Patent Application
20250154772
The present disclosure is generally directed to railing systems, particularly those cable railing systems used in residential and commercial settings to prevent falls from an elevated surface such as a deck or stairs.
Most building codes require that decks and associated stairs have sturdy railings to prevent accidental falls.
Cable railing is often chosen for this application for strength, cost, and aesthetics. Cable railing provides the barrier strength needed to prevent someone at a cookout from falling off a raised platform or deck while reaching for another hot dog, and to prevent someone in line for a roller coaster from falling off the steps leading to the platform. Cable railing can be comparatively inexpensive, at least as compared to completely wooden structures. Additionally, cable railing presents a clean and unobtrusive barrier that many prefer.
Cable railing, however, is not without its disadvantages. Notably, construction and tightening of the cables can be challenging and contribute to the installation cost. Further, some utilitarian installations can have an industrial look that can clash with an artful landscape.
What is needed is a cable railing system that simplifies installation and provides a clean, aesthetic final appearance.
Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the needs mentioned above.
Herein is disclosed a cable railing system that addresses these needs.
One aspect of the cable railing system is a tightening component comprised of a sleeve or receiver, having female threads, encasing a threaded capsule. The capsule is adapted to grip an inserted cable. The capsule can then be driven into the receiver by turning the receiver with a common hand tool, thereby tightening the cable. The tightening component further has features that help guide an inserted cable toward the gripping means of the capsule. The design of the tightening component masks and conceals the attachment point of the cable from casual inspection, yielding a cleaner final appearance.
Further, the subject matter of this application discloses a method of installing a horizontal cable infill railing using the disclosed tightening component.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to represent the same parts.
Each reference number consists of three digits. The first digit corresponds to the figure number in which the referenced item is first or best shown. Reference numbers are not necessarily discussed in the order of their appearance in the figures. Drawings are not necessarily to scale. As used herein, “has” and “have” mean “comprising.” Although a “post” is described as a free-standing vertical structure, the term should be understood to include all similar structural members. Similarly, a “baluster” includes any member performing the supporting function of a baluster as described. Relatedly, although a rail is described as a solid piece of material connected to the extremities of two posts, such rails may be otherwise positioned. “Rail” means a top, bottom, or any other rail. For ease in drafting, and hopefully also of reading, aspects of the subject matter of this application are described in terms of a single segment of railing between two posts; however, the teachings of this disclosure apply to, and are most commonly used with multiple railing segments. Also, for ease of drafting and hopefully reading, the procedure for attaching and tightening a cable is described once. However, in practice, most cable railings will be comprised of several cables.
While the embodiments illustrated in the figures and described herein are presently preferred, these embodiments are just examples. Those skilled in the relevant arts may appreciate modifications that could be made but which do not materially depart from the teaching of this disclosure. The subject matter of this application is not limited to a particular embodiment but extends to various modifications that nevertheless fall within the scope of the claims. The order or sequence of any processes or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present application. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. In the claims, any means-plus-function clause is intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present application.
A method of assembling a horizontal cable infill segment for a deck railing comprises the steps of providing a first cable rail support post (101) and a second cable rail support post (102). Each said cable rail support post is comprised of an elongated member having a first side (103), a second side (104), a top (105), a bottom (106), and a longitudinal axis (107). The bottom of each elongated member also has a base support flange (108) comprising a number of mounting holes (301). Further provided is a leveling plate (302). Once so provided, each bottom of a cable rail support post is positioned on a mounting surface such as, e.g., a deck, and a leveling plate is placed between the cable rail support post and the mounting surface. Holes are drilled through the mounting holes of each support flange into the mounting surface, and the cable rail support posts are fixed into place with suitable mounting hardware.
The assembly method also providing a top rail (121) having a first end (122), a second end (123), a top (124), a bottom (125), and a longitudinal axis (126) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mounted cable rail support posts; a baluster (127), a first baluster mount (128) and a second baluster mount (129). Once so provided, the first baluster mount is attached to the bottom of the top rail, approximately the same distance from the first end of the top rail and the second end of the top rail. The top rail is placed to span the first cable rail support post and the second cable rail support post. The second baluster mount is attached to the mounting surface directly below the first baluster mount. The baluster is attached to the first and the second baluster mount, the first end of the top rail is attached via a bracket (501) and screws (502) to the first cable rail support post, and the second end of the top rail is attached to the second cable rail support post. In some embodiments, some embodiments further provide for the attachment of a bottom rail parallel to the top rail and which, in those installations, is the mounting surface to which a baluster mount connects.
Each said cable rail support post further comprises a number of cable receivers comprised of a sleeve (601) and a capsule (701). Each said sleeve has a length (602), a longitudinal axis (603), a first end (604), a second end (605), an external surface (606), and an internal surface (607). Said internal surface comprises female threads (608) and said second end has an adaptation allowing the sleeve to be turned by a hand tool. In most useful embodiments this adaptation of the second end of the sleeve is a hex socket screw and the hand tool is a hex wrench. Said capsule (701) has a length (702), a longitudinal axis (703), a first end (704), a second end (705), an external surface (706), and an internal surface (707) defining a channel (801). The external surface of the capsule comprises male threads (708) engaged with the female threads on the internal surface of the sleeve.
Within the channel is a gripping adaptation comprising a spring (802) and a plurality of jaw portions (803). Said spring is located near the first end of the capsule and said jaw portions are located near the second end of the capsule. Said jaw portions defining a channel. Said jaws, spring, and the surrounding channel being adapted such that a cable instated through the first end of the capsule presses the ridged jaw portion causing the spring to coil and the channel of the jaw to expand, allowing passage of the cable through the expanded channel. When the tension driving the insertion of the cable is released, the spring uncoils and presses the jaw portions toward the first end of the capsule, causing the jaw portions to tighten around the cable, preventing the release of the cable from the capsule and thereby from the cable receiver.
The most highly preferred embodiments of the cable receiver further comprise a flange-head hollow screw (901) with an internal surface (902), an external surface (903), and male threads (904) suitable for attaching said flange-head hollow screw to the first end of the sleeve. The internal surface of the flange-head hollow screw has a first diameter (905) and a second diameter (906) in which the first diameter is greater than the second. The internal surface of the flange-head hollow screw may also comprise one or more grooves (504) parallel to the longitudinal axis of the capsule.
With the cable rail support posts, rail or rails, and baluster so assembled, a length of cable (201) is run between the cable rail support posts. Said cable has a first end (202) proximal to the first cable rail support post and a second end (203) proximal to the second cable rail support post. One end of the cable is inserted into the proximal cable attachment structure with force sufficient to engage the gripping adaptation of the capsule. The remaining end of the cable is pulled taut and trimmed such that the end of the cable extends approximately 1.25 inches past the entrance point of the proximal cable attachment structure (210); the cable is then inserted into the proximal cable attachment structure with sufficient force to engage the gripping adaptation of the capsule.
Then, to tighten the cable, the cable is held by a pliers or similar tool to prevent rotation while the cable attachment structure is turned (608), thereby driving the capsule into the cable rail support post. This tightening is repeated for each cable attachment.
