Fences – Rail
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-07
2001-04-10
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Fences
Rail
C256S019000, C256S065080, C256S066000, C248S519000, C248S527000, C248S188800, C403S362000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213452
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to railing systems, and in particular, to support posts easily secured to a generally horizontal support surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are a number of systems for vinyl railings including vinyl vertical posts secured to a support surface where the post engage the ends of handrails and bottom rails used to support spindles. With any handrail system, it is important that the system can withstand significant loads which are suddenly applied thereto when a person or persons fall against the rail and require the rail to oppose the load. This stability is largely provided by the vertical posts.
Vertical posts are typically anchored at the bottom thereof to the support surface to provide the required high strength connection. For example, the base of a post may include concrete anchors embedded in a horizontal concrete surface with a portion of these anchors extending upwardly into the base of the post and the base of the post being filled with concrete to secure the post to the support surface. In some systems, vinyl posts are applied over wooden support posts which are either anchored to the wooden deck themselves or embedded in concrete to provide the necessary strength.
There is a need to provide a railing system which can be strongly secured to a horizontal surface to provide the necessary structural stability but in a much simpler manner. It has been found that the typical do-it-yourselfer does not want to work with concrete and another arrangement for securing of the post to a horizontal surface is necessary. The present invention provides a mechanical securement of a post to a horizontal surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A support post for a railing system according to the present invention comprises a base plate, an interior support post and an exterior plastic tube. The base plate includes a horizontal plate with securement ports therethrough for attaching the horizontal plate to a support surface. The horizontal plate includes a series of upstanding flanges at the periphery of the plate positioned to snugly engage interior surfaces of the exterior plastic tube when the tube is sleeved over the flanges to fix the plastic tube to the base plate. The horizontal plate has, interior to the upstanding flanges, an upwardly extending rigid collar defining a support tube into which an end of the interior support post is inserted and secured. The fastening arrangement secures the end of the interior support post to the collar. The interior support post, at an end opposite the base plate, includes a series of adjustment screws spaced about the support post in engagement with the interior walls of the plastic tube. The screws are adjusted to orientate the tube in a generally vertical manner correcting for variations of the support post from vertical. The exterior plastic tube is oversized relative to the interior support post such that the exterior plastic tube conceals the interior support post therewithin.
According to an aspect of the invention, the exterior plastic tube is of a generally square cross section and the base plate has four upstanding flanges in engagement with the interior walls of the exterior plastic tube.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4104000 (1978-08-01), Fleischmann
patent: 4448003 (1984-05-01), Hasbrouck
patent: 5143472 (1992-09-01), Reed et al.
patent: 5209450 (1993-05-01), Grapes
patent: 5312089 (1994-05-01), Venegas, Jr.
patent: 5695174 (1997-12-01), Tsai
patent: 5901525 (1999-05-01), Doeringer et al.
patent: 6141928 (2000-11-01), Platt
patent: 2364934 (1975-07-01), None
Cook Michael E.
Pettit Frederick M.
Browne Lynne H.
Garcia Ernesto
GSW Inc.
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