Picket for a railing system

Abstract

A picket for a railing system having a top rail and a bottom rail, the picket including an elongated tubular body having inner and outer walls and first and second ends for engaging the top and bottom rails, respectively. The inner wall defines a longitudinal bore through the elongated tubular body from the first end to the second end. The picket includes a reinforcing member connected to and extending away from the inner wall of the elongated tubular body.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to the field of railings and in particular to a picket for a railing system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Railing systems for any number of outdoor applications are well known. For example, residential decks, pool decks, playgrounds, etc., all utilize any number of conventional railing systems. Such railing systems are typically made of pressure treated lumber or aluminum particularly suited for outdoor use. [0003] Typically, railing systems utilize pickets which engage a top and bottom rail. To save material, pickets are generally tubular in shape with a bore extending from one end of the picket to the other. [0004] Building codes have been implemented in various jurisdictions throughout the world. Typically, in order to safeguard the public, these codes set minimum performance requirements. One such requirement relates to railing in-fills i.e. pickets. Here, pickets are required to meet certain horizontal load requirements....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The reinforcing member may run longitudinally from the first end of the tubular body to the second end and may span the bore defined by the inner wall. The reinforcing member may extend from the first corner to the third corner, the second corner to the fourth corner, or from the first corner to the third corner and from the second corner to the fourth corner.

[0010] The elongated tubular body or reinforcing member may be comprised of aluminum.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a picket for a railing system having a top rail and a bottom rail. The picket may include an elongated tubular body having inner and outer walls and first and second ends for engaging the top and bottom rails, respectively. The inner wall may define a bore through the elongated tubular body from t

Problems solved by technology

In the past, when such load requirements are applied to traditional pickets, the pickets have been known to fail by either deflecting more than what is allowable under code or by simply disengaging from the top or bottom rails.

Consequently, such pickets are undesirable, particularly in the residential railing industry where homeowners frequently install or build their own railing systems.

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