Patent ID: 8281525

Claim:
A modular spiral staircase system which can be used to meet varying structural requirements for different applications, comprising: (a) a central column; (b) a plurality of treads extending radially outward from the central column, the plurality of treads being vertically and angularly offset from each other over a height of the central column; (c) a handrail comprising one or more sections, the one or more sections forming a continuous channel, the channel defined by two side walls extending over the longitudinal extent of the handrail; (d) a plurality of slide members, each of the slide members forming a channel, the channel defined by two side walls extending over the longitudinal extent of the slide member, each slide member sized to fit within the handrail channel; and (e) a plurality of balusters, each of the plurality of balusters being operatively coupled at an upper end thereof with a corresponding one of the plurality of the slide members such that each of the plurality of balusters is vertically positionable along the extent of one of the plurality of handrail sections via selective sliding of the corresponding slide member within the handrail channel, each of the plurality of slide members secured to the handrail with a fastener, wherein each fastener is entirely situated within the handrail channel.