GB2315515A

GB2315515A - Joint for railing

Info

Publication number: GB2315515A
Application number: GB9615527A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Mcnulty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-07-24
Filing date: 1996-07-24
Publication date: 1998-02-04
Also published as: GB9615527D0

Abstract

A joint 10 for a barrier, which in this case is a handrail, comprises a body section 14 and an attachment section 16. The body section 14 has a cylindrical opening 18 which passes through the body section 14. The opening 18 has a constant diameter along its extent through the body section 14. The second opening 24 is located in the body section. The second opening 24 extends from the outer surface of the body section 14 and opens into the cylindrical opening 18. The second opening 24 is tapped and is arranged to receive a grub screw 26. In use, the joints 10 is attached to a section of tubing 28 by means of a wedge portion of the joint 10 being inserted into an end section of the tubing 28. Further sections of tubing 38 and 40 are threaded through the openings 18 in the joints 10.

Description

JOINT FOR RAILING This invention relates to a joint for a railing, particularly, but not limited to, a joint for a handrail, and to a method of joining together the sections of a railing, particularly, but not limited to, the sections of a handrail.

Previous joints for handrails have comprised a spherical piece of cast iron to which is welded one end of a section of tubing. The other end of the section of tubing is welded to a second cast iron sphere. A second section of tubing having a base plate attached thereto is welded to the second iron sphere at a point directly opposite the first section of tubing. The two iron spheres, the two sections of tubing and the base plate form a post. The post is galvanised in its completed form to prevent corrosion. The two iron spheres also comprise horizontally aligned apertures, arranged to receive sections of tubing which can be threaded through a number of posts.

Various disadvantages arise with the above mentioned joints and posts.

Three welding operations are required to attach the two iron spheres to the two sections of tubing. Welding is a time consuming process and consequently has undesirably costs associated therewith. Furthermore, the use of a galvanising treatment has disadvantages associated with it. The galvanising material is prone to create rough edges around the apertures arranged to receive the horizontal pieces of tubing. The excess of the galvanising material results in great difficulty often being encountered when attempting to thread a section of tubing through the aperture. Additionally, the apertures do not have a constant diameter through the cast iron sphere.

The spheres have the form of a hollow shell. When threading a section of horizontal tubing through the sphere, it frequently occurs that the end of the tubing, if not held in exactly the right alignment, will catch on the inside of the shell when the end of the tube approaches the other side of the iron sphere. The difficulty of being able to thread the section of tubing through the iron sphere is also very costly in terms of time. Additionally, the galvanised finish of the post is liable to be chipped, when the post is knocked by a car for instance. The chipping of the galvanised finish will lead to a greatly shortened life of the post and the hand rail because of the corrosion which will result from the chipping. Water can also enter into the hollow shell of the cast iron spheres if the fit of the tubing to be threaded through the aperture in the cast iron sphere is not very precisely controlled. The effect of water standing inside the shell of the cast iron sphere is likely to lead to eventual early corrosion of the cast iron sphere, with the resultant shortened life of the handrail being a great disadvantage.

It is an object of the present invention to address the above-mentioned disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention a joint for a railing comprises a body portion and an attachment portion, the attachment portion comprising a tapering plug projecting from the body portion for insertion into an opening in a first section of the railing, the attachment portion being arranged to be secured in the opening of the first section of the railing by a compressive force created by forcing the plug into the opening.

The body portion may include an opening, which opening may be arranged to receive a second section of the railing. The cross sectional shape of the opening in the body portion may correspond to the cross sectional shape of the second section of the railing. The opening in the body portion may extend through the body portion. The opening in the body portion may be arranged to receive the second section of the railing by means of the second section passing through the body portion. The opening in the body portion may have substantially the same width along its length. The opening in the body portion may be circular in shape. The second section of the railing may, in use, be threaded through the opening in the body portion. The second section of the railing may have an elongate form.

The joint may comprise more than one attachment portion. The joint may comprise two attachment portions. Suitably, the two attachment portions, where present, are coaxial.

The attachment portion may be arranged to be secured in an opening which is located at one end of the first section of the railing. At least one end of the first section of the railing may have a hollow cross section. The first section of the railing may be hollow along its entire length. The first section of the railing may have an elongate form. The first section of the railing may comprise a tube. The tube may be cylindrical. The tube may be circularly cylindrical.

The or each attachment portion may include a neck region. The neck region may have a substantially constant width along its length. The neck region may be joined to the body portion. The width of the neck region may be arranged to be substantially equal to or just greater than the width of the opening in the first section of the railing.

When the neck region is joined to the body portion, the body portion may include a seat portion at the joint to the neck region. The seat portion may extend substantially perpendicularly to the length of the neck region.

The seat portion may be arranged to receive a peripheral edge of the opening in the first section of the railing. The shape of the seat portion, may, in use, correspond to the shape of the peripheral edge of the opening in the first section of the railing.

Preferably the or each attachment portion extends substantially perpendicularly to the opening in the body portion.

Preferably, the joint section is made by a moulding process. The joint section may be made of moulded aluminium. The joint section may be made of moulded mild steel.

According to another aspect of the present invention a post for a railing comprises at least one joint as described in any other aspect of the invention, at least one elongate member and a base plate.

Preferably, the post comprises a first of said joints attached to a first end of a first elongate member, a second joint comprising two attachment portions, a first of which attachment portions is attached to a second end of the first elongate member, a second of which attachment portions is attached to a first end of a second elongate member, a second end of the second elongate member being attached to a base plate.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a railing comprises at least one post as described in any other aspect of the present invention and at least one elongate member extending from the or each post.

Preferably, the railing comprises at least two of said posts and at least one elongate member extending between the posts.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention a method of joining sections of a railing comprises securing a plug projecting from an attachment portion of a joint in an opening in a first section of the railing, the attachment portion being secured in the opening in the first section of the railing by a compressive force created by forcing the plug into the opening.

The method may include the joint comprising a body section. The method may include the body section comprising an opening, which opening receives a second section of the railing.

The method may include the first section of the railing being an elongate section. The method may include the second section of the railing being an elongate section.

All of the above aspects may be combined with any of the features disclosed herein, in any combination.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a joint for a railing; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of another joint for a railing; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a railing including the joints shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A joint 10 for a barrier, which in this case is a handrail 12 (see Figure 3), comprises a body section 14 and an attachment section 16. The body section 14 has a cylindrical opening 18 which passes through the body section 14. The opening 18 has a constant diameter along its extent through the body section 14. A second opening 24 is located in the body section. The second opening 24 extends from the outer surface of the body section 14 and opens in the cylindrical opening 18. The second opening 24 is tapped. The second opening 24 is arranged to receive a grub screw 26.

The attachment section 16 comprises a neck portion 20 and a wedge portion 22. The attachment section 16 protrudes from the body section 14.

The neck portion 20 of the attachment section 16 has a circular cross-section and is attached to the body section 14. The wedge portion 22 is also of circular cross-section. However, the diameter of the circular cross-section of the wedge portion 22 reduces with distance from the body section 14.

Consequently, the wedge portion has a frusto-conical shape.

The joint 10 of this example is made from aluminium, although other materials, such as mild steel, may be used. The joint 10 is made by a moulding process. Where the joint 10 is made from a material such as mild steel which is likely to corrode, the joint may be galvanised.

Figure 2 shows a second type of joint 32. The joint 32 has all the features of the joint 10 described above. Additionally, however, the joint 32 comprises an additional attachment section 16 protruding from the opposite side of the body section 14 to the other attachment section 16. The two attachment sections 16 are coaxial.

The body portions 14 of the two joints 10 and 32 described above have a generally spherical shape. The diameter of the generally spherical shape may take any of a large of number sizes. However, the diameter of the body sections 14 described herein have a size in the range 20 to 150 mm. The diameter of the openings 18 in the joints 10 and 32 may also be selected from a large number of sizes. In this example, however, the internal diameter of the holes 18 is chosen from the range 10 mm to 110 mm.

In use, the joint 10 is attached to a section of tubing 28 (see figure 3).

To attach the joint 10 to the tubing 28, the wedge portion of the joint is inserted into an end of the section of tubing. The relative dimensions of the tubing and the attachment section are chosen such that the narrowest part of the wedge portion 22 will fit into the end of the tubing 28. The size of the neck portion 20 of the attachment section 16 is chosen so that it will fit tightly into the section of tubing 28. A hydraulic press (not shown) is used to force the attachment section 16 of the joint 10 into the end of the section of tubing 28. The joint is forced onto the section of tubing 28 until the end of the tubing abuts the shoulder 30 of the body section 14 of the joint 10. When the end of the section of tubing 28 and the shoulder 30 abut in such a way, a substantially watertight seal is formed. Thus, water is prevented from entering into the tubing where corrosion may result.

After the joint 10 has been attached to the section of tubing 28, the joint 32 is attached in the same way to the opposite end of the section of tubing 28 (see Figure 3). A further section of tubing 34 is then attached in the same way again to the other attachment section of the joint 32. The section of tubing 34 has a base plate 36 at its lower end. The base plate is arranged to be attached to the ground. The joints 10 and 32 together with sections of tubing 28 and 34 form a post. Further sections of tubing 38 and 40 are threaded through the openings 18 in the joints 10 and 32. The sections of tubing 38 and 40 are then threaded through the openings 18 of further posts 42. The grub screws 26 are then tightened to hold the sections of tubing 38 and 40 in position. The base plate 36 of each of the posts 42 is then attached to the ground with suitable fixings. The number of posts 42 used and the lengths of the various sections of tubing 28, 34, 38 and 40 can be chosen to suit a particular situation.

The sections of tubing 38 and 40 may be welded in position.

The joints, and the handrails constructed therewith, described in the above specific embodiments provide significant advantages over prior art joints and handrails. The joints described do not require time consuming and costly welding for their attachment to sections of tubing. Additionally, the sections of tubing which are passed through the joints can be threaded through with considerably greater ease and could tubing through prior art joints.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A joint for a railing comprises a body portion and an attachment portion, the attachment portion comprising a tapering plug projecting from the body portion for insertion into an opening in a first section of the railing, the attachment portion being arranged to be secured in the opening of the first section of the railing by a compressive force created by forcing the plug into the opening.

2. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 1, in which the body portion includes an opening which is arranged to receive a second section of the railing.

3. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 2, in which the cross-sectional shape of the opening in the body portion corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the second section of the railing.

4. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which the opening in the body portion extends through the body portion.

5. A joint for a railing as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4, in which the opening in the body portion is arranged to receive the second section of the railing by means of the second section passing through the body portion.

6. A joint for a railing as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, in which the opening in the body portion has substantially the same width along its length.

7. A joint for a railing as claimed in any preceding claim, which comprises two attachment portions.

8. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 7, in which the two attachment portions are coaxial.

9. A joint for a railing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the attachment portion is arranged to be secured in an opening which is located at one end of the first section of the railing.

10. A joint for a railing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which at least one end of the first section of the railing has a hollow cross-section.

11. A joint for a railing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each attachment portion includes a neck region.

12. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 11, in which the neck region has a substantially constant width along its length.

13. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 11 or Claim 12, in which the neck region is joined to the body portion.

14. A joint for a railing as claimed in any one of Claims 11 to 13, in which the width of the neck region is arranged to be substantially equal to or just greater than the width of the opening in the first section of the railing.

15. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, in which when the neck region is joined to the body portion, the body portion includes a seat portion at the joint to the neck region.

16. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 15, in which the seat portion extends substantially perpendicularly to the length of the neck region.

17. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 16, in which the seat portion is arranged to receive a peripheral edge of the opening in the first section of the railing.

18. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 17, in which the shape of the seat portion, in use, corresponds to the shape of the peripheral edge of the opening in the first section of the railing.

19. A joint for a railing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the joint section is made by a moulding process.

20. A post for a railing comprises at least one joint as claimed in any preceding claim, at least one elongate member and a base plate.

21. A joint for a railing as claimed in Claim 20, in which the post comprises a first of said joints attached to a first end of a first elongate member, a second joint comprising two attachment portions, the first of which attachment portions is attached to a second end of the first elongate member, the second of which attachment portions is attached to a first end of a second elongate member, a second end of the second elongate member being attached to the base plate.

22. A railing comprises at least one post as claimed in Claim 20 or Claim 21 and at least one elongate member extending from the or each post.

23. A method of joining sections of a railing comprises securing a plug projecting from an attachment portion of a joint in an opening in a first section of the railing, the attachment portion being secured in the opening in the first section of railing by a compressive force created by forcing the plug into the opening.

24, A post for a railing substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A method of joining sections of a railing substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.