EP2746486A2

EP2746486A2 - Upright for banisters, railings and the like

Info

Publication number: EP2746486A2
Application number: EP20130199291
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fabrizio Amaducci
Original assignee: Fondazione di' Persona
Current assignee: Fondazione di' Persona
Priority date: 2012-12-21
Filing date: 2013-12-23
Publication date: 2014-06-25
Also published as: EP2746486A3; ITBO20120137U1

Abstract

An upright for banisters, railings and the like, comprising a tubular body (6), a base (10) associated with the lower end (7) of said tubular body (6) and suitable for being fixed to a floor (3), a step (5) of a staircase or another similar surface, and a top piece (11) associated with the upper end (8) of said tubular body (6) and suitable for being fixed to the handrail (12) of a banister (2), railing (4) or similar. The upright comprises adjustable connection means (13) of said base (10) to said top piece (11) foreseen inside said tubular body (6).

Description

The present invention concerns an upright for banisters, railings and the like.
More specifically, the present invention concerns an upright for banisters, railings and the like characterised by easy assembly and substantial versatility of application.

STATE OF THE ART

Railings, banisters and other protective fall-prevention structures for stairs are normally made using vertical metallic uprights mounted in the floor through respective plates in which through holes are foreseen for screws, dowels or other connection members to steps, landings, mezzanines, and the like.
A typical upright of the type described above comprises, in some versions, a metallic tube having the base connected to the aforementioned plate for fixing to the floor, and the top piece connected to the handrail.
Such a metallic tube also comprises, along its side surface, pawls, or other similar elements, for connecting to the transversal bars that, suitably spaced apart, provide the fall-prevention protection and prevent people or objects from passing.
The connection between the aforementioned tube and the plate for fixing to the floor is normally made by welding.
The upright is thus usually transported into the place of installation already completely assembled in all of its parts, with it not being possible, apart from rare occasions, to carry out welding operation on site.
This results in some substantial drawbacks in the use of these components.
Firstly, the transportation of uprights already completely assembled can be particularly inconvenient, for obvious logistical reasons of bulk, weight, and more, especially in making stairs with a large number of steps, or spiral staircases.
Secondly, pre-assembled uprights can create difficulties in the assembly step of railings, banisters, parapets, and the like.
For example, there are situations of installation in which there are substantial irregularities in the floor or other surface on which the uprights must be positioned.
Due to such irregularities, there can be misalignments between the parts of each upright to be connected together, for example between the top pieces to be connected together with the handrail, or between the pawls to be connected with the bars.
In some cases, the misalignments that are produced between such parts of the uprights can be difficult to compensate for with normal adjustments and adaptations, and can end up with unattractive and unacceptable results.
As well as this, in situations like these the assembly of the railings, banisters or similar is very wasteful in terms of the time used, since it is necessary to take care of carrying out adjustments that are sometimes very laborious and difficult to try to eliminate the effect of the irregularities that exist. The consequences of possible irregularities can be even worse in the specific case of making railings, where indeed each upright is fixed onto a respective step of the stairs.
These situations of installation are thus particularly critical in terms of effort to obtain satisfactory results.

PURPOSES OF THE INVENTION

The technical task of the present invention is therefore to improve the state of the art.
In such a technical task, a purpose of the present invention is to devise an upright that makes it possible to install banisters, railings and the like in a quicker, easier and more effective manner than known uprights.
Yet another purpose of the present invention is to make an upright that makes it possible to install banisters, railings and the like with entirely satisfactory results even in situations of irregular mounting surfaces.
This task and these purposes are accomplished by the upright for banisters, railings and the like according to the attached claim 1.
The upright according to the invention comprises a tubular body, a base associated with the lower end of the tubular body and suitable for being fixed to a floor, a step of a staircase or another similar surface, and a top piece associated with the upper end of the tubular body and suitable for being fixed to the handrail of a banister, railing or similar.
The upright also comprises adjustable connection means of the base to the top piece foreseen inside the tubular body.
This solution makes it possible to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks in a simple and cost-effective manner, as made clearer in detail in the following description, since the components of the upright are assembled mechanically during application, and not by welding as occurs in known uprights.
The dependent claims refer to preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention will become clearer to any man skilled in the art from the following description and from the attached tables of drawings, given as a non-limiting example, in which:

figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a banister comprising the upright according to the invention;
figure 2 is a front view of a portion of railing comprising the upright according to the invention;
figure 3 is a perspective view of the upright;
figure 4 is a diametral section of the upright;
figure 5 is a front view of the endpiece of the top piece of the upright;
figure 6 is a section of the same endpiece;
figure 7 is a view from above of the endpiece;
figure 8 is a diametral section of the top piece of the upright according to the invention;
figure 9 is a side view of the same top piece;
figure 10 is a view from above of the top piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the attached figure 1, an upright for banisters, railings and the like according to the present invention is wholly indicated with 1.
The upright according to the present invention can be used in the installation of railings, banisters, parapets, or any other protective structure associated with stairs, landings, terraces, balconies, or similar, without any limitation.
For example, figure 1 illustrates a portion of banister, wholly indicated with 2, comprising the upright 1 according to the invention, fixed onto a floor 3; the floor 3 can for example belong to a landing, a terrace or similar.
Figure 2, on the other hand, illustrates a portion of railing, wholly indicated with 4, comprising the upright 1 according to the invention, fixed onto the step 5 of a staircase.
It should be specified that figures 1,2 constitute just two possible non-limiting examples of use of the upright 1 according to the invention, with many other applications not represented in the figures being possible.
The upright 1 comprises a tubular body 6.
The tubular body 6, in the embodiment represented, has a hollow cylindrical section, but it could have a cross section of any other shape suitable for the application.
The tubular body 6 comprises a lower end 7, an upper end 8, and an outer surface 9.
The upright 1 comprises a base 10.
The base 10 is associated with the lower end 7 of the tubular body 6, as described more clearly hereafter.
The base 10 is suitable for being fixed to a floor 3, to a step 5 of a staircase, or to another similar surface, in relation to the specific installation to be made, as shown in figures 1,2.
The upright 1 also comprises a top piece 11.
The top piece 11 is associated with the upper end 8 of the tubular body 6, as made clearer later in the description.
The top piece 11 is suitable for being fixed to the handrail 12 of a banister 2, railing 4 or similar, as shown in figures 1,2.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the upright 1 also comprises adjustable connection means, wholly indicated with 13, of the base 10 to the top piece 11.
The adjustable connection means 13 are foreseen inside the tubular body 6.
They are thus completely hidden from view.
As made clearer hereafter, the adjustable connection means 13 make it possible to install the upright 1 on site in a simple and easy manner, and thus not to have to transport it to the location already completely assembled.
Moreover, the possibility of adjusting the connection means 13 between the base 10 and the top piece 11 of the upright 1 makes it possible to compensate for possible irregularity of the surfaces - i.e. floors 3, steps 5, etc. - for fixing the uprights 1 that make up a banister 2, a railing 4, or similar.
Indeed, the connection means 13 make it possible to assemble the components of the upright in a completely mechanical manner, and this solution allows the easy adaptation to the height thereof in the application step, as will be made clearer hereafter.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the adjustable connection means 13 are of the screw type.
In other embodiments of the upright 1 according to the invention, the adjustable connection means 13 could however be of another equivalent type.
In greater detail, the adjustable connection means 13 of the screw type comprise a threaded bar 14 inserted inside the tubular body 6.
The threaded bar 14 comprises a first end 15 and a second opposite end 16.
The threaded bar 14 is engaged, with the respective first end 15 and second end 16, in the top piece 11 and in the base 10.
More specifically, the adjustable connection means 13 comprise an upper threaded hole 17 foreseen in the top piece 11.
In the upper threaded hole 17 the first end 15, i.e. the upper one, of the threaded bar 14 is engaged.
The coupling is carried out through an upper nut 18, screwed along the threaded bar 14, on which the top piece 11 abuts.
The adjustable connection means 13 also comprise a support nut 19, associated with the base 10.
In the support nut 19 the second end 16, i.e. the lower one, of the threaded bar 14 is engaged.
The support nut 19 is engaged in a respective through opening 20 foreseen in the base 10.
In greater detail, the support nut 19 comprises a hexagonal portion 21 and an elongated cylindrical portion 22 that extends from the hexagonal portion 21 and that, indeed, inserts in the through opening 20 of the base 10.
The support nut 19 can advantageously be suitable for connection to respective screw means foreseen in the floor 3, in the step 5 of a staircase or in another surface, not illustrated in the figures for the sake of simplicity.
As illustrated in particular in figure 4, the through opening 20 of the base 10 comprises a lower chambering 23, in which the hexagonal portion 21 of the support nut 19 abuts.
In this way, the lower surface of the support nut 19 is arranged substantially coplanar to the lower surface of the base 10.
The lower surface of the support nut 19 and the lower surface of the base 10 constitute the support surface of the upright 1 on the floor 3, or on the step 5 of the staircase, or other surface.
As stated, the support nut 19 can be used for the connection, for example, to screws or studs mounted in the floor 3, or in the step 5 of the staircase, or for the connection to other screw means foreseen for the installation of the banister 2, railing 4 or similar. Once the support nut 19 has been fixed to the floor 3 or to the step 5 with screw means, therefore, it is possible to easily proceed to directly mount the other components, i.e. the base 10, the threaded bar 14, the tubular body 6, the top piece 11, and the other components of the upright 1 on location, if it is intended to transport the unassembled upright 1 on site.
Alternatively, if it is advantageous in terms of logistics, the upright 1 can be assembled completely or partially in the factory, and the support nut 19, already incorporated in the upright 1, can be screwed into the screw means.
The base 10 of the upright is substantially disc-shaped, and comprises a perimetral throat 24 for the coupling with the tubular body 6, as illustrated in figure 4.
The top piece 11 of the upright 1 - also illustrated in the details of figures 8,9,10 - has a substantially cylindrical configuration and comprises a shoulder 25 for coupling with the tubular body 6, and a perimetral seat 26 for the insertion of an ring-shaped gasket 27, i.e. of the "OR" type.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the top piece 11 comprises an upper seat 28 in which an inclinable endpiece is housed, wholly indicated with 29, for connecting to the handrail 12 of the banister 2, railing 4 or similar.
This solution makes it possible, as made clearer hereafter, to make an optimal and standardized coupling with the handrail 12, whatever the inclination of the latter.
The upper seat 28 of the top piece 11 is slot-shaped, arranged diametrically.
Observed in the diametral section of figure 8, the upper seat 28 is countersunk, so as to define inner walls 30 that constitute constraints to the rotation of the inclinable endpiece 29.
The upper seat 28 communicates with the upper threaded hole 17, so that the inclinable endpiece 29 can also constitute a stop abutment for the threaded bar 14, as illustrated in figure 4.
In greater detail, the inclinable endpiece 29 comprises a pin 31, articulated to the top piece 11 in a rotation axis, wholly indicated with 32, foreseen inside the upper seat 28.
In particular, the rotation axis 32 comprises a pin 33 engaged in a respective transversal hole 34 foreseen in the top piece 11.
As can be seen in particular in figure 3, the rotation axis 32 of the inclinable endpiece 29 is thus hidden from view, so as to ensure an assembly that is also attractive.
The pin 31 has the lower end substantially spherical, thus suitable for rolling on the upper end of the threaded bar 14, so as to be freely rotatable about the rotation axis 32.
At the opposite end, the pin 31 also comprises a blind hole 35.
The blind hole 35 is intercepted by two threaded side holes 36, in which respective upper dowels 37 are screwed.
The inclinable endpiece 29 also comprises a shaped end 38.
The shaped end 38 is in particular suitable for coupling with the handrail 12 of the banister 2, railing 4 or similar.
The shaped end 38 - illustrated in the details of figures 5, 6, 7 - at the top comprises a concave surface 39 having a cylindrical shape, which with the upright 1 assembled perfectly fits together with the outer surface of the handrail 12, as shown schematically in figure 5.
The shaped end 38 comprises a tang 40 inserted in the blind hole 35 foreseen in the pin 31.
The upper dowels 37 allows the tang 40 of the shaped end 38 to be blocked inside the blind hole 35 of the pin 31, in an adjustable manner.
In particular, in the tang 40 there are small conical seats for the engagement of the upper dowels 37.
The shaped end 38 comprises an axial through hole 41. The through hole 41 is suitable for the insertion of an upper screw 42 for connecting to the handrail 12.
The upper screw 42 can for example be of the conical head type with hexagonal recess, or similar.
The head of the upper screw 42 abuts on the lower surface of the tang 40 of the shaped end 38.
The upright 1 according to the present invention comprises, in a per sé known way, a plurality of pawls 43, suitable for the connection to respective bars 44 of a banister 2, railing 4 or similar.
The pawls 43 are associated with the outer surface 9 of the tubular body 6, as illustrated in figure 4, where just one of the aforementioned pawls 43 is shown for the sake of simplicity.
The pawls 43 are arranged for example equally spaced apart, but they could also be positioned different distances apart.
In greater detail, each of the pawls 43 comprises a first portion 45, fixed to the outer surface 9 of the tubular body 6.
The first portion 45 comprises a substantially cylindrical coupling surface 46 with the outer surface of the tubular body 6.
The first portion 45 has a through opening 47 for the insertion of a respective side screw 48 for fixing to the tubular body 6.
Moreover, the first portion 45 comprises, at the coupling surface 46, a collar 49.
Each of the pawls 43 also comprises a second portion 50, connected to the first portion 45 through removable means 51.
The second portion is also provided with a through channel 52 for a respective bar 44.
The aforementioned removable means 51 comprise, for example, a first side dowel 53 inserted in a respective first threaded side hole 54 foreseen in the second portion 50.
The first side dowel 53 abuts in a respective small conical seat foreseen in the first portion 45 of the pawl 43, so as to block the two portions 45,50 with respect to one another.
The bar 44 inserted in the through channel 52 is blocked through a second side dowel 55 inserted in a respective second threaded side hole 56 foreseen in the second portion 50 of the pawl 43.
It has thus been seen how the invention achieves the proposed purposes.
The assembly of the upright 1 according to the present invention is substantially simplified with respect to known uprights, since the base 10 can be fixed to the floor 3, or to a step 5, in a simple and easy manner through screw means, for example a screw, a screw stud, a threaded bar, or similar, coupled with the support nut 19.
Therefore, it is not necessary to foresee, in the base 10, holes for the insertion of screws for fixing to the floor: the base is thus of smaller size, i.e. less bulky, with substantial benefits in terms of the quality of the installation of the banister 2, railing 4, or similar.
Moreover, as stated, the upright can also be completely or partially installed on site, making the job of the installers easier, as well as making the transportation and storage of the components easier.
The provision of adjustable connection means 13, in particular of the screw type, between the base 10 and the top piece 11 of the upright 1 makes it possible, in the assembly step, to carry out various adjustments to compensate for possible irregularities in the attachment surface of the uprights, be it a floor, a staircase, or other, or to easily carry out the height adaptations of the upright itself in various situations of application where it is required.
For example, the adjustable connection means 13 devised in the way described make it possible, in order to carry out the aforementioned adaptations, to cut the tubular body 2 and the threaded bar 14 to size so as to obtain exactly the desired height with the upright 1 assembled, precisely thanks to the fact that then the various components are assembled mechanically on site.
Therefore, both the tubular body 2 and the threaded bar 14 can, for example, be foreseen to be slightly longer than the nominal height of the installation, so as to be able to then optionally cut them to size in the installation step.
Moreover, the possibility of fixing the upright 1 to the floor 3, to the step 5 of the staircase or other through screw means connected to the support nut 19 also allows great freedom of adjustment to compensate for possible irregularities of the surface.
Another substantial technical advantage offered by the upright 1 according to the present invention consists of the possibility of orienting the inclinable endpiece 29 as desired.
It can be inclined in a certain rotation plane, the latter being able to be changed by simply rotation the top piece 11 with respect to the tubular body of the upright 6.
It is thus possible to obtain an infinite variety of installation configurations, still keeping the shaped end 38 perfectly in contact with the outer surface of the handrail 12.
Therefore, the connection between the inclinable endpiece 29 and the handrail 12 takes place simply through the upper screw 42, irrespective of the inclination of the handrail 12 with respect to the tubular body 6.
The aforementioned technical advantages are also obtained through a solution that is constructively very simple and cost-effective.
The materials used to make the various components of the upright can obviously be any, without any limitation to the purposes of the present invention.
The present invention has been described according to preferred embodiments, but equivalent variants can be devised without departing from the scope of protection offered by the following claims.

Claims

Upright for banisters, railings and the like, comprising a tubular body (6), a base (10) associated with the lower end (7) of said tubular body (6) and suitable for being fixed to a floor (3), a step (5) of a staircase or another similar surface, and a top piece (11) associated with the upper end (8) of said tubular body (6) and suitable for being fixed to the handrail (12) of a banister (2), railing (4) or similar, characterised in that it comprises adjustable connection means (13) of said base (10) to said top piece (11) foreseen inside said tubular body (6).
Upright according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable connection means (13) are of the screw type.
Upright according to claim 2, wherein said adjustable connection means (13) comprise a threaded bar (14) inserted inside said tubular body (6) and engaged, with the respective first upper end (15) and second lower end (16), in said top piece (11) and in said base (10).
Upright according to the previous claim, wherein said adjustable connection means (13) comprise an upper threaded hole (17) foreseen in said top piece (11) in which said first end (15) of said threaded bar (14) is engaged, and a support nut (19) associated with said base (10) in which said second end (16) of said threaded bar (14) is engaged.
Upright according to the previous claim, wherein said support nut (19) is engaged in a respective through opening (20) foreseen in said base (10).
Upright according to the previous claim, wherein said support nut (19) comprises a hexagonal portion (21) and an elongated cylindrical portion (22) engaged in said through opening (20).
Upright according to one of claims 4-6, wherein said support nut (19) is suitable for the connection to respective screw means foreseen in the floor (3), in the step (5) of a staircase or in another surface.
Upright according to one of the previous claims, wherein said top piece (11) comprises an upper seat (28) in which an inclinable endpiece (29) for connection to the handrail (12) of a banister (2), railing (4) or similar is housed.
Upright according to the previous claim, wherein said upper seat (28) is slot shaped.
Upright according to the previous claim, wherein said inclinable endpiece (29) comprises a pin (31) articulated to said top piece (11) in a rotation axis (32) foreseen inside said upper seat (28) and hidden from view.
Upright according to the previous claim, wherein said inclinable endpiece (29) comprises a shaped end (38) suitable for coupling with the handrail (12) of a banister (2), railing (4) or similar.
Upright according to the previous claim, wherein said shaped end (38) comprises a tang (40) inserted in a respective blind hole (35) foreseen in said pin (31).
Upright according to the previous claim, wherein said shaped end (38) comprises a through hole (41) suitable for the insertion of an upper screw (42) for connecting to the handrail (12) of a banister (2), railing (4) or similar.
Upright according to one of the previous claims, comprising a plurality of pawls (43), suitable for the connection to respective bars (44) of a banister (2), railing (4) or similar, associated with the outer surface (9) of said tubular body (6).
Upright according to one of claims 3 to 14, wherein said tubular body (2) and/or said threaded bar (14) are suitable for being cut to size in the installation step of the upright, to carry out height adjustments.