US1444608A - Handrail guard - Google Patents

Description

M. H. HICKEY. HANDRAIL GUARD.

Feb. 6, 1923.

I72 we)? zor: EcZaeZHJYi/Z Patented Feb. 5, 1923.

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HANDR-AIL GUARD.

Application filed December 12, 1921. Serial No. 521,723.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, MICHAEL II. HICKEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Handrail Guards, of which the following is a specification, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings. and to the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to porch and stair rail guards, and more particularly to means for securing the rail of the porch or stairs to a pillar or post.

In the ordinary construction of porch and stair rails, the end of the rail, abuts the side of the post and the two are secured together by toed nails. In a comparatively short time, the joint between the rail and the post will ultimately open sufficiently to receive and collect moisture, causing decay of the contiguous portions of the wood, the rusting of the nails, and a disassociation of the parts. The results of this trouble are not always visible and consequently serious accidents have occurred where persons have taken hold of, or leaned up against. a porch or stair rail thus deteriorated, and found that the rail gave way under the strain.

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a metal connection between the handrail and the post, which will firmly resist outward or lateral strains on the hand rail. Another object of my invention is to provide a rail end guardof such form that it may be used on the job for various applications, by the mere bending of the same, thus obviating the necessity of the contractor or carpenter carrying in stock a large assortment of vari-shaped devices.

To the accomplishment of the aforesaid objects, I have provided a flat, relatively wide supporting plate on which the hand rail will rest, and an upright flange secured to said plate on that side or margin where it will best serve to resist lateral strain. I have also provided the device with a pin adapted to enter the post, and a flexible connection between the pin and the supporting plate; all of which will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a porch rail with my improved guard in position.

Fig. 2 is a similar View of my guard, to which a stair rail is attached.

Fig. 3 is a view looking downward, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, the supporting post being in section.

Fig. at is a vertical sectional view, taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of my guards. detached. 4

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective, of one of the guards.

Fig. 7 is a the guards.

In the form in which I have chosen to illustrate my invention in said drawings, A represents the guard as a whole, the same comprising three essential parts: namely, a pin or tenon 1, a bearing plate 2 and a lateral-strain resisting flange member 3. The pin or tenon 1 will be of such diameter and length as to be forced into a suitable opening in an upright or post 4. The plate QWlll be, preferably, wide and flat to receive the straight surface of a hand-rail 5 of a porch, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. It will be of such thickness as may be required to sustain the load upon it. The supports A are made rights and lefts,-that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, l, 6 and 7 being a right hand guard and that shown in Fig. 5 a left hand guard.

The plate 2 and the pin or tenon 1 are connected by a shank member 6. In that form of the device wherein the hand rail 5 extends at right angle to the post l, the shank 6 will be in prolongation of and. in substantially the same plane as the plate 2. In that use, where the hand rail 5 extends at an angle to the post 4: as in the case of the stair rail shown in Fig. 2, the shank member 6 will be bent sufficiently to make the angle plan View of a modified form of of the plane of the plate 2 coincident with the angle of the hand rail 5. This can read ily be done on the j ob by the carpenter or contractor.

7 is a bolt hole punched through the plate 2 by means of which the rail 5 will be secured to the plate 2 by means of the bolt 8 and nut 9.

Itwillbe noticed that the parts 1, 2, 3 and 6 areintegral. In Fig. 7 however, I have shown. a modification, in this, that the parts are not integral. It may be convenient to provide the pin or te'non l wvit h a relatively small plate 2 and to provide a second plate 2 having an upturned thrust-resisting flange 3 on one margin, and to securethe two plates 2 and 2 together by spot Welding or any other suitable means. In this construction, the two parts would be preterably secured together beforebein'g placed in the hands of the ultimate user, and the bolt aperture 7 punched through both plates. a p

In practice, the carpenter \v'iillv first bor'e a hole in the upright post l suitable for receiving the pin or teno'n 1. He'willtlien force the pin or tenon in proper position, using a right or left hand 'guar'd'a, as the particular job requires. He will then place the hand rail 5 in juxtaposition, anclhaving previously bored through the raila bolt aperture corresponding to the aperture 7, Will then insert the bolt 8 and secure it to the rail and the guard A together, by nieans. ot' the nut 9. The end of the rail 5 may then be nailed to the post or upright 4c in the usual manner, although it will be found that such strain as'i's placed upon the rail 5 will be a lateral strain rather than a longitudinal one. Such strain Will bear first against the upright flange?) and be trans ferred thr'ougli the plate'to the pin or tenon 1, Where of course itwill'be absorbed the resistance of the upright 4. In other words, the rail will be firmly held in ositio'n against lateralaispla'cement by means of the construction shown; 7

The device is simple, cheap to manufacture, and has no parts to get out of or'd'er. possesses great utility and durability in use.

I have slidivn the pin 1', as round and \vitli'a square end; This is the preferred construction but there is no objection to pointing the end nor roughenin the surfac'e, similar to the familiar lag sc're'tv or otherwise.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a support, and a rail secured thereto, of additional means for preventing separation of said rail from said support comprising a member secured to said rail and provided with a flange adapted to Contact the side of said rail and having an element extending into an aperture in said support, substantially as described.

2. In combination ith a support, and a rail secured thereto, otadditiona'l means for preventing separation of said rail from saidfsupport comprising a member having its body port'ion secured to thebottorn of said rail and an integral flange. projecting upward from said body portion to contact a side the ran ncra integral tenon extending nae aperture in said support, substantially as described. 7

3. As a new article of manufacture for use as a guard for preventing separation of rails from their supports, comprisinga fiat plate adapted to be secured to the base of the rail, an integral flange adapted to contact aside of the rail and an integral tenon located in the same plane as the plate adapted to extend into the support.

4;. As a article of ,manufacture for use as a guard for preventing separation of rails from their supports comprising a flanged plate adapted to be secure dto the base of the rail to embrace a sideth'ereof,

and provided tvith tenon adapted to extend into thesupport,'the juncture of said ten'on and plate being so formed as to per- Init said tenon to be distorted tor attach- Inent torails of different angular inclination.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I atfixuny signature, in the presence of be I g o witnesses, this 30th day of November,192li H MICHAEL H. HICKEY. WVitnes'ses:

v TAino'ii 1E. BRo iviT, B1 L. Maturation.

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