Vinyl over substrate rail construction

Abstract

A rail structure for use as a handrail or as part of a fence or guardrail construction. The rail has a rigid channel shaped support member and upper and lower rail caps to enclose the support member with a durable decorative appearance. The upper and lower rail caps are snap fit to the support member and engage with a plurality of flanges extending from the surface of the support member. When utilized in a fence or guardrail construction, a plurality of spindles are received through a series of spaced apart apertures defined in opposing rail caps with the ends of the spindles further received in the support member channel.

1 . A rail comprising: an elongate rigid support member; an upper rail cap removably: attached to and enclosing a substantial portion of the support member; and a lower rail cap removably attached to and enclosing a remaining portion of the support member;
 a. said support member comprising a cross piece interconnecting opposed extensions, the cross piece and extensions defining a channel, and a plurality of flanges extending outwardly from the extensions;   b. the upper rail cap comprising an intermediate portion and a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the intermediate portion, shaped flanges extending inwardly of the legs towards a center line of the upper rail cap, the shaped flanges disposed for interlocking engagement with at least one of the support member flanges; and   c. the lower rail cap comprising an inner portion and hook shaped portions extending from the ends of the inner portion and turned inwardly towards a center line of the inner portion, the hook shaped portions disposed for interlocking engagement with said support member flanges.   
   
   
       2 . The rail of  claim 1 , wherein the support member further comprises: first flanges extending outwardly from an upper end of the support member extensions, and second flanges extend outwardly from an intermediate portion of the support member extensions, wherein the shaped flanges of the upper rail cap interlockingly engage with the second flanges. 
   
   
       3 . The rail of  claim 2 , wherein the second flange is substantially L shaped, having a generally outwardly extending leg portion and a generally downwardly projecting base portion extending from an outer end of the leg portion. 
   
   
       4 . The rail of  claim 2 , wherein the support member further comprises third flanges projecting outwardly from the extensions below the second flanges, and the hook shaped portions of the lower rail cap interlockingly engage the third flanges. 
   
   
       5 . The rail of  claim 4 , wherein the shaped flanges of the upper rail cap and the hook shaped portions of the lower rail cap abut each other between said second and third flanges. 
   
   
       6 . The rail of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is substantially H shaped, and the cross piece defines the horizontal part of the H, and the extensions define the vertical legs of the H, wherein the extensions and cross piece define a first primary channel and a second primary channel. 
   
   
       7 . The rail of  claim 9 , wherein said cross piece further defines a secondary channel having a width less than that of a primary channel. 
   
   
       8 . The rail of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is bridge shaped with the cross piece defining the horizontal part of the bridge and the extensions defining vertical elements of the bridge. 
   
   
       9 . The rail of  claim 1  wherein the support member further comprises a keyed extension flange extending from an inner wall of said channel. 
   
   
       10 . A structure comprising a first rail, a second rail opposed to the first rail and a plurality of spindles interposed and spaced apart between the first rail and the second rail, the first rail and the second being generally horizontally disposed and the spindles being generally vertically disposed; wherein the first rail and the second rail each have an inwardly facing surface, an elongate rigid support member having vertical extensions interconnected by a cross piece with the extensions and the cross piece defining a primary channel opening towards the inwardly facing surface, a plurality of flanges extend outwardly from the extensions; a first rail cap and a second rail cap interlockingly attached to said flanges and substantially enclose the support member. 
   
   
       11 . The structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first rail cap defines the inwardly facing surface and has a plurality of apertures opening to the primary channel, the apertures are spaced apart and aligned with a centerline of the first rail cap, and ends of the spindles are received through the apertures and seated in the primary channel. 
   
   
       12 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the cross piece defines a secondary channel and the spindle ends are seated in the secondary channel. 
   
   
       13 . A method of forming a rail comprising:
 a. forming a support member;   b. forming a first rail cap;   c. forming a second rail cap;   d. snap fitting the first rail cap and the second rail cap to the support member to substantially enclose the support member.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of forming a support member comprises forming an elongated channel defined by a cross piece interconnecting vertically opposed extensions, and forming the extensions with a plurality of outwardly extending flanges adapted to receive a first rail cap and a second rail cap in snap fitting engagement. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of forming a first rail cap comprises:
 a. selecting a desired first rail cap design; and   b. extruding the first rail cap with a mold having the selected first rail cap design.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of forming a first rail cap comprises:
 a. selecting a desired first rail cap design; and   b. sheet forming the first rail cap with a form having the selected first rail cap design.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of forming a second rail cap comprises:
 a. selecting a desired second rail cap design; and   b. extruding the second rail cap with a mold having a selected second rail cap design.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of forming a second rail cap comprises;
 a. selecting a desired second rail cap design; and   b. sheet forming the second rail cap with a form having the selected second rail cap design.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of forming a first rail cap further comprises selecting a desired color for the first rail cap. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of forming a second rail cap further comprise selecting a desired color for the second rail cap.