Hand rails

Abstract

A handrail system comprising a top rail ( 50 ) and one r more support posts ( 25 ). The rail and post/s may be formed from a synthetic material such as a fibre reinforced plastics material.

1 . An offshore handrail system comprising a top rail and one or more support posts, in which the top rail and the one or more support posts are formed from a phenolic-based FRP material. 
     
     
         2 - 72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the system comprises one or more connectors for receiving the one or more support posts and for receiving rail sections. 
     
     
         74 . A system as claimed in  claim 73 , in which the connector is substantially T-shape. 
     
     
         75 . A system as claimed in  claim 73 , in which the connector comprises a main body part which both forms part of the top rail and receives at least one of the one or more support posts in use. 
     
     
         76 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the system comprises a connector which forms an integral part of the top rail structure. 
     
     
         77 . A system as claimed in  claim 73 , in which the connector comprises a post connection part and a rail connection part. 
     
     
         78 . A system as claimed in  claim 77 , in which the post connection part is formed separately from the rail connection part. 
     
     
         79 . A system as claimed in  claim 77 , in which the rail connection part is adapted to be flush fitting with a rail section. 
     
     
         80 . A system as claimed in  claim 77 , in which the post connection part forms a joint with the rail connection part. 
     
     
         81 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the top rail and the one or more support posts have square cut ends. 
     
     
         82 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , in which a connection of the one or more support posts to the top rail is articulated so that in use, a slope of the top rail is adjustable. 
     
     
         83 . An adjustable hand rail corner connector comprising a first and a second part hingedly connected to each other and being attachable to further hand rail components, in which the first and second parts comprise a cranked portion and in which the first and second parts are substantially the same. 
     
     
         84 . An adjustable hand rail corner connector part configured to be hingedly connectable to another connector part and being attachable to further hand rail components, in which the part comprises a cranked section and an articulation section, the cranked sections and the articulation section being substantially cylindrical and having substantially same diameters. 
     
     
         85 . A connector as claimed in  claim 83 , in which a crank angle is in the range of 15° to 30°. 
     
     
         86 . A connector as claimed in  claim 83 , in which a crank angle is approximately 22.5°. 
     
     
         87 . A connector as claimed in  claim 83 , in which the connector is formed from an FRP material. 
     
     
         88 . A handrail system comprising a top rail, one or more support posts and one or more connectors for receiving the one or more support posts and for receiving rail sections, in which the rail, the one or more support posts and the one or more connectors are formed from an FRP material and in which the connection of the one or more support posts to the one or more connectors is articulated so that in use a slope of the top rail is adjustable. 
     
     
         89 . A system as claimed in  claim 88 , in which the FRP material is phenolic-based. 
     
     
         90 . A handrail connector comprising a top rail connection part attachable to one or more top rail sections and a post connection part attachable to a support post, the top rail connection part comprising a one-piece body with a slot and the post connection part comprising a post adapter including an articulation leg which is hingedly received in the slot, in which the articulation leg extends from the post connection part to a post cap from which depends a post fixing section attachable to the support post, whereby the post cap is spaced from the top rail connection part by the articulation leg and the articulation leg provides a reduced post-rail interface between the top rail connector part and the post cap such that a user can maintain grip across the top rail connection part and is unencumbered by the post-rail interface. 
     
     
         91 . A connector as claimed in  claim 90 , in which the connector is formed from an FRP material.