Patent ID: 8033530

Claim:
A rail assembly comprising: a rail member comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, with the rail member defining a screw hole extending from the first major surface of the rail member to the second major surface of the rail member; an elongated baluster member defining an interior space; a baluster shoe member comprising a base portion, a first flexible wall and a second flexible wall, with the base portion defining a screw hole; and a screw comprising a head portion and an elongated portion; wherein: the rail member, the baluster shoe member and the screw are assembled together so that the head of the screw is engaged with the first major surface of the rail member, the elongated portion of the screw extends through the screw hole of the rail member, and the elongated portion of the screw is in threaded engagement with the screw hole of the base portion of the baluster shoe and thereby secures the base portion of the baluster shoe against the second major surface of the rail member; the baluster shoe member and the baluster member are assembled together so that the first flexible wall and the second flexible wall of the baluster shoe member extend into the interior space of the baluster member, but the base portion of the baluster member is shaped and sized so that it is prevented from extending into the interior space of the baluster member by physical interference between the baluster member and the base portion; the first flexible wall is flexible between a first position not in frictional engagement with the baluster member and a second position in frictional engagement with the baluster member; the second flexible wall is flexible between a first position not in frictional engagement with the baluster member and a second position in frictional engagement with the baluster member; and the elongated portion of the screw further extends beyond the base member so that it physically interferes with a protrusion of the first flexible wall and a protrusion of the second flexible wall to flex the first flexible wall and the second flexible wall from their respective first positions to their respective second positions.