Patent ID: 7427055

Claim:
A bracket assembly for securing an elongated rail to a post; wherein the bracket assembly comprises: a bracket adapted to be secured to the post; said bracket having a peripheral outer surface including a bottom end section; said bracket defining a rail receiving receptacle therein; said receptacle being adapted to receive an end of the rail therein; a spring-biased cover plate engageable around the peripheral outer surface of the bracket; said cover plate being engageable with the bracket after the rail is received therein; and wherein said cover plate has a perimeter wall comprising: a first section, a first and a second wall extending outwardly away from the first section; said first wall terminating in a first end and said second wall terminating in a second end; said first and second ends being disposed in close proximity to each other in end to end relationship, whereby said first and second ends form a bottom wall that extends substantially across the entire bottom end section of the bracket; a slot defined between said first and second ends and extending from a front edge to a back edge of said perimeter wall; said slot having a width; and wherein said first and second walls are movable away from each other so as to increase the width of the slot to a degree sufficient to allow the cover plate to be snap fitted around the peripheral outer surface of the bracket when the rail end is retained therein; and wherein the bracket includes a plurality of first tabs on the bottom end section and the cover plate includes a plurality of second tabs on the bottom wall; and wherein the first tabs and second tabs interlocking engage each other when the cover plate engages the bracket thereby locking the cover plate and bracket together.