Tubular post and rail fencing system

Abstract

A tubular post and rail fencing system having a plurality of generally upright posts interconnected with one or more generally horizontal rails that connect to the posts so as to reduce the cost and time of installation. The posts have an upper and lower rail aperture for receiving an end section of the upper and lower rails, respectively. The end sections of the rails have a rod hole therethrough that is disposed in an interior chamber of the post when the rails connect to the posts. The lower end of a locking rod is inserted through the rod holes. The upper end of the locking rod is configured to keep the locking rod in the rod holes and secure the rails to the post. A post cap is placed on top of the posts. A gate can be easily and quickly added to the fence between any pair of posts.

1 . A fencing system, comprising: 
 a plurality of substantially vertical posts, each of said posts having one or more rail apertures opening to an interior chamber of said post;    one or more substantially horizontal elongated rails connected to each of said posts, each end of said rails having an end section with a rod hole passing completely therethrough, said end section received in one of said rail apertures so as to dispose said rod hole in said interior chamber of said post; and    a locking rod having an upper end and a lower end, said lower end of said locking rod disposed through said rod hole to secure said rail to said post, said upper end of said locking rod shaped and configured to prevent complete passage of said locking rod through said rod hole.    
   
   
       2 . The fencing system according to  claim 1  further comprising a post cap on each of said posts, said post cap configured to close said interior chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The fencing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of posts comprises a first post and an adjacent, spaced apart second post.  
   
   
       4 . The fencing system according to  claim 3  further comprising a gate.  
   
   
       5 . The fencing system according to  claim 4 , wherein said gate comprises an upper gate rail, a lower gate rail, a first gate post, a second gate post and a gate rod attached to at least one of said upper gate rail and said second gate post, said first gate post having an upper retaining collar hingedly attached to an upper post sleeve and a lower retaining collar hingedly attached to a lower post sleeve, said upper post sleeve and said lower post sleeve slidably received over said first post, said gate rod configured to cooperatively engage a post latch received on said second post.  
   
   
       6 . The fencing system according to  claim 5 , wherein said post latch is connected to a third rail.  
   
   
       7 . The fencing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said upper end of said locking rod comprises an angled section.  
   
   
       8 . The fencing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said each of said posts and rails are tubular.  
   
   
       9 . A fencing system, comprising: 
 a plurality of substantially vertical posts, each of said posts having an upper end, an upper rail aperture generally towards said upper end, a lower end, a lower rail aperture below said upper rail aperture and an interior chamber;    a plurality of generally horizontal elongated upper rails, each of said upper rails having an end section at an end thereof, said end section of each of said upper rails having a upper rod hole passing completely therethrough, said end section of each of said upper rails disposed in said interior chamber through said upper rail aperture so as to dispose said upper rod hole in said interior chamber;    a plurality of generally horizontal elongated lower rails, each of said lower rails having an end section at an end thereof, said end section of each of said lower rails having a lower rod hole passing completely therethrough, said end section of each of said lower rails disposed in said interior chamber through said lower rail aperture so as to dispose said lower rod hole in said interior chamber; and    a locking rod having an upper end and a lower end, said locking rod received in said interior chamber of said post, said locking rod disposed through said upper rod hole and said lower rod hole to secure said upper rail and said lower rail to said post, said upper end of said locking rod configured to prevent complete passage of said locking rod through said upper rod hole.    
   
   
       10 . The fencing system according to  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of posts comprises a first post and an adjacent, spaced apart second post.  
   
   
       11 . The fencing system according to  claim 10  further comprising a gate.  
   
   
       12 . The fencing system according to  claim 11 , wherein said gate comprises an upper gate rail, a lower gate rail, a first gate post, a second gate post and a gate rod attached to at least one of said upper gate rail and said second gate post, said first gate post having an upper retaining collar hingedly attached to an upper post sleeve and a lower retaining collar hingedly attached to a lower post sleeve, said upper post sleeve and said lower post sleeve slidably received over said first post, said gate rod configured to cooperatively engage a post latch received on said second post.  
   
   
       13 . The fencing system according to  claim 9 , wherein said upper end of said locking rod comprises an angled section.  
   
   
       14 . The fencing system according to  claim 9 , wherein said each of said posts and rails are tubular.  
   
   
       15 . A fencing system, comprising: 
 a plurality of substantially vertical posts defining a plurality of pairs of posts comprising a first post and an adjacent second post, each of said first posts and said second posts disposed in spaced apart relation to each other, each of said posts having an upper end, a mutually spaced upper rail aperture generally towards said upper end, a lower end, a mutually spaced lower rail aperture disposed below said upper rail aperture and an interior chamber;    a generally horizontal upper rail interconnecting each of said pairs of posts, said upper rail having a first end section, a second end section and an upper rod hole disposed completely through each of said first end section and said second end section, said first end section received into said interior chamber of said first post through said upper rail aperture thereof so as to dispose said upper rod hole in said interior chamber of said first post, said second end section received into said interior chamber of said second post through said upper rail aperture thereof so as to dispose said upper rod hole in said interior chamber of said second post;    a generally horizontal lower rail interconnecting each of said pairs of posts, said lower rail having a first end section, a second end section and a lower rod hole disposed completely through each of said first end section and said second end section, said first end section received into said interior chamber of said first post through said lower rail aperture thereof so as to dispose said lower rod hole in said interior chamber of said first post, said second end section received into said interior chamber of said second post through said lower rail aperture thereof so as to dispose said lower rod hole in said interior chamber of said second post; and    a locking rod having an upper end and a lower end, said locking rod received in said interior chamber of each of said first post and said second post, said locking rod disposed through said upper rod hole and said lower rod hole of each of said first end section and said second end section so as to secure each of said upper rail and said lower rail to each of said first post and said second post, said upper end of said locking rod configured to prevent complete passage of said locking rod through said upper rod hole.    
   
   
       16 . The fencing system according to  claim 15  further comprising a gate.  
   
   
       17 . The fencing system according to  claim 16 , wherein said gate comprises an upper gate rail, a lower gate rail, a first gate post, a second gate post and a gate rod attached to at least one of said upper gate rail and said second gate post, said first gate post having an upper retaining collar hingedly attached to an upper post sleeve and a lower retaining collar hingedly attached to a lower post sleeve, said upper post sleeve and said lower post sleeve slidably received over said first post, said gate rod configured to cooperatively engage a post latch received on said second post.  
   
   
       18 . The fencing system according to  claim 15 , wherein said upper end of said locking rod comprises an angled section.  
   
   
       19 . The fencing system according to  claim 15 , wherein said each of said posts and rails are tubular.