Railing System

Abstract

A railing system that employs adjoining panels supported by a substrate includes an anchor post which is connected to first and second base shoe sections that support adjoining panels. The post includes first and second portions pivotally connected to one another about a pivot axis. The first and second portions have top ends opposite respective bottom ends, which are fixable to the substrate. The top end of the first portion is connected to the first base shoe section, and the top end of the second portion of the anchor is connected to the second base shoe section. The first and second portions are configured to pivot relative to one another about the pivot axis to set an angle between the first and second base shoe sections connected thereto so that those sections and the panels extend relative to one another in parallel or non-parallel directions based on the set angle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railing system that employs adjoining barrier panels supported by a substrate, the system comprising:
 at least one anchor post connected to first and second base shoe sections that support adjoining barrier panels, the anchor post having a first portion and a second portion pivotally connected to one another about a pivot axis, the first and second portions of the anchor post having top ends opposite respective bottom ends, the bottom ends of the first and second portions configured to be fixed to the substrate during use, the top ends of the first and second portions configured to be spaced above the substrate and connected to the first and second base shoe sections,   wherein the top end of the first portion of the anchor is connected to the first base shoe section at a first connection, and the top end of the second portion of the anchor is connected to the second base shoe section at a second connection, and   wherein the first and second portions of the anchor post are configured to pivot relative to one another about the pivot axis to set an angle between the first and second base shoe sections connected thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 first and second adjoining glass barrier panels, the first glass barrier panel supported by the first base shoe section and the second glass barrier panel supported by the second base shoe section,   wherein the first and second base shoe sections, together with the adjoining glass barrier panels supported by the first and second base shoe sections, selectively extend relative to one another in an end-to-end manner in parallel or non-parallel directions based on the angle set between the first and second portions of the anchor post.   
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivot axis is configured to be fixed in a vertical or near-vertical orientation during use. 
     
     
         4 . The railing system according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a securing means for securing each glass barrier panel to a base shoe section, wherein the securing means has an upper clamp and a lower clamp that are adjustable to align the respective glass panel with the vertical axis.   
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a range of pivoting motion between the first and second portions of the anchor post, and the range of angles between the adjoining base shoe sections and the range of angles between adjoining barrier panels, is between 0 and 25 degrees.   
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each base shoe section has a bottom that is vertically spaced above the substrate by the at least one anchor post.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second portions of the anchor post comprise a hinge that pivotally connects the first and second portions.   
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the hinge has a positive stop structure that limits the angle between the first and second portions to a predetermined maximum angle.   
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second portions of the anchor post have respective inside surfaces that face one another and that are disposed opposite respective outside surfaces,   
       wherein the first connection between the first portion of the anchor post and the first base shoe section is closer to the inside surface than the outside surface of the first portion of the anchor post, and the second connection between the second portion of the anchor post and the second base shoe section is closer to the inside surface than the outside surface of the second portion of the anchor post. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first portion of the anchor post includes a first set of linearly spaced holes aligned along a first line and the second portion of the anchor post includes a second set of linearly spaced holes aligned along a second line,   wherein in a closed configuration of the anchor post where the first and second base shoe sections extend in parallel directions relative to one another, the first line and the second line are parallel to one another, and in an open configuration where the first and second base shoe sections extend in non-parallel directions relative to one another, the first line and the second line are not parallel to one another.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one exterior cap section configured to connect to an exterior side of the at least one base shoe section; and   at least one interior cap section configured to connect to an interior side of the at least one base shoe section.   
     
     
         12 . A railing kit that employs adjoining barrier panels supported by a substrate, the kit comprising:
 one or more barrier panel, each barrier panel having a top, a bottom, and opposed lateral sides;   one or more elongated base shoe section configured to support the one or more barrier panel to adjoin at their lateral sides;   one or more anchor post configured to connect to the one or more base shoe section, each anchor post having a first portion and a second portion pivotally connected to one another about a pivot axis, the first and second portions of the anchor post having top ends opposite respective bottom ends, the bottom ends of the first and second portions configured to be fixed to the substrate during use, the top ends of the first and second portions configured to be spaced above the substrate and configured to connect to respective base shoe sections,   wherein the top end of the first portion of the anchor is configured to connect to a first base shoe section at a first connection, and the top end of the second portion of the anchor is configured to connect to a second base shoe section at a second connection, and   wherein the first and second portions of the anchor post are configured to pivot relative to one another about the pivot axis.   
     
     
         13 . The railing kit according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the one or more barrier panel is glass.   
     
     
         14 . The railing kit according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first and second portions are connected by a hinge.   
     
     
         15 . The kit according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 at least one exterior cap section configured to connect to an exterior side of a respective base shoe section; and   
       at least one interior cap sections configured to connect to an interior side of a respective base shoe section. 
     
     
         16 . The kit according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first and second portions of the anchor post have respective inside surfaces that face one another and that are disposed opposite respective outside surfaces,   
       wherein the first connection between the first portion of the anchor post and the first base shoe section is closer to the inside surface than the outside surface of the first portion of the anchor post, and the second connection between the second portion of the anchor post and the second base shoe section is closer to the inside surface than the outside surface of the second portion of the anchor post. 
     
     
         17 . The kit according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first portion of the at least one anchor post includes a first set of linearly spaced holes aligned along a first line and the second portion of the at least one anchor post includes a second set of linearly spaced holes aligned along a second line,   
       wherein in a closed configuration of the anchor post, the first line and the second line are parallel to one another, and wherein in an open configuration of the anchor post, the first line and the second line are not parallel to one another. 
     
     
         18 . A method of assembling a railing comprising:
 providing a kit according to  claim 12 ;   setting the anchor post into a corresponding hole formed in the substrate at a predetermined depth so that the upper end of the at least one anchor post is spaced above the substrate a predetermined distance;   setting the angle between the first and second portions of the anchor post;   after setting the anchor post and the angle, fixing the at least one anchor post to the substrate to thereby fix the set angle;   connecting the first base shoe section to the first portion of the at least one anchor post;   connecting the second base shoe section to the second portion of the at least one anchor post;   
       securing a first panel of the plurality of panels to the first base shoe section; and 
       securing a second panel of the plurality of panels to the second base shoe section, 
       wherein the first and second panels adjoin end-to-end along lateral sides forming a continuous panelized barrier across the first and second panels, and 
       wherein the predetermined depth of the at least one anchor post disposes a bottom of the first and second base shoe sections in spaced relation above the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 providing a plurality of exterior cap sections, each exterior cap section corresponding to one section of base shoe, each exterior cap section configured to connect to an exterior side of a respective one base shoe section; and   connecting each exterior cap section to an exterior side of a respective one base shoe section;   providing a plurality of interior cap sections, each interior cap section corresponding to one section of base shoe, each interior cap section configured to connect to an interior side of a respective one base shoe section; and   connecting each interior cap section to an interior side of a respective one base shoe section.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 securing the first and second panels includes aligning the first panel and the second panel with a vertical axis.