TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hand rails or grab rails. More particularly this invention relates to a rigid grab rail having a secure support member connection, accomplished by the use of wedging action, which is secured to a wall, vehicle, or other surface.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Hand railing or guide rails are placed throughout the world to assist in related human activity. For example, stairs are typically provided with hand railings to assist people in traversing up or down the stairs. Just such a hand railing is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,194 issued to Toomey. In addition, hand railings are common in swimming pools to assist people in entering and exiting the water. Another use of hand railings is on a bathtub to help people get over the wall of the tub in addition to helping them position themselves in the tub. Just such a hand rail is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,361 issued to Smith.

[0003] Vehicles, such as ambulances, are also provided with hand railings to provide a gripping surface for the people using the vehicle. In addition, small hand railings are usually provided in automobiles for the comfort of the passengers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,233 issued to Sasaki shows a grab rail which has a cantilevered spring that is held onto by a passenger sitting in the front seat of a car.

[0004] Fire engines are almost universally employed with a grab rail of some form. This is because it is often necessary to reach onto areas of the truck to get at hoses, or to hold onto the fire engine from an outside position as the fire engine moves. It is desirable that such a grab rail would be easy to mount on the fire truck, readily detachable, readily adjustable, and above all else rigidly mountable and strong so that a user will have confidence in the support. The strength of the guide rail should therefore be strong in the areas of both pulling and torsional forces.

[0005] Such a hand rail that could possibly be adapted for use on a fire engine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,267 issued to Schmitt. The '267 patent shows a rigid hand railing whose main feature is a plurality of compound indentations formed on the underside to aid in gripping by a human hand. The hand rail and the indentations are formed by extruding as a single piece. Either end of the rail is equipped with a flush-mount adapter to fix the hand railing to a wall or other surface. The flush-mount adapter is welded onto the body portion of the hand rail to make a permanent connection. Such a procedure is disadvantageous because it requires the extra step of making at least two welds for every hand rail produced. Additionally, The hand rail is not readily adjustable because once the flush-mound adapter is welded, it is permanently made to be that length.

[0006] A hand rail that does allow for adjustment is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,071 issued to Yakimicki. The '071 patent shows a clamp-on grab rail for a door. Two bracket plates are mounted on either side of a door. A grab rail having a telescopically adjustable member is then provided. This member is positioned between the two bracket plates, and a wing nut is rotated causing the grab rail member to adjust to the desired length. At this point, one end of the grab rail having a series of holes is in put into alignment with a hole in a tubular component, and a bolt is dropped through to lock the telescopically adjustable member to the tubular component.

[0007] While providing for an adjustable grab rail member, the grab rail of the '071 patent does not provide for a grab rail which can be connected to a vehicle or other surface. This is because the bracket plates are adapted to be connected to doors, and not surfaces. Also, the uneven telescopic appearance of the tubular component and the telescopically adjustable member could prove undesirable if the grab rail were to be used on cars or trucks which demand a high level of aesthetic appearance.

[0008] In addition, the extension of the wing nut along with two other set screws in the configuration could be potential hazards for firemen who could catch their clothing on these exposed screws. It would be undesirable and dangerous for a fireman to catch his or her clothes on an exposed screw and then suffer injury as a result of losing his or her balance while attempting to jump from or exit a moving fire truck. Additionally, the grab rail of the '071 patent is disadvantageous in that the holes in the tubular component must be matched exactly with a hole in the telescopically adjustable member. This could cause the grab rail to be too long or too short, causing stress on the bracket plates or an inadequate connection for certain lengths of the grab rail. Finally, the grab rail of the '071 patent suffers from the flaw of having to be first positioned between the bracket plates and then adjusted into position with the wing nut. It would be advantageous in assembling or manufacturing if the grab rail could be made at the correct length and then connected to the vehicle. Otherwise, one has to both hold the grab rail between the bracket plates and simultaneously adjust its length. This step could in some instances require the use of two people to assemble.

[0009] Another patent which shows a grab rail which can be adapted for use on a vehicle or surface is U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,332 issued to Hansen. The '332 patent shows a grab rail being secured on either end by a stanchion. The stanchions are attached by conventional means to a surface and the grab rail is held in place only once the stanchions are attached. Each stanchion has a key inside which prevents rotation of the grab rail.

SUMMARY

[0010] Objectives and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned from practice of the invention.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention may include a grab rail that is adapted to be mounted to a surface. The grab rail includes an elongated rail that has a bore lying along a central axis. A wedge block is disposed in the bore of the elongated rail, having an inclined face on one end inclined relative to the central axis. A support member may be connected to the surface. The support member has an inclined face on one end that is contiguous with the inclined face of the wedge block. A fastener engages the wedge block and urges together the inclined face of the wedge block and the inclined face of the support member. This urging may result in sliding the elongated rail in a non-axial direction relative to the support member to join the support member and the elongated rail.

[0012] Another aspect of the present invention includes the embodiment of a grab rail as discussed above that further includes two of the support members and two of the fasteners. The elongated rail has two of the wedge blocks, and each of the support members is secured to the elongated rail by a respective one of the fasteners.

[0013] A still further aspect of the present invention may include an embodiment as discussed above where the support member has a through bore. The through bore of the support member extends through the inclined face of the support member.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention may include an embodiment of the grab rail as discussed above where the wedge block has an internally threaded end. The wedge block has a bore going through the inclined face of the wedge block. The fastener is a screw and is disposed through the bore of the support member and the bore of the wedge block. The screw threadably engages the internally threaded end of the wedge block.

[0015] A still further aspect of the present invention may include a grab rail that is adapted to be mounted to a surface. The grab rail includes an elongated rail that has a bore lying along a central axis. A wedge block is disposed in the bore of the elongated rail. The wedge block may have an inclined face on one end inclined relative to the central axis. The wedge block has a hub section. A support member may be connected to the surface. The support member has a rail lip on one end and the rail lip has an inclined face. The rail lip is contiguous with the elongated rail, and the inclined face of the rail lip mates with the inclined face of the wedge block. Also, a fastener may be included that engages the hub section of the wedge block. The fastener urges together the inclined face of the rail lip and the inclined face of the wedge block to slide the elongated rail in a non-axial direction relative to the support member. Such sliding action helps to join the support member and the elongated rail.

[0016] A further aspect of the present invention includes an embodiment as discussed above of a grab rail which further includes two of the support members and two of the fasteners. The elongated rail has two of the wedge blocks and each of the support members is secured to the elongated rail by a respective one of the fasteners.

[0017] A still further aspect of the present invention includes an embodiment of a grab rail as discussed above where the support member has a through bore. The through bore of the support member extends through the inclined face of the rail lip.

[0018] Another embodiment of the present invention includes a grab rail as discussed above where the hub section of the wedge block is internally threaded and the wedge block has a bore going through the inclined face of the wedge block. The fastener may be a screw that is disposed through the bore of the support member and through the bore of the wedge block. The screw threadably engages the internally threaded hub section of the wedge block.

[0019] Another aspect of the present invention may be a guide rail that is adapted to be mounted to a surface. The guide rail includes an elongated rail that has a bore lying along a central axis. The elongated rail has a wedge block disposed at either end in the bore of the elongated rail. The wedge blocks have an inclined face on one end that is inclined relative to the central axis. Two stanchions may be provided for connection to the surface. The stanchions have an inclined face on one end that is contiguous with the inclined face of the wedge block. Two fasteners may engage respective wedge blocks. The fasteners urge together the inclined face of the wedge blocks and the inclined face of the stanchions. The elongated rail is slid in a non-axial direction relative to the stanchion to join the stanchion and the elongated rail.

[0020] The present invention also includes a method of assembling a grab rail. The method includes the steps of providing a support member that has an inclined face on one end. The support member has a bore through the inclined face. The method also includes the step of providing a wedge block that has an inclined face on one end and a threaded bore through the inclined face. The method also includes a step of abutting the inclined face of the wedge block against the inclined face of the support member, and slipping an elongated rail over the wedge block. Also, the elongated rail is abutted against the support member, and a screw is inserted through the bore of the support member and through the bore of the wedge block. Also, the screw may be tightened until the wedge block secures the elongated rail to the support member.

[0021] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.