Baluster ball joint adapter attachment for a baluster to stair rail(s) and base

Abstract

A universal attachment means and method for attaching a baluster or post between a base of a stairway and a railing above the stairs as well as at landings or balconies. The attachment means includes a ball and socket connection assembly that can be attached to either end of a baluster or post and then used to attach the baluster or post to the base or rail of the stairway. The attachment means permits ease of attachment of balusters or posts regardless of the slope of the stair and rail and regardless of any angular slope of a rail as in a circular stair rail. The attachment means eliminates the tedious alignment and drilling of vertical holes into the underside of a rail as needed in many prior art systems.

1 . A universal baluster/post attachment means for attaching a baluster/post to a stair rail comprising:
 a) a first member having a concave socket surface with an open end at one side and an attachment surface at a side opposite to said socket surface,   b) a second member having an at least substantially hemispherical convex surface at one end and an attachment surface at an end opposite to said convex surface,   c) said second member convex surface being adapted to be inserted into said concave socket and to be universally movable within said socket,   d) said first and second members including means for retaining said convex surface within said concave surface in a desired position,   e) said first member being attachable to said stair rail at a desired position along said rail with said second member depending from said concave socket,   f) and means at said attachment surface of said second member for attaching a baluster/post to said second member in adjustable attachment.   
     
     
         2 . The attachment means of  claim 1  wherein said insertion of said convex surface of said second member into said concave socket of said first member creates a ball and socket universally movable connection between said first and second members. 
     
     
         3 . The attachment means of  claim 1  wherein said concave socket is a substantially cylindrical concave socket and the diameter of said substantially hemispherical convex surface are substantially equal while allowing universally adjustable movement at said attachment. 
     
     
         4 . The attachment means of  claim 3  wherein the open end of said substantially cylindrical concave surface presents a smaller diameter than the diameter of said substantially hemispherical convex surface of said second member, and said attachment surface of said first member includes an opening having a diameter larger that said smaller diameter at said open end and large enough to permit insertion of said convex surface into said concave surface. 
     
     
         5 . The attachment means of  claim 1  wherein said first member includes a surface at the open end of said concave socket adapted to cooperate with a surface on said second member between said convex surface and said attachment surface to function as a stop for universal movement of said convex surface within said concave surface. 
     
     
         6 . The attachment means of  claim 1  wherein said convex surface of said second member includes a protruding extension from said convex surface at the end opposite to said attachment surface, said extension adapted to contact said concave surface of said first member so as to limit universal movement of said convex surface within said concave socket. 
     
     
         7 . The attachment of  claim 1  wherein the attachment of said first member to said stair rail is from within said concave surface. 
     
     
         8 . The attachment of  claim 1  wherein the attachment of said first member to said stair rail is from an exterior surface of said first member. 
     
     
         9 . The attachment means of  claim 1  wherein the attachment surface of said second member is an axial extension from said end opposite to said convex surface. 
     
     
         10 . The attachment means of  claim 1  wherein the attachment surface of said second member is a hollow interior surface of said end opposite to said convex surface. 
     
     
         11 . The attachment means of  claim 1  wherein said first and second members are made from the group of materials including wood, composites, plastics or metal. 
     
     
         12 . An assembly of an attachment means and a baluster for universally attaching said baluster between a stair rail and a stair base surface comprising,
 a) a first member having a concave socket surface at one end with an open end at one side and an attachment surface at a side opposite to said socket surface, said first member having means for attaching said first member to said stair rail,   b) a second member having at least a substantially hemispherical convex surface at one end and an attachment surface at an end opposite to said convex surface,   c) a baluster having a rail end and a base end, said rail end having an axial surface for adjustably connecting said baluster to said second member, and said base end having means for attaching said base end to said stair base surface,   d) said first member and second member connected at said concave surface and said convex surface in universally movable connection,   e) said baluster connected to said second member at said axial surface in an axially adjustable connection,   f) and said base end of said baluster aligned to be attachable to said stair base.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein said stair base is a stair tread. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein said stair base is a stair stringer or knee wall. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein said stair rail includes a circular stair rail having a changeable slope with respect to horizontal and vertical orientation with respect to said stair base surface, and said attachment of said first and second members is a ball and socket universally adjustable attachment permitting said baluster to be adjustably attached in a vertical orientation between said stair rail and said stair base in accord with said slope of horizontal and vertical orientation of said stair rail. 
     
     
         16 . A socket adapted to accommodate a hemispherical end of a baluster for attaching said baluster to a stair rail comprising,
 a) a member having an attachment surface and an open end surface,   b) an interior axial hole drilled into said member between said attachment surface and said open end,   c) said hole being axial to said open end,   d) said hole adapted to receive said hemispherical end of a baluster in an universal attachment,   e) and means for moveably securing said hemispherical end of said baluster in said hole and permitting universally rotatable adjustment about said hole.   
     
     
         17 . The socket of  claim 16  wherein said axial hole is axially conical shaped with its larger diameter end being at said attachment surface and its smaller diameter end being at said open end, and said conical shaped hole adapted to receive said hemispherical end of a baluster in a universal attachment. 
     
     
         18 . The socket of  claim 16  adapted to be attached to a stair railing and permitting the mounting of a baluster to a circular stair railing having variations in horizontal and vertical orientation above a stair base. 
     
     
         19 . The universal attachment means of  claim 1  wherein said member is attached to a stair rail in a groove cut into the under surface of said stair rail. 
     
     
         20 . The universal attachment means of  claim 1  wherein said first member is an integral part of the under surface of a stair rail in the form of a socket hole cut into said under surface. 
     
     
         21 . The universal attachment means of  claim 1  wherein said attachment surface of said first member is a threaded portion and said stair rail has a threaded mounting member on its under surface adapted for threaded engagement with said threaded portion of said first member. 
     
     
         22 . A ball and socket mounting assembly for attaching a baluster to a stair rail comprising,
 a) a socket member including means for attaching said socket member to a stair rail,   b) said socket having an internal cavity adapted to receive said ball,   c) said ball having an extension for attaching said baluster to said ball,   d) a means for holding said ball within said socket while permitting said ball to universally move within said socket,   
       whereby a baluster attached to said stair rail with said ball is rotatable about the axial axis of the baluster and universally about said ball and socket assembly. 
     
     
         23 . A method for attaching a baluster of a stairway between a stair rail and a base of said stairway at a tread, knee wall or stinger comprising the steps of:
 a) attaching a first member to the under surface of said stair rail, said first member having an internal concave cavity,   b) inserting a convex hemispherical ball into said concave cavity, attaching said baluster to said convex ball at a first end with an axially adjustable connection,   c) moving said ball within said socket to place said baluster in a vertical orientation and suspending said baluster from said first member,   d) attaching the opposite end of said baluster to the base of said stairway at said tread, knee wall or stringer forming said stairway,   e) and fixing said convex ball within said concave cavity and said axial adjustment of said attachment of said baluster to said ball to attach said baluster to said stairway.   
     
     
         24 . A universal baluster/post attachment means for attaching a baluster/post between a base and stair rail comprising:
 a) a first member having a concave socket surface with an open end at one side and an attachment means at a side opposite to said socket surface,   b) a second member having an at least a convex surface at one end and an attachment surface at an end opposite to said convex surface,   c) said second member convex surface being adapted to be inserted into said concave socket and to be universally movable within said socket,   d) means for attaching a baluster/post to one or the other of said first member or said second member to form an assembled baluster/post assembly,   e) and means for attaching said assembly between said stair base and stair rail in a universally adjustable alignment with respect stair base and stair rail.   
     
     
         25 . The attachment means of  claim 24  wherein said baluster is attached to said first member and said second member is attached to said stair base or stair rail. 
     
     
         26 . The attachment means of  claim 24  wherein said baluster is attached to said second member and said first member is attached to said stair base or stair rail. 
     
     
         27 . The attachment means of  claim 24  wherein said insertion of said convex surface of said second member into said concave surface of said first member creates said universally adjustable alignment for said connection of said assembly between said stair base and said stair rail.