Railing assembly

Abstract

A railing assembly and method of forming same having a hand rail, shoe rail, and a plurality of spaced, parallel balusters secured at their respective upper and lower ends to resilient straps received and fixed in plows formed in the hand rail and shoe rail. The respective upper and lower ends of each baluster are arcuately shaped allowing the balusters to be moved to any angular orientation with respect to the rails while maintaining the balusters parallel to each other with the ends of the balusters being in contact with the straps.

1 . An adjustable railing assembly, comprising: 
 an elongated hand rail;    an elongated shoe rail    a first resilient strap means secured to the lower portion of said hand rail for impressing a force in the direction of said hand rail;    a second resilient strap means secured to the upper portion of said shoe rail for impressing a force in the direction of said shoe rail;    a plurality of spaced balusters, each having an upper end section in engagement with said first strap means and a lower end section in engagement with said second strap means;    the lower end section of each said balusters having an arcuate shape permitting selective arcuate orientation of said lower end sections with the surface of said second strap means;    the upper end section of each said balusters having an arcuate shape on a plane 180 degrees opposite to the plane of the arc of said lower end section permitting selective arcuate orientation of said upper end sections with the surface said first strap means;    each of said lower and upper ends sections of each of said balusters being shaped and sized such that to be in engagement with said first and second straps means at any selected arcuate orientation thereof; and    wherein the angle of the longitudinal axes of said balusters are selectively adjustable with respect to the longitudinal axes of said hand rail and step rail while maintaining engagement of said upper and lower end sections with said first and second straps means respectively.    
   
   
       2 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said arcuate shapes of said upper end section and lower end section have substantially the same radius of arc.  
   
   
       3 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lower portion of said hand rail has a recessed first plow sized and shaped to receive said first strap means and said upper portion of said shoe rail has a recessed second plow sized and shaped to receive said second strap means.  
   
   
       4 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said arcuate shapes of said upper end section and lower end section has a radius of arc of about 12 inches.  
   
   
       5 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first and second straps are generally flat.  
   
   
       6 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said first and second straps are non-metallic.  
   
   
       7 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including securing means for fixing said first and second strap means to said lower portion of said hand rail and upper portion of said shoe rail, respectively.  
   
   
       8 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including fixing means for securing said first and second straps means to said lower portions and upper portions of said balusters, respectively.  
   
   
       9 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said upper end section of each said balusters is shaped and sized to be snugly received in said first plow and said lower end section of each said balusters is shaped and sized to be snugly received in said second plow.  
   
   
       10 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said first plow as defined by a longitudinally extending centrally disposed first channel and longitudinally extending opposed first shoulders below first channel; 
 wherein each of said balusters have the opposite sides portions of their upper ends in engagement with the opposed said first shoulders; and    said first strap means is received in said first channel.    
   
   
       11 . An adjustable railing assembly as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said second plow is defined by a longitudinally extending centrally disposed second channel and longitudinally extending opposed second shoulders above said second channel, wherein each of said balusters of their lower ends in engagement with the opposed second shoulders; and said second strap means is received in said second channel.  
   
   
       12 . A railing assembly, comprising: 
 an elongated hand rail;    an elongated shoe rail;    resilient first strap means in engagement with at least said hand rail at the lower portion thereof for impressing a force in the direction of said hand rail;    a plurality of spaced balusters, each having at least upper end sections thereof in engagement with said first strap means and in engagement with the lower portion of said hand rail; and    
   
   
       13 . A railing assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said lower portion of said hand rail defines a longitudinally extending first plow having a generally centrally disposed first channel and opposed first shoulders below said first channel; wherein each of said balusters have the opposite side portions of their upper ends in engagement with the opposed said first strap means is received in said first channel.  
   
   
       14 . A railing assembly as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said shoe rail defines a longitudinally extending second plow having a generally centrally disposed second channel and opposed second shoulders above said second channel; wherein each of said balusters have the opposite side portions of their lower ends in engagement with the opposed said second shoulders; including a resilient second strap means for impressing a force in the direction of said shoe rail and received in said second channel and in engagement with lower end sections of said balusters.  
   
   
       15 . A railing assembly as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the lower end section of each said balusters is in engagement with said second strap means with said lower sections having an arcuate shape permitting arcuate orientation of said lower sections with and on the surface of said second strap means; wherein the upper end sections of each said baluster has an arcuate shape on a plane 180 degree opposite to and parallel with the plane of the arc of said lower end section permitting selective arcuate orientation of said upper end sections with and on said first strap means.  
   
   
       16 . A railing assembly as set forth in  claim 15  including recurring means for fixing said first and second strap means to said hand rail and shoe rail, respectively.  
   
   
       17 . A railing assembly as set forth in  claim 16  including fixing means for recurring said first and second strap means to said lower portions and upper portions of said balusters, respectively.  
   
   
       18 . A method of forming a railing assembly having a hand rail, shoe rail, a resilient strap, and a plurality of balusters, comprising the steps of; 
 securing the balusters in spaced relationship to each other to the top of the shoe rail by fastener means extending through the bottom of the shoe rail into the lower end of the balusters;    installing the strap onto the tops of the balusters; and    engaging the top of the baluster sections with the lower portion of the hand rail in relationship to the strap such that the strap impresses a force on the balusters in the direction of the hand rail.    
   
   
       19 . A method of forming an adjustable railing assembly having a hand rail, shoe rail, resilient straps, and a plurality of balusters each having arcuately shaped upper and lower end sections, comprising the steps of; 
 arranging balusters in spaced generally parallel relationship;    securing a first strap to the upper end portions of the balusters;    securing a second strap to the lower end portions of the balusters;    arranging the lower ends of the balusters onto upper portions of the shoe rail;    arranging the upper ends of the balusters onto the lower portion of the hand rail;    fixing the second strap to the shoe rail in a position below the position of the lower ends of the balusters such that a force in the direction of the shoe rail is impressed on the balusters;    fixing the first strap to the hand rail in a position above the position of the upper ends of the balusters such that a force in the direction of the hand rail is impressed on the balusters; and    said steps being performed such that the balusters may be selectively arcuately oriented with respect to the hand rail and shoe rail while maintaining the spacing of the balusters in generally, parallel relationship.