VERTICAL CABLE RAILING AND METHOD OF INSTALLATION

Abstract

A method of assembling and installing a vertical cable infill deck railing system is disclosed in which cables are strung two parallel rails, pulled taut, and tightened into position. The cable railing system resists galvanic corrosion by using a flange nut cap to separate dissimilar metals. The flange nut cap also prevents the associated flange nut from falling if it is overly loosened. Galling is reduced without the need for additional coatings by using a phosphor bronze threaded crimp.

Claims

1. A cable attachment structure comprising a sleeve and a capsule, said sleeve has a length, a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, an external surface and an internal surface, said internal surface having a diameter; said second end adapted to be turned by a tool; said capsule having a length, a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, an external surface, and an internal surface defining a lumen; said external surface of the capsule having a diameter said capsule capable of being inserted into the sleeve, said external surface of the capsule and the internal surface of the sleeve adapted such that the inserted capsule is capable of movement along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve.

2. The cable attachment structure of claim 1 in which the external surface of the capsule comprises male threads, and the internal surface of the sleeve comprises corresponding female threads.

3. The cable attachment structure of claim 1, in which the second end of the capsule is adapted to grip a cable inserted through the first end of the capsule.

4. The cable attachment structure of claim 2 in which said sleeve is a flange nut.

5. The cable attachment structure of claim 2 in which the capsule is a phosphor bronze threaded crimp.

6. The cable attachment of claim 2 is in which the male and female threads are compatible such that the capsule is positional within the sleeve.

7. The cable attachment structure of claim 1 further comprises a cable crimp at or near the second end of the capsule.

8. The cable attachment structure of claim 1 further comprising a cap adapted to be affixed to the first end of the sleeve.

9. A method of assembling a section of railing having vertical cables comprising the steps of: providing a top rail comprising a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, a top, a bottom comprising a plurality of holes, and an internal space; and providing a bottom rail comprising a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, a top comprising a plurality of holes, a bottom, and an internal space; and providing a plurality of cables, each having a top terminus contained within the internal space of the top rail and a bottom terminus contained within the internal space of the bottom rail; the top terminus of each cable passes through a hole in the top rail and through a washer and which is secured within the internal space of the top rail with a crimp nut; and the bottom terminus of each cable passing through a hole in the bottom rail, and which is secured within the internal space of the bottom rail with a phosphor bronze threaded crimp contained within a flange nut; providing a spacing rod adapted to provide rigid support separating the bottom of the top rail from the top of the bottom rail; said cable receiver of the first post having a longitudinal axis largely parallel to the perpendicular axis of the first post; and removing one or more cables from the top rail and the bottom rail and inserting a spacing rod into the holes exposed in the rails; gripping a cable adjacent to the spacing rod proximal to the bottom rail to prevent the cable from rotating, rotating the flange nut about the longitudinal axis of the flange nut, causing the phosphor bronze threaded crimp to move within the flange nut and away from the top rail thereby pulling the cable taut; and similarly pulling each of the other cables taut.

10. A method of assembling a section of railing having vertical cables and including rail supports comprising the steps of: providing a mounting surface; providing a first rail support post having an inwards-facing side, an outwards-facing side, a longitudinal axis, a top, and a bottom having a base support flange adapted to connect to the mounting surface; providing a second rail support post having an inwards-facing side, an outwards-facing side, a longitudinal axis, a top, and a bottom having a base support flange adapted to connect to the mounting surface; providing the section of railing having vertical cables assembled according to claim; providing suitable hardware for attaching the top rail and the bottom rail of the section of railing to each rail support post; attaching the first rail support post and the second rail support post to the mounting surface such that the inward-facing sides of each rail support post face each other, attaching the first end of the top rail to near the top of the inward-facing side of the first rail support, attaching the second end of the top rail to near the top of the inward-facing side of the second rail support, attaching the first end of the bottom rail to near the top of the inward-facing side of the first rail support, attaching the second end of the bottom rail to near the bottom of the inward-facing side of the second rail support.

11. The method of claim 9 in which said a flange nut cap is placed over the flange nut which prevents the flange nut and the contained phosphor bronze crimp from contacting the bottom rail.

12. The method of claim 9 in which the flange nut further comprises and longitudinal axis. and is adapted to be held by a tool and rotated along said longitudinal axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a segment of the vertical railing, including rail supports.

[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a partially exploded view of a segment of the vertical railing, including rail supports.

[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a segment of vertical railing with slack cables before installation.

[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates the insertion of a spacing rod into a segment of vertical railing during installation.

[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates a segment of vertical railing before the cables are pulled taut.

[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a rail support post being attached to a mount.

[0017] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a top rail being attached to a rail support post.

[0018] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a bottom rail being attached to a rail support post.

[0019] FIG. 9 is a cross-section of a portion of a vertical railing that illustrates the cable tightening system.

[0020] FIG. 10 illustrates a compressible nut adapted to stabilize a cable end within the top rail.

[0021] FIG. 11 is an illustration of a spacing rod.

[0022] FIG. 12 is an illustration of the phosphor bronze threaded crimp.

[0023] FIG. 13 is an illustration of the flange nut cap.

[0024] FIG. 14 is an illustration of the notched flange nut.

[0025] FIG. 15 illustrates how the flange nut cap is placed over the notched flange nut.

[0026] The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to represent the same parts wherever possible.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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).

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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)

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.