Stair Rail Apparatus

Abstract

A stair rail apparatus including a component ( 1 ) defining a channel with a base surface ( 2 ) at least part of which is shaped to project or extend into said channel, and a connector device ( 9 ) arranged to connect to said component via an abutment portion ( 8 ) thereof defining a recess shaped to receive said projecting or extending base surface part such that parts of the abutment portion within the recess abut the received projecting base surface part when the connector device is connected to the component in use.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
   
   
       23 . A stair rail apparatus including a component defining a channel with a base surface at least part of which is shaped to project into said channel, and a connector device arranged to connect to said component via an abutment portion thereof defining a recess shaped to receive said projecting base surface part such that parts of the abutment portion within the recess abut the received projecting base surface part when the connector device is connected to the component in use. 
   
   
       24 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the recess is shaped to reciprocate the shape of said projecting base surface part. 
   
   
       25 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the base surface of said channel is generally convex, wherein the recess defined by the abutment portion presents a generally concave region shaped to reciprocate the shape of said generally convex base surface part and arranged for intimate abutment therewith in use. 
   
   
       26 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the channel defines a pair of opposing channel walls and the abutment portion is shaped to simultaneously abut, in use, opposing parts of the channel where the opposing channel walls meet the channel base. 
   
   
       27 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the abutment portion defines a plurality of separate abutment surfaces within said recess, each separate abutment surface being arranged to abut the received projecting base surface part when the connector device is connected to the component in use. 
   
   
       28 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the abutment portion defines a single continuous abutment surface within said recess arranged to abut the received projecting base surface part when the connector device is connected to the component in use. 
   
   
       29 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the recess defined by the abutment portion is presented outwardly of the connector device. 
   
   
       30 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the abutment portion forms a sleeve shaped to receive a part of said component including said channel, the inner sleeve surface defining said recess. 
   
   
       31 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 30  in which a wall of the sleeve has an access opening formed within it adjacent the recess in the abutment portion, the opening extending along the sleeve wall in the direction of the channel which said recess is shaped to receive, the access opening being so arranged to expose at least a part of said channel when received in the sleeve thereby permitting access to the base of the channel by the abutment portion of a connector device in which the recess defined by the abutment portion is presented outwardly of the connector device. 
   
   
       32 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 31  in which the access opening is a slot extending into the sleeve wall from the outermost peripheral rim of the wall. 
   
   
       33 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the connector device has attachment means arranged to attach the connector device to a further component of the stair rail apparatus thereby to interconnect the further component with the component to which the abutment region of the connector device is abutted in use. 
   
   
       34 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  including a further component and an attachment means arranged to attach the connector device to the further component of the stair rail apparatus thereby to interconnect the further component with the component to which the abutment region of the connector device is abutted in use. 
   
   
       35 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 33  in which said further component defines a second channel with a base surface shaped to project into said second channel, said attachment means being arranged to connect to said further component via an abutment portion of the attachment means defining a recess shaped to receive the projecting base surface part of the second channel such that parts of the abutment portion of the attachment means within the recess abut the received projecting base surface part of the second channel when the attachment means is connected to the further component in use. 
   
   
       36 . A stair rail assembly according to  claim 33  in which the component is interconnected to the further component via the connector device. 
   
   
       37 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 33  in which the component is a shoe rail or a hand rail, and the further component is a post. 
   
   
       38 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 33  in which the component is a shoe rail or a hand rail, and the further component is a shoe rail or a hand rail. 
   
   
       39 . A stair rail apparatus according to  claim 23  in which the component defining the channel is a post or rail and the channel is elongate and extends along the direction of the longitudinal axis of the component. 
   
   
       40 . A kit of parts for providing, when assembled, a stair rail assembly according to  claim 23 . 
   
   
       41 . A kit of parts for a stair rail assembly including a component defining a channel with a base surface at least part of which is shaped to project into said channel, and a connector device arranged to connect to said component via an abutment portion defining a recess shaped to receive said projecting base surface part such that parts of the abutment portion within the recess abut the received projecting base surface part when the connector device is connected to the component in use. 
   
   
       42 . A stair rail assembly comprising the stair rail apparatus according to any of  claims 23  to  39  in assembled form. 
   
   
       43 . A stair rail assembly including stair rail apparatus according to  claim 33  wherein said component defining said channel is a hand rail or a shoe rail, and said further component is connected to the hand/shoe rail by said connector device abutted to the channel base of the hand/shoe rail within said channel. 
   
   
       44 . A stair rail assembly as in  claim 43  including both a hand rail and a shoe rail and a post therebetween, each rail defining a respective said channel and each rail being connected to an opposite respective end of said post by a respective connector device such that the post interconnects the hand rail and the shoe rail via two said connector devices.