Multi-pieced handrail-mounting bracket and corresponding method

A multi-pieced handrail-mounting bracket for mounting a first handrail element to a second handrail element or a support structure, the multi-pieced handrail-mounting bracket having a handrail-mounting end portion and comprising first and second handrail-mounting subassemblies comprising respectively:

• first and second handrail-mounting members at least partially removably engageable in a bracket-engaging opening formed in the first handrail element and forming at least partially the handrail-mounting end portion;
• and
• first and second connecting members, wherein each of the first and second connecting members comprises a half-cylindrical body;
• wherein the multi-pieced handrail-mounting bracket is configurable into an engagement configuration in which the handrail-mounting end portion has a first cross-section smaller than an opening dimension of the bracket-engaging opening, and into a mounting configuration wherein the first and second handrail-mounting members are connected to each other and the handrail-mounting end portion has a second cross-section greater than the opening dimension of the bracket-engaging opening, the first and second connecting members forming together a cylindrical connector receiving sleeve defining a connector-receiving cavity, first and second portions of a peripheral wall of the connector-receiving sleeve being formed respectively by inner surfaces of the first and second connecting members;
• and
• wherein the first handrail-mounting member comprises at least one guiding member and the second handrail-mounting member comprises at least one guiding recess shaped and dimensioned to at least partially receive said at least one guiding member when the multi-pieced handrail-mounting bracket is configured in the mounting configuration, wherein said at least one guiding recess faces towards said first handrail-mounting member and said at least one guiding member is formed integral with said first and second handrail-mounting member and extends towards said second handrail-mounting member to be received in said at least one guiding recess when the multi-pieced handrail-mounting bracket is configured from the engagement configuration towards the mounting configuration, wherein said at least one guiding member and said at least one guiding recess are contained with an inner volume delimited by the first and second handrail-mounting members when in the mounting configuration, wherein each of the first and second handrail-mounting members has a handrail-mounting portion, an opposed hood-mounting portion and a bracket body therebetween, the handrail-mounting portions forming together the handrail-mounting end portion of the multi-pieced bracket when configured in the mounting configuration, and wherein at least one of the first and second handrail-mounting members comprises a handrail-engaging head forming at least partially the handrail-mounting portion thereof, the handrail-engaging head having a cross-section greater than across-section of the corresponding bracket body.

A method for removably mounting a multi-pieced handrail-mounting bracket to a handrail element having a bracket-engaging opening, the multi-pieced handrail-mounting bracket comprising first and second handrail-mounting subassemblies having respectively first and second handrail-mounting members and first and second connecting members each comprising a half-cylindrical body, the method comprising:

• engaging handrail-mounting portions of the first and second handrail-mounting members into the bracket-engaging opening, each of the first and second handrail-mounting members further including a hood-mounting portion opposing the corresponding handrail-mounting portion and a bracket body therebetween, the handrail-mounting portions forming together a handrail-mounting end portion of a bracket assembly when configured in the mounting configuration, at least one the first and second handrail-mounting members comprising a handrail-engaging head forming at least partially the handrail-mounting portion thereof, the handrail-engaging head having a cross-section greater than a cross-section of the corresponding bracket body;
• spacing apart from each other the handrail-mounting portions;
• inserting at least one guiding member formed integral with the first handrail-mounting member within at least one guiding recess of the second handrail-mounting member, wherein said at least one guiding member and said at least one guiding recess are contained within an inner volume delimited by the first and second handrail-mounting members;
• and
• connecting to each other the first and second connecting members of the first and second handrail-mounting subassemblies, so as to form a cylindrical receiving sleeve centered about an axis defining a connector-receiving cavity wherein first and second portions of a peripheral wall of the connector-receiving sleeve are formed respectively by radially aligned inner surfaces of the first and second connecting members.