Connector Apparatus for Releasably Connecting Together Two Components, Such as Newel Post and a Newel Base, and Method

Abstract

A connector apparatus ( 1 ) for securing together two components ( 30, 40 ) such as a newel post ( 40 ) and a newel base ( 30 ) includes: a coupling means ( 4, 5 ) arranged to be secured within a first ( 40 ) of said two components; and a clamp means arranged to be disposed within a second ( 30 ) of said two components to be accessible by said coupling means and having two clamp parts ( 6, 7 ) assembleable to be disposed at different sides of said coupling means by a linkage means ( 28 ) adapted to link said two clamp parts ( 6,7 ) to releasably clamp one or both clamp parts to the coupling means ( 4,5 ) thereby to releasably secure the two components together wherein the linkage means ( 28 ) of the clamp means is adapted to be disposed adjacent the coupling means in use to permit insertion or release of the coupling means from the assembled clamp means without obstruction thereby.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
   
   
       37 . A connector apparatus for securing together two components and including:
 a coupling means arranged to be secured a first of said two components;   a clamp means arranged to be disposed within a second of said two components to be accessible by said coupling means and having two clamp parts assembleable to be disposed at different sides side of said coupling means by a linkage means adapted to link said two clamp parts to releasably clamp one or both clamp parts to the coupling means thereby to releasably secure the two components together wherein the linkage means of the clamp is adapted to be disposed adjacent the coupling means in use to permit insertion or release of the coupling means from the assembled clamp means without obstruction thereby.   
   
   
       38 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 37  in which the clamp means is arranged such that, when assembled, the linkage means is disposed at places other than between a part of the coupling means and a region between the clamp parts through which said part of the coupling means must pass to retract the coupling means from the assembled clamp means. 
   
   
       39 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 37  in which said linkage means is adapted to releasably clamp both clamp parts to said coupling means. 
   
   
       40 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 37  in which said clamp means has a wedge means adapted to wedge in use between and against surface of the coupling means and a surface of the second component which is closer to the first component than is said surface of the coupling means thereby to fix the two components together. 
   
   
       41 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 40  in which the linkage means is operable to draw one clamp part closer to the other clamp part thereby to wedge said wedge means in use between and against surfaces of the coupling means and the second component. 
   
   
       42 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 37  in which the linkage means is operable to draw one clamp part closer to the other clamp part and at least one clamp part has an abutment part adapted to abut an opposing part of the coupling means when clamped thereto, wherein at least one of the abutment part and the opposing part has a surface shaped such that, by action of said drawing by the linkage means, the abutment part is drawn across the opposing part thereby to push the coupling means towards said second component. 
   
   
       43 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 37  in which the coupling means has a connecting part arranged to be secured to said one of said two components attached to an expanded part arranged to be received by the clamp means, and the clamp parts of the clamp means are shaped and adapted to at least partly surround the expanded part when clamped thereto. 
   
   
       44 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 37  in which the linkage means is operable to draw one clamp part closer to the other clamp part and one or both clamp part(s) are deformable so as to expand in a direction transverse to the direction of said drawing by action of clamping to the coupling means. 
   
   
       45 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 44  in which the clamp means is arranged to be disposed in a bore of said second component, and said one or both clamp part(s) is arranged to expand such that the expanded part(s) thereof are pressable in use against said bore thereby to grip said bore thereat. 
   
   
       46 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 44  in which the one or both clamp part(s) includes a resiliently deformable portion arranged so as to be squashed in a direction parallel to the direction of said drawing by action of clamping to the coupling means, and to expand outwardly of the clamp part(s). 
   
   
       47 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 44  in which the one or both clamp part(s) has a first portion moveably engaged with a second portion and a resiliently deformable third portion disposed within a space between the first and second portions and being deformable to protrude outwardly of the clamp portions by urging the first and second portions together to reduce said space. 
   
   
       48 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 47  in which the third portion is arranged so as to not protrude outwardly of the clamp portions when the first and second portions of the clamp part(s) are not urged together. 
   
   
       49 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 37  in which one or both clamp parts has a guide member protruding therefrom and offset from the linkage means, being arranged to be received within a bore provided in the other clamp part when the clamp is in the assembled state, the guide member being retractably insertable into the bore thereby to guide the movement of one clamp part relative to the other. 
   
   
       50 . A connector apparatus according to  claim 37  in which one or both clamp part(s) has an abutment part adapted to abut an opposing part of the coupling means when clamped thereto, the linkage means being arranged such that the coupling means is disposable between an abutment part and the linkage means when between the clamp parts in use. 
   
   
       51 . An apparatus said connector apparatus and said second component according to  claim 37  in which the said second component includes a bore adapted to receive the clamp means therein to be accessible by said coupling means, the bore of the second component including a channel formed in a surface thereof and extending along at least a part of the length of the bore, wherein the clamp means has a projection arranged to be received in the channel when the clamp is clamped to the coupling means in use. 
   
   
       52 . An apparatus including the connector apparatus according to  claim 37  and including said two components. 
   
   
       53 . An apparatus according to  claim 52  in which the said first component is a newel post and the said second component is a newel base arranged to be connected to the newel post. 
   
   
       54 . An apparatus according to  claim 37  in assembled form. 
   
   
       55 . A stair rail apparatus including an apparatus according to  claim 37 . 
   
   
       56 . A kit of parts including apparatus according to  claim 37 . 
   
   
       57 . A stair rail according to  claim 55  in assembled form 
   
   
       58 . A method of releasably securing together two components including:
 securing a coupling means to a first of said two components;   disposing a clamp means within a second of said two components to be accessible by said coupling means and having two clamp parts;   disposing the clamp parts at opposite sides side of said coupling means;   with a linkage means, linking said two clamp parts to releasably clamp one or both clamp parts to the coupling means thereby to releasably secure the two components together wherein the linkage means of the clamp is disposed adjacent the coupling means in use to permit insertion and/or release of the coupling means from the assembled clamp means without obstruction thereby.   
   
   
       59 . A method according to  claim 58  including disposing the linkage means in use at places other than between a part of the coupling means and a region between the clamp parts through which said part of the coupling means must pass to retract the coupling means from the assembled clamp means. 
   
   
       60 . A method according to any of  claim 58  including interconnecting said clamp parts with said linkage means to releasably clamp both clamp parts to said coupling means. 
   
   
       61 . A method according to  claim 60  including disposing the linkage means adjacent said coupling means such that the coupling means is releasable from the interconnected clamp parts without obstruction by the linkage means. 
   
   
       62 . A method according to  claim 58  including providing the clamp means with wedge means and wedging the wedge means between and against surface of the coupling means and a surface of the second component which is closer to the first component than is said surface of the coupling means thereby to fix the two components together. 
   
   
       63 . A method according to  claim 62  including drawing one clamp part closer to the other clamp part thereby to wedge said wedge means in use between and against surfaces of the coupling means and the second component. 
   
   
       64 . A method according to  claim 58  including providing at least one clamp part with an abutment part adapted to abut an opposing part of the coupling means when clamped thereto, and providing at least one of the abutment part and the opposing part with a surface, drawing one clamp part closer to the other clamp part such that the abutment part is drawn across the opposing part thereby to push the coupling means towards said second component. 
   
   
       65 . A method according to  claim 58  including providing the coupling means with a connecting part attached to an expanded part; securing the connecting part to said first components; receiving the expanded part in the clamp means; at least partly surrounding the expanded part with the clamp parts when clamped thereto. 
   
   
       66 . A method according to  claim 58  including providing one or both clamp part(s) to be deformable, and urging one clamp part closer to the other clamp part to clamp the clamp means to the coupling means and so as to cause one or both clamp parts to expand in a direction transverse to the direction of said urging by action of clamping to the coupling means. 
   
   
       67 . A method according to  claim 58  including providing one or both clamp parts with a guide member protruding therefrom and offset from the linkage means, and retractably inserting the guide member into a bore provided in the other clamp part thereby to guide the movement of one clamp part relative to the other. 
   
   
       68 . A method according to  claim 58  including providing one or both clamp part(s) with an abutment part, abutting the abutment part to an opposing part of the coupling means when clamping the clamp means thereto, and disposing the coupling means between an abutment part and the linkage means when between the clamp parts. 
   
   
       69 . A method according to  claim 58  including providing in said second component a bore adapted to receive the clamp means therein to be accessible by said coupling means, providing a channel in a surface of the bore of the second component extending along at least a part of the length of the bore, providing the clamp means with a projection, and receiving the projection in the channel when the clamp is clamped to the coupling means in use. 
   
   
       70 . A method according to  claim 58  in which the said first component is a newel post and the said second component is a newel base arranged to be connected to the newel post.