Fence rail with concealed fastener

Abstract

A fence rail includes a detachable fastener cover that covers and conceals a fastener chamber. Through the use of a knuckle and a catch fastening system, moisture is prevented from entering the fastener chamber. The fastener chamber allows for securing pickets to the rail using a means for fastening as close to the top of the rail as possible thereby allowing for significant racking of the fence.

1 . A fence comprising
 a rail, where the rail comprises two sides and a top web, where one side comprises a lip, a rib, and a snapping member, where the rib has a top, and where the snapping member has a bottom;   a fastener cover, where the fastener cover comprises a knuckle, a rib, and a snapping member, where the rib has a bottom, and where the snapping member has a top;   where the top of the rib of the rail mates with the bottom of the rib of the fastener cover, where the bottom of the snapping member of the rail mates with the top of the snapping member of the fastener cover; and where the lip of the rail mates with the knuckle of the fastener cover;   whereby the mating of the ribs and the snapping members create compressive forces that increase rigidity of the fastener cover and rail.   
     
     
         2 . The fence of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of pickets and a plurality of fasteners, where each picket is secured to the top of the rail by means of the plurality of fasteners, where the fastener cover covers the fasteners that secure the pickets to the rail. 
     
     
         3 . The fence of  claim 2 , wherein the fasteners are screws. 
     
     
         4 . The fence of  claim 1 , further comprising two posts, where each end of the rail is secured to a post. 
     
     
         5 . The fence of  claim 1 , wherein the snapping member of the rail is a snap divot and the snapping member of the fastener cover is a snap dimple. 
     
     
         6 . The fence of  claim 1 , wherein the rib of the fastener cover is located between the knuckle and the snapping member of the fastener cover. 
     
     
         7 . A fence rail system comprising
 a rail, a picket, a fastener, and a fastener cover, where the rail comprises two sides and a top web, where one side comprises a lip, a rib, and a snapping member, where the snapping member has a bottom, where the fastener cover comprises a knuckle, a rib, and a snapping member, where the snapping member of the fastener cover has a top, where the fastener cover mates with the rail to form a fastener chamber, wherein the bottom of the snapping member of the rail mates with the top of the snapping member of the fastener cover, and where the fastener secures the picket to the top of the rail.   
     
     
         8 . The fence rail system of  claim 7 , wherein the one side of the rail has a bottom, where the snapping member is located at the bottom of the rail. 
     
     
         9 . The fence rail system of  claim 7 , wherein the snapping member of the rail is a snap divot and the snapping member of the fastener cover is a snap dimple. 
     
     
         10 . The fence rail system of  claim 7 , wherein the knuckle of the fastener cover mates with the lip of lip of the rail. 
     
     
         11 . The fence rail system of  claim 7 , where the rib of the rail has a top, where the rib of the fastener has a bottom, wherein the bottom of the rib of the fastener cover mates with the top of the rib of the rail. 
     
     
         12 . The fence rail system of  claim 7 , wherein the knuckle of the fastener cover mates with the lip of the rail, where the rib of the rail has a top, where the rib of the fastener has a bottom, wherein the bottom of the rib of the fastener cover mates with the top of the rib of the rail. 
     
     
         13 . The fence rail system of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener extends into the fastener chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The fence rail system of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener is a screw. 
     
     
         15 . The fencer rail system of  claim 7 , wherein the web of the rail is punched with one or more holes. 
     
     
         16 . A fence comprising
 a plurality of rails, where each rail comprises two sides and a top web, where one side comprises a lip, a rib, and a snapping member, where the rib has a top, and where the snapping member has a bottom;   a plurality of fastener covers, where each fastener cover comprises a knuckle, a rib, and a snapping member, where the rib has a bottom, and where the snapping member has a top;   where the top of the rib of one of the plurality of rails mates with the bottom of the rib of one of the plurality of fastener covers, where the bottom of the snapping member of one of the plurality of rails mates with the top of the snapping member of one of the plurality of fastener covers; and where the lip of one of the plurality of rails mates with the knuckle of one of the plurality of fastener covers;   whereby the mating of the ribs and the snapping members create compressive forces that increase rigidity of the fastener covers and rails.   
     
     
         17 . The fence of  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of pickets and a plurality of fasteners, where each picket is secured to the top of the rail by means of the plurality of fasteners, where the fastener cover covers the fasteners that secure the pickets to the rail. 
     
     
         18 . The fence of  claim 17 , wherein the fasteners are screws. 
     
     
         19 . The fence of  claim 16 , further comprising two posts, where each end of each of the plurality of rails is secured to a post. 
     
     
         20 . The fence of  claim 16 , wherein the snapping member of each rail is a snap divot and the snapping member of each fastener cover is a snap dimple.