US2815937A - Inclined railing - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1957 w. A. CURTZE ETAL 1 2,815,937

INCLINED RAILING Filed April 19, 1955 FIG. 7

United States Patent INCLINED RAILING Walter A. Curtze, Erie, Pa., and William S. Green, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada; said Green assignor to said Curtze Application April 19, 1955, Serial No. 502,420

1 Claim. (Cl. 256-23) This invention is intended to provide an inclined railing for porch steps adapted to manufacture from standard extruded aluminum shapes with a minimum of fitting to take care of variations in the height, length and inclination of the steps. Features include a rigid support for the posts at each end of the railing, a preassembled railing including upper and lower channels pivotally connected by spindles so the inclination of the railing can be adjusted and lugs for connecting the mitered ends of the channels to the posts. All of these parts can be prefabricated and the only fitting necessary is to miter the ends of the channels to fit the spacing of the posts and the inclination of the steps. The mitered railing section is then fastened to the lugs on the posts by a bolted or riveted fastening.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of a railing; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts broken away and shown in section of the lower end of one of the posts; Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational view with parts broken away and shown in section of one of the connections between the railing and post and Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

In the inclined railing shown in Fig. 1, there are end posts 1 and 2 at the top and bottom steps between which extend inclined upper and lower rails 3 and 4 connected by spaced vertical spindles 5. It will be understood that the inclination of the rails 3 and 4 varies with the inclination of the steps 6 so that ordinarily the railings are custom made for each installation. The construction to be described permits the assembly of such railings from stock parts with the very minimum of fitting.

The posts 1 and 2 comprise hollow extruded aluminum squares having the upper ends closed by caps 7. Each of the posts has its lower end telescoped over an upstanding square portion 8 on a base 9. The base is made from an aluminum casting. In order to secure adequate strength and rigidity, the base 9 is fastened to the supporting structure, for example, the cement foundation 10, by a lag screw 11 which is threaded into an expansion sleeve 12 in a drilled hole 13. As the lag screw is threaded in place, the head 14 of the lag screw bears against a washer 15 recessed at 16 into the upper end of the square portion 8 and placing the entire base in compression. The precompression of the base makes the support for the lower end of the post very strong and rigid which is important in railings. There are, of course, many ways of securing the post to the base, for example, by screws 17 threaded into the upstanding portion 8 of the base.

The upper rail 3 comprises an inner channel 18 and an outer channel 19 telescoped over the inner channel and forming a cap rail. The inner channel 18 has spaced flanges 20 extending upward from a bottom wall 21. The lower rail 4 comprises a channel 22 similar to the channel 18 but arranged in opposed relation in that it has flanges 23 extending downward from a bottom wall 24.

2,815,937 Patented Dec. 10, 1957 The channels 18, 19 and 22 may be extruded aluminum shapes. In each of the bottom walls 21 and 24 of the channels 18 and 22 are elongated openings 25 for receiving the upper and lower ends of the spindles 5. The width of the spindles 5 is the same as the space between the flanges 20 or 23 as the case may be. The openings 25 are somewhat longer than the thickness of the spindles so as to provide clearance for pivotal movement of the spindles necessary to accommodate the desired inclination of the rails 3 and 4. The pivotal connection between the upper and lower ends of the spindles is made by indenting the flanges 18 or 23 as indicated at 27 into holes 28 in the spindle. Because the indentations 27 are formed with the spindles in place, the hollow imperforate dome-like indented metal at 29 tightly fits the ends of the openings 28 and provides trunnion pivots for the spindles. Because of the close fit between the flanges and the spindles, this metal is in shear and provides a very strong pivotal connection between the channels and spindles. At the same time, the friction between the indented metal 29 and the bore of the openings 28 is kept low enough so that the spindles can be readily pivoted with respect to the rails so as to adjust the spindles to the proper inclination. The indented connection 27-29 inclusive is much stronger than a riveted connection. The holes need be only as deep as the indentations 29.

When the ends of the channels 18 and 22 are anchored to the rigid posts 1 and 2, there can be no further pivotal movement between the spindles 5 and the channels. Before anchoring the channels to the posts, the spindles are pivoted to the correct angle and the ends of the channels are mitered so as to fit against the vertical walls of the posts. To anchor the mitered ends of the channels 18 and 22 lugs 30 are bolted to the posts. The lugs have integral threaded stems 31 which can easily be bolted to the posts before attaching the posts to the base 9. When the lugs are in place the channels are bolted to the lugs, for example, by bolts 33 extending through holes 34 in the lugs. Only the lug for the lower channel 22 is illustrated. The lugs have surfaces 35, 36 respectively tangent to a circle centered on the bolt 33 and inclined at the maximum and minimum angle of inclination of the rails 3 and 4. The maximum inclination will ordinarily be approximately 45 and the minimum inclination will be approximately half that. Because the surfaces are tangent to a circle centered on the fastening bolt 33, the arcuate surface 37 or one or the other of the surfaces 35, 36 will always contact the inner surface of the bottom wall 24 or 21 of the channels as the case may be and provide the necessary rigid support for the channels.

In the installation of the railing, the bases 9 for the posts 1 and 2 are solidly bolted in place by means of the lag screws 14. The posts 1 and 2 are then telescoped over the projections 8 on the base and a stock railing section can then be adjusted to the proper inclination so that the spindles 5 will be vertical and parallel to the posts. The ends of the upper and lower rails 3 and 4 are then mitered, this being the first fitting operation performed in the field. Holes are then drilled in the posts 1 and 2 for the lugs 30 and the lugs bolted in place. This is the second fitting operation to be performed in the field. The channels 18 and 22 are then fastened to the lugs and the posts with the railing assembled thereto may then be permanently fastened to the projections 8 on the bases 9.

What is claimed as new is:

In a railing of the type having upper and lower channels with spaced flanges in vertical planes, vertical spindles having upper and lower ends received between the flanges of the respective channels, said upper and 4 lower ends of the spindles having aligned indents therespindles, the indentations in the flanges being formed into in in the sides of the spindles adjacent the inner surfaces the indents in the spindles after the insertion of the of the flanges, and the flanges having aligned indentations spindles between the flanges to complete the assembly. therein extending inward from the outer surfaces of the flanges and providing hollow irnperforate dome-like pro- 5 References Cited in the file of this Patent jections on the inner surfaces of the channels tightly fit- NITED STATES PATENTS ting in and conforming with the adjacent portions of the 2 327 311 Lundy Aug 17, 1943 indents in the spindles to provide trunnion pivots for the 2,563,530 Hawkins Aug. 7, 1951

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