Patent ID: 7434789

Claim:
A picket fence assembly comprising: a plurality of pickets, each of the pickets having a non-circular cross-sectional shape, and further having a first end portion and second end portion, the first end portion including at least one notch; a one piece homogeneous horizontal support member defining a plurality of first openings having a cross-sectional shape identical to the picket cross sectional shape, each of the first openings being configured and dimensioned to slidably receive one of the pickets; and a one piece homogeneous horizontal locking member forming a plurality of second openings having a cross-sectional shape identical to the picket cross sectional shape, each of the second openings being vertically aligned and angularly offset from a respective one of the plurality of first openings of said horizontal support member; wherein each notch of each of the plurality of pickets is capable of being positioned to be aligned with one of the first openings of the horizontal support member to facilitate limited rotation of each picket in relation to the horizontal support member such that, upon rotation, the notch of each picket receives a portion of the horizontal support member to axially secure the picket in relation to the horizontal support member, wherein each of the openings in the horizontal locking member is oriented to slidingly recieve each respective second end portion, the second end portion being continuous and notch-free to prevent rotation of each picket in relation to the horizontal locking member.