Connection System for a Railing

Abstract

A connection system for a hand rail installation has particular applicability in connection with installing a hand rail unit comprising a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of balustrades to a pair of mounting posts. The ends of the top rail and the bottom rail are secured to the mounting posts by brackets. In some embodiments, the brackets have a flange-like sleeves and a recess defined by side rails which are engaged by the mounting clips. One support mounting clip employs three outwardly biased retention tabs which engage with a bracket installed over the end of the upper rail. Various top rail and bottom rail bracket configurations are disclosed.

1 . A hand rail installation comprising:
 a hand rail unit comprising a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of spaced balustrades secured to said top rail and said bottom rail, said top rail and bottom rail having opposed ends;   a pair of support posts disposed in upright orientation;   an upper post mounting clip mounted to each said post;   an upper rail mounting bracket mounted to each of the opposed ends of said top rail, each said upper rail mounting bracket being engaged by and supported by an upper post mounting clip;   a lower rail mounting bracket slidably received onto each of the opposed ends of the bottom rail; and   a fastener extending through said lower mounting bracket into each said support post.   
     
     
         2 . The hand rail installation of  claim 1  wherein top rail has an exterior surface defining a profile and said upper rail mounting bracket further comprises a flange-like sleeve complementary to said profile. 
     
     
         3 . The hand rail installation of  claim 1  wherein said upper rail mounting bracket further has a recess defined by three walls. 
     
     
         4 . The hand rail installation of  claim 3  wherein said upper post mounting clip further comprises three resilient tabs, said tabs engageable with said sidewalls and receivable in said recess. 
     
     
         5 . The hand rail installation of  claim 1  wherein said upper rail mounting bracket has a metal plate, said metal plate having openings and fasteners and are driven through said openings into said top rail. 
     
     
         6 . The hand rail installation of  claim 1  wherein said bottom rail has an exterior surface defining a profile and said lower rail mounting bracket further comprises a flange-like sleeve complementary to said profile. 
     
     
         7 . The hand rail installation of  claim 1  wherein said lower rail mounting bracket further comprises an offset extension defining an opening, said fastener extending through said opening into said support post. 
     
     
         8 . An installation for a hand rail assembly comprising:
 a hand rail unit comprising a plurality of spaced balustrades, a first rail and a second rail wherein said balustrades are secured between said rails, said first and second rails having opposed ends;   a pair of upright support posts;   an upper bracket secured to each said support post by a fastener;   a lower bracket fixed to the underside of the second rail adjacent said opposed ends;   a fastener securing said upper mounting bracket to opposed underside end locations of said first rail; and   a fastener securing said lower bracket to each said support post.   
     
     
         9 . The installation of  claim 8  wherein said upper mounting bracket comprises a first panel having a pair of laterally spaced openings and a shelf projecting perpendicularly from said panel and having an opening. 
     
     
         10 . The installation of  claim 9  wherein said first panel has indicia indicating a center line. 
     
     
         11 . The installation of  claim 8  wherein said lower mounting bracket comprises a pair of generally triangular shaped plates disposed perpendicularly with respect to each other and each said plate having an opening therein. 
     
     
         12 . The installation of  claim 9  wherein said upper mounting bracket further comprises a pair of laterally spaced tabs engageable against said first rail. 
     
     
         13 . The installation of  claim 8  wherein said upper mounting bracket comprises a first panel having a pair of laterally spaced openings and a support shelf hinged to said first panel and having at least one opening. 
     
     
         14 . The installation of  claim 8  wherein said lower mounting bracket comprises a first panel having a pair of openings and a support shelf projecting perpendicularly from said panel and having an opening and a protruding locator projecting from said support shelf and extending into a groove of said second rail. 
     
     
         15 . The installation of  claim 8  wherein said lower mounting bracket comprises a first panel having at least one opening and a support hinged to said first panel and having at least one opening. 
     
     
         16 . A hand rail installation comprising:
 a railing unit comprising a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of spaced balustrades secured by said top rail and said bottom rail;   a pair of spaced upright support posts;   a connecting balustrade mounted in upright orientation to each of said support posts by at least two fasteners; and   a fastener securing said top rail to each of said connecting balustrades and a second fastener securing said bottom rail to each of said connecting balustrades.   
     
     
         17 . The hand rail installation of  claim 16  wherein said fasteners each have a head which forms a counterbore in a connecting balustrade and a plug is inserted in said counterbore.