Unitary rail mounting bracket

Abstract

A mounting bracket for connecting a fence rail to a fence post. The bracket includes a housing which defines a rail-receiving cavity into which an end of the rail is inserted. A pair of flange members is integrally formed with the housing and extend outwardly away from the side walls of the housing. The flange members have a top wall disposed inwardly of the top wall of the housing; and a front wall disposed inwardly of the front end of the housing. The flange members each have an aperture in the front wall and a second aperture in the side wall thereof A fastener is inserted through the front wall aperture of each flange member and is screwed into the post. The flange members are configured so that the head of each fastener is disposed inwardly of the front wall of the flange member when the fastener is fully screwed into the post. A second fastener is inserted through each second aperture in the side walls of the flange members and is screwed into the rail. The flange members are configured so that the head of each second fastener is disposed inwardly of the side wall thereof when the second fastener is fully screwed into the rail. Plugs are inserted into the first and second apertures to completely hide the fasteners that are disposed within the interior cavities of the flange members and to thereby give the mounting bracket a finished appearance.

1 . A mounting bracket for connecting a fence rail to a fence post; 
 comprising: 
 a housing having an upper wall, a lower wall, and opposing sides walls; said housing defining an interior cavity adapted to receive an end of the fence rail therein;  
 a flange member extending outwardly away from each side wall of the housing; said flange members each having a front wall; a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall;  
 a first aperture formed in the front wall of each flange member; and  
 a second aperture formed in the side wall of each flange member.  
   
   
   
       2 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the top wall of each flange member is disposed a distance inwardly from the upper wall of the housing.  
   
   
       3 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the front wall of each flange member is disposed a distance inwardly from a front end of the housing.  
   
   
       4 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a rear end and the flange members each have a rear end and the rear ends of the housing and flange members are substantially coplanar.  
   
   
       5 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower walls of the housing are substantially equal in length.  
   
   
       6 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower walls of the housing are of different lengths.  
   
   
       7 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of first plugs, complementary sized and shaped to be received in the apertures in the front walls of the flange members.  
   
   
       8 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of second plugs, complementary sized and shaped to be received in the apertures in the side walls of the flange members.  
   
   
       9 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the flange members each define an interior cavity adapted to retain a plurality of fasteners therein, which fasteners secure the housing to the fence post and fence rail.  
   
   
       10 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the housing is substantially rectangular in cross-sectional shape and is adapted to receive a substantially rectangular rail therein.  
   
   
       11 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the housing is substantially T-shaped in cross-sectional shape and is adapted to receive a substantially T-shaped rail therein.  
   
   
       12 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the side wall of the T-shaped housing includes a substantially vertical lower portion and a substantially horizontal upper portion; and wherein the side wall of each of the flange members lies inwardly of the upper portion of the associated side wall of the housing.  
   
   
       13 . The mounting bracket as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the housing and flange members are integrally formed with each other.  
   
   
       14 . In combination, 
 a fence rail;    a fence post;    a mounting bracket comprising: 
 a housing having an upper wall, a lower wall, and opposing sides walls; said housing defining an interior cavity adapted to receive an end of the fence rail therein;  
 a flange member extending outwardly away from each side wall of the housing; said flange members each having a front wall; a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall;  
 a first aperture formed in the front wall of each flange member;  
 a second aperture formed in the side wall of each flange member.  
   a pair of first fasteners, each first fastener being received through the first aperture in one of the flange members and being secured to the fence post; and    a pair of second fasteners, each second fastener being received through the second aperture in one of the flange members and being secured to the fence rail.    
   
   
       15 . The combination as defined in  claim 14 , wherein each of the flange members defines at least one interior cavity therein and at least one of the first fasteners and second fasteners are completely received with the at least one interior cavity when the first and second fasteners secure the bracket to the post and rail.  
   
   
       16 . The combination as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising a pair of first plugs, each first plug being complementary shaped and sized to be received within one of the first apertures.  
   
   
       17 . The combination as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising a pair of second plugs, each second plug being complementary shaped and sized to be received within one of the second apertures in the side walls of the flange members.  
   
   
       18 . The combination as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the upper wall of the housing and the lower wall of the housing are of a substantially equal length.  
   
   
       19 . The combination as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the upper wall and lower walls of the housing are of different lengths.  
   
   
       20 . The combination as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the housing is one of rectangular shaped and T-shaped in cross-section; and the interior cavity defined in the housing has substantially the same cross-sectional shape as the housing.