said elongate tubular member.

8. The temporary safety rail support according to claim 6, wherein each rail support box has a rear face and a front face, wherein said rear face is pivotally attached to said elongate tubular member.

9. The temporary safety rail support according to claim 6, wherein each rail support box has a rear face and a front face and wherein said rear face is welded to said elongate tubular member and including plural openings in each front face.

10. The temporary safety rail support according to claim 6, wherein each rail support box has a rear face and a front face and wherein said rear face is pivotally attached to said elongate tubular member and including plural openings in each front face.

11. A temporary safety rail support, comprising:

an elongate tubular member, said elongate tubular member having an upper end and a lower end;

a shoe plate, said shoe plate secured to said lower end of said elongate tubular member;

a plurality of openings disposed through said shoe plate;

a support member, said support member having a proximate end and a distal end, wherein said proximate end is attached to said elongate tubular member and said distal end is attached to said shoe plate, said support member being oriented at an angle of forty-five degrees with said elongate tubular member and said shoe plate;

a first and a second rail support box each rail support box having a front face and a rear face, wherein said rear face is attached to said elongate tubular member; and

hinge members disposed on said front face and rear face of each rail support box.

12. The temporary rail support according to claim 11, including plural openings disposed in each front face of each rail support box.