Hardware bar assembly

Abstract

A bar assembly is provided with a bar sized to be grasped manually with a guide formed at least partially along a length. A plurality of posts is provided, each in cooperation with the guide of the bar to fasten the bar to a support surface at various fastener mounting patterns. A method to install a bar assembly aligns a post with an aperture in a support surface. A bar is provided that is sized to be grasped manually. The bar is slid into engagement with the post. A fastener is installed to the post from an inside of the support surface. The fastener is tightened until the bar is secured in the post and the post is secured to the support surface.

1 . A handle assembly comprising:
 a handle sized to be grasped manually with a slot formed along a length to receive a head of each of a plurality of fasteners to fasten the handle to a drawer or a door at various fastener mounting patterns; and   a first plurality of fasteners each with a shank and a head sized to be received in the slot to fasten the handle to a drawer or a door at various fastener mounting patterns, wherein the shank is formed with a plurality of threaded regions and a plurality of unthreaded regions to permit an installer to break the shank at one of the plurality of unthreaded regions to shorten the shank.   
     
     
         2 . The handle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the handle is formed with a consistent cross-section. 
     
     
         3 . The handle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the handle is extruded. 
     
     
         4 . The handle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the handle comprises:
 a body, wherein the slot is formed along the body; and 
 a grip portion that is sized to extend from the body spaced apart from the slot and is sized to be grasped manually. 
 
     
     
         5 . The handle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the slot has a narrow region formed into the handle to permit the plurality of fasteners to pass into the handle, and an enlarged region intersecting the narrow region and sized to receive an enlarged portion of a fastener. 
     
     
         6 . A handle assembly comprising:
 a handle sized to be grasped manually with a guide formed at least partially along a length;   a first plurality of fasteners each with a shank and a head, wherein the shank is formed with a plurality of threaded regions and a plurality of unthreaded regions to permit an installer to break the shank at one of the plurality of unthreaded regions to shorten the shank; and   a second plurality of fasteners each sized for threaded engagement with one of the first plurality of fasteners;   wherein the first plurality of fasteners, or the second plurality of fasteners, are sized to cooperate with the guide to fasten the handle to a drawer or a door at various fastener mounting patterns.   
     
     
         7 . The handle assembly of  claim 6  wherein the guide is formed along an entire length of the handle; and
 wherein the handle has a mounting surface to engage the drawer or door, and the first plurality of fasteners extend through the mounting surface. 
 
     
     
         8 . The handle assembly of  claim 6  wherein the shank of each of the first plurality of fasteners is externally threaded; and
 wherein each of the second plurality of fasteners is internally threaded and sized to receive each of the externally threaded shanks. 
 
     
     
         9 . The handle assembly of  claim 6  wherein the handle comprises:
 a body, wherein a slot is formed along the body; and 
 a grip portion that is sized to extend from the body spaced apart from the slot and is sized to be grasped manually. 
 
     
     
         10 . The handle assembly of  claim 9  wherein the slot has a narrow region formed into the handle to permit the first plurality of fasteners to pass into the handle, and an enlarged region intersecting the narrow region and sized to receive the head of each of the first plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         11 . The handle assembly of  claim 10  wherein the head of each of the first plurality of fasteners is formed with at least a pair of opposed flats sized to be received within the enlarged region of the slot; and
 wherein the enlarged region of the slot is sized to prevent rotation of each of the first plurality of fasteners. 
 
     
     
         12 . A bar assembly comprising:
 a bar sized to be grasped manually with a guide formed at least partially along a length;   a first plurality of posts each in cooperation with the guide of the bar to fasten the bar to a support surface at various fastener mounting patterns; and   a second plurality of posts, each sized to cooperate with one of the first plurality of posts to space the bar away from the support surface;   wherein the second plurality of posts further comprise a plurality of sleeves, each sized to receive one of the first plurality of posts.   
     
     
         13 . The bar assembly of  claim 12  wherein the fastened first plurality of posts apply compression to the second plurality of posts between the support surface and the bar or the first plurality of posts. 
     
     
         14 . The bar assembly of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of sleeves each include a radially asymmetrical bore formed therethrough; and
 wherein the posts each have a corresponding radially asymmetrical profile sized to extend through the bores in the sleeves and prevent rotation of the sleeves relative to the posts. 
 
     
     
         15 . The bar assembly of  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of fasteners sized to engage a body of each of the first plurality of posts to fasten the bar to the support surface, wherein the plurality of fasteners tightens the first plurality of posts against the bar to lock the first plurality of posts along the guide. 
     
     
         16 . The bar assembly of  claim 15  wherein the body of each of the first plurality of posts is internally threaded; and
 wherein each of the plurality of fasteners is externally threaded and sized to be received in the internally threaded bodies of the first plurality of posts. 
 
     
     
         17 . The bar assembly of  claim 16  wherein the first plurality of posts each further comprise a head that is connected to, and enlarged relative to the body;
 wherein the guide is formed as a slot with a width sized to receive the heads of the first plurality of posts; 
 wherein the width of the slot is consistent along a depth of the slot; and 
 wherein the bar assembly further comprises a retainer attached to the bar and sized to engage the heads of the first plurality of posts to retain the first plurality of posts to the bar, the retainer having a slot formed therethrough and sized to permit the bodies of each of the first plurality of posts to pass through the retainer. 
 
     
     
         18 . The bar assembly of  claim 12  wherein the first plurality of posts each further comprise:
 a body, and 
 a head that is connected to, and enlarged relative to the body; 
 wherein the guide is further defined as a slot with a narrow region formed into the bar to permit the first plurality of posts to pass into the bar, and an enlarged region intersecting the narrow region and sized to receive the head of each of the first plurality of posts; and 
 wherein the head of each of the first plurality of posts, is formed with at least a pair of opposed flats sized to be received within the enlarged region of the slot; and 
 wherein the enlarged region of the slot is sized to prevent rotation of each of the first plurality of posts. 
 
     
     
         19 - 25 . (canceled)