Patent Application
20250154773
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 because of its 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 entirely wooden structures. Additionally, many prefer the clean and unobtrusive aesthetics of cable railing.
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 installations can have an industrial look that can clash with an artful landscape.
A cable railing system that simplifies installation and provides a clean, aesthetic final appearance is needed.
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.
A cable railing system that addresses these needs is disclosed here.
One aspect of the cable railing system is a modular rail and cable section comprised of a top rail, a bottom rail, and a plurality of cables strung between the two rails. These sections may be rolled or compacted for storage and shipping. One or more spacing rods are installed between the rails to yield a somewhat rigid and planar section. Using a novel cable crimp and flange nut allows the cable to be pulled taut while eliminating galvanic corrosion and allowing the nut to freely spin in reverse if over-loosened without dropping off or binding threads.
Further, the subject matter of this application discloses a method of installing a vertical cable infill railing using the disclosed spacing rod, cable crimp, and flange nut hardware.
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.
The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to represent the same parts wherever possible.
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” are synonymous with “comprising.” Although a “post” is described as a free-standing vertical structure, the term should be understood to include all similar structural members. Further, although cables are most commonly understood within the scope of this disclosure as a rope of metallic fibers, a cable may refer to similar structures of non-metallic materials and non-rope structures, such as, e.g., wires or dowels having the same general shape or function.
For ease in drafting and 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 reading, the procedure for preparing a railing segment and attaching it to a set of posts is described once. However, in practice, most cable railings will comprise several such segments.
While the embodiments illustrated in the figures described herein are presently preferred, these are just examples. Those skilled in the relevant arts may appreciate modifications that could be made but 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 components, 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 vertical cable infill segment for a deck railing comprises providing a first rail support post (101) and a second rail support post (102). Each said rail support post is comprised of an elongated member having an inward-facing side (103), an outward-facing 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 (201) comprising several mounting holes (e.g., 601). Further provided is a leveling plate (602). Once so provided, each bottom of a rail support post is positioned on a mounting surface, such as a deck, and a leveling plate is placed between the rail support post and the mounting surface. Holes are drilled through the mounting holes of each support flange into the mounting surface, and the rail support posts are fixed into place with suitable mounting hardware (e.g., 603).
The assembly method also provides a top rail and a bottom rail. Said top rail (121) has a first end (122), a second end (123), a top (124), a bottom (301), an internal space (901), and a longitudinal axis (221) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail support posts. Said bottom rail (131) also has a first end (302), a second end (303), a top (801), a bottom (501), internal space (902), and a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (221) of the mounted rail support posts.
The bottom of the top rail comprises a plurality of cables (e.g., 502) extending from the bottom of the top rail to the top of the bottom rail. Each said cable has a top terminus (903) and a bottom terminus (904). In most preferred embodiments, the top terminus of each cable is located within the internal space of the top rail (901) and passes through a washer (1001) having a rubber portion and is held in place within the top rail with a crimp nut (905). The bottom terminus of each cable is located within the internal space of the bottom rail (902). Each cable termini comprises a stop which prevents the cable from being pulled entirely from the corresponding internal space. In the most highly preferred embodiment, each bottom termini stop comprises a capsule, preferably a phosphor bronze threaded crimp (1201). In this mostly highly preferred embodiment, the phosphor bronze threaded crimp has a first end (1202) and a bottom end (1203) and is surrounded by a sleeve, preferably a notched flange nut (1401). The use of phosphor bronze reduces or eliminates galling while also obviating the need for additional coatings on the threaded crimp and flange nut. The phosphor bronze threaded crimp is within the internal space of the bottom rail (902), oriented so the first end of the phosphor bronze threaded crimp is proximal to the top rail, and a flange nut cap (1301) physically separates the bottom rail from the phosphor bronze threaded crimp and the flange nut. Said flange nut cap is adapted to reversibly connect to the notched flange nut to prevent the notched flange nut from inadvertently falling away from the bottom rail if it is loosened and separated from the phosphor bronze threaded crimp. In a most highly preferred embodiment, the flange nut cap is adapted to separate the dissimilar metals used for the rails, cables, and the flange nut (1501, 1301, 1401)
One or more spacing rods (401) are placed parallel to the cables between the top and bottom rails. Each spacing rod comprises a first end (1101) and a second end (1102). Each of the ends of a spacing rod terminating in a nipple (e.g., (1103)) is capable of being inserted into one of the rails. In certain preferred embodiments, one or more cables are cut, removed from between the top and bottom rails, and replaced by spacing rods. The two flange nuts adjacent to each spacing rod are finger-tightened to pull the corresponding cables taut.
The first end of the top rail is attached (701) to the inward-facing side of the first rail support post, and the second end of the top rail is attached (125) to the inward-facing side of the second rail support post. Similarly, the first end of the bottom rail is attached (801) to the inward-facing side of the first rail support post, and the second end of the bottom rail is attached (210) to the inward-facing side of the second rail support post. In most preferred embodiments, each rail support post includes indicia or pilot holes guiding the attachment of appropriate hardware (e.g., 702, 802) to attach a rail or rails.
Each of the cables is tensioned until taut. In the most preferred embodiments, this tensioning is accomplished by holding the cable with a tool to prevent rotation of it and the phosphor bronze threaded crimp and rotating the corresponding flange nut. The rotation causes the phosphor bronze threaded crimp to move inside the flange nut away from the bottom rail. Optimally, each cable is appropriately tensioned such that the tension across the several cables is even. Ideally, tensioning is done symmetrically so that, e.g., the leftmost cable is tensioned first, followed by the rightmost cable, then the second leftmost cable, and then the second rightmost cable. Tensioning would continue in such a pattern until the innermost cables are tensioned.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63598746 | Nov 2023 | US |
