Metal fence assembly with concealed hinge connection

Abstract

A fencing/railing assembly adapted to be positioned between a pair of posts and mounted thereto. The assembly includes a plurality of elongate pickets and one or more rails extending transverse to the pickets. The pickets each have at least one protrusion formed or positioned thereon. The rails have an elongate channel formed on an inside portion thereof for cooperating with the protrusion. The rails further include picket openings formed in an upper portion thereof for receiving pickets therethrough. The picket openings are sized and adapted to be slipped over the pickets and securely held in place by engagement of the protrusions with the channels formed on the inside portion of the rails. The channels and the protrusions form a connection between the pickets and the rails.

1 . A metal fencing/railing assembly adapted to be positioned between a pair of posts and mounted thereto, the fencing/railing assembly comprising:
 a first subassembly comprising a first plurality of elongate metal pickets and a first plurality of metal rails extending transverse to the first plurality of pickets and secured thereto;   a second subassembly comprising a second plurality of elongate metal pickets and a second plurality of metal rails extending transverse to the second plurality of pickets and secured thereto;   two or more barrel hinges concealed within the first and second pluralities of rails for hingedly securing the first subassembly to the second subassembly, wherein the fencing/railing assembly can be shipped and stored in a folded configuration and can be unfolded and extended for installation; and   wherein the rails define a generally rectangular interior and further comprising hinge sockets sized and shaped to fit snugly within the generally rectangular interior and having a generally cylindrical bore for receiving the hinges therein.   
     
     
         2 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the barrel hinges are secured within the hinge sockets by screw-operated cams. 
     
     
         3 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the hinge sockets are secured to the rails with fasteners. 
     
     
         4 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the rails are generally U-shaped. 
     
     
         5 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the rails are attached to the pickets with fasteners and further comprising concealment strips for attachment to the rails for concealing the fasteners. 
     
     
         6 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the pickets and the rails comprise aluminum extrusions. 
     
     
         7 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first and second subassemblies are hingedly secured to one another with at least three concealed hinges. 
     
     
         8 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein openings formed in the rails for receiving the pickets therethrough are wider than the width of the pickets to allow some racking of the fencing/railing assembly to adjust to various installation slopes. 
     
     
         9 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the concealment strips operate to enhance the rigidity of the assembly. 
     
     
         10 . A metal fencing/railing assembly adapted to be positioned between a pair of posts and mounted thereto, the fencing/railing assembly comprising:
 a first subassembly comprising a first plurality of elongate metal pickets and a first plurality of metal rails extending transverse to the first plurality of pickets and secured thereto;   a second subassembly comprising a second plurality of elongate metal pickets and a second plurality of metal rails extending transverse to the second plurality of pickets and secured thereto; and   two or more hinges concealed within the first and second pluralities of rails for hingedly securing the first subassembly to the second subassembly, wherein the fencing/railing assembly can be shipped and stored in a folded configuration and can be unfolded and extended for installation.   
     
     
         11 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the rails define a generally rectangular interior and further comprising hinge sockets sized and shaped to fit snugly within the generally rectangular interior and having a generally cylindrical bore for receiving the hinges therein. 
     
     
         12 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the hinges comprise barrel hinges. 
     
     
         13 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the barrel hinges are secured within the hinge sockets by screw-operated cams. 
     
     
         14 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the hinge sockets are secured to the rails with fasteners. 
     
     
         15 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the rails are generally U-shaped. 
     
     
         16 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the rails are attached to the pickets with fasteners and further comprising concealment strips for attachment to the rails for concealing the fasteners. 
     
     
         17 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the concealment strips operate to enhance the rigidity of the assembly. 
     
     
         18 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the pickets and the rails comprise aluminum extrusions. 
     
     
         19 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the first and second subassemblies are hingedly secured to one another with at least three concealed hinges. 
     
     
         20 . A fencing/railing assembly as claimed in  claim 10  wherein openings formed in the rails for receiving the pickets therethrough are wider than the width of the pickets to allow some racking of the fencing/railing assembly to adjust to various installation slopes.