AU2011100834A4 - Balustrade Anchor - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract An anchor for a balustrade is disclosed. The anchor locates within a wall, and has a spring-loaded pin which locks a balustrade in position. 1p \- 2-43 4 3'liI3,

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION For an Innovation Patent Invention title: "BALUSTRADE ANCHOR" Applicant: WESTURN ENGINEERING PTY LTD Associated provisional applications: The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 "BALUSTRADE ANCHOR" Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the connection of balustrading, such as that 5 formed from stainless steel tubes, to walls or other end points. Background to the Invention It is known to provide balustrading formed by stainless steel tubing extending between stainless steel uprights. Typically, such balustrading will be used 10 along a balcony or ledge, extending between spaced walls or extending from a single wall to another point, such as the start of a stairwell. The connection of each balustrade to the stainless steel balusters may be as simple as passing the balustrade through an aperture in each baluster. The connection of the balustrades to the wall is more complicated. 15 Generally, this connection is made by welding a flange about the end of the balustrade, and by attaching the flange to the wall using fixing screws. This operation is quite time consuming, and is difficult to achieve an aesthetically pleasing result. The present innovation seeks to provide a more efficient way of connecting 20 balustrading to a wall or end post. Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an anchor for a balustrade, the balustrade being substantially cylindrical and hollow, 25 having an internal radius, the anchor comprising a footing, an engaging pin and a resilient biasing means, the footing including a substantially cylindrical well which is closed at one end and open at an opposite end, the pin having a first substantially cylindrical portion and a second substantially cylindrical portion, the first and second portions being axially adjacent, the first portion 30 having an external radius greater than that of the second portion, whereby: the external radius of the first portion is greater than the internal radius of the balustrade; the external radius of the second portion is less than the internal 3 radius of the balustrade; and the internal radius of the well is greater than the external radius of the first portion, and whereby when the pin is located within the well the resilient biasing means urges the pin towards the open end of the well. 5 The resilient biasing means may be a compression spring. The footing may include a facing flange about the open end of the well. The footing may also include a wall engaging portion parallel to and spaced from the well. 10 Brief Description of the Drawings It will be convenient to further describe the invention with reference to preferred embodiments of the balustrade anchor of the present invention. Other embodiments are possible, and consequently the particularity of the following discussion is not to be understood as superseding the generality of 15 the preceding description of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear perspective of a balustrade anchor in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a rear view of the balustrade anchor of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded cross section of the balustrade anchor of Figure 1; 20 and Figure 6 is a cross section of the balustrade anchor of Figure 1. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments 25 Referring to the Figures, there is shown a balustrade anchor 10. The balustrade anchor 10 is formed from three components: a footing 12; a resilient biasing means in the form of a compression spring 14; and a pin 16. The footing 12 has a substantially cylindrical hollow well 18 having a closed end 20 and an open end 22. A flange 24 extends radially from the well 18 at 30 the open end 22. The flange 24 has an external radius about four times the radius of the well 18. Four part cylindrical wall engaging portions 26 extend from near an outer periphery of the flange 24 parallel to, and on the same side as, the well 18.

4 Each of the wall engaging portions 26 extends about 800 around the flange 24, with a gap 28 of about 100 between adjacent wall engaging portions 26. Each of the wall engaging portions 26 has an external arcuate surface having a plurality of ridges 30 spaced along the surface. The ridges 30 are parallel to 5 an axis of the well 18. The wall engaging portions 26 have an axial length about one-quarter of the length of the well 18. The spring 14 has an external diameter when compressed slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the well 18, and an uncompressed length about 10 75% of the length of the well 18. The spring 14 is thus arranged to locate within the well 18, bearing against the closed end 20. The pin 16 has two substantially cylindrical portions spaced along a common axis. A first substantially cylindrical portion 32 has an external diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the well 18, and a length equal to 15 between 50% and 60% of the length of the well 18. A second substantially cylindrical portion 34 has a length about one quarter that of the first portion 32, and an external diameter about two thirds that of the first portion 32. A shoulder 36 is located at the junction between the first portion 32 and the second portion 34. 20 The anchor 10 is assembled for use as shown in Figure 4, with the spring 14 loaded to the rear of the well 18 and the first portion 32 of the pin 16 loaded into the well 18, with the second portion 34 protruding. It will be appreciated that an axial force applied to the second portion 34 or to the shoulder 36 will force compression of the spring 14, and movement of the pin 16 deeper into 25 the well 18. To use the anchor 10, suitable holes must be drilled into the wall or post to which a balustrade is to be secured. The main hole will be sized to accommodate the wall engaging portions 26 of the footing 12. It is anticipated that this hole may be drilled slightly smaller than the diameter of the wall 30 engaging portions 26, as the gaps 28 will allow some deformation of the wall engaging portions 26 when the footing 12 is pushed into the wall. A deeper and thinner second hole, sufficient to accommodate the well 18, will also need to be drilled. When the footing 12 is pushed into the wall, the ridges 30 will prevent rotation.

5 Once the anchor 10 has been assembled as in Figure 4, it is ready to accommodate a balustrade formed from hollow tubing, having an internal diameter greater than the second pin portion 34 but smaller than the first pin portion 32. 5 In order to secure the balustrading, the pin 16 is pushed against the spring 14 so that it locates completely within the well 18. The balustrade (not shown) can then be positioned with its open end about the open end 22 of the well 18. The spring 14 urges the second pin portion 34 into the balustrade, thus holding it in position, with the edge of the balustrade bearing against the pin 10 shoulder 36. In this way the balustrade is locked into position, with the only possible movement being in the axial direction away from the flange 24. Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

1. An anchor for a balustrade, the balustrade being substantially cylindrical and hollow, having an internal radius, the anchor comprising a footing, an engaging pin and a resilient biasing means, the footing including a 5 substantially cylindrical well which is closed at one end and open at an opposite end, the pin having a first substantially cylindrical portion and a second substantially cylindrical portion, the first and second portions being axially adjacent, the first portion having an external radius greater than that of the second portion, whereby: the external radius of the first portion is greater 10 than the internal radius of the balustrade; the external radius of the second portion is less than the internal radius of the balustrade; and the internal radius of the well is greater than the external radius of the first portion, and whereby when the pin is located within the well the resilient biasing means urges the pin towards the open end of the well. 15

2. An anchor for a balustrade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient biasing means is a compression spring.

3. An anchor for a balustrade as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the footing includes a facing flange about the open end of the well.

4. An anchor for a balustrade as claimed in claim 3, wherein the footing 20 includes a wall engaging portion parallel to and spaced from the well.

5. An anchor for a balustrade as hereinabove described with reference to the accompanying drawings. WESTURN ENGINEERING PTY LTD 25 By its Patent Attorneys ARMOUR IP P2054AU00