Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02449310 2003-11-06
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
ORNAMENTAL PICKET SPACER FOR A RAILING SYSTEM
s FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of railings and in particular to an
ornamental
picket spacer for a railing system.
io BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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
Is treated lumber or aluminum particularly suited for outdoor use.
Generally, in order to add an ornamental shape to the railing system, typical
railing
systems require professionals, for example, welders, to attach the ornamental
shape to the railing systems. These systems are undesirable, particularly in
the
zo residential railing industry where homeowners frequently install or build
their own
railing systems.
Accordingly, a need exists for providing a user with an improved system of
adding
an ornamental shape to a raiing system and which overcomes the deficiencies
2s noted above.
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CA 02449310 2003-11-06
SUMM/~RY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an
ornamental
picket spacer for a railing system. The spacer may include an elongated spacer
s member having genera~y parallel sides and a wall extending therebetween. An
ornamental member may be connected to the wall.
The generally parallel sides of said elongated spacer member may include wings
for insertion into the railing system.
io
The ornamental member may be a diamond or circle or any other suitable shape,
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided
an
ornamental picket spacer for a railing system. T'he spacer may include an
is elongated spacer member having generally parallel sides and a wall
extending
therebetween. An ornamental member may be connected to the wall and an
elongated cross member may connected to the ornamental member. The
elongated cross member may be disposed gener~aUy parallel to the spacer
member and generally in the same plane as the elongated spacer member. The
2o elongated cross member may have first and second ends.
The generally parallel sides of the elongated spacer member may include wings
for insertion into the railing system
2s The first and second ends of the elongated cross member may include
connector
means for connecting the elongated cross member to the pickets.
The connector means may include tines spaced apart for snugly engaging the
pickets or connector walls extending generally perpendicular to the cross
member.
3o The connector means may also include connector walls extending generally
2
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CA 02449310 2003-11-06
perpendicular to the cross member and fasteners. The connector walls may each
define a hole whereby the fasteners may be inserted through to the pickets.
The ornamental member may be a diamond or circle or any other suitable shape.
s
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is
provided a
kit for an ornamental picket spacer for a railing system. The kit may include
an
elongated spacer member having generally parallel sides and a wall extending
therebetween and an ornamental member connectable to the wall. The kit may
1o further include an elongated cross member connectable to the ornamental
member and disposed generally parallel to the spacer member and generally in
the same plane as the elongated spacer member. The elongated cross member
may have first and second ends.
is In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is
provided an
ornamental picket spacer for a railing system. The spacer may include an
elongated spacer member and an ornamental member connected to the elongated
spacer member.
2o Uther aspects of the invention will be appreciated by reference to the
detailed
description of the preferred embodiment and to the claims that follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiment of the invention will be described by reference to
the
drawings thereof in which:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a section of a picket and railing system illustrating
installed
ornamental picket spacers;
3
CA 02449310 2003-11-06
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the ornamental picket spacer of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the ornamental
picket
spacer of Fig 2;
Fig. 4 is a plan view of a section of a picket and railing system illustrating
an
alternative embodiment of installed ornamental picket spacers;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the ornamental picket spacer of Fig. 4;
io
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the ornamental
picket
spacer of Fig 5;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the ornamental picket
is spacer of Fig 5;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view as viewed from below of yet another embodiment of
the ornamental picket spacer of Fig. 5;
2o Fig 9. is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the ornamental
picket
spacer of Fig 5; and
Fig. 10 is a perspective sectional view of a section of a picket and railing
system
illustrating the installation of an ornamental picket spacer.
4
CA 02449310 2003-11-06
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a section of a picket and railing system generally indicated at
10
s installed on a deck surface 11. The picket and railing system is generally
formed
by a pair of post supports 12, a handrail 14, a base rail 16 and a plurality
of pickets
18. A plurality of ornamental picket spacers 20 are used to space apart the
pickets 18 within the picket and railing system 10.
io As illustrated in FIG. 2, the ornamental spacer 20 includes an elongated
spacer
member 22 having generally parallel sides 24, 26 and a wall 28 extending
therebetween. An ornamental member 30 is connected to the wall 28. The
generally parallel sides 24, 26 may extend perpendicularly to the wall 28 or
may
be curved. The generally parallel sides 24, 26 nlay include wings 32, 34,
is respectively for insertion into the railing system and may be formed as an
integral
part of the generally parallel sides. The wings 32, 34 may run the length of
the
elongated spacer member 22 as illustrated. Alternatively, as those skilled in
the
art will appreciate, the wings 32, 34 may be of any length along the elongated
spacer member 22.
In this embodiment, the ornamental member 30 is a diamond shape. In an
alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the ornamental member 30 is
circular in shape. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, any number of
suitable
shapes may be used as an ornamental member. For example, a star, a sun, or a
2s moon shape may be used as an ornamental member. Any desirable shape may
be used to add an ornamental feature to the railing system. The ornamental
member 30 may be welded to the wall 28, but is preferably an integral part of
the
wall.
5
CA 02449310 2003-11-06
FIG. 4. shows a section of a picket and railing system generally indicated at
10
installed on a deck surface 11 with an alternative embodiment of an ornamental
spacer 20. Again, the picket and railing system is generally formed by a pair
of
post supports 12, a handrail 14, a base rail 16 and a plurality of pickets 18.
A
s plurality of ornamental spacers 20 are used to space apart the pickets 18
within
the picket and railing system 10
As shown in FIG. 5 the ornamental spacer 20 includes an elongated spacer
member 36 having generally parallel sides 38, 40 and a wall 42 extending
io therebetvueen. An ornamental member 44 is connected to the wall 42. An
elongated cross member 46 is connected to the ornamental member and disposed
generally parallel to the spacer member 36 and generally in the same plane as
the
elongated spacer member. The elongated cross member has first and second
ends 48 and 50. The elongated cross member may have a pair of faces 49 which
is provides visual appeal to the cross member extending across the first and
second
ends 48 and 50 as shown in Fig. 4.
The generally parallel sides 38, 40 may include wings 52, 54, respectively for
insertion into the railing system and may be formed as an integral part of the
2o generally parallel sides. The wings 52, 54 may run the length of the
elongated
spacer member 36 as illustrated. Alternatively, as those skilled in the art
will
appreciate, the wings 52, 54 may be of any length along the elongated spacer
member 36.
zs In this embodiment, the ornamental member 44 is a diamond shape. In an
alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the ornamental member 44 is
circular in shape. Again, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, any
number of
suitable shapes may be used as an ornamental member. The ornamental
member 44 may be welded to the wall 42, but is preferably an integral part of
the
3o wall.
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CA 02449310 2003-11-06
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the elongated cross member 46 may be of any
length.
Preferably, the elongated cross member 46 is of a length so that the first and
second ends 48 and 50 abut pickets 18 on either side of the ornamental spacer
20
as illustrated in FIG. 4. This creates a visually clean look as it provides
the illusion
s that a cross member runs the entire length of the picket and railing system
section
10.
The first and second ends 48 and 50 may include connector means for connecting
the elongated cross member 46 to the pickets. The connector means may simply
to include connector walls 56 extending generally perpendicular to the cross
member
46. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the connector means may include
tines
58 spaced apart for snugly engaging the pickets 18. The tines 58 may be of any
sufficient length and may be welded to the first and second ends 48 and 50,
but is
preferably an integral part of the elongated cross member 46.
is
As illustrated in FIG. 8 the connector means may include connector walls 56
extending generally perpendicular to the cross member 46 and fasteners 59, for
example, screws. In this embodiment, the connector walls 56 may each define a
hole 60 whereby the fasteners 59 may be inserted through to the pickets 18.
FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the ornamental spacer 20. The
ornamental spacer 20 may simply include an elongated spacer member 62 and an
ornamental member 64 connected to the elongated spacer member.
2s As those skilled in the art will appreciate the features listed in each
embodiment of
the ornamental spacer 20 may be assembled together in a number of ways,
including welding. Preferably, to provide a smooth clean look, the features of
the
ornamental spacer 20 are formed as one integral unit either through die casts
or
other similar processes.
7
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CA 02449310 2003-11-06
OPERAT10N
Referring to FIG. 10, once the pair of post supports 12, handrail 14 and base
rail
16 are installed on the deck surface 11 using conventional techniques, the
pickets
18 may be spaced apart with the ornamental spacers 20.
s
The ornamental spacer 20 may simply attach to the underside of the handrail 14
in
any number of ways known to those skilled in the art. For instance, a bonding
agent may be applied to the elongated member 62 of the ornamental spacer 20
illustrated in FIG. 9. The elongated member 62 may then be bonded to the
io underside of the handrail 14. Alternatively, depending upon whether the
underside
of the handrail 14 is shaped to receive the ornamental spacer 20, the
ornamental
spacer may simply slide into, or snap onto, the underside of the handrail 14.
For
example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the ornamental spacer 20 may be slidably
inserted along line 70 into the handrail 14.
is
Once the ornamental spacer 20 is fitted to the underside of the handrail 14,
the
spacer may be attached to the pickets 18 by way of tines 58 or alternative
connector means. For example, a bonding agent may be applied to the connector
walls 56. The connector walls 56 may then be pressed against the pickets 18 to
2o form a bond. Alternatively, fasteners 59, such as screws, may be used to
fasten
the connector walls 56 to the pickets 18.
s
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