Cantilevered Rail Support and Covering

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 cantilever provided by flanges on the support member permit upper and lower rail caps to be snap fit to the support member.

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       23 . A rail comprising: an elongate rigid support member having a channel and a plurality of paired ribs extending outwardly from opposed outer walls of the channel; a first rail cap having inwardly turned hooks and enclosing a portion of the support member; a second rail cap having outwardly turned shaped flanges and enclosing a remaining portion of the support member; wherein the shaped flanges cooperatively engage said hooks to interconnect said rail caps. 
   
   
       24 . The rail of  claim 23 , wherein a first pair of ribs extend proximal a first end of the outer walls and a second pair of ribs extend proximal an intermediate portion of the outer walls, wherein said first ribs extend a distance less than said second ribs. 
   
   
       25 . The rail of  claim 24 , wherein the second ribs act on an inner surface of the second rail cap to urge said shaped flanges in cooperative engagement with the hooks. 
   
   
       26 . The rail of  claim 23  wherein first rail cap further comprises at least one aperture defined through a surface intermediate the hooked ends and opening into said channel, said aperture and channel dimensioned to receive an end of an elongate spindle. 
   
   
       27 . The rail  claim 23  wherein said elongate rigid support member further comprises a cross member interconnecting the opposed side walls and defining the channel. 
   
   
       28 . The rail of  claim 24 , wherein the second ribs define a fulcrum in contact with an inner surface of said second rail cap to bias the shaped flanges against the hooked ends. 
   
   
       29 . The rail of  claim 24  further comprise a third pair of ribs extending from the lower end of the vertical extensions, wherein the third ribs abut an inner wall of the second rail cap. 
   
   
       30 . The rail of  claim 24 , wherein at least one set of paired ribs bias the shaped flanges in cooperative engagement with the hooked ends. 
   
   
       31 . The rail of  claim 23 , wherein the shaped flanges are disposed for interlocking engagement with the hooked ends. 
   
   
       32 . A rail comprising an elongate rigid support member, a fulcrum extending from opposed outer walls of the support member, a first rail cap enclosing a portion of the support member, and a second rail cap enclosing a remaining portion of the support member, wherein the fulcrum engages an inner surface of the second rail cap to bias the second rail cap for snap fit engagement with said first rail cap. 
   
   
       33 . The rail of  claim 32 , wherein the opposed walls define a channel. 
   
   
       34 . The rail of  claim 32 , wherein the first rail cap has inwardly facing hooks and the second rail cap has outwardly facing shaped flanges. 
   
   
       35 . The rail of  claim 34 , wherein the fulcrum biases the shaped flanges in cooperative engagement with the inwardly facing hooks. 
   
   
       36 . The rail of  claim 34 , wherein the shaped flanges define outwardly facing hooks and said fulcrum biases the outwardly facing hooks in interlocking engagement with the inwardly facing hooks. 
   
   
       37 . A rail structure comprising a support member, a first rail cap enclosing a portion of the support member, and a second rail cap enclosing a remaining portion of the support member, wherein a fulcrum extends from an outer wall of the support member internally biases the second rail cap such that ends of the second rail cap are urged in cooperative engagement with ends of the first rail cap. 
   
   
       38 . The rail of  claim 37 , wherein the first rail cap has inwardly turned hooked ends and the second rail cap has outwardly turned hooked ends and said fulcrum urges said outwardly turned hooked ends in interlocking engagement with said inwardly turned hooked ends. 
   
   
       39 . The rail of  claim 37 , wherein the support member comprises vertical extensions and a cross piece defining a channel. 
   
   
       40 . The rail of  claim 37  wherein said cross piece comprises a keyed extension flange. 
   
   
       41 . The rail of  claim 40  further comprising a keyed extension slide wherein said slide cooperatively engages with keyed extension flanges to join an end of a support member with an end of an adjacent support member. 
   
   
       42 . The rail of  claim 39 , wherein said first rail cap has a plurality of apertures opening into said channel. 
   
   
       43 . The rail of  claim 42 , wherein said apertures and channel are dimensioned to receive an end of an elongate spindle.