Post and railing construction

Abstract

A post and railing construction permits construction of fences and railings from parts which are pre-molded from a resinous material such as rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The parts require no painting and are not prone to corrosion or rust when exposed to harsh environments. The posts have a rigid upright core element with a hollow shell mounted on the core element by one or more frames. In one embodiment of the invention, railings are supported on brackets mounted on the frames of the posts. In another embodiment of the invention, railings are supported directly on the frames of the posts by routed openings in the hollow shell. The present invention also provides an easy to assemble fence assembly having the appearance and style of a picket fence. Exterior fasteners may be covered with optional caps to avoid direct exposure to damaging elements, such as moisture.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A post and railing assembly comprising a cylindrical core; a rectangular frame configured for securing around the core; a rectangular shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface being configured for engagement with the rectangular frame; a railing comprising a railing end configured for coupling with the outer surface of the rectangular shell; and a bracket on the outer surface of the shell, said bracket forming a socket adapted to receive said railing end to secure said railing to the shell core through the shell.  
     
     
         2 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises two frame halves each having a semicircular inner face, a generally rectangular outer face, and one or more frame fasteners that connect the frame halves together in a clamped arrangement around the core, said semicircular inner faces adjoining one another in the clamped arrangement to form a cylindrical surface that frictionally engages the core, said rectangular outer faces forming a continuous outer skirt that engages the inner surface of the shell.  
     
     
         3 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shell, frames and brackets are formed of rigid polyvinylchloride.  
     
     
         4 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket comprises a plurality of resilient flexible spring sheets in the socket, said spring sheets being biased inwardly and configured to impart inward pressure on the railing end when the railing is inserted in the socket.  
     
     
         5 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket comprises a cylindrical hole that extends through the bracket, said hole being adapted to receive a bracket fastener that extends through the hole and the shell and into said frame to secure the bracket on the cylindrical core against the outer face of the shell.  
     
     
         6 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the bracket fastener is configured to interconnect the frame, shell and bracket with said core.  
     
     
         7 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a generally cylindrical cover configured for insertion into the hole in the bracket, said cover having a resiliently flexible side wall and an end wall, said side wall when separated from the hole having a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the hole and a longitudinal slot extending though the side wall of the cover, said side wall further being inwardly flexible to permit the cover to be inserted into the hole to enclose the fastener, said cover being inserted into the hole in a compressed condition in which the side wall is biased outwardly into frictional engagement with the interior wall of the hole.  
     
     
         8 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the bracket has an exterior contour, and the end wall of the cover has an exterior face that conforms to the exterior contour of the brackets surrounding the hole.  
     
     
         9 . The post and railing assembly of claim- 7 , wherein said hole comprises an interior wall and a tongue projection extending along the interior wall, said tongue projection configured to mate with said longitudinal slot when the cover is inserted in the hole to limit rotational displacement of the cover relative to the interior wall of the hole.  
     
     
         10 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said hole comprises an interior wall and an aperture extending through the interior wall, said cover comprising a resilient flexible spring tab having a tapered face that slidably engages the interior wall of the hole as the cover is inserted into the hole, said spring tab being configured to flex inwardly in a biased condition during insertion into the hole and snap outwardly when the spring tab is aligned with the aperture in the interior wall of the hole.  
     
     
         11 . A post and railing assembly comprising a cylindrical core; a rectangular frame configured for securing around the core; a rectangular shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface being configured for engagement with the rectangular frame; and a railing comprising a railing end configured for engaging the rectangular shell, said frame providing vertical support for said railing end on said cylindrical core.  
     
     
         12 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the frame comprises two frame halves each having a semicircular inner face, a generally rectangular outer face, and one or more frame fasteners that connect the frame halves together in a clamped arrangement around the core, said semicircular inner faces adjoining one another in the clamped arrangement to form a cylindrical surface that frictionally engages the core, said rectangular outer faces forming a continuous outer skirt that engages the inner surface of the shell.  
     
     
         13 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the shell and frame are formed of rigid polyvinylchloride.  
     
     
         14 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the shell comprises an opening that conforms with the shape of the railing end, said opening being adapted to receive the railing end and position said railing to be vertically supported by said frame halves.  
     
     
         15 . A bracket for coupling a railing member to a supporting structure, said bracket comprising a socket adapted to receive the end of the railing member and having a plurality of resilient flexible spring sheets that are biased inwardly in the socket, said spring sheets being configured to impart inward pressure on the railing end when the railing is inserted in the socket to secure the railing end in the socket.  
     
     
         16 . The bracket of  claim 15 , comprising a rear face that forms a notch adapted to conform to a corner on the supporting structure.  
     
     
         17 . The bracket of  claim 15 , comprising a curved rear face adapted to conform to a curved surface on the supporting structure.  
     
     
         18 . A bracket for coupling a railing member to a post structure, said bracket comprising a socket adapted to receive the end of the railing member and at least one hole for receiving a bracket fastener, said bracket fastener being configured to extend through the hole to connect the bracket to the post structure, a generally cylindrical cover adapted to be inserted in said hole and having a resiliently flexible side wall and an end wall, said side wall having a diameter when separated from the hole that is slightly larger than the diameter of the hole and a longitudinal slot extending though the side wall, said side wall further being inwardly flexible to permit the cover to be inserted into the hole to enclose the fastener, said cover being inserted into the hole in a compressed condition in which the side wall is biased outwardly into frictional engagement with the interior wall of the hole.  
     
     
         19 . The bracket of  claim 18 , wherein the bracket has a curved exterior contour surrounding said hole, and the end wall of the cover has an exterior face with a curvature that conforms to the curved exterior contour of the bracket.  
     
     
         20 . The bracket of  claim 18 , wherein said hole comprises an interior wall and a tongue projection extending along the interior wall, said longitudinal slot configured to mate with said tongue projection when the cover is inserted in the hole to limit rotational displacement of the cover relative to the interior wall of the hole.  
     
     
         21 . A post and railing assembly comprising a cylindrical core; a frame configured for securing around the core, said frame comprising a tubular center section and a plurality of support fins extending radially outwardly from the tubular center section; a rectangular shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface being configured for engagement with the support fins on the rectangular frame; a railing comprising a railing end configured for coupling with the outer surface of the rectangular shell; and a bracket on the outer surface of the shell, said bracket forming a socket adapted to receive said railing end to secure said railing to the shell core through the shell.  
     
     
         22 . The post and railing assembly of  claim 21 , comprising a plurality of corner flanges extending outwardly from the support fins, said corner flanges being configured to engage the inner surface of the rectangular shell.