Modular railing apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus comprising at least one trapezoidal post and at least one attachment device is provided. The trapezoidal post has a wide edge, an opposing narrow edge, and two opposing inclined edges connecting the wide edge and narrow edge. The attachment device includes a recessed portion corresponding to the shape of the wide edge of the trapezoidal post and forms at least two opposing arm sections with inclined edges corresponding to the inclined edges of the trapezoidal post. The attachment device is configured to secure to a position on the trapezoidal post by sliding the attachment device along the wide edge of the trapezoidal post to the position and engaging the opposing arm sections with the inclined edges of the trapezoidal post when a force is exerted against the attachment device and the trapezoidal post. The attachment device is further configured to couple to one or more railing components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one trapezoidal post having a wide edge, an opposing narrow edge, and two opposing inclined edges, each inclined edge connecting the wide edge and the narrow edge; and   at least one attachment device comprising a recessed portion corresponding to the shape of the wide edge of the at least one trapezoidal post and forming at least two opposing arm sections with inclined edges corresponding to the inclined edges of the trapezoidal post, the attachment device being configured to secure to a position on the at least one trapezoidal post by sliding the attachment device along the wide edge of the at least one trapezoidal post to the position and engaging the at least two opposing arm sections with the inclined edges of the at least one trapezoidal post when a force is exerted against the at least one attachment device and the at least one trapezoidal post, the attachment device being further configured to couple to one or more railing components.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes at least two attachment devices. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the force is exerted by a locking element wedging the at least one attachment device away from the at least one trapezoidal post. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first attachment device is secured to a first position on a first trapezoidal post and a second attachment device is secured to a second position on a second trapezoidal post and the first and second attachment devices are coupled to a railing component connecting the first and second trapezoidal posts. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second positions are at substantially the same height on the first and second trapezoidal posts. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the railing component is a handrail. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the railing component is infill. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first trapezoidal post having a wide edge, an opposing narrow edge, and two opposing inclined edges, each inclined edge connecting the wide edge and the narrow edge;   a second trapezoidal post having a wide edge, an opposing narrow edge, and two opposing inclined edges, each inclined edge connecting the wide edge and the narrow edge;   a first attachment device secured to a first position on the first trapezoidal post, the first attachment device comprising a recessed portion corresponding to the shape of the wide edge of the first trapezoidal post and forming at least two opposing arm sections with inclined edges corresponding to the inclined edges of the first trapezoidal post, the first attachment device secured to the first position by engaging the at least two opposing arm sections with the inclined edges of the first trapezoidal post using a first locking element;   a second attachment device secured to a second position on the second trapezoidal post, the second attachment device comprising a recessed portion corresponding to the shape of the wide edge of the second trapezoidal post and forming at least two opposing arm sections with inclined edges corresponding to the inclined edges of the second trapezoidal post, the second attachment device secured to the second position by engaging the at least two opposing arm sections with the inclined edges of the second trapezoidal post using a second locking element; and   at least one railing component having a proximal end coupled to the first attachment device and a distal end coupled to the second attachment device.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the railing component is infill. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the railing component is a handrail. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first attachment device is coupled to a proximate end of a second railing component and the second attachment device is coupled to a distal end of the second railing component. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first attachment device is configured to couple to a proximate end of a second railing component and the second attachment device is configured to couple to a proximate end of a third railing component. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a distal end of the second railing component is coupled to a third attachment device secured to a third trapezoidal post and a distal end of the third railing component is coupled to a fourth attachment device secured to a fourth trapezoidal post. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first, second, and third railing components are the same component type. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 aligning a wide section of a recessed portion of an attachment device with a corresponding wide portion of a trapezoidal post, wherein the recessed portion includes two inclined sides forming at least two arm sections;   sliding the attachment device along a length of the trapezoidal post to a position;   inserting at least one locking element into a proximal end of at least one access hole on a surface of the attachment device opposite the recessed portion, wherein the at least one access hole includes a distal end at the wide section of the recessed portion; and   securing the attachment device to the position on the trapezoidal post comprising causing the locking element to partially exit the distal end of the at least one access hole and exert a force against the attachment device and the trapezoidal post, the force causing the at least two arm sections to engage the trapezoidal post.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 coupling a railing component to the attachment device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 aligning a wide section of a recessed portion of a second attachment device with a corresponding wide portion of a second trapezoidal post, wherein the recessed portion includes two inclined sides forming at least two arm sections;   sliding the second attachment device along a length of the second trapezoidal post to a second position;   inserting a second locking element into a proximal end of at least one access hole on an external surface of the second attachment device opposite the recessed portion, wherein the at least one access hole includes a distal end at the wide section of the recessed portion; and   securing the second attachment device to the second position on the second trapezoidal post comprising causing the second locking element to partially exit the distal end of the at least one access hole and exert a force against the second attachment device and the second trapezoidal post, the force causing the at least two arm sections to engage the second trapezoidal post; and   coupling a railing component to the first and second attachment devices to connect the first and second trapezoidal posts.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein coupling the railing component to the first and second attachment devices comprises coupling a first connection component to the first attachment device and coupling a second connection component to the second attachment device and coupling a proximal end of the railing component to the first connection component and coupling a distal end of the railing component to the second connection component. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein coupling the first and second connection components to the first and second attachment devices comprises securing the first and second connection components with respective first and second caps. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising securing the first and second trapezoidal posts to a base structure.