Systems and apparatus for mounting poles onto railings
OwnerAndrew Shaylerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for coupling a pole to a railing are disclosed. One such apparatus includes a holder for holding a pole. The holder is attached to a J shaped bracket. The J shaped bracket is attached to one side of a railing. A back piece is attached to the other side of the railing and coupled to a top plate of the J shaped bracket using bolts from the back piece that slide into tapered L shaped slots on the top plate. Sliding the back piece while the bolts are in the tapered L shaped slots so as to slide the bolts along the tapered L slots into a locked final position tightens the apparatus around the railing. The bolts can be tightened against the top surface of the top plate to affix the apparatus to the railing.
Claims13
A modular apparatus for coupling a pole to a railing, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a holder for holding a pole;
- (b) a J shaped bracket piece for attaching onto a first side of a top rail of the railing, the J shaped bracket piece coupled to the holder for holding the holder over a side of the railing, wherein the J shaped bracket piece comprises a top plate for bearing against a top side of the top rail, the top plate comprising at least one tapered L-slot having a first leg running adjacent to a back edge of the top plate, the at least one tapered L-slot having a second leg opening out at the back edge of the top plate, the first leg being less than one third of a total length of the back edge of the top plate and being tapered such that a first end of the first leg is closer to the back edge of the top plate than a second end of the first leg, with the first end of the first leg being adjacent to the second leg of the at least one tapered L-slot;
- (c) a back piece comprising a back plate for bearing against a back side of the railing and a back-bottom plate for bearing against a back bottom of the railing, the back-bottom plate being adjustably coupled to the back plate, the back plate having at least one stud extension extending from a top edge for engagement with the at least one tapered L-slot;
- and
- (d) a back plate tightening head coupleable with the at least one stud extension for tightening to bear against the top plate to hold the back piece in a first position, the first position being a position where the stud extension is positioned at the first end of the first leg, and for further tightening to bear against the top plate at a locked final position after the back piece is slid relative to the top plate for moving the stud extension into the locked final position, the locked final position being where the stud extension is positioned at the second end of the first leg;
- wherein sliding the back piece relative to the front piece such that the stud extension is moved from the first position to the locked final position locks the apparatus onto the railing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.