US3071350A

US3071350A - Rail mounting

Info

Publication number: US3071350A
Application number: US84572A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth M Opie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-01-24
Filing date: 1961-01-24
Publication date: 1963-01-01
Anticipated expiration: 1980-01-01

Description

Jan. 1, 1963 K. M. OPIE 3,071,350

RAIL MOUNTING Filed Jan. 24, 1961 Iwmvrom- Kim/5m M. OP/E A TTOR/VEVS' Patented Jan. 1, 1963 3,071,350 RAIL MOUNTING Kenneth M. Opie, Burlingame, Calif. Filed Jan. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 84,572 2 Claims. (Cl. 256-65) This invention relates to rail mountings. The invention more particularly involves an improvement in rail mountmg structures and provides means for expeditiously mounting a rail from a footing or wall. Although many types of prior art rail mountings have been developed, the present invention incorporates structural features with a uniqueness of purpose to provide an extremely simple yet highly efficient type of rail mounting.

In brief, this invention comprises a rail having a grooved base that is adapted for being simultaneously mounted upon the support heads of one or more rail supporting brackets. It has been further recognized that a common difficulty in assembling most rail mountings is in locating supporting rail brackets in a precise vertical position. Therefore, the invention further contemplates a rail mounting assembly comprising support posts having vertical dovetail grooves for receiving a wedge portion of rail mounting brackets. It will be understood that each rail bracket support may be independently adjusted to the proper vertical height, and that the rail may then be simultaneously mounted to the brackets.

It is one primary object of this invention to provide: a rail having a grooved base for mounting said rail upon brackets, said grooved base being formed with convergent and depending sides extending from a common wall and defining acute angles therewith; and support brackets having a support head defined by a rigid, angular protrusion and a retractable screw threaded through said head, said protrusion and said screw being divergcntly directed, whereby said rail may be simultaneously mounted upon said brackets with their screws in retracted positions and rigidly affixed to said brackets by extending said screws from said head, the protrusion and screw of each head being placed into engagement with the acute angles of said grooved base.

Another object is to provide a rail mounting structure of the kind described and further including in combina tion therewith a plurality of vertical support posts, each post having means for independently and adjustably mounting a rail supporting bracket.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent in view of the following detailed description.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like parts are identified by like reference numerals throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a stairway having a rail mounting assembly made in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken on lines 22 of FIG. 1 and showing details of the rail mounting assemy;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on lines 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse section normal to the rail and through the support bracket.

Referring to FIG. 1 in particular there is shown a staircase with a rail mounting assembly 11 comprising a rail 12 and vertical support posts 13. Assembly 11 is shown mounted along the near side of the staircase and being supported from a side wall 14.

Rail 12 is formed with a base groove 15, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, said groove being defined by convergent and depending sides 16 and 17 which extend from a common wall 18 and form acute angles with the surface thereof. The rail may be formed of an aluminum base metal suitable for manufacture by an extrusion process.

Although groove 15 is an essential feature of the rail mounting it is to be understood that the rail cross section may be of various shapes and sizes. Moreover, while a tubular type of rail is shown the invention also contemplates the use of solid forms of rails.

The rail 12.is mounted from each post 13 upon a bracket 19 having a support head 20 including a rigid angular protrusion 21 and shelf-like surfaces 22 and 23'. A retractable screw 24- is threaded through head 20, said protrusion 21 and screw. 24 being divergcntly directed, as especially shown in FIG. 5.

Support head 20 is initially mated with groove 15 having screw 24 retracted. In such a condition the rail 12 may he slipped over the protrusion 21 and rested upon shelf surfaces 22 and 23. Then, screw 24 is threaded into position as shown in FIG. 5, causing the rail to be rigidly held upon the supporting surfaces of head 20.

Although only one bracket support has been shown, it is to be understood that each of the other rail brackets is similarly constructed. Thus, the rail is simultaneously mountable with each of the rail brackets. Furthermore, where a continuous dovetail groove is provided in the rail, as shown, it is immaterial as to longitudinal alignment of the rail with respect to each bracket. If desired, the exposed portions of groove 15 may be filled with molding strips after the rail has been fully mounted and secured in place.

Post 13 is supported from wall 14 by a mounting bracket 25 that is anchored thereto by any conventional means, such as screws 26 and expansible anchors 27. The post is formed with a dovetail groove 28- extending vertically from top to bottom, and cap plates '29 are provided at both ends.

Bracket 25 includes a dovetail wedge portion 30 that extends vertically and outwardly, and the wedge portion is conplementary to the dovetail groove 28 of post 13.

After the brackets 25 are securely mounted to the wall 14, the posts 13 are individually mounted to their re-' spective bracket members 25 by mating grooves 28 with wedge portions 30 and fastening screw members 3-1 along each side. It is to be realized that since each post can be selectively adjusted in the vertical direction there is no need for extreme accuracy in mounting brackets 25 to the walls.

It will be further apparent from the drawings that groove 28 of each post can also be used for mounting rail bracket supports 19. While the mounting arrangement of FIG. 4 could also be utilized, it is preferable to use a form of fastening means which is not visible. Therefore, fastening screws 31 are provided in the bracket 19 beneath the curvature of the support arm 19a. It will be noted that this structural arrangement also permits vertical adjustments to be made for each bracket.

In view of the above detailed description it is to be realized that the novel structural relationships will effectuate considerable savings in time and labor. Moreover, in view of the simplicity of these relationships the rail mountings can be assembled by relatively unskilled persons and with but few tools and supplies.

While a preferred form of this invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various changes in size, shape and arrangement of parts can be made without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the attached claims and each of such changes is contemplated.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a rail having a continuous dovetail groove extending longitudinally on one side thereof, said dovetail groove being defined by convergent and depending surfaces extending from a common wall and 3 4 forming acute angles therewith; and a support bracket said cleated support head is formed with shelf-like surhaving a cleated support head defined by a rigid, angular faces on opposite sides thereof, said surface being adapted protrusion and a retractable screw threaded through said for supporting the depending sides of said rail.

head, said protrusion and said screw being divergently directed; whereby said rail may be mounted upon said 5 References Cited in the file of this Patent bracket and adjustably positioned thereon with said screw UNITED STATES PATENTS in a retracted position, said rail being rigidly afiixed to 2 312 985 B M 2 1943 said bracket by extending said screw from said head, the 2807'834 213 1957 protrusion and screw being placed into engagement with 2833522 gf '2' 1958 the acute angle Of Said mail 10 19041314 Thorn Z: Sept. 15' 1959 2. The combination of claim 1 and further wherein

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION, A RAIL HAVING A CONTINUOUS DOVETAIL GROOVE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY ON ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID DOVETAIL GROOVE BEING DEFINED BY CONVERGENT AND DEPENDING SURFACES EXTENDING FROM A COMMON WALL AND FORMING ACUTE ANGLES THEREWITH; AND A SUPPORT BRACKET HAVING A CLEATED SUPPORT HEAD DEFINED BY A RIGID, ANGULAR PROTRUSION AND A RETRACTABLE SCREW THREADED THROUGH SAID HEAD, SAID PROTRUSION AND SAID SCREW BEING DIVERGENTLY DIRECTED; WHEREBY SAID RAIL MAY BE MOUNTED UPON SAID BRACKET AND ADJUSTABLY POSITIONED THEREON WITH SAID SCREW IN A RETRACTED POSITION, SAID RAIL BEING RIGIDLY AFFIXED TO SAID BRACKET BY EXTENDING SAID SCREW FROM SAID HEAD, THE PROTRUSION AND SCREW BEING PLACED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ACUTE ANGLE OF SAID DOVETAIL GROOVE.