Patent Publication Number: US-11643838-B2

Title: Vertical cable rail barrier

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/139,658, filed on Dec. 31, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/689,502, filed on Aug. 29, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,883,290, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/684,810, filed on Apr. 13, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,790,707, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application for patent Ser. No. 61/979,055 filed Apr. 14, 2014, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to barriers (such as railings or fences) and in particular to a barrier panel utilizing cables as vertical barrier members. 
     Description of Related Art 
     It is common to form a barrier for railing or fence applications made, for example, of a plurality of panel members, with each panel member supported between and attached to a pair of post members. Each panel generally comprises a bottom rail extending between two posts and a top rail also extending between those same two posts. A plurality of vertical support members (also referred to in the art as pickets or balusters) extend between the bottom rail and the top rail. The bottom rail, top rail and vertical support members are made of a metal material (such as steel or aluminum). In an embodiment, first ends of the vertical support members are fixedly attached to the bottom rail (for example, through bolts, brackets or welding) and second ends of the vertical support members are fixedly attached to the top rail (again, for example, through bolts, brackets or welding). 
     The panel may be pre-assembled before delivery to a job site. In such a case, the installer may simply install the pair of posts with a separation substantially equal to a length of the panel. The installed posts should have an exposed height that is greater than a height of the panel. Brackets mounted on each post accept and retain ends of the bottom and top rails. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises: a bottom rail member including a plurality of first openings spaced apart along a length of the bottom rail member; a top rail member including a plurality of second openings spaced apart along a length of the top rail member; at least one vertical support member mounted to and extending between the bottom rail member and top rail member; and a plurality of vertical cables mounted to and extending between the first rail member and second rail member, wherein a first end of each vertical cable is secured within one of the first openings and a second end of each vertical cable is secured within an opposite one of the second openings. End members configured to adjust tension in the vertical cables are concealed by a pair of leg members of the second rail member. 
     In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises: a rail member including: an outer U-shaped channel; and an inner U-shaped channel; wherein said inner U-shaped channel is mounted within the outer U-shaped channel with open ends of the inner and outer U-shaped channels facing each other; inner openings spaced apart along the length of the inner U-shaped channel; and outer openings spaced apart along the length of the outer U-shaped channel; wherein each inner opening is aligned with a corresponding outer opening; and a plurality of cables mounted to said rail member, wherein an end of each cable is secured within aligned inner and outer openings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of the present invention may be acquired by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a front view of an embodiment of a cable rail panel; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a bottom rail; 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of the bottom rail; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a top rail; 
         FIG.  5 A  illustrates a first end of a cable; 
         FIG.  5 B  illustrates a second end of a cable; 
         FIGS.  6 A- 6 D  illustrate cable installation on the bottom and top rails; 
         FIG.  7    is a broken away side view showing a means for attaching vertical support members; 
         FIG.  8    illustrates an end view of a cap member; 
         FIG.  9    illustrates installation of the cap member; and 
         FIG.  10    illustrates an alternative cap member; and 
         FIGS.  11 A- 11 E  illustrate an implementation of the cable rail panel useful in a stair or sloped installation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  1    which illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a cable rail panel  10  (configured to be installed between two post members  18 ). The panel  10  includes a bottom rail  12  and a top rail  14  that are spaced apart from each other by a pair of vertical support members  16  (extending between the bottom and top rails) which are spaced apart from each other along the lengths of the bottom and top rails. The bottom rail  12 , top rail  14  and vertical support members  16  are made of a metal material (such as steel or aluminum). First ends of the vertical support members are fixedly attached (for example, by bolts, welding or brackets) to the bottom rail  12 . Second ends of the vertical support members are fixedly attached (also, for example, by bolts, welding or brackets) to the top rail  14 . The panel  10  further includes a plurality of vertical cables  19  spaced apart from each other along the lengths of the bottom and top rails and extending between the bottom and top rails. The means for cable attachment will be discussed in more detail herein. Each end of the bottom and top rails is configured for attachment to the post member  18 , for example, through the use of a bracket mechanism as known in the art. 
     In an embodiment, the vertical support members  16  are hollow tubular members having a desired cross-section including, for example, square, rectangular, circular, hexagonal, octagonal, or the like. In an alternative embodiment, the vertical support members  16  are solid bar members having a desired cross-section including, for example, square, rectangular, circular, hexagonal, octagonal, or the like. In either case, a threaded opening may be provided at each end of the member  16  to accept a mounting bolt for attachment of the vertical member to the top and bottom rails. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  2    which illustrates a perspective view of the bottom rail  12  and further to  FIG.  3    which illustrates a cross-sectional view of the bottom rail  12 . The bottom rail is formed of a first U-shaped channel member  20  and a second U-shaped channel member  22 . The channel members  20  and  22  are made of a metal material, such as steel or aluminum, and are fixedly attached to each other (for example, by welding) with the first channel member  20  fitting within the second channel member  22  and the open ends of the two channel members oriented facing each other. The welded attachment may, for example, comprise welding edges or surfaces of the channel member  20  to inner surfaces of the channel member  22 . Spot or resistance welding techniques may be used in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. In a preferred implementation, evidence of the welding would not be visible on an outer surface of the channel member  22 . 
     Each channel member  20  and  22  is formed of a web member and an opposed pair of leg members extending generally perpendicularly from the web member. The first channel member  20  is formed of the web member  21  and the opposed pair of leg members  23 . The second channel member  22  is formed of the web member  25  and the opposed pair of leg members  27 . The space between the leg members  23  defines the open end of the channel member  20 . The space between the leg members  27  defines the open end of the channel member  22 . The web member  21  for the first channel member  20  includes a plurality of first openings  26  and the web member  25  for the second channel member  22  includes a plurality of second openings  28 . When the channel members  20  and  22  are fixedly attached to each other, the first and second openings  26  and  28  align with each other. Furthermore, with reference once again to  FIG.  1   , the aligned first and second openings are provided at locations along the lengths of the channel members  20  and  22  which corresponding to the desired locations of vertical cables  19  (and also the desired locations of the vertical support members  16  in a certain embodiment). Indeed, as will be discussed in more detail below, the first and second openings  26  and  28  are provided in connection with supporting the attachment of first ends of the plurality of vertical cables  19  to the bottom rail  12  (and perhaps attachment of first ends of the vertical support members  16 ). 
     The openings  26  and  28  may have any desired shape, but in a preferred implementation the openings have square or rectangular cross-sectional shapes. 
     The first channel member  20  functions to provide reinforcement or stiffness to the assembly with the second channel member  22  to form the bottom rail  12 . The first channel member  20  further functions in connection with supporting bottom rail  12  for retention of first ends of the plurality of vertical cables  19 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  4    which illustrates a perspective view of the top rail  14  (the cross-section of top rail being similar to that of the bottom rail shown in  FIG.  3   ). The top rail is formed of a first U-shaped channel member  30  and a second U-shaped channel member  32 . The channel members  30  and  32  are made of a metal material, such as steel or aluminum, and are fixedly attached to each other (for example, by welding) with the first channel member  30  fitting within the second channel member  32  and the open ends of the two channel members oriented facing each other. The welded attachment may, for example, comprise welding edges or surfaces of the channel member  30  to inner surfaces of the channel member  32 . Spot or resistance welding techniques may be used in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. In a preferred implementation, evidence of the welding would not be visible on an outer surface of the channel member  32 . 
     Each channel member  30  and  32  is formed of a web member and an opposed pair of leg members extending generally perpendicularly from the web member. The web member for the first channel member  30  includes a plurality of first openings  36  and the web member for the second channel member  32  includes a plurality of second openings  38 . When the channel members  30  and  32  are fixedly attached to each other, the first and second openings  36  and  38  align with each other. Furthermore, with reference once again to  FIG.  1   , the aligned first and second openings are provided at locations along the lengths of the channel members  30  and  32  which corresponding to the desired locations of vertical cables  19  (and also the desired locations of the vertical support members  16  in a certain embodiment). Indeed, as will be discussed in more detail below, the first and second openings  36  and  38  are provided in connection with supporting the attachment of second ends of the plurality of vertical cables  19  to the top rail  14  (and perhaps attachment of second ends of the vertical support members  16 ). 
     The openings  36  and  38  may have any desired shape, but in a preferred implementation the openings have square or rectangular cross-sectional shapes. 
     The first channel member  30  functions to provide reinforcement or stiffness to the assembly with the second channel member  32  to form the top rail  14 . The first channel member  30  further functions in connection with supporting top rail  14  retention of second ends of the plurality of vertical cables  19 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  5 A  which illustrates a first end of a vertical cable  19 . The cable  19  is formed of a cable member  40  that is made of metal, for example, stainless steel. The cable member  40  may be of a wound, woven or solid (rod) type as desired and is to some degree flexible along its length. At the first end, a ball swage fitting  42  is attached. The ball swage fitting  42  includes a ball member  44  and a shank member  46 . The shank member  46  is a hollow tubular member sized to receive the end of the cable member  40  which is fixedly attached within the shank member  46 . The shank member  46  may, for example, have an outer shape in the form of a square or rectangle generally conforming to the size and shape of the openings  26  and  28  provided in the bottom rail  12  (or alternatively the openings  36  and  38  of the top rail  14 ). The ball member  44  is sized larger than the openings  26  and  28  (or  36  and  38 ). 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  5 B  which illustrates a second end of a vertical cable  19 . The cable  19  is formed of the cable member  40  as described above. At the second end, a threaded swage fitting  52  is attached. The threaded swage fitting  52  includes a threaded member  54  and a shank member  56 . The shank member  56  is a hollow tubular member sized to receive the end of the cable member  40  which is fixedly attached within the shank member  56 . The shank member  56  may, for example, have an outer shape in the form of a square or rectangle generally conforming to the size and shape of the openings  36  and  38  provided in the top rail  14  (or alternatively the openings  26  and  28  provided in the bottom rail  12 ). The threaded member  54  likewise is sized to fit through the openings  36  and  38  (or  26  and  28 ). A nut  58  is provided to be installed on the threaded member  54  and it is sized larger than the openings  36  and  38  (or  26  and  28 ). 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  6 A  which illustrates an end view of top rail  14  with an installed ball swage fitting  42 . The ball member  44  is sized larger than the opening  36  in the first channel member  30  and the shank member  46  is sized for press fit through the openings  36  and  38  in the channel members  30  and  32 .  FIG.  6 C  shows a perspective view of the installed ball swage fitting  42  extending through the openings  38  in the top rail  14 . It will be understood that alternatively the fitting  42  could be used in connection the bottom rail  12 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  6 B  which illustrates an end view of bottom rail  12  with an installed threaded swage fitting  52 . The nut  58  is sized larger than the opening  26  in the first channel member  20  and the shank member  56  and threaded member  54  are sized to pass freely through the openings  26  and  28  in the channel members  20  and  22 . Tightening of the nut  58  on the threaded member  54  permits adjustments to be made as to the tensioning of the cable  19 . The nut  58  is tightened against the channel member  20  such that a bearing surface  59  of the nut  58  contacts a corresponding bearing surface  29  of the channel member  20 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  7    which illustrates a means for attaching the vertical support members  16  to the bottom rail  12  and top rail  14 .  FIG.  7    shows a rail member  60  which may comprise either a bottom rail  12  or a top rail  14 . The rail member  60  has a configuration like that shown in  FIGS.  2  and  4    and thus includes a plurality of aligned openings  62  and  64  in channel members  20  and  22  used for supporting installation of the swage fittings. Instead of fixedly attaching the vertical support member  16  by means of welding, the vertical support member  16  may instead be secured to the rail member  60  at any of the opening  62 / 64  locations using mounting hardware  66 . In an embodiment, the mounting hardware  66  may, for example, comprise a bolt, screw or other threaded connector as known in the art. The shaft of such hardware passes through the openings  62 / 64  and engages a threaded opening provided in the end of the vertical support member. The head of such hardware engages with the inner channel member. An advantage of this assembly is that the vertical support members  16  can be installed at any opening along the length of the top and bottom rail members. Thus, rail members can be cut to desired length at the job site and the one or more vertical support members  16  provided at desired locations along that length. One end of each of the plurality of cables  19  is then installed in the remaining openings  62 / 64  to complete assembly of the panel as shown in  FIG.  1    wherein the ends of each cable are supported with opposite openings in the rails  12  and  14 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG.  8    which illustrates an end view of a cap member  90  that is configured for installation over the top rail  14 .  FIG.  9    illustrates the cap member  90  in an installed position. The cap member  90  is formed of one or more U-shaped channel members  92  which may comprise a base member  92   a  and an ornamental member  92   b . The base member  92   a  is designed for press or interference fit over the channel member  32 . The ornamental member  92   b  is secured to the base member  92   a  through any suitable means (including, for example, welding, adhesion, hardware like screws, etc.) and includes ornamental features  94  as desired (only one non-limiting example of such ornamentation being shown). 
     In an alternative embodiment, the open end of the top rail  14  may be closed or covered using other means. For example,  FIG.  10    illustrates the use of a wooden member  96  which can be secured to the top rail  14  using any suitable means (including, for example, a clip mechanism and hardware attachment). 
     Although the ball end of the swage fitting may be configured for mounting to openings in the bottom rail, it will be understood that this is a matter of installation choice and instead the ball end of the swage fitting could be mounted to openings in the top rail. Although the threaded end of the swage fitting may be configured for mounting to openings in the top rail, it will be understood that this is a matter of installation choice and instead the threaded end of the swage fitting could be mounted to openings in the bottom rail. 
     There may exist certain installations, such as with stairs or other sloped terrain, where a perpendicular panel configuration like that shown in  FIG.  1    is not preferred. In such cases, it would be preferred to install a panel that is configured to have the top and bottom rails and cables of the panel run parallel to the slope as shown in  FIG.  11 A . 
     The panel  10  is accordingly configured to support racking so as to follow undulating terrain, stairways or ramps. For example, the panel may be racked to an angle up to about 35°. In this configuration, the connection between the vertical support members  16  and both the bottom rail  12  and top rail  14  permits other than perpendicular mounting. Additionally, the brackets used to attach the ends of the bottom rail  12  and top rail  14  to the posts  18  permits other than perpendicular mounting. More detail is provided below and in connection with  FIGS.  11 B- 11 E . 
     To support this installation, the panel includes a hinge  140  for connecting the ends of the vertical support members  16  to each of the rails  12  and  14 . See,  FIG.  11 B . The hinge  140  provides a pivot point  142  between a rail bracket  144  and a support bracket  146 . In the illustrated configuration, the support bracket  146  includes a pair of opposed flanges  148  and the rail bracket  144  includes a tab member  150  that is inserted between and pivotally coupled to the flanges  148 . The rail bracket  144  may be attached to the rail  12 / 14  using the openings  26 / 28  or  36 / 38  and mounting hardware. The support bracket  146  may be attached to an end of the support member  16  using mounting hardware, or alternatively may be integrally formed at the end of the support member  16 . 
     In order to support angled attachment of the ends of the cable, the top and bottom rails  12 / 14  are configured such that an angled tab  172  is cut out from the web member  174  of the first channel member  20 / 30  at each opening  26 / 36 . See,  FIGS.  11 C- 11 E . A first end of the angled tab  172  remains attached to the web member  174  while a second end of the angled tab  172  is bent inwardly towards the web member  176  of the second channel member  22 / 32 . In an embodiment, the second end of the angled tab  172  is engaged (for example, by welding) against the inner surface of the web for the second channel member  22 / 32  (as shown at reference  180 ). The opening  26 / 36  still aligns with the opening  28 / 38  on the second channel member  22 / 32  and receives the fitting  178  which is attached to the cable end (see,  FIGS.  5 A- 5 B  for examples of the fittings). The angle with which the tab  172  is bent may, in a preferred embodiment, be equal to about 30-40°. It will be understood that the angle of the tab  172  may be selected to account for the slope of the stairs or sloped terrain at which the panel is to be installed. The alignment of the openings  26 / 36  and  28 / 38  is made in accordance with a range of permitted slope installations. To support such a range, the opening  28 / 38  in the second channel member is oversized with respect to the fitting. 
     Although preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims.