Two piece rail and insert system

Abstract

A two piece rail and insert system includes a rail that may be constructed of a pultruded fiber reinforced material. The rail may be configured to receive an insert which may be constructed of a vinyl material that is easier to cut than the pultruded fiber reinforced material. Therefore, openings can be more easily formed into the insert to make the system compatible with different configurations and spacings of balusters. The softer vinyl material used in the insert causes less damage to the cutting machinery thereby reducing the cost of the assembly. The vinyl insert may also reduce the amount of harmful dust produced while forming the openings.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A rail and cap system for a barrier, said rail and cap system comprising: 
 a rail formed of a first material having a first hardness, said rail comprising a channel for receiving said barrier; and    a cap configured to cover said channel, said cap being formed of a second material having a second hardness, said cap comprising a plurality of spaced apart openings for receiving said barrier;    wherein said second hardness is less than said first hardness to facilitate forming said openings in said cap.    
     
     
         2 . The rail and cap system of  claim 1 , wherein said rail further comprises a means for receiving a cap.  
     
     
         3 . The rail and cap system of  claim 2 , wherein said means for receiving a cap comprises a slot.  
     
     
         4 . The rail and cap system of  claim 1 , wherein said rail is formed of a pultruded fiber reinforced material.  
     
     
         5 . The rail and cap system of  claim 4 , wherein said pultruded fiber reinforced material has a Barcol hardness of greater than about 50.  
     
     
         6 . The rail and cap system of  claim 1 , wherein said cap is formed of a vinyl material.  
     
     
         7 . The rail and cap system of  claim 6 , wherein said vinyl material has a Shore D hardness of less than about 86.  
     
     
         8 . The rail and cap system of  claim 1 , wherein said cap further comprises an upper wall and a lower wall, said upper wall separated from said lower wall to form a space between said upper wall and said lower wall.  
     
     
         9 . The rail and cap system of  claim 8 , wherein said upper wall forms a ledge that is received in a slot in said rail.  
     
     
         10 . A method of forming rail and cap system for a barrier, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) selecting a first material having a first hardness for forming a rail of said rail and cap system;    (b) selecting a second material having a second hardness for forming a cap of said rail and cap system;    (c) forming a plurality of openings in said cap for receiving said barrier; and    (d) joining said rail and said cap.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (a) further comprises selecting a material having a Barcol hardness greater than about 50 for forming said rail.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein step (a) further comprises selecting a pultruded fiber reinforced material for forming said rail.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (b) further comprises selecting a material having a Shore D hardness of less than about 86 for forming said cap.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein step (b) further comprises selecting a vinyl material for forming said cap.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (c) further comprises forming said openings with a router.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (c) further comprises forming said openings with a punch.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (c) further comprises cutting said cap to form said openings.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (d) further comprises inserting said cap in a slot formed in said rail.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising selecting said first material to have a greater hardness than said second material.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising forming a channel in said rail for receiving said barrier.  
     
     
         21 . A method of forming rail and cap system for a barrier, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming a rail using a pultruded fiber reinforced material;    (b) forming a cap using a vinyl material; and    (c) joining said rail and said cap.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (a) further comprises selecting a material having a Barcol hardness greater than about 50 for forming said rail.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (b) further comprises selecting a material having a Shore D hardness of less than about 86 for forming said cap.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising forming openings in said cap for receiving said barrier.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising forming said openings with a router.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising forming said openings with a punch.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising cutting said cap to form said openings.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising inserting said cap in a slot formed in said rail.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising selecting said pultruded fiber reinforced material to have a greater hardness than said vinyl material.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising forming a channel in said rail for receiving said barrier.  
     
     
         31 . A rail and cap system for a barrier, said rail and cap system comprising: 
 a rail configured to be supported in a laterally extending orientation for supporting said barrier, said rail comprising a pair of opposing sidewalls defining a channel for receiving said barrier, said opposing sidewalls comprising a slot; and    a cap for covering said channel, said cap having an upper wall and a lower wall, said upper wall being spaced apart from said lower wall and forming a ledge for being received into said slot for attaching said cap to said rail.    
     
     
         32 . The rail and cap system of  claim 31 , wherein said rail comprise a pair of upper ridges and a pair of lower ridges formed on said sidewalls within said channel, said upper ridges and said lower ridges extending along a length of said channel and defining said slot therebetween.  
     
     
         33 . The rail and cap system of  claim 31 , wherein said upper wall has a width that is greater than a width of said lower wall to thereby form said ledge.  
     
     
         34 . The rail and cap system of  claim 31 , wherein said rail is formed of a pultruded fiber reinforced material.  
     
     
         35 . The rail and cap system of  claim 34 , wherein said pultruded fiber reinforced material has a Barcol hardness of greater than about 50.  
     
     
         36 . The rail and cap system of  claim 31 , wherein said cap is formed of a vinyl material.  
     
     
         37 . The rail and cap system of  claim 36 , wherein said vinyl material has a Shore D hardness of less than about 86.  
     
     
         38 . A rail and cap system for a barrier, said rail and cap system comprising: 
 a rail configured to be supported in a laterally extending orientation for supporting said barrier, said rail comprising a pair of opposing sidewalls defining a channel for receiving said barrier, said opposing sidewalls comprising an upper ridge and a lower ridge defining a slot therebetween; and    a cap for covering said channel, said cap having opposing ledges for being slidably received in said slot for attaching said cap to said rail.    
     
     
         39 . The rail and cap system of  claim 38 , wherein said rail is formed of a pultruded fiber reinforced material.  
     
     
         40 . The rail and cap system of  claim 39 , wherein said pultruded fiber reinforced material has a Barcol hardness of greater than about 50.  
     
     
         41 . The rail and cap system of  claim 38 , wherein said cap is formed of a vinyl material.  
     
     
         42 . The rail and cap system of  claim 41 , wherein said vinyl material has a Shore D hardness of less than about 86.  
     
     
         43 . A rail and cap system for a barrier, said rail and cap system comprising: 
 a rail configured to be supported in a laterally extending orientation for supporting said barrier, said rail being formed of a first material having a first hardness and comprising a pair of spaced apart sidewalls defining a channel therebetween, said channel being configured for receiving said barrier; and    a cap configured to be removably secured on said rail to cover said channel, said cap being formed of a second material having a second hardness, said cap comprising a plurality of spaced apart openings for receiving said barrier therethrough;    wherein said second hardness is less than said first hardness to facilitate forming said spaced apart openings in said cap;    wherein said rail further comprises a means for receiving said cap;    wherein said means for receiving said cap comprises a pair of upper ridges and a pair of lower ridges formed on said sidewalls within said channel, said upper ridges and said lower ridges extending along a length of said channel and defining a slot therebetween for receiving said cap;    wherein said rail is formed of a pultruded fiber reinforced material;    wherein said pultruded fiber reinforced material has a Barcol hardness of greater than about 50;    wherein said cap is formed of a vinyl material;    wherein said vinyl material has a Shore D hardness of less than about 86;    wherein said cap further comprises a hollow member having an upper wall extending in a lateral orientation and a lower wall substantially parallel to said upper wall, said upper wall being connected to said lower wall by a first side and a second side such that a space is formed between said upper wall and said lower wall;    wherein said upper wall has a width that is greater than a width of said lower wall such that said upper wall combines with said first side and said second side to form a pair of opposing ledges on said cap that are configured to be received in said slot in said rail such that said cap is adapted to slide in a longitudinal direction with respect to said rail.