Patent ID: 8814145

Claim:
A railing support assembly post comprising: a support post comprising an elongated member having a plurality of threaded receivers spaced along a length of the elongated member; a decorative sleeve configured for securing around the support post and spaced laterally from the support post; and a rail fitting, comprising: a bracket; a hollow spacer having sufficient length to span a gap between the support post and the decorative sleeve and extend beyond the exterior surface of the decorative sleeve and having sufficient interior dimension to surround a threaded receiver of the support post, the hollow spacer configured to pass through a hole in the decorative sleeve such that an inner face of the hollow spacer rests against the support post and surrounds a threaded receiver of the plurality of threaded receivers and an outer face of the hollow spacer provides an external mating surface for the bracket; and a bolt configured to secure the bracket to the support post, the bolt having a shank sized to pass through the hollow spacer and screw into a threaded receiver of the support post, such that a head of the bolt holds the bracket against the outer face of the hollow spacer and minimal compressive load is applied to the decorative sleeve, where the plurality of threaded receivers comprises three or more holes formed in the elongated member.