Cable rail assembly kit

Abstract

A cable railing assembly having a plurality of posts, an expandable cable guide assembly, and a tensioning apparatus, and a method of assembling the cable railing assembly. The expandable cable guide assembly includes a pair of cable braces with a cable extending in a serpentine fashion between the cable braces. The tensioning apparatus includes a tensioner base, a tensioner body, a compression spring positioned between the tensioner base and the tensioner body, a movable carriage slidably mounted adjacent the tensioner body and comprising a cable clamp for gripping the cable, and a threaded adjuster secured to the body and operative for moving the movable carriage along the body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cable-style railing kit for assembly and installation upon a surface by a user/installer and comprising:
 a pair of posts, the posts being configured to be installed upon the surface;   a cable assembly includes a pair of cable guide assemblies and a single cable that extends in serpentine fashion between the pair of cable guide assemblies, wherein the cable guide assemblies are adapted to be attached to the posts;   at least one tensioner is provided for tensioning the cable once the cable guides are attached to the posts; and   wherein the cable assembly is threaded and configured such that the cable guide assemblies can be pulled or moved apart from one another while the cable remains threaded in the cable guide assemblies and while the cable expands its span.   
     
     
         2 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the user/installer can install the posts, expand the cable assembly and attach the cable guides to the posts, such that multiple portions of the cable assembly each span between the posts and with the cable is spanning the posts, the cable can be tensioned with the tensioning device. 
     
     
         3 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the cable comprises multiple separate cables. 
     
     
         4 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the cable guides comprise a plurality of cable returns. 
     
     
         5 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the plurality of cable returns comprises a plurality of pulleys or rollers. 
     
     
         6 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the plurality of cable returns comprises a plurality of curved non-rotating cable guides. 
     
     
         7 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the plurality of curved non-rotating cable guides comprises low-friction polymer guides. 
     
     
         8 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a second tensioning device and wherein the cable assembly comprises a single cable attached at one end to one of the tensioning devices and the opposite end of the cable is attached to the second tensioning device. 
     
     
         9 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a rigid beam to be placed between the posts and in initial contact with upper portions of the posts such that as the cable is tensioned by the tensioning device, the rigid beam keeps the upper portions of the posts a predetermined distance apart from one another. 
     
     
         10 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the rigid beam defines a channel therein and the tensioning device is housed within the channel of the rigid beam. 
     
     
         11 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the rigid beam or the posts include supports for vertically and loosely supporting the rigid beam at the posts until the tensioning device operating to create tension in the cable, effectively clamping the rigid beam between posts. 
     
     
         12 . A cable-style railing kit for assembly and installation upon a surface by a user/installer and comprising:
 a pair of posts, the posts being configured to be installed upon the surface;   a cable assembly includes a pair of cable guide assemblies pre-attached to the posts and a single cable that extends in serpentine fashion between the pair of cable guide assemblies;   at least one tensioner is provided for tensioning the cable; and   wherein the cable assembly is threaded and configured such that the posts can be pulled or moved apart from one another while the cable remains threaded in the cable guide assemblies and while the cable expands its span.   
     
     
         13 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the user/installer can expand the cable assembly by moving the posts apart from one another and then install the posts, such that with multiple portions of the cable each spanning between the posts, the cable can be tensioned with the tensioning device. 
     
     
         14 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the cable guides comprise a plurality of cable returns. 
     
     
         15 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the plurality of cable returns comprises a plurality of pulleys or rollers. 
     
     
         16 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the plurality of cable returns comprises a plurality of curved non-rotating cable guides. 
     
     
         17 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the plurality of curved non-rotating cable guides comprises low-friction polymer guides. 
     
     
         18 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising a second tensioning device and wherein the cable assembly comprises a single cable attached at one end to one of the tensioning devices and the opposite end of the cable is attached to the second tensioning device. 
     
     
         19 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising a rigid beam to be placed between the posts and in initial contact with upper portions of the posts such that as the cable is tensioned by the tensioning device, the rigid beam keeps the upper portions of the posts a predetermined distance apart from one another. 
     
     
         20 . A cable-style railing kit as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the rigid beam defines a channel therein and the tensioning device is housed within the channel of the rigid beam.