Railing assembly

Details Railing assembly Railing assembly

1997-10-22

2001-10-23

Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)

Fences

Rail

C256S065080

Reexamination Certificate

active

06305670

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to balusters used as components for railing assemblies for decks, porches, walkways, stairways, and any other applicable uses for railing systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses certain structures for suitably supporting the base of columnar members. For example, a U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,954 to Muren discloses a base for a columnar element wherein the bottom of the inner post is received within an appropriate recess in a base member having sloping side walls. The disclosure states that the components may be formed of a standard material, such as plastic. A U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,262 to Dunn shows a base sleeve formed of cast aluminum for receiving the lower end of a column. The sleeve is threadably secured to the floor by screws. A U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,427 to Watson shows a flanged supporting structure which receives the lower portion of a column. Threaded fasteners are employed to secure the supporting structure to a supporting base medium. A U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,160 to Grimm et al. discloses a post support bracket assembly including four corner brackets which cooperate to receive and support the lower end of a support post or newel. A U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,467 to Dupuis, Jr. shows a column construction wherein the ends of the column are hollow and are adapted to receive appropriately formed circular keys. A U.S. Pat. No, 4,972,642 to Strobl, Jr. shows a plastic footing for a generally vertically extending post. A U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,846 to Macchietto discloses a supporting device for an elongate pole wherein the bottom thereof is received within a suitably formed opening of a base plate.
There is additional prior art disclosing various railing assemblies wherein at least a mention is made in certain portions of the disclosures that a plastic material may be used in fabricating the substituent parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to product a railing assembly including balusters and associated support brackets for fastening the respective ends of the balusters to the upper and lower rail members.
Another object of the invention is to produce a railing assembly employing an array of spaced apart hollow balusters which may be readily provided with internal reinforcing means.
Still another object of the invention is to produce baluster support brackets capable of militating against relative movement between the associated baluster and support rail to which the brackets are attached.
Still a further object of the invention is to produce a railing assembly including support brackets which may be readily affixed to associated rails formed by native wood, wood composites, and rigid plastic materials, for example.
It is still another object of the invention to produce a railing assembly including support brackets for the associated balusters which enable the balusters to be suitably supported relative to the upper and lower rail members and prevent direct contact between the balusters and the rail members.
The above objectives are achieved by a railing assembly including a top rail, a bottom support, a plurality of spaced apart plastic balusters having upper and lower ends, and supporting brackets for receiving the upper and lower ends of the balusters and securing the balusters to the top rail and the bottom support.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1797883 (1931-03-01), Strubel
patent: 2748954 (1956-06-01), Murren
patent: 2820262 (1958-01-01), Dunn
patent: 3381427 (1968-05-01), Watson
patent: 3596880 (1971-08-01), Greenberg
patent: 4035978 (1977-07-01), Bajorek et al.
patent: 4381160 (1983-04-01), Grimm et al.
patent: 4641467 (1987-02-01), Dupuis, Jr.
patent: 4928930 (1990-05-01), Chung
patent: 4972642 (1990-11-01), Strobl, Jr.
patent: 5029820 (1991-07-01), Katz
patent: 5035401 (1991-07-01), Solter
patent: 5437433 (1995-08-01), Rezek
patent: 5605023 (1997-02-01), Biernazki
patent: 5626331 (1997-05-01), Erwin

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