Stanchion for handrail systems

Abstract

A novel stanchion, for insertion into and support of a tubular post of a handrail system for installation on a horizontal surface, slope or staircase, is configured with a baseplate attached to a upwardly-extending column configured with at least one pair of identical enclosed vertical slot openings located on diametrically opposite sides of the column. In a first embodiment, the column is configured with only one such pair, extending between a lower web at the bottom end region of the column and an upper web at the top end region of the column. In a second embodiment, the column is configured with eight slots arranged in two quad slot sets, each set configured with two diametrically opposed slot pairs, each pair being vertically co-linear, separated by an intermediate web. The two intermediate webs of each quad slot set are aligned at a designated height made different for each quad slot set, thus the intermediate webs of the two sets are located offset from each other vertically. This offset, in conjunction with the two quad slot sets being located perpendicular to each other about the central vertical axis of the column, enables selection of either quad slot set for deployment at installation by rotating the column a quarter turn, thus facilitating installation by always enabling selection of a quad slot set whose intermediate web height does not interfere with a designated safety member location

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stanchion, for installation into the lower end of a hollow post to form a post assembly of a handrail system which includes an inter-post bottom safety member of designated size passing through a pair of clearance holes drilled in the post at coaxial locations on opposite sides thereof, comprising:
 a baseplate adapted for fastening to an underlying surface; and   a column extending upwardly from said baseplate, shaped to fit into the lower end of a hollow post, configured with at least one through passageway, sized and located to allow traverse of the bottom safety member, and terminated at opposite ends by a pair of identical enclosed vertical slots located at directly opposite side surfaces of said column;   the at least one through passageway being provided in such quantity and location that, at installation of the handrail system, at least one through passageway and an associated pair of surface-located slots is always available for traverse of the stanchion and the post, so that there in never any need for drilling the stanchion at installation.   
     
     
         2 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 1 , in a first embodiment, comprising:
 one and only one a pair of identical enclosed vertical slots, located at directly opposite side surface of said column, the slots extending between bottom an top web regions of said column, dimensioned to include a working range of height locations required by the safety member.   
     
     
         3 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 2  wherein said column is hollow and made with sufficient material strength and wall thickness to provide the handrail system with designated required strength. 
     
     
         4 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 3  wherein said column is made tubular with a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         5 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 3  wherein said column is made square in cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         6 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 2  wherein said column is made solid and said one through passageway is a tunnel having a cross sectional shape simulating the associated pair of surface-located slots. 
     
     
         7 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 6  wherein said column is made tubular with a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         8 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 6  wherein said column is made square in cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         9 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 1 , in a second embodiment, comprising:
 said column configured with eight vertical enclosed slots arranged in two quad slot sets, each set configured with two diametrically opposed slot pairs, each pair being vertically co-linear, separated by an intermediate web, each pair extending between a lower web at a bottom end region of said column and an upper web at a top end region of said column;   the two intermediate web regions of each set being aligned at a designated height, made different for each set, thus locating the intermediate webs of the two sets at a vertical offset relative to each other; and   the vertical offset, in conjunction with the two quad slot sets being located perpendicular to each other about the central vertical axis of the column, enabling selection of either set for deployment at installation by rotating said column a quarter turn;   whereby installation is facilitated by always enabling selection of a quad slot set whose intermediate web height does not interfere with a designated safety member location.   
     
     
         10 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 9  wherein said column is hollow and made with sufficient material strength and wall thickness to provide the handrail system with designated required strength. 
     
     
         11 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 10  wherein said column is made tubular with a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         12 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 10  wherein said column is made square in cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         13 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 9  wherein said column is made solid and each through passageway is a tunnel having a cross sectional shape simulating the associated pair of surface-located slots. 
     
     
         14 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 13  wherein said column is made tubular with a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         15 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 11  wherein said column is made square in cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         16 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 1  wherein said baseplate is fixedly attached to said column in a horizontal orientation for installation onto a horizontal underlying surface. 
     
     
         17 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 1  wherein said baseplate is fixedly attached to said column at a designated angle for installation onto a sloping underlying surface. 
     
     
         18 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 1  wherein said baseplate is attached to said column by adjustable means for setting said baseplate at a designated angle for installation onto a sloping underlying surface. 
     
     
         19 . The stanchion as defined in  claim 9  wherein said baseplate is angled and is attached to said column by adjustable means for rotating said column relative to said baseplate for purposes of selecting a quad slot set.