Balustrades

Abstract

A connector for connecting a wire to a balustrade rail, the connector comprising: a tubular body for receipt therein of a wire end portion and for positioning in the rail through a rail aperture; an opening in the tubular body for the wire to extend from the connector when the wire end portion is located in the tubular body; and a deflector for deflecting the wire at an angle to the wire end portion which is held in the tubular body, when the wire is under tension.

1 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . A connector for connecting a wire to a balustrade rail, the connector comprising:
 a tubular body for receipt therein of a wire end portion and for positioning in the rail through a rail aperture;   an opening in the tubular body for the wire to extend from the connector when the wire end portion is located in the tubular body; and   a deflector for deflecting the wire at an angle to the wire end portion which is held in the tubular body, when the wire is under tension.   
     
     
         49 . A connector as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the opening is a lateral opening in the tubular body. 
     
     
         50 . A connector as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the opening comprises an aperture formed in a middle portion of the tubular body. 
     
     
         51 . A connector as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the opening comprises a cut-away portion of the tubular body. 
     
     
         52 . A connector as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the deflector deflects the wire at least 30° to the wire end portion when the wire is under tension. 
     
     
         53 . A connector as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the deflector comprises the edge of the opening. 
     
     
         54 . A connector as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the connector also comprises a retainer for retaining the wire end portion in the tubular body. 
     
     
         55 . A connector as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the retainer comprises a deformable portion of the tubular body, enabled to deform about the wire end portion. 
     
     
         56 . A connector as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the deflector also comprises a guide for guiding deflection of the wire by the deflector, when the wire is under tension, the guide comprising a projection, projecting from the tubular body, the projection providing a surface along which a portion of the wire which is adjacent to the wire end portion abuts when the wire is under tension. 
     
     
         57 . A connector as claimed in  claim 56 , wherein the surface of the projection along which the wire abuts is at least in part curved. 
     
     
         58 . A connector as claimed in  claim 56 , wherein the projection is locatable in the rail aperture after the tubular body has been positioned in the rail. 
     
     
         59 . A connector for connecting a wire to a balustrade rail, the connector comprising:
 a tubular body for receipt therein of a wire end portion and for positioning in the rail through a rail aperture;   an opening in the tubular body for the wire to extend from the connector when the wire end portion is located in the tubular body; and   at least one protrusion, protruding from the tubular body for abutting an internal surface of the rail to act against the connector being removed from the rail when the wire is under tension.   
     
     
         60 . A connector as claimed in  claim 59 , wherein the at least one protrusion is located toward an end of the tubular body. 
     
     
         61 . A connector as claimed in  claim 59 , wherein the at least one protrusion protrudes laterally from the tubular body. 
     
     
         62 . A connector as claimed in  claim 59 , wherein the opening comprises an end aperture located in an end of the tubular body. 
     
     
         63 . A connector as claimed in  claim 59 , wherein the opening is a lateral opening in the tubular body. 
     
     
         64 . A connector as claimed in  claim 59 , wherein the connector also comprises a projection, projecting from the tubular body and locatable in the rail aperture after the tubular body has been positioned in the rail. 
     
     
         65 . A connector as claimed in  claim 64 , wherein the projection has a curved inner surface against which the wire under tension may abut. 
     
     
         66 . A connector as claimed in  claim 59 , wherein the connector also comprises a retainer for retaining the wire end portion in the tubular body. 
     
     
         67 . A connector as claimed in  claim 66 , wherein the retainer comprises a deformable portion of the tubular body, enabled to deform about the wire end portion.