Abstract:
A protective railing system includes at least two extruded posts, two post-mounted extruded brackets, and at least one extruded rail. The rail can be selectively installed with infinite adjustability both vertically and rotationally. Each post includes an outer tube and an inner tube with reinforcing ribs extending between the two. To secure the post to a floor, a floor-mounted anchor extends up into the inner tube. The anchor and inner tube are preferably rectangular to restrict relative rotation between the post and the anchor. When two or more rails are installed between two posts, the two rails can be interlocked, or the rails can be spaced apart to support a spacer therebetween. In some cases, the spacer is a sign or a fabric mesh.

Description:
FIELD OF DISCLOSURE  
       [0001]     The present disclosure generally relates to protective railings and, more specifically, to an assembly of extruded components that are infinitely configurable.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     There are a wide variety of barriers, fences, guardrails and handrails currently available for industrial, commercial and residential applications. Although reconfigurable light-duty systems have been developed for directing and restricting pedestrian traffic, heavy-duty industrial systems are usually more permanently installed because their component parts tend to be heavier for impact resistance. Nonetheless, there is a need for a protective railing system having component parts that are sufficiently light to be reconfigured to meet a particular installation&#39;s various requirements. Such requirements may include impact resistance, floor layout, visibility, and rail height, all of which may change from one installation to another. Also, it may be desirable to have a protective railing that can be readily removed to temporarily clear a path that is otherwise obstructed by the railing.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     In some embodiments, a protective railing system includes an extruded post, an extruded bracket, and an extruded rail that can be selectively installed at an infinite number of elevations along the height of the post.  
         [0004]     In some embodiments, the protective railing includes a post that is readily removable from a floor anchor without the need for tools.  
         [0005]     In some embodiments, the position of a rail relative to a post is infinitely adjustable both vertically and circumferentially.  
         [0006]     In some embodiments, an extruded rail-supporting bracket extends along most of the length of a port.  
         [0007]     In some embodiments, the extruded post is cylindrical.  
         [0008]     In some embodiments, the post includes an outer tube and an inner tube with ribs extending therebetween.  
         [0009]     In some embodiments, a floor anchor extends up into the inner tube to support the post.  
         [0010]     In some embodiments, the inner tube is substantially square.  
         [0011]     In some embodiments, the extruded bracket has a curved surface for engaging the cylindrical post and a channel for engaging one or more rails.  
         [0012]     In some embodiments, a fastener for attaching the bracket to the post is generally hidden between the rail and the bracket.  
         [0013]     In some embodiments, two rails each have an interlockable channel for interconnecting the two rails or for supporting a panel, sign, or other type of spacer between two rails.  
         [0014]     In some embodiments, two rails support a pliable sheet or screen therebetween.  
         [0015]     In some embodiments, the protective railing system includes a set of rails that run horizontally to provide a barrier that can withstand greater impact than if the rails were to be installed in a vertical orientation. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a front view a protective railing system.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional top view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a front view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing the rail&#39;s vertical adjustability.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a top view a protective railing system showing the system&#39;s layout configurability and rotational adjustability.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a rail/post/bracket assembly with a readily removable rail, wherein a front half of the bracket is cutaway to show detail that would otherwise be hidden.  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5  but showing another embodiment.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is similar to  FIGS. 5 and 6  but showing another embodiment.  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a front view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing two spaced-apart rails mounted between two posts.  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is a front view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing two adjoining rails mounted between two posts.  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  is a front view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing three spaced-apart rails mounted between two posts.  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is a front view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing six rails mounted between two posts.  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  is an exploded end view of two rails about to be connected by a rail coupler.  
         [0028]      FIG. 13  is an end view of two rails connected by a rail coupler.  
         [0029]      FIG. 14  is an end view of two rails with a spacer inserted between the two.  
         [0030]      FIG. 15  is a front view of the two rails of  FIG. 14  supported between two posts.  
         [0031]      FIG. 16  is a front view of a fabric mesh installed between two spaced-apart rails.  
         [0032]      FIG. 17  is an exploded perspective view of a post assembly.  
         [0033]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a post assembly mounted to a floor anchor.  
         [0034]      FIG. 19  is an exploded top view of a post assembly.  
         [0035]      FIG. 20  is a front view of  FIG. 19 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 21  is a top view of an assembled post assembly.  
         [0037]      FIG. 22  is a front view of  FIG. 21   
         [0038]      FIG. 23  is an exploded cross-sectional end view of a rail assembly.  
         [0039]      FIG. 24  is a cross-sectional end view of an assembled rail assembly.  
         [0040]      FIG. 25  is a front view of a protective railing system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0041]     A protective railing system  10 , shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , includes at least one rail  12  whose installation position relative to at least one post  14  is infinitely adjustable both vertically (arrows  16  and  18  of  FIG. 3 ) and rotationally (arrow  20  of  FIG. 4 ). Moreover, post  14  and rail  12  can be cut to any desired length. Thus, protective railing system  10  can be customized and universally applied to a wide variety of installations.  
         [0042]     To maximize the protective railing system&#39;s strength-to-weight ratio, post  14  and rail  12  are hollow with internal reinforcing ribs (e.g., ribs  24  of  FIG. 2 , and ribs  26  of  FIG. 12 ). To minimize manufacturing costs, post  14 , rail  12 , and an interconnecting bracket  28  have an extrudably uniform cross-sectional area so that the part can be extruded of PVC or some other extrudable material. The term, “extrudably uniform” refers to a part that could be extruded even though the part may have been made by a process other than extrusion or may have a surface texture or some cross-drilled holes that could be added after the part was extruded. Extrudably uniform does not necessarily mean that the part has a perfectly uniform cross-sectional area or that it was even extruded.  
         [0043]     Protective railing system  10  also includes a floor anchor  30  for securing post  14  to a floor  32 . In some embodiments, floor anchor  30  comprises a standard-size 1-inch or 1.25-inch square steel tube  34  welded to a base plate  36  that can be bolted to the floor. Tube  34  can be ten inches long or some other appropriate length.  
         [0044]     To connect post  14  to floor anchor  30 , post  14  includes an inner tube  38  that can be integrally extruded along with the rest of post  14 . Inner tube  38  preferably has a square interior surface that matingly engages the square exterior surface of the anchor&#39;s tube  34 . Although the shape of tubes  34  and  36  may vary, a square or. rectangular shape helps prevent post  14  from rotating relative to floor anchor  30 . The vertically sliding fit between tube  38  and anchor  30  allows post  14  to be readily removed to provide temporary access to an area that is otherwise fenced off by system  10 . A series of posts  14  can be laid out along a floor in almost any desired pattern or spacing, as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0045]     Once the posts are installed, brackets  28  can be attached to the posts using a suitable fastener  40  such as lag bolts, sheet metal screws, or some other appropriate fastener. Each bracket  28  includes a concave surface  42  for solidly engaging the generally cylindrical surface of post  14  and also includes a channel  44  for receiving rail  12 . Brackets  28  are installed such that channels  44  of adjacent posts  14  face each other. Rails  12  may then be cut to length, if necessary, so as to fit between two facing brackets  44 .  
         [0046]     Rail  12  can be installed at any desired elevation along bracket  28  and can be held there by various means. Fasteners  40 , for example, can fasten rail  12  directly to bracket  28 , or rail  12  can be held in place as shown in  FIGS. 5, 6  and  7 . In  FIG. 5 , fastener  40  attaches an angle support  46  to bracket  28  and post  14 , and rail  12  rests upon support  46 .  FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 ; however, an additional fastener  40  connects rail  12  to angle support  46 .  FIG. 7  is also similar to  FIG. 5 ; however, angle support  46  is inverted so that fastener  40  is hidden between rail  12  and bracket  28 . With the setup shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , rail  12  can be readily removed without the use of tools by simply lifting rail  12  off of supporting bracket  46 .  FIG. 6 , however, shows how an additional fastener  40  screwed into rail  12  can hold the rail in place more securely.  
         [0047]      FIGS. 1, 8 ,  9 ,  10  and  11  illustrate how one or more rails  12  can be installed in various configurations.  FIG. 1  shows a single rail  12  supported between two posts  14 ,  FIG. 8  shows two spaced-apart rails  12 ,  FIG. 9  shows two rails to that lie up against each other,  FIG. 10  shows three spaced-apart rails  12 , and  FIG. 11  shows a full stack of rails  12  that provides a solid wall effect. Regardless of the number of rails, each rail can be held in place by any appropriate method including those described with reference to  FIGS. 1, 5 ,  6  and  7 .  
         [0048]     When two or more rails are installed up against each other, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , a rail coupler  48  can be installed to help hold two adjoining rails together as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . Each rail  12 , for example, may define an interlocking channel  50  in which coupler  48  is inserted. Coupler  48  can be slid lengthwise into channel  50  prior to installing the two or more rails  12  between brackets  28 .  
         [0049]     When two or more rails are spaced apart to create a gap or opening between the two, an extra wide rail coupler (extra wide vertical dimension) or spacer can be installed between the two rails. In  FIGS. 14 and 15 , for example, a spacer  52  comprises a generally rigid panel that in some cases may also serve as a sign. In  FIG. 16 , a spacer  54  comprises a pliable sheet, such as a screen or fabric mesh.  
         [0050]      FIGS. 17 and 18  show how a post  14 ′ can be created by press-fitting a post insert  14   a  into a pipe  14   b , wherein pipe  14   b  is a standard-size shedule-40 or shedule-80 PVC pipe. Insert  14   a  is just a shorter and perhaps smaller diameter version of post  14 . Post  14 ′ can then be installed in the same manner as post  14 .  
         [0051]     Instead of post  14 , an alternate post  56  can be made by interlocking two post segments  58 , as shown in  FIGS. 19-22 . Each segment  58  has a T-flange  60  and a mating T-groove  62 . By axially sliding two identical segments  58  together, as shown in  FIG. 20 , flange  60  of one segment  58  interlocks with the mating T-groove  62  of an adjoining segment  58  to create post  56 , which can then be installed and used like post  14 .  
         [0052]      FIGS. 23 and 24  show an alternate rail assembly  64  that comprises an assembled stack of interlocking rails, which in this example includes one upper rail  66  and two lower rails  68  (any number of other combinations is also possible). The rails interlock with a tongue-in-groove connection  70  similar to the connection between T-flange  60  and T-groove  62  just described. Upper rail  66  can be provided with a suitably shaped handrail  72 . Other options include a reinforcing member  74  (e.g., steel square tubing, metal bar, etc.) that could make some areas of rail assembly  64  more rigid or stronger than other areas. In some cases, rail assembly  64  can be strengthened by inserting an elongate reinforcing member  76  through the length of one or more rails. Member  76  could extend from one post  14  to another and could connect any number of posts and rails together. In order for member  76  to extend through multiple rails, as shown in  FIG. 25 , holes may need to be drilled through posts  14  to allow member  76  to pass through the posts. Some examples of elongate member  76  include, but are not limited to, a cable, strap, chain, rope, etc.  
         [0053]     Another option is to use hollow rail  66  (or other rails and/or posts) to serve as an electrical conduit for carrying an elongate electrical conductor  78 , which has been schematically illustrated to represent any electrically conductive element. Examples of elongate electrical conductor  78  include, but are not limited to, a wire, cable, string of lights, rope light, antenna, sensor, etc. In order for member  78  to extend through multiple rails, as shown in  FIG. 25 , holes may need to be drilled through posts  14  to allow member  78  to pass through the posts. If conductor  78  includes lights, rail  66  is preferably able to pass the light through openings in the rail or via the rail material itself being transparent or translucent. If conductor  78  is an antenna or a sensor serving as a proximity sensor, for instance, the material of rail  66  may need to be non-metallic.  
         [0054]     Although the invention is described with respect to a preferred embodiment, modifications thereto will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be determined by reference to the following claims: