Railing assembly with interference fit-based coupling

Abstract

A railing assembly includes a rail and one or more pickets. The top rail includes engagement members configured to couple the rail to each of the pickets using an interference fit. In certain aspects, the railing assembly may also include a second rail with engagement members configured to couple the second rail to each of the pickets using an interference fit. A method for installing a railing assembly includes providing a rail and a picket and inserting the picket into a passage in the rail such that the engaging members of the rail couple the rail to the picket using an interference fit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railing assembly comprising:
 engaging members that are oppositely positioned with respect to each other and that are configured to couple a rail to a picket using an interference fit.   
     
     
         2 . The railing assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising the rail that includes the engaging members and that is coupled to a clip having an opening configured to allow the picket to pass through the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The railing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the engaging members are configured to couple the rail to a plurality of pickets using the interference fit, and
 wherein the clip includes a plurality of openings configured to allow the plurality of pickets to pass through the plurality of openings.   
     
     
         4 . The railing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the engaging members are further configured to receive the clip, the clip further having clip tabs configured to couple the rail to the clip. 
     
     
         5 . The railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging members are configured to couple the rail to the picket independent of any other supporting hardware. 
     
     
         6 . The railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging members are configured to couple the rail to a plurality of pickets using the interference fit, the engaging members being in parallel and extending the length of the rail.. 
     
     
         7 . The railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging members are further configured to form a passage for receiving the picket, and wherein the rail includes a bracing member for preventing the picket from progressing beyond the bracing member when the picket is inserted into the passage. 
     
     
         8 . The railing assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a post and a rail bracket that is coupled to the rail, wherein the post includes a post cap and a post base. 
     
     
         9 . The railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging members have bulbous ends and are curved to form a tapered passage. 
     
     
         10 . The railing assembly of  claim 1  further comprising second engaging members that are oppositely positioned with respect to each other and that are configured to couple the rail to the picket using an interference fit. 
     
     
         11 . The railing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging members are further configured to couple the rail to the picket by mechanically locking the engaging members into slots in the picket. 
     
     
         12 . A railing assembly comprising:
 first engaging members that are oppositely positioned with respect to each other and that are configured to couple a top rail to a top end of a picket using a first interference fit; and   second engaging members that are oppositely positioned with respect to each other and that are configured to couple a bottom rail to a bottom end of the picket using a second interference fit.   
     
     
         13 . The railing assembly of  claim 12  further comprising:
 the top rail that includes the first engaging members and that is coupled to a top clip having an opening configured to allow the picket to pass through the opening; and 
 the bottom rail that includes the second engaging members and that is coupled to a bottom clip having a second opening configured to allow the picket to pass through the second opening. 
 
     
     
         14 . The railing assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first engaging members are configured to couple to the top rail to a plurality of pickets using the first interference fit; and
 wherein the second engaging members are configured to couple the bottom rail to the plurality of pickets using the second interference fit.   
     
     
         15 . The railing assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the second engaging members are further configured to receive the second clip, the second clip further having second clip tabs configured to couple the second rail to the second clip. 
     
     
         16 . A method for installing a railing assembly comprising:
 providing a rail and a picket, the rail including engaging members and a passage; and   inserting the picket in the passage such that the engaging members couple the rail to the picket using an interference fit.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 providing a clip that includes clip tabs and an opening;   coupling the clip to the rail using the clip tabs; and   passing the picket through the opening.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 providing a second rail that includes second engaging members and a second passage; and   inserting the picket into the second passage such that the second engaging members couple the second rail to the picket using a second interference fit.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 providing a second picket; and   inserting the second picket into the passage such that the engaging members couple the rail to the second picket using the interference fit.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 providing a post, a post bracket, a post cap, and a post base;   coupling the post bracket to the rail;   coupling the post bracket to the post;   coupling the post cap to the post; and   coupling the post base to the post.