Precast reinforced concrete post and rail assembly

Claim 1

A precast reinforced concrete post and railing assembly for installation on concrete balconies, walkways, and stairways comprising at least one return post and at least one intermediate post, each of said posts being of uniform rectilinear cross section and having embedded therein coaxial with the longitudinal axis thereof a steel reinforcing rod which extends below the bottom of each post to form a dowel to anchor said post to the flat surface of said balcony, walkway, or stairway, said return post having at least one longitudinal groove to slidingly receive the said railing assembly centrally located along one face of said post, said groove extending through the top surface of said post and along said face to a predetermined distance from the bottom of said post to form a shoulder to support the bottom edge of the said railing assembly when slidingly inserted therein, said groove being of a width slightly in excess of the thickness of said assembly and of a depth sufficient to prevent the assembly from being moved laterally out of said groove, each of said intermediate posts having one of said longitudinal grooves on each of two opposed faces, said posts being anchored on said flat surfaces with the grooves in each adjacent post facing each other; said railing assembly comprising a panel means slidingly interposed in said grooves, each of said panel means having a rectilinear shape comprising an upper, a central and a lower portion, the upper and lower portions each having a reinforcing rod centrally embedded therein along the longitudinal axis of each portion, the central portion selectively being patterned on at least one surface or having an opening therein, said panel means being of a length greater than the distance between the opposing faces of two posts but less than the distance between the bottom of the groove in each opposing post and being of a width greater than the length of said longitudinal grooves so that when said panel means are slidingly positioned between any two adjacent posts said upper portion of the panel means projects above the top of said posts, said panels having a thickness in at least said upper and lower portions which is slightly less then the width of said groove but provides the minimum required thickness of concrete on each side of said reinforcing rods therein.