Patent ID: 9556641
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: E04F,E04H

Claim:
1. A connector for interconnecting a baluster with a hollow end to a portion of a railing system having at least a top rail or a bottom rail or both, by a fastener having a shaft and a head, comprising: a body having a sidewall extending between a first end and a second end, the body comprising: the first end of the body having an opening of sufficient size to pass the head of the fastener extending toward the second end of the body; a set recesses located within the sidewall; a plurality of flanges laterally extending from the sidewall and where the plurality of flanges are at regular spaced radial intervals about the sidewall of the body and are located on a length of the sidewall such that the plurality of flanges are adjacent to the first end of the body, each of the plurality of flanges having a fixed end connected to and extending from the sidewall and a biased end extending in an included fashion away from the first end of the body and radially outwardly from the sidewall where at least one of the plurality of flanges and a corresponding recess of the set of recesses are positioned such that the corresponding recess provides a relief and the biased end of the at least one of the plurality of flanges are pivotable therein; the second end of the body having an opening of sufficient size to pass the shaft portion of the fastener extending toward the first end of the body, and an integral washer portion extending radially from the second end of the body; and a necked-down portion located inwardly of the first end and the second end of the body wherein the head-sized opening of the first end of the body transitions to the smaller shaft-size opening of the second end of the body forming a seat for the head of the fastener when the fastener is used to connect the body to a portion of a railing system wherein when the first end of the connector body is engaged within the hollow end of the baluster in an installed state, the plurality of flanges are biased inwardly by, and frictionally engaged with, an inner surface of the baluster.