Abstract:
A picket or panel railing and method of fabrication of the railing from a kit of parts includes U-shaped channels having inserts fixed in the channels, with holes pre-formed in the insert for insertion of pickets. Vertical pickets interconnect the upper channel and a lower channel and opposite ends of the pickets fit through the holes formed in the inserts.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to metal railings. More particularly, it relates to pedestrian and bicycle path guardrails having vertical pickets that interconnect horizontal top and bottom rails. 
     2. Brief Description of the Related Art 
     Pedestrian guardrails with vertical pickets are well-known. They are used in private and public works projects. Prior art railings are cut and welded in shop, then sent out to be hot dipped galvanized. The galvanized railings are and then shipped back to the manufacturer who ships them to the customer to be installed. The preassembled product sometimes has a length of ten linear feet but more typically is twenty linear feet. At twenty two pounds per linear foot, the product is very heavy and hard to handle. 
     Thus there is a need for a pedestrian guardrail structure that is not delivered to a job site in preassembled condition and which is instead made up of unassembled individual parts that are light in weight, easy to handle, and easy to assemble. 
     However, in view of the art at the time the invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill how a structure could be made that did not require such cutting and welding. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The novel method of manufacturing a railing assembly includes a system of assembly that provides a railing assembly easily installed on a jobsite, with limited or no cutting and welding, thereby reducing labor costs and time for installation. The only cutting or welding required is on rare occasions when a part may need to be modified to fit a particular condition or to correct a fabrication mistake. 
     The upper and lower rail may be made of an identical length of a metal, such as steel or an aluminum alloy, or other materials. The shape of the lower and upper rail form an arcuate mid-region and a flat surface extending from one side of the arcuate mid-region that may be welded or attached with fasteners to a flat surface of an upright post mounted in a foundation. The post may be mounted on the foundation using bolts, without any welding, for example. 
     In one example, the flat surface of a horizontal rail is attached to a surface of a post using fasteners, instead of or in addition to welding, such as spot welding. In one example, the post includes a flat surface of an elongated I-beam, T-beam, or C-channel, which may include a cap that conceals nuts and completes the post. The flat surface facilitates fastening the posts to the lower and upper rails. 
     The flat structure of the post and rail eliminates the need for having to route, use coping, or to notch the post to fit the top and bottom rails as required in conventional railing systems. 
     Pickets may be inserted in pre-cut or pre-formed holes formed, punched or otherwise provided through inserts secured within the upper and lower rails. The inserts are positioned between a first flat surface that extends from a first side of the arcuate mid-region of the rails and a second flat surface on the opposite side of the rail that extends from a second side of the arcuate mid-region of the rails. In one embodiment, the upper and lower rails are symmetric and U-shaped, and the inserts have a flat mid-region and the opposite flanges extend in the same direction from the flat mid-region, thereby forming an open, rectangular channel. In another embodiment, the opening of the channel of the insert faces inwardly toward the arcuate mid-region of the rails, and pickets are inserted through the holes and into the cavity formed by the insert and the rail. In another embodiment, the opening of the channel faces outwardly away from the arcuate mid-region, forming a channel capable of receiving a panel. The panel may replace pickets in a railing and may include a sound barrier, a decorative motif used for advertisement or a transparent barrier, for example. The panel railing may be assembled similarly to the picket railing, except the panel is inserted into the opening of the channels of the inverted inserts between the upper rail and the lower rail. 
     Alternatively, the inserts may take the form of a rectangular tube or a capped channel, sized for fitting within the opposite sides of a U-shaped railing. A plurality of holes may be pre-cut or pre-formed, such as by punching, machining or forming, through the flat mid-region of each of the inserts, at a predetermined spacing, for example. The holes may accommodate the insertion of pickets, which are spaced along the pedestrian railing between the upper rail and the lower rail. A lower insert may be fitted into a lower rail, and an upper insert may be fitted into an upper rail. Both of the lower and upper inserts may be attached to the railings by welding, adhesive bonding, brazing, soldering or the like or may be attached by fasteners, such as screws or rivets or may be snap fit or interference fit into railings. 
     The railings may be made of a rigid and durable material, preferably capable of extended exposure and use outdoors. Metals such as steel and aluminum are preferable. A pedestrian railing made of dip-galvanized steel may be assembled from pre-manufactured components in the field. Alternatively, thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers may be used to form the various components of the railings, provided that strength and stiffness issues are addressed in the design of the components. A fiber-reinforced polymer resin is preferably used to form load bearing components of a non-metallic pedestrian railing, such that the stiffness and strength requirements of the load-bearing components are met using less polymer resin. In one embodiment, polymer resins used in the railing contain a substantial amount of recycled materials, meaning at least fifty percent (50%) recycled material in the railing, which recycled material may include regrind from manufacturing operations. 
     In one embodiment, a handrail is mounted above the upper rail at a distance that allows a user to see between the handrail and the upper rail, without any obstruction by a plurality of pickets extending between the upper rail and the lower rail. The handrail may be secured at its ends or along its length by a fixture, for example. Fixtures may be secured to the posts or the upper rail, or both. 
     In a method of assembly, a flat face of a horizontal lower rail is attached to upstanding posts mounted on foundations using fasteners passing through a hole in the flat face of the lower rail. A plurality of pickets are disposed in pre-cut or pre-formed holes in the lower insert, which is secured in the lower rail, prior to attaching the lower rail to the posts. A flat part of each of the posts is secured by the fasteners to the flat surface of the lower rail, prior to inserting the pickets into the holes in the lower insert. An upper rail is then mounted onto the railing. The upper rail has an upper insert with holes, and the pickets are inserted into the holes in the upper insert, prior to securing a flat face of the upper rail to the flat face of the posts, using fasteners. At this point, prior to fully tightening the fasteners, the upper and lower rails may be aligned substantially parallel to each other, the lower rail being aligned substantially parallel to the ground, for example. Once the fasteners are tightened, the upper and lower rails are secured to the posts and in relation to each other. 
     Optionally, a handrail may be mounted spaced apart from and above the upper rail, using fixtures attached to the posts, for example, completing a fully functional and aesthetically pleasing pedestrian railing. 
     In one example, the fasteners are bolts with nuts, and the bolts extend through the flat face of the upper and lower rails. The flat face of the posts and the nuts are tightened on the end of the bolt extending through the flat face of the posts to the opposite side of the flat face of the posts. 
     In all embodiments, a concealment plate makes the post complete. It conceals and protects the nuts from exposure, i.e., it denies access to the nuts so that the railing assembly may not be disassembled by unauthorized personnel. 
     One advantage of the railing assembly and method of manufacture is that the design is manufacturable from simple extrusions with minimal post extrusion machining, stamping and welding. 
     Another advantage is that the railing assembly may be installed by a crew in the field without any need for welding the components together during assembly. In one example, a cap or shield may be tack or spot welded post-assembly. 
     Yet another advantage is that time and labor costs for installing railing assemblies to complete a project are reduced compared to known railings that require cutting or more complicated assembly at the jobsite or more complicated welding operations and installation steps. 
     Still another advantage is that the costs of materials and assemblies are reduced compared to known railings due to efficiencies in use of materials and fabrication of the assemblies. Standardized components may be manufactured and shipped to a field site as needed for assembly at a field location. The ornamental design of the railings is highly attractive and distinctive without introducing substantial additional costs for materials and labor while substantially reducing such costs in comparison with known railings of comparable quality and aesthetic appeal. 
     Moreover, the novel structure can be assembled on site. This reduces the prior art need for additional equipment to transport to the site and the prior art need for additional equipment to move preassembled rail around the site. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of a rail that may be used as an upper or lower rail; 
         FIG. 1B  depicts a welded structure; 
         FIG. 1C  depicts a welded structure mounted to a post; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of one embodiment of an assembled railing; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of an embodiment mounted on a concrete slab, pavement, sidewalk or the like; 
         FIG. 4A  is a partial top view of a pedestrian railing mounted on a C-beam post including a partial top view of a lower rail; 
         FIG. 4B  is a partial side view of an upper rail; 
         FIG. 4C  is a partial side view of a lower rail; 
         FIG. 4D  is a partial top view of an upper rail; and 
         FIG. 5  depicts an embodiment where each insert faces the open end of its associated rail. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The embodiments disclosed and the drawings rendered are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     In the examples of  FIGS. 1  A-C, an upper rail and a lower rail may have identical structures and be interchangeable one for the other. In one example, upper rail  26  and lower rail  26  are made of steel and are prefabricated with inserts  24  secured in rails  26 , such as by welding of the inserts into the rails. 
     A weld seam  18 , which may be a continuous weld seam, a bead, a spot weld, a tack weld or the like, is depicted in  FIGS. 1B and 1C . Seam  18  joins insert  24  to rail  26 . 
     Both rails  26 ,  26  are depicted as U-shaped with arcuate portion  86  joining opposing, identical flat ends  82 . Either flat end may be secured to the surface of a post  22 , such as by fastener  44  depicted in  FIG. 1C , which is shown extending through rail  26  and post  22  with dashed lines indicating features hidden from view. 
     Insert  24  may be a C-shaped channel having a plurality of holes or apertures  15  ( FIG. 1A ), said apertures being pre-cut or pre-formed and providing a predetermined spacing between pickets  23 , when said pickets are inserted through said apertures  15  as depicted in  FIGS. 1B and 1C . 
     Fastener  44  may be any suitable fastener.  FIG. 1C  depicts a bolt and nut in screw-threaded engagement. Rails  26 ,  26  and inserts  24  may be formed, extruded or otherwise manufactured in convenient lengths for use in assembling railings with picket  23  holes pre-cut, pre-punched or pre-drilled, for example. Holes for fasteners  44  may be provided in advance as well, or may be drilled during assembly. 
     Assembly of a pedestrian railing, such as depicted in  FIG. 2 , may be completed by first pouring a slab, sidewalk, pavement or the like (denoted  2  in  FIG. 3 ), which may include a fastener precast into the structure, as illustrated by the anchor bolt in  FIG. 3 , for example. 
     As best understood in connection with  FIGS. 4A-C , post  22  having a C-shaped cross section is welded to mounting plate  42  in surmounting and upstanding relation to said mounting plate. Apertures  41  ( FIG. 4A ) are formed in mounting plate  42  to receive a fastener such as an anchor bolt  62  ( FIG. 4C ), extending from a precast or poured support structure, such as the structure illustrated in  FIG. 3 , for example. 
     In  FIG. 4A , lower rail  26  is fastened to post  22  using a round-head carriage bolt  44  that passes through U-shaped rail  26  and post  22 , a portion of carriage bolt  44  engaging a square hole formed in rail  26 . A threaded end of carriage bolt  44  passes through a hole in a side flange portion of C-beam post  22 , and wedge-shaped washer  49  provides a flat surface for nut  46  to facilitate tightening of the nut on carriage bolt  44 . 
       FIG. 4D  depicts the same mounting arrangement for upper rail  26 , which is identical to the lower rail, in this example. 
     Without access to nut  46 , carriage bolt  44  may not be detached from the railing. Bolt  44  nondetachably fixes the rail to post  22  and said bolt cannot be removed when post  22  is capped by said cap  12 .  FIG. 4D  depicts cap  12  welded onto post  22  such that nut  46  cannot be removed from carriage bolt  44 . Cap  12 , also known as concealment plate  12 , is L-shaped and completes the top and side of channel-shaped post  22 . The horizontal truncate part of concealment plate  12  completes the top of the post and the elongate vertical part completes the side. Channel post  22  has two small sections of angles welded to each side of the post for the cover plate to slide through, trapping concealment plate  12  on each side and the horizontal top of concealment plate  12  is secured by self tapping screws so that no welding is needed. 
     Upper and lower rail assembly  40 , circled in  FIG. 4C , is easy to assemble in the field and requires modest levels of experience or training. If fasteners are precast into a concrete structure, the installation of mounting plates  42  onto the fasteners merely requires insertion of pad  52 , such as a neoprene pad, and shimming to plumb on level surfaces and gentle grades. Either an edge shim or beveled shim plates may be used for shimming to plumb, for example. Once mounting plates  42  are shimmed and fastened to the pavement, the remaining steps quickly erect segments of the railing. 
     Lower rail  26  is fastened to posts  22 . Pickets  23  are then respectively inserted into pre-cut holes  15  in each insert  24  of lower rail  26 . Upper rail  26 , which may be identical to the lower rail, is fitted onto pickets  23  by aligning holes  15  with pickets  23 . The upper rail is then fastened to each post  22 . As depicted in  FIG. 4B , the post may have a width Y of about four inches ( 4 ″), as is conventional in the manufacturing of four-inch C-beam posts, and the top of the post may be pre-cut at a twenty five degree (25°) angle, with the tallest part of post  22  facing rail  26  as depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , several lengths of railing may be joined one to the other at splices  28 , which may be formed by lengths of round tubing having a diameter d, as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , being inserted and extending into both sides of the rail at each splice between railing segments. An expansion joint may be formed by round tubing fastened, joined or otherwise connected on only one side of the splice. Fastening, joining or otherwise connecting round tubing to both railing segments provides a continuity splice. In one embodiment, the round tubing has pre-formed screw holes which may be threaded. A corresponding hole in a railing may be used to quickly fasten the railing to the round tubing forming a splice without welding. 
     The end portion of the railing may be fitted with wings or finials  21  by inserting tubing extending from finials  21  into the ends of the last (end of railing) railing segment and coupling said finials to railing  20 . Said finials complete the finishing edge of the rails. They slide into place and are secured with self tapping screws. 
     Circled details A and D in  FIG. 2  correspond to the example in  FIGS. 4A-D . One or both of rails  36  may be provided with an insert having a rectangular cross section, such as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , for example. The rectangular cross section in  FIG. 1B  is formed by strip  242  joined to insert  24  at least at pre-cut holes  15 , where pickets  23  are inserted into rail  36 . For example, weld seam  242  is depicted in  FIG. 1B  for joining strip  242  to insert  24 . Other suitable joining methods may be used such as adhesive joining, snap fitting, friction stir welding, and the like. The use of such rail  36  provides an unobstructed length for insertion of a round tube having an external diameter d capable of fitting inside of rail  36 , for splicing, reinforcement or the like, allowing pickets  23  to be provided having the same pre-cut length, for example. 
     In one example, the railing is completely assembled on location in the field without any welding. All of the welding, if any, is completed in advance under controlled conditions during manufacture of the components to be assembled on location. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 1C , cap  12  is coupled to C-beam post  22 , which serves to conceal and to prevent access to fasteners  44 . Cap  12  may be joined to post  22  after installation and inspection of railings  20 . As best illustrated in the example of  FIG. 4C , pickets  23  may be spaced at a distance x from posts  22 , such as one and one-eighth inches from the front face of the post to the centerline of the picket, for example. 
     Upper and lower rails  26  are symmetric as depicted in  FIG. 1A  and include a U-shaped mid-section  86  and opposing flat portions  82  extending from mid-section  86  and inserts  24  having a cross section with a flat mid-region and two opposite flanges extending in a common direction from the flat mid-region, forming an open, rectangular channel. In one example, such as illustrated in  FIG. 1C , the open side of insert  24  faces inwardly toward arcuate mid-region  86  of the rails, and pickets  23  are inserted through holes  15  and into the cavity formed by the insert and the rail. 
     As illustrated in the example of  FIG. 5 , the opening of insert  24  may face outwardly, away from arcuate mid-region  86 , forming an open channel capable of receiving panel  7 . Panel  7  may replace pickets in a railing for the purpose of providing a guard rail in some applications. For example, panel  7  may include a sound barrier, a decorative motif or a transparent barrier, for example. A panel railing or segment may be assembled similarly to the picket railing, except panel  7  is inserted into the opening of insert  24  which is inverted in the opposite direction to accept the edge of panel  7  into the opening of insert  24 . Both upper and lower rails  66  are selected to hold panel  7  when panel  7  replaces pickets  23 . 
     Alternatively, the inserts may be provided in the form of a rectangular tube or a capped channel, as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , sized for fitting within the opposite sides of a U-shaped railing. 
     A plurality of holes may be pre-cut or pre-formed in inserts  24 , such as by punching, machining or forming, through the flat mid-region of each of the inserts, at a desired, predetermined spacing, for example. The holes may accommodate the insertion of pickets, which are spaced along the pedestrian railing between the upper rail and the lower rail. A lower insert may be fitted into a lower rail and an upper insert may be fitted into an upper rail. Both of the lower and upper inserts may be attached to the railings by welding, adhesive bonding, brazing, soldering or the like or may be attached by fasteners, such as screws or rivets or may be snap fit or interference fit into rails. 
     Any handrail may be selected and installed as provided by the manufacturer of the handrail. The handrail preferably attaches to the posts using fasteners, without requiring welding, and the fastener attaching the handrail is concealed within a cavity formed by post  22  and cap  12 . 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.