Patent Abstract:
A handrail mounting assembly comprises an adjustable bracket and an orientable bracket arm connected to a handrail seat. The adjustable bracket comprises two mating components that surround a post and lock together using fasteners extending through aligned openings in the two mating components. A bracket arm connected to the handrail seat includes an extending opening that aligns with a threaded opening in the adjustable bracket for receiving a fastener to connect the bracket arm to the bracket.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/286,540, filed Jan. 25, 2016 and entitled Handrail Mounting Assembly, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates generally to support brackets. More particularly, the invention relates to a support bracket for mounting a handrail. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Handrails are conventionally mounted along stairs, ramps, walkways and other areas to provide support for people moving through that area. Conventional handrail mounting systems require drilling of holes in a support structure, such as a wall or a post, making field adjustment difficult and also creating undesirable permanent changes to the support structure. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An adjustable mounting assembly for mounting a handrail to a support structure comprises an adjustable bracket for mounting to the support structure and an orientable bracket arm for connecting a handrail seat to the adjustable bracket. 
         [0005]    According to one aspect, a handrail mounting assembly, comprises an adjustable bracket comprising a first section and a second section coupled to the first section for encircling and mounting to a support structure, a bracket arm connected to the adjustable bracket using a threaded fastener and a handrail seat connected to the bracket arm for seating a portion of a handrail to connect the handrail to the support structure. 
         [0006]    According to another aspect, a bracket for mounting a handrail to a post, comprises a first section and a second section. The first section forms an open seat for the post and comprises a base wall, a first side wall extending from and perpendicular to the base wall, a second side wall extending from the base wall and parallel to the first side wall to define the open seat, a plurality of first openings in the first and second side walls and a tapped opening in the base wall. The second section couples to the first section to enclose the open seat. The second section includes a plurality of second openings that align with the first openings to form passageways for receiving fasteners to adjustably connect the first section and the second section. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect, a handrail mounting assembly comprises a bracket for attaching to a support structure, the bracket having a threaded through hole in a base wall, a bracket arm comprising a tubular barrel having an opening extending therethrough, a threaded fastener inserted into the opening of the bracket arm, the threaded fastener longer than the opening to that an end of the fastener protrudes from the bracket arm and into a threaded through hole in the bracket and a handrail seat connected to the bracket arm. 
         [0008]    According to another aspect, a method of mounting a handrail to a post comprises the steps of attaching an adjustable bracket to the post by sandwiching the post between two sections of the adjustable bracket, tightening the adjustable bracket to set the position of the bracket on the post, orienting a bracket arm relative to the adjustable bracket, tightening the bracket arm to set the orientation of the bracket arm relative to the adjustable bracket, and attaching a handrail to a handrail seat connected to the bracket arm. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a handrail mounting assembly of one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a first section of an adjustable bracket in the handrail mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the first section of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an end view of a second section of the adjustable bracket of the handrail mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the second section of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    A handrail mounting assembly can be easily adjusted and assembled. The invention will be described relative to certain illustrative embodiments, though the invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a handrail mounting assembly  12  for mounting a handrail (not shown) to a post  10  or other support structure. The handrail mounting assembly  12  comprises an adjustable bracket  20 , a bracket arm  40  extending from the adjustable bracket  20  and a handrail seat  60  for receiving a handrail to connect the handrail to the post  10 . In one embodiment, the adjustable bracket  20  is configured to attach to a square post, thought the invention is not so limited. The bracket  20  can be easily adjusted, as described below. The orientation of the bracket arm  40  can also be adjusted relative to the bracket to allow adjustment of the handrail. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the illustrative adjustable bracket  20  comprises a first section  22  that mates with a second section  32  to attach to a post or other support structure. The illustrative first section  22  forms an open seat  18  for the post, comprising a base wall  23 , and two side walls  24 ,  25  extending substantially perpendicular to the base wall  23 . Each side wall  24 ,  25  includes two openings for a total of four openings, two of which,  26 ,  27  are shown in  FIG. 2 , for receiving fasteners. The openings  26 ,  27 , are entirely contained within the side walls  24 ,  25  and are preferably centered between outer and inner surfaces defining the side walls, and are parallel to the inner surfaces  64 ,  65  of the side walls. The inner surfaces  64 ,  65  sandwich the post  10  when the bracket is mounted to the post  10 . The illustrative side walls  24 ,  25  are straight and parallel to each other, as are the openings  26 ,  27 . The openings extend into the side walls  24 ,  25  by a selected distance from the front face  28 . 
         [0017]    In one embodiment, the width W b  of the first section, the distance between side walls  24 ,  25 , is about equal to the width W p  of the post  10  to allow the post to slide into the space between the side walls. The depth D b  of the bracket seat  18  formed between the side walls is approximately equal to or smaller than the depth D p  of the post. 
         [0018]    The base wall  23  also includes an opening  21 , which may be a tapped through hole, for connecting the bracket  20  to the bracket arm  40 . 
         [0019]    The illustrative second section  32  comprises an end plate that spans the opening  18  formed between the two side walls  24 ,  25 . The end plate  32  includes four openings  36 ,  37 ,  38 ,  39  that align with the side wall openings  26 - 27  to form passageways for receiving a fastener to secure the end plate  32  to the bracket seat  22 . On the back side, the openings may be countersunk to accommodate the head of a fastener. The illustrative second section  32  is substantially planar, though alternatively, the second section may have a different shape, such as a u-shape with side walls that match the side walls of the first section. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, the openings  36 - 39  are slightly larger than the openings  26 ,  27  in the first section  22 . 
         [0021]    To mount the bracket  20  to the post  10 , the first section  22  is wrapped around the post. The, the second section  32  is placed over the post  10  with the openings  26 ,  27 ,  36 - 39  aligned to surround the post  10 . Fasteners, such as screws, are inserted into the passageways to connect the first section  33  to the second section  32 . The bracket  20  can be easily adjusted on the post by loosening the fasteners, and the bracket can be secured in place and by tightening the fasteners to lock the post  10  in the bracket seat  18 . 
         [0022]    Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the bracket arm  40  comprises a first section  41  and a second section  42  extending at an angle, shown as perpendicular, to the first section  41 . The first and second sections may be integral or separately-formed components. The first section comprises a tubular barrel including an opening  44  extending therethrough for a fastener  43  to connect the bracket arm  40  to the adjustable bracket  20 . The opening  44  has a seat at a first end of the tubular barrel to limit movement of the fastener  43 . The fastener  43  is longer than the opening  44  so that when the fastener head is seated in the seat of the opening  44 , the tip of the fastener  43  protrudes from the second end of the first section  41 . The protruding end of the fastener is inserted in the opening  21  in the bracket base wall  23  to connect the bracket arm  40  to the bracket  20 . The second section  42  of the bracket arm  40  forms a handrail seat connector to connect the handrail seat  60  to the bracket arm  40 . 
         [0023]    The orientation of the bracket arm  40  relative to the bracket  20  is adjustable. The bracket arm  40  can rotate about the protruding end of the fastener, allowing orientation of handrail seat. After the bracket arm  40  is position in a desired orientation relative to the bracket  20 , the fastener  43  is tightened to lock the bracket arm  40  to the bracket  20  in the desired orientation. The fastener  43  can be loosened, and the orientation of the bracket arm changed, followed by re-tightening of the fastener  43  to change the orientation of the bracket arm  40 . 
         [0024]    The illustrative handrail seat  60  is formed on the top of the second section of the bracket arm  40  and can be integral with the bracket arm  40  or separately-formed and attached. The handrail seat  60  is curved to match the profile of the bottom of a handrail and includes openings  62 ,  63  to receive fasteners for fastening the rail to the handrail seat  60 . The handrail seat can have any suitable configuration for receiving and connecting a handrail to the bracket arm. For example, the handrail seat could be annular, or square to accommodate a square handrail. The handrail can be adjustable relative to the bracket arm  40 , if desired. 
         [0025]    The illustrative handrail mounting assembly provides increased flexibility and reduced installation time by eliminating the need to drill, tap or punch openings in the post or other support structure in order to mount the handrail. The illustrative handrail mounting assembly allows for easy field adjustment of the assembly and-or handrail mounted thereto by simply loosening the components, adjusting and re-tightening the connections in the desired location and orientation. 
         [0026]    The scope of the claims is not meant to be limited to the details of the described exemplary embodiments.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4