AU606324B2

AU606324B2 - Fixing system

Info

Publication number: AU606324B2
Application number: AU67472/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Nicholas Alexander McFarlane; Ronald Charles Payne; Peter Francis Ziegler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-01-09
Filing date: 1987-01-09
Publication date: 1991-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2007-01-09
Also published as: AU6747287A

Description

FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPEVCIFICATION (Orig inal) Class Int Class Application Number:9- Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: 9, Accepted: Publ ished: prziority: Related Art: ~T lakdocu mT ent contains tli 1section 49 and is corrisct for printing.

Name of Applicants: PETER FRANCIS ZIEGLER, NICHOLAS ALEXANDER MCFARLANE and RONALD CHARLES PAYNE a09 a 90 Address of Applicants: .",Actual Inventors: Address for Service: PETER FRANCIS ZIEGLER, NICHOLAS ALEXANDER MCFARLANE and RONALD CHARLES PAYNE EDWD. WATERS SONS, QUEEN STREET, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 3000 Complete Specification for the invention enititled: FIXING SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

r 2 2 FIXING SYSTEM The present invention relates to a fixing system and in particular a fixing flange for the securing of railing and the like to support surfaces.

Railing can be seen in many applications including, towel rails, toilet roll holders, hand rails, grab rails, racks and balustrades.

The prevailing system or method for fixing such railing is to form a flange about the ends of the railing and along its length if necessary, and screw or bolt the flanges to the support surface such as a wall. This method of fixing is unattractive in appearance as the fixing is exposed, and the formation of flanges makes manufacture more complex. To conceal the fixing, often a facia cap or cover is supplied, however this adds to the cost and complexity of manufacture and installation.

Perhaps the greatest disadvantage of such known rails is that they are manufactured in fixed lengths and often these lengths are inappropriate for proper fixing at 20 the installation site. For example, most internal walls comprise wooden studs to which plaster board is nailed to form the wall surface. Provision of railing, such as a grab rail, can only be effectively made if the rail can be secured to the studs, as such rails need to be load bearing.

25 The fixed length of railings prevents or severely limits the angled positioning of such railings if the flanges are to line up with the studs. Further difficulty is encountered in that flanges on known railings are often larger in area than the idth of the studs, and the position of fixing screws thereon will not always line up with the jO studs.

As a result, known railings have reduced applications, and cannot always effectively be put to use in areas such as stairwells and bathrooms where angled installation is required.

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«o c 0 41 9 9 So o 0640 090 0 o a 00* 0 04 0 0 0 o 9o 98 9o a 3 Towards overcoming the above disadvantages, there is provided, a fixing system for securing railing to a surface comprising a fixing flange adapted for attachment to a rail or a junction piece of a rail, said flange having a base adapted to abut against said surface, characterized in that the fixing flange includes a substantially centralised section adapted to receive a fixing means having a seat which is recessed with respect to the plane of the base of the fixing flange, such that when the fixing flange is secured to the surface the fixing flange deforms such that it closely abuts the surface, and further characterized in that the flange is adapted to conceal the fixing means in association with the rail or junction piece of a rail attached thereto.

15 The fixing flange is according to one embodiment of the invention preferably provided with a hole through the base of the fixing flange through which a bolt or screw or the like can be positioned to secure the fixing flange to a support surface such as a wall. About the hole there is a 20 raised section which acts to firstly conceal the hole and the head of a screw or bolt and also is able to act as a female end to engage with the said junction piece and/or rail by way of a snug fit.

In an alternative embodiment of the fixing flange, 25 the screw or bolt may be made integral with the base of the fixing flange, protruding from the rear thereof, so that the fixing flange may be secured into place by screwing into a predrilled hole. Alternatively the integral screw or bolt may be self tapping.

Preferably, the junction piece is curved through 90° Where securing to a support surface such as a wall needs to take place along the length of the rail as opposed to the ends thereof, the junction piece can be in the form of a T. Preferably the junction piece has at both ends male end portions so that the final secured railing has a smooth outside surface along its length.

04t I i 3a The advantages of the above fixing flange and fixing system include not only the concealment of the fixing means, but also the ability to secure the fixing flanges for a rail, such as a grab rail and the like, and not be limited Sby any arbitrary predetermined length of the rail. This is achieved by having the freedom to rotate the junction piece within the fixing flange and also cut a length of 0 0 o 0? 9 f l 00 0 o 0 6 D0 0 0 tr1 2 t t 0t 4 t t t V4 *i 1 4 (preferably straight) railing as required, so that the formation of the rail can be set at any required angle on a support surface.

The snug fitting of the end portions of the junction piece, rail and fixing flange can thereafter be permanently engaged preferably by gluing and/or by means of a thread on the engaging end portions.

Further, as the fixing means is substantially central with respect to the fixing flange, there is no problem associated with multiple fixing points not lining up with studs in a wall and the like, and in fact it is believed that the centralized fixing provides for a much Sstronger securing of the fixing flange and railing.

04 The fixing flange and railing can preferably be oa e made of strong plastic, metal or other load bearing material.

0 0O a of According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the end portions of the fixing flange and junction piece can be such that the fixing flange has a male 20 end portion and the junction piece has a female end portion a 0 20 Q that fits over the male end portion of the fixing flange.

In this embodiment, it would not be necessary for the fixing S.f flange to have a raised portion for substantially concealling the fixing means, as the junction piece can be so ronstructed to completely cover the fixing means and/or the fixing flange itself.

One embodiment of the invention will be further described with reference to the Figures wherein:- Figures la, lb and Ic show a front perspective, rear perspective, and sectional view of the fixing flange; Figure 2 shows in exploded form the fixing flange (partial cut-away), fixing means, junction piece and portion of the rail; and Figure 3 shows an assembled view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the figures, the fixing flange 1 comprises a base 2 and raised portion 3 centrally located 1 LY L_ 1 a a 000 a o a 93 *408 o *9'880 8 *r 09 5 about a hole 4 adapted to receive a screw 5 and an optional washer 6 for securing said fixing flange to a support surface such as a wall.

The base 2 of the fixing flange has preferably a rim 7 and seat 8 to ensure a tight contact of the fixing flange against the support surface. The seat 8 of the fixing flange is preferably slightly recessed with respect to the plane of the rim 7 so that when fixing means secure the fixing flange to the support surface, the seat is drawn up against the support surface causing the rim to make a tight contact against the support surface.

The junction piece 9 is shown with end portions that fit snugly within the raised section of the fixing flange 3 and also within the straight rail portion 11.

15 After securing one fixing flange to a support surface the junction piece can be inserted together with a piece of straight rail and rotated to position the rail as required on a support surface for its intended use. The nature of the support surface can be then considered to determine what length of rail is required, so that the opposite end of the railing can be aligned with a wall stud or the like so that the finished railing, as shown in Figure 3, will result.

Claims

1. A fixing system for securing railing to a surface comprising a fixing flange adapted for attachment to a rail or a junction piece of a rail, said flange having a base adapted to abut against said surface, characterized in that the fixing flange includes a substantially centralised section adapted to receive a fixing means, said fixing flange having a seat which is recessed with respect to the plane of the base of the fixing flange, such that when the fixing flange is secured to the surface the seat is drawn against the surface causing the base of the fixing flange to deform such that it closely abuts the surface, and further characterized in that the flange is f t t adapted to conceal the fixing means in association with the o' rail or junction piece of a rail attached thereto. f t

2. A fixing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing flange includes a raised section for concealing the fixing means, said raised section also being adapted for securing a rail or junction piece of a rail. oreq 0

3. A fixing system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing means is integral with the base of the fixing flange.

4. A fixing system for securing railing to a surface, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. SDATED this 10th day of October 1990. PETER FRANCIS ZIEGLER, NICHOLAS ALEXANDER McFARLANTE and RONALD CHARLES PAYNE WATERMARK, PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS, 290 BURWOOD ROAD, HAWTHORN, VIC. 3122. U L:TRALIA :va(sc) J7U