Bracket system for attaching elongated members

Abstract

Elongated members such as the rail and post of a baluster are attached by a U-shaped bracket strip affixed on a surface of the post and received in an end of the rail, being attached to each by fasteners. A terminal fitting forms a sleeve that is provided or is shaped during installation to conform to the surface of the post. The terminal fitting sleeve extends over the end of the rail and over the bracket, to abut against the post, concealing the end of the rail. The rail can have a flush cut load bearing internal member such as an aluminum channel or rectangular tube. A polymer outer cover forms the surface of the rail. The bracket system makes convenient, useful and structurally strong rail-to-post connections at various angles and in situations where the rail needs to meet the post at a polygonal edge.

1 . A post and rail construction comprising: 
 a post having a surface to which an end of a rail is to be affixed, wherein the post and the rail have longitudinal axes oriented at an angle to one another;    a bracket affixed to the surface of the post, the bracket comprising a strip of sheet material extending from the surface of the post for a distance along the longitudinal axis of the rail;    wherein the rail is hollow at least for said distance along the end of the rail, forming an opening complementary with the strip of sheet material, and wherein the rail is attached to the strip at the opening, thereby structurally affixing the rail to the post, wherein the rail is affixed to the bracket and is joined to the post at a predetermined angle relative to an axis of the post, and wherein the terminal fitting is shaped to complement a surface of the post at said predetermined angle.    
   
   
       2 . The post and rail construction of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of an end of the rail at the opening is spaced from the post by a gap, and further comprising a terminal fitting on the rail, the rail at least partly bridging the gap. wherein the rail is cut flush at an end affixed to the bracket and is joined to the post at a predetermined angle relative to an axis of the post, and wherein the terminal fitting is cut to an shape that complements a surface of the post at said predetermined angle.  
   
   
       3 . The post and rail construction of  claim 1 , wherein the rail comprises an inner load bearing member having an opening extending along an axis of the rail from the end, and the bracket is received in the opening.  
   
   
       4 . The post and rail construction of  claim 3 , wherein the inner load bearing member comprises an elongated member forming one of a channel, a tube and a flanged shape.  
   
   
       5 . The post and rail construction of  claim 3 , wherein the rail further comprises an outer covering, and wherein the inner load bearing member protrudes from the outer covering at the end affixed to the bracket.  
   
   
       6 . The post and rail construction of  claim 1 , wherein the strip of sheet material comprises a length of said sheet material having a width, the strip being formed in a U-shape having at least one end defining a foot for attachment on a surface of the post.  
   
   
       7 . The post and rail construction of  claim 6 , wherein the opening complementary with the strip of sheet material is substantially rectangular in cross section.  
   
   
       8 . The post and rail construction of  claim 1 , wherein the opening in the rail is rectangular and the strip of sheet material comprises an elongated length of said sheet material having a width, the strip being formed in a U-shape along said length, the U-shape of the strip having a rectangular cross section with a side equal to said width, and being complementary with the opening in the rail.  
   
   
       9 . The post and rail construction of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one fastener affixing the strip to the post and at least one fastener affixing the rail to the strip.  
   
   
       10 . The post and rail construction of  claim 2 , wherein the rail is joined to the post at a right angle in at least one plane, and the terminal fitting has at least one edge that is parallel to a surface of the post.  
   
   
       11 . The post and rail construction of  claim 10 , wherein the post has a polygonal cross section and the terminal fitting has a shape complementary with a face of the polygonal cross section.  
   
   
       12 . The post and rail construction of  claim 10 , wherein the post has a polygonal cross section and the terminal fitting has a shape complementary with an angle between adjacent faces of the polygonal cross section.  
   
   
       13 . The post and rail construction of  claim 10 , wherein the post has a curved cross section and the terminal fitting has a shape complementary to the curved cross section.  
   
   
       14 . The post and rail construction of  claim 2 , wherein the rail is cut flush at an end affixed to the bracket and is joined to the post at a predetermined angle relative to an axis of the post, and wherein the terminal fitting is cut to an shape that complements a surface of the post at said predetermined angle.  
   
   
       15 . The post and rail construction of  claim 2 , wherein the strip of sheet material comprises a length of said sheet material having a width, the strip being formed in a U-shape having at least one end defining a foot for attachment on a surface of the post, and wherein the foot is affixed to the U-shape at a bend that is inclined relative to the post such that the U-shape is elongated at an angle defining a bracket axis.  
   
   
       16 . The post and rail construction of  claim 15 , wherein the opening complementary with the strip of sheet material is substantially rectangular in cross section, wherein the strip of sheet material is bent over between feet at each end of the strip attached on a surface of the post, and wherein insertion of the U-shape into the opening supports the rail at an angle determined by the bracket axis.  
   
   
       17 . The post and rail construction of  claim 16 , wherein the U-shape of the strip has a rectangular cross section with a side equal to a width of the opening in the rail.  
   
   
       18 . The post and rail construction of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one fastener affixing the strip to the post and at least one fastener affixing the rail to the strip.  
   
   
       19 . A method for attaching an end of a rail to a post, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a post and a rail, at least part of the rail adjacent to the end being hollow;    determining an angle at which the rail is to meet the post;    providing a terminal fitting that is complementary to a surface of the post at said angle, and temporarily placing the terminal fitting on the rail at a position spaced back from the end of the rail;    providing a bracket comprising a strip of material with a foot, and bending the foot so that the bracket extends at said angle when the foot is placed against the surface of the post;    inserting the bracket into the hollow end of the rail and attaching the foot to the post at said surface of the post, thereby arranging the rail at said angle; and,    moving the terminal fitting along the rail up to the post to at least partly cover the bracket.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising attaching the rail to the bracket by passing a fastener through at least part of the rail into the bracket, and wherein the terminal fitting conceals the fastener thus passed through the rail.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the rail is flush cut, and further comprising shaping the terminal fitting to complement a surface of the post in at least one of a flat face of the post, a flat face of the post at an angle of incidence, a rounded face of the post, a rounded face at an angle of incidence, a polygonal portion of the post, and a polygonal portion at an angle of incidence.