Patent ID: 8359707

Claim:
A stair rod bracket, comprising: a) a base portion; b) a top portion pivotally connected to the base portion, wherein the top portion and base portion cooperate to define a recess for holding at least a portion of an end portion of a stair rod when the base portion and top portion are rotated toward each other to a closed condition to surround the stair rod; and c) a retainer adapted and configured to hold the top portion and the base portion together when the brackets are in the closed condition surrounding the stair rod, wherein the retainer includes a pin slidably displaceable along a plurality of opposing generally vertically oriented grooves in opposing wall portions of the base portion of the bracket from a first position wherein the retainer prevents the base portion and top portion from separating by virtue of the pin engaging with a hook mounted on the top portion of the bracket, to a second position wherein the base portion and top portion can be separated and pivoted away from each other from the closed condition into an open condition, wherein the retainer is adapted and configured to fall into the first position under the action of gravity when the rod bracket is mounted to a surface.