PRESS FOR ASSEMBLING RAILING SYSTEMS

Abstract

The press is used for assembling a section of a railing system. It comprises at least one set of tab-bending punch heads designed to bend end tabs provided on pickets. The tabs are inserted through a corresponding opening made in a rail of the section of the railing system before activating the press. Using this press, a plurality of pickets can be simultaneously connected to the rails.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an isometric exploded view of an example of a section of a railing system with an example of the improved way of connecting the pickets and the rails, the parts being shown prior to connection.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged and partial cross-sectional view of one of the pickets at the side of the section of the railing system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example of an apparatus to form a bracket in a rail.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of an apparatus to bend a bracket in a rail.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view showing an example of a portion of a rail with tabs of a picket bended to provide the rigid connection between them.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the example of the section of the railing system shown in FIG. 1 once the pickets are connected to the rails.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an example of a press for assembling railing systems.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of the press shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the press shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation and partial cross-section view of the press, as taken from line 10-10 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged and partial cross-sectional view of a bottom region of the press shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11, showing an upper region of the press.

FIG. 13 is an isometric view of the punch head used in the press shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 7, showing the press at the end of its downwards stroke.

Claims

1. A press for assembling a section of a railing system, the apparatus comprising: a main frame having a front portion;a bottom transversal beam rigidly connected to the front portion of the frame;an upper transversal beam extending substantially parallel to the bottom beam,a movable supporting assembly provided between the upper beam and the main frame to move the upper beam in a plane defined generally by the front portion of the main frame;at least one set of tab-bending punch heads, the set being disposed on the bottom beam or the upper beam; anda plurality of picket holders extending in at least one transversal row between the bottom and upper beams.

2. The press as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the punch heads is resiliently connected to the corresponding beam.

3. The press as defined in claim 1, wherein at least two of the punch heads are mounted on a common base.

4. The press as defined in claim 1, wherein each punch head includes a wedge-shaped projecting member.

5. The press as defined in claim 1, wherein each picket holder is adjustable in width.

6. The press as defined in claim 1, wherein the movable supporting assembly includes at least one hydraulic actuator, the actuator being provided between an overhead transversal beam rigidly connected to the front portion of the main frame and the upper beam.

7. The press as defined in claim 1, wherein the movable support assembly comprises a sliding guide extending between the overhead beam and the upper beam.

8. The press as defined in claim 1, wherein the front portion of the main frame is inclined with reference to the vertical.

9. A press for at least partially assembling a section of a railing system, the section having two parallel and spaced apart rails between which are provided a plurality of spaced-apart pickets to be connected to at least one of the rails by means of end tabs, the press comprising: a main frame having a front portion;a bottom transversal beam connected to the front portion of the main frame;an upper transversal beam connected to the front portion of the main frame;a movable supporting assembly configured and disposed to move at least one among the bottom transversal beam and the upper transversal beam in a plane defined by the front portion of the main frame, the bottom transversal beam and the upper transversal beam;a first transversal row of spaced-apart punch heads provided over the bottom transversal beam;a second transversal row of spaced-apart punch heads provided under the upper transversal beam and facing the punch heads of the first row;at least one transversal row of picket holders adjacent to the front portion of the main frame between the bottom transversal beam and the upper transversal beam, each picket holder of each row being in registry with one punch head in the first row and one punch head in the second row;whereby, in use, the end tabs of the pickets are bended by the punch heads upon moving the bottom transversal beam and the upper transversal beam closer to each other.

10. The press as defined in claim 9, wherein at least one of the punch heads is resiliently connected to the corresponding beam.

11. The press as defined in claim 9, wherein at least two of the punch heads are mounted on a common base.

12. The press as defined in claim 9, wherein each punch head includes a wedge-shaped projecting member.

13. The press as defined in claim 9, wherein each picket holder is adjustable in width.

14. The press as defined in claim 9, wherein the movable supporting assembly includes at least one hydraulic actuator, the actuator being provided between an overhead transversal beam, rigidly connected to the front portion of the main frame, and the upper beam.

15. The press as defined in claim 9, wherein the movable supporting assembly comprises a sliding guide extending between the overhead beam and the upper beam.

16. The press as defined in claim 9, wherein the front portion of the main frame is inclined with reference to the vertical.

17. A method of assembling a picket and a rail of a railing system using a press, the rail having a plurality of spaced-apart openings, the method comprising: inserting the rail in the press;inserting an end of the picket into one of the openings from a first side of the rail, the end of the picket including at least two spaced-apart end tabs extending lengthwise; andpressing a punch head against the tabs from a second end of the rail to bend the tabs outwardly until the picket is rigidly connected to the rail.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein at least one of the punch heads is resiliently mounted to the press.

19. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein inserting the end of the picket includes inserting the tabs into a corresponding one of the openings until a shoulder defined between roots of the tabs engages the first side of the rail.