Railing system

• US 4,102,529 A
• Filed: 05/06/1977
• Issued: 07/25/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerhard O. Petrich, Werner H. Neblung
• Original Assignee: Gerhard O. Petrich, Werner H. Neblung
• Inventors: Petrich, Gerhard O., Neblung, Werner H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kee Chi, James
• Application Number:
  US05/794,452
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 256/65-70, 256/59.22, 248/251, 403/381, 403/290, 403/297, 403/292
• US Class Current: 256/70
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/181 Balustrades
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/1838 Laterally displaced handrail
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/30 Dovetail-like connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/557 Expansible section

Abstract

A railing system has a mounting arrangement including mounting brackets selectively located within a longitudinal slot in a rail member or in an upright standard, each slot and each mounting bracket having complementary wedge-shaped cross-sectional configurations and each mounting bracket including separate elements secured to one another but urged apart laterally to wedge the mounting bracket securely in place within a slot at any selected longitudinal location. Adjacent rail members are joined together end-to-end by connectors received within a D-shaped cavity in the rail members, the connectors having a complementary, split D-shaped cross-sectional configuration which is flexed outwardly by clamping screws to clamp each connector within adjacent abutted rail members.

Claims

1. In a mounting arrangement for a railing system:

a railing system member having a longitudinal slot therein, the slot including a longitudinal opening having a lateral width extending between opposite edges, a bottom face spaced inwardly of the opening and a transverse cross-sectional configuration which is at least partly wedge-shaped and is wider than the lateral width of the opening at locations spaced inwardly from the opening and tapers in the inward direction gradually laterally outwardly to said locations to establish at least one laterally outwardly tapered side wall in the slot;

a mounting bracket having first and second portions adapted to be placed side-by-side within the slot at any selected longitudinal location therein, at least one portion having a top face and a tapered side surface complementary to the corresponding tapered side wall of the slot;

actuating means adapted to be advanced relative to one portion of the mounting bracket to abut the other portion so as to urge one portion laterally away from the other portion; and

means for essentially precluding movement of the first and second portions relative to one another in the direction parallel to the inward direction so that the lateral movement of one portion away from the other portion will engage the complementary tapered mounting bracket side surface and slot side wall and urge the bottom face of the slot toward the top face of each portion of the mounting bracket to secure the railing system member and the mounting bracket in wedged engagement with one another.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein:

the wedge-shaped cross-sectional configuration tapers in the inward direction so as to establish laterally outwardly tapered opposite side walls in the slot; and

both of said first and second portions of the mounting bracket have a tapered side surface complementary to the corresponding tapered side wall of the slot.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the actuating means is a screw adapted to be threaded laterally through said one portion to abut the other portion such that the screw may be turned to advance and urge one portion laterally away from the other portion.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the first and second portions of the mounting bracket are separate individual first and second elements,

the first element having a longitudinally extending groove therein;

the second element having a longitudinally extending tongue projecting therefrom in a direction parallel to the inward direction and away from the top face thereof; and

the means for essentially precluding relative movement of the first and second elements in the direction parallel to the inward direction includes complementary interlocking transverse cross-sectional configurations in the tongue and groove.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein:

the groove is spaced laterally from a side wall of the first element; and

the tongue is spaced laterally from a corresponding side wall of the second element such that upon assembling the tongue and groove the corresponding side walls of the first and second elements are flush.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein the first element includes a threaded opening for receiving the screw so that the screw is adapted to be threaded into the first element.

7. The invention of claim 4 wherein the complementary interlocking transverse cross-sectional configurations are wedge-shaped and include tapered surfaces tapering in a direction tending to pull the tongue into the groove in response to the urging of the first and second elements away from one another.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the transverse cross-sectional configuration of the slot is a generally T-shaped configuration, the tapered side walls extending along the stem of the T-shaped configuration so that the stem is wedge-shaped.

9. The invention of claim 4 wherein the first element extends between the top face thereof and an opposite end, said first element including fastener-receiving means adjacent said opposite end.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein the railing system member is a rail member and the fastener-receiving means includes a laterally-extending aperture for receiving a mounting bolt.

11. The invention of claim 9 wherein the railing system member is a standard and the fastener-receiving means includes a threaded hole extending parallel to the inward direction for receiving a mounting bolt.

12. The invention of claim 1 wherein the railing system member is a rail member and the system includes at least two rail members to be joined in longitudinally end-to-end relation to form a continuous railing:

each rail member including a longitudinally extending cavity having a generally D-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration bounded by an arcuate wall portion and a relatively straight web portion coincident with the bottom face of the longitudinal slot;

a connector receivable within the cavity of each rail member and having a longitudinally extending wall with a D-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration complementary to the cavity in each rail member, the connector wall having a longitudinal length great enough to extend into the cavities of two end-to-end rail members, and connector wall including a flexible arcuate wall portion, a relatively straight wall portion, and a longitudinal slit of given width dividing the relatively straight wall portion into sections, each section having an edge confronting the corresponding edge of the other section at the slit;

a threaded aperture in the web portion of each rail member, adjacent the end of the rail member, each threaded aperture communicating with the slit when the connector is located within the rail members at the abutting ends thereof; and

a clamping screw adapted to be threaded into each aperture, the screw having a diameter greater than the width of the slit and a leading end tapered so as to enter the slit and engage the confrinting edges of the sections upon advancement of the screw into a corresponding aperture when the connector is in place within the abutted ends of the railing members, continued advancement of each screw serving to urge the confronting edges away from one another, thereby flexing the arcuate wall portion and clamping the connector within the ends of the railing members to secure the ends in abutted relation.

13. The invention of claim 12 wherein the length of each clamping screw assures that the end opposite the leading end thereof does not protrude into the longitudinal slot of the railing member once the clamping screw is fully advanced and the connector clamped within the ends of the railing members.

14. The invention of claim 13 wherein the confronting edges of the relatively straight wall sections are tapered complementary to the tapered leading end of each clamping screw.

15. The invention of claim 13 wherein the relatively straight wall sections have a wall thickness greater than the wall thickness of the arcuate wall portion of the connector to enhance the rigidity of the sections.

16. In a railing system in which longitudinally extending hollow rail members are to be joined in longitudinally end-to-end relation to form a continuous railing:

each rail member including a longitudinally extending cavity having a generally D-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration bounded by an arcuate wall portion and a relatively straight web portion;

a connector receivable within the cavity of each rail member and having a longitudinally extending wall with a D-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration complementary to the cavity in each rail member, the connector wall having a longitudinal length great enough to extend into the cavities of two end-to-end rail members, said connector wall including a flexible arcuate wall portion, a relatively straight wall portion, and a longitudinal slit of given width dividing the relatively straight wall portion into sections, each section having an edge confront the corresponding edge of the other section at the slit;

a threaded aperture in the web portion of each rail member, adjacent the end of the rail member, each threaded aperture communicating with the slit when the connector is located within the rail members at the abutting ends thereof; and

a clamping screw adapted to be threaded into each aperture, the screw having a diameter greater than the width of the slit and a leading end tapered so as to enter the slit and engage the confronting edges of the sections upon advancement of the screw into a corresponding aperture when the connector is in place within the abutted ends of the railing members, continued advancement of each screw serving to urge the confronting edges away from one another, thereby flexing the arcuate wall portion and clamping the connector within the ends of the railing members to secure the ends in abutted relation.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein the length of each clamping screw assures that the end opposite the leading end thereof does not protrude beyond the relatively straight web portion of the railing member once the clamping screw is fully advanced and the connector clamped within the ends of the railing members.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein the confronting edges of the relatively straight wall sections are tapered complementary to the tapered leading end of each clamping screw.

19. The invention of claim 17 wherein the relatively straight wall sections have a wall thickness greater than the wall thickness of the arcuate wall portion of the connector to enhance the rigidity of the sections.