1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to removable safety rail systems installed around rooftops to prevent workers from falling to the ground below. More particularly, the invention relates to a modular stanchion holder for such a removable guard rail system that can be mounted on either a parapet or an overhanging ledge rooftop periphery, as necessary.
2. Description of the Related Art
Construction sites are generally known to be very dangerous places. For this reason there are numerous federal and state laws that address the various health and safety issues associated with construction work and work conducted at construction sites, including rooftops and elevated areas. For instance, in the United States, Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) standards require contractors to install protective railings about a rooftop worksite according to specific guidelines. Moreover, state regulations and insurance companies mandate similar requirements. Because of this, several guardrail systems have been developed to comply with the many safety codes in existence. Among these is a safety rail system invented by the present applicant and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,281.
As a part of providing such a safety rail system, it is necessary to temporarily install vertical stanchions or support posts at spaced intervals around the perimeter of the work area to support the horizontal rails of the safety rail system. A variety of stanchion holders are known from safety rail systems of the prior art. For example, in the safety rail system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,900, each stanchion is provided with a horizontal foot that serves as a fixed jaw portion cooperating with a positionable and adjustable jaw portion to form a clamp that adjusts to clamp along a vertical clamping direction, whereby the stanchion can be clamped to an overhanging ledge. U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,833 teaches a safety rail system wherein each stanchion comprises a pair of telescopically adjustable tube segments, and each segment includes a jaw portion fixed thereto for clamping in a vertical direction to an overhanging ledge. A device for mounting a stanchion to a horizontal I-beam is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,037,824 and 5,029,670, and includes a vertical stanchion-receiving sleeve fixed to a horizontal member having a fixed jaw portion and a movable jaw portion cooperating with the fixed jaw portion to clamp in a horizontal direction to a top leg of the I-beam. A safety rail system marketed by Protective Roofing Products Ltd. of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada, under the designation PR-100 provides a stanchion that is connectable at right angles to a mounting bracket that clamps in a horizontal direction, whereby the stanchion can be mounted to a parapet. Finally, it is known use cement anchors or other fasteners to secure a stanchion holder to a structure.
The clamping style systems of the prior art lack versatility in that they are designed to mount only to an overhanging ledge or only to a parapet. Systems requiring anchors are time-consuming and often require special tools to install.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stanchion holder that can be mounted on either a parapet or an overhanging ledge of a rooftop in a fast and simple manner to enable efficient installation of a safety rail system about the rooftop perimeter.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a versatile stanchion holder that can be constructed from readily available component parts.
In view of these and other objects, a stanchion holder formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention generally comprises a clamp having a first stanchion sleeve fixed thereto, and a right-angle stanchion sleeve adapter having a second stanchion sleeve and a male portion sized for removable receipt within the first stanchion sleeve. The first stanchion sleeve extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to a clamping direction of the clamp, such that a stanchion can be inserted vertically into the first stanchion sleeve when a horizontal clamping direction is required, as with clamping to a parapet, and the adapter is omitted. When the male portion of the stanchion sleeve adapter is received by the first stanchion sleeve, the second stanchion sleeve provided on the adapter extends in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of clamping, whereby a stanchion can be inserted vertically into the second stanchion sleeve and the clamp can be secured to an overhanging ledge by applying clamping force in a vertical direction.
The clamp itself has a C-shaped frame including a spine portion, a first leg portion fixed with respect to the spine portion, and a second leg portion opposite the first leg portion and adjustable along the spine to change its distance from the first leg portion. The first sleeve portion is fixed to and extends along the first leg portion of the clamp frame.
The male portion of the adapter and the stanchion are preferably held in place within a corresponding sleeve passage by transverse pins, however other means of releasably retaining these members are contemplated.