Modular railing and related methods

Abstract

A modular railing comprises a picket that may be coupled with a rail quickly and easily to allow a person to construct a railing quickly and easily. The railing comprises a rail having an interior chamber, a picket including a slot that is disposed in the interior chamber of the rail, and a locking element operable to couple the picket with the rail by causing at least one arm to protrude from the slot and positioning the arm such that the arm extends from the slot into the interior chamber. When extended into the interior chamber, the arm prevents the picket from leaving the rail's interior chamber by contacting a wall of the rail.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A railing comprising: 
 a rail having an interior chamber;    a picket including a slot disposed in the interior chamber of the rail; and    a locking element operable to couple the picket with the rail by causing at least one arm to protrude from the slot and positioning the arm such that the arm extends from the slot into the interior chamber of the rail.    
     
     
         2 . The railing of  claim 1  wherein the locking element is operable to remove the arm from the slot to release the picket from the rail.  
     
     
         3 . The railing of  claim 1  wherein the arm contacts a wall of the rail to prevent the slot of the picket from leaving the interior chamber of the rail.  
     
     
         4 . The railing of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the picket includes a longitudinal axis, and  
 the locking element moves the arm away from the longitudinal axis to insert the arm into the slot of the picket.  
 
     
     
         5 . The railing of  claim 1  wherein the picket has an interior cavity and the locking element is disposed in the interior cavity.  
     
     
         6 . The railing of  claim 5  wherein the locking element is removable from the interior cavity.  
     
     
         7 . The railing of  claim 1  wherein the arm extends from an end of the locking element.  
     
     
         8 . The railing of  claim 1  wherein the locking element includes an elastically bendable body operable to urge the arm into the slot of the picket when the arm is aligned with the slot.  
     
     
         9 . The railing of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the picket includes a first slot and a second slot, each disposed in the interior chamber of the rail, and  
 the locking element includes a first end from which a first arm extends and a second end from which a second arm extends, wherein the locking element is operable to insert the first arm into the first slot and position the first arm such that the first arm extends through the first slot, and wherein the locking element is operable to insert the second arm into the second slot and position the second arm such that the second arm extends through the second slot.  
 
     
     
         10 . The railing of  claim 1  wherein the locking element includes a “V” shaped body.  
     
     
         11 . A railing comprising: 
 a rail having an interior chamber;    a picket including a slot that is disposed in the interior chamber of the rail; and    a locking bar operable to couple the picket with the rail by extending through the slot of the picket to prevent the picket from leaving the interior chamber of the rail.    
     
     
         12 . The railing of  claim 11  wherein the locking bar releasably couples the picket with the rail.  
     
     
         13 . The railing of  claim 11  wherein the locking bar contacts a wall of the rail to prevent the slot of the picket from leaving the interior chamber of the rail.  
     
     
         14 . The railing of  claim 11  wherein the rail includes a bar-retention element operable to keep the locking bar extending through the slot of the picket.  
     
     
         15 . The railing of  claim 14  wherein the bar-retention element includes an auxiliary wall operable to prevent rotation of the locking bar relative to the picket.  
     
     
         16 . The railing of  claim 15  wherein the auxiliary wall protrudes from a main wall of a bottom wall of the rail.  
     
     
         17 . The railing of  claim 11  wherein the locking bar has a rectangular shape.  
     
     
         18 . The railing of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the picket includes a first slot and a second slot, each disposed in the interior chamber of the rail, and  
 the railing includes a first locking bar insertable into the first slot and a second locking bar insertable into the second slot.  
 
     
     
         19 . The railing of  claim 11  further comprising a plug operable to structurally stiffen the portion of the picket disposed in the interior chamber of the rail.  
     
     
         20 . A method for coupling a picket with a rail comprising: 
 inserting a picket into an interior chamber of a rail to locate a slot of the picket within the interior chamber;    causing at least one arm to protrude from the slot;    positioning the arm such that the arm extends from the slot into the interior chamber; and    preventing the slot from leaving the interior chamber by contacting the rail with the arm.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein causing the arm to protrude from the slot includes inserting, with a locking element, the arm into the slot when the arm is aligned with the slot.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein positioning the arm includes urging, with a body of a locking element, the arm away from a longitudinal axis of the picket.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising: 
 causing a second arm to protrude from a second slot of the picket that is also located within the interior chamber of the rail;  
 positioning the second arm such that the second arm extends through the second slot; and  
 preventing the second slot from leaving the interior chamber by contacting the rail with the second arm.  
 
     
     
         24 . A method for coupling a picket with a rail comprising: 
 inserting a picket into an interior chamber of a rail to locate a slot of the picket within the interior chamber;    inserting a locking bar into the slot;    positioning the locking bar such that the locking bar extends through the slot; and    preventing the slot from leaving the interior chamber by contacting the rail with the locking bar.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein inserting the locking bar into the slot includes moving the locking bar along a wall of the rail.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein positioning the locking bar includes preventing rotation of the locking bar relative to the picket with an auxiliary wall of the rail.