Fence/rail assembly with concealed sliding, pivotal connection, and manufacturing method therefor

摘要

A fencing/railing assembly adapted to be positioned between a pair of posts and mounted thereto includes a plurality of pickets, a plurality of rails extending transverse to the pickets, and one or more pivoting, sliding connectors for connecting a picket to a rail, with the sliding, pivotal connection concealed by the rail. The connector is slidably mounted to the rail and is pivotally connected to the picket. In one embodiment, an elongated connector strip is concealed by the rail and spans multiple pickets. In another embodiment, the assembly includes a plurality of shorter connectors, one for each picket/rail connection.

主权项

1. A fencing/railing assembly adapted to be positioned between a pair of posts and mounted thereto, the assembly comprising:
a plurality of vertical pickets, each picket comprising an upper end and a lower end opposite the upper end, each picket further comprising at least one pivot hole formed therein between the upper and lower ends; a plurality of elongate rails extending transverse to the pickets, each rail having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and having at least an upper wall and a side wall, each rail further comprising a plurality of picket openings formed therein and spaced longitudinally along the upper wall thereof, wherein the plurality of pickets are each individually received in a respective one of the plurality of picket openings; and one or more connectors for connecting the plurality of pickets to the plurality of rails, each connector comprising an elongate strip with opposing first and second sides, wherein at least one boss extends from the first side of the strip, and a sliding surface is formed on the second side; wherein the at least one boss of each connector is inserted into the at least one pivot hole in a respective one of the plurality of pickets such that the connector is pivotably connected to the picket, and wherein the sliding surface of each connector is slidably engaged with an inner surface of the side wall of a respective one of the plurality of rails, wherein each connector provides a pivotal connection to the respective picket to permit a pivoting motion therebetween, and a slidable connection to the respective rail to permit a sliding motion therebetween, to permit a combination pivoting and sliding motion between the rail and the picket, and whereby pivoting the upper end of the respective picket towards the first end of the respective rail causes the respective connector to slide along the inner surface of the side wall of the respective rail towards the second end of the respective rail, and vice versa, in such a manner that a pivotal range of the plurality of pickets relative to the plurality of rails is at least about 20 degrees in each direction.