Picket for a railing system

Abstract

A picket for a railing system having a top rail and a bottom rail, the picket including an elongated tubular body having inner and outer walls and first and second ends for engaging the top and bottom rails, respectively. The inner wall defines a longitudinal bore through the elongated tubular body from the first end to the second end. The picket includes a reinforcing member connected to and extending away from the inner wall of the elongated tubular body.

1 . A picket for a railing system having a top rail and a bottom rail, the picket comprising: 
 an elongated tubular body having inner and outer walls and first and second ends for engaging the top and bottom rails, respectively, said inner wall defining a longitudinal bore through said elongated tubular body from said first end to said second end; and    a reinforcing member connected to and extending away from said inner wall of said elongated tubular body.    
   
   
       2 . The picket of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing member runs longitudinally from said first end of said tubular body to said second end.  
   
   
       3 . The picket of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing member spans said bore defined by said inner wall.  
   
   
       4 . The picket of  claim 1  wherein said inner wall of said tubular body comprises a first, a second, a third and a fourth wall arranged at right angles to one-another, said first and second wall forming a first corner, said second and third wall forming a second corner, said third and fourth wall forming a third corner, and said fourth and first wall forming a fourth corner.  
   
   
       5 . The picket of  claim 4  wherein said reinforcing member extends from said first corner to said third corner.  
   
   
       6 . The picket of  claim 4  wherein said reinforcing member extends from said second corner to said fourth corner.  
   
   
       7 . The picket of  claim 4  wherein said reinforcing member extends from said first corner to said third corner and from said second corner to said fourth corner.  
   
   
       8 . The picket of  claim 1  wherein said elongated tubular body is comprised of aluminum.  
   
   
       9 . The picket of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing member is comprised of aluminum.  
   
   
       10 . A picket for a railing system having a top rail and a bottom rail, the picket comprising: 
 an elongated tubular body having inner and outer walls and first and second ends for engaging the top and bottom rails, respectively, said inner wall defining a bore through said elongated tubular body from said first end to said second end; and    a reinforcing member connected to and extending away from said inner wall and across said bore defined by said inner wall of said elongated tubular body.    
   
   
       11 . The picket of  claim 10  wherein said reinforcing member runs longitudinally from said first end of said tubular body to said second end.  
   
   
       12 . The picket of  claim 10  wherein said inner wall of said tubular body comprises a first, a second, a third and a fourth wall arranged at right angles to one-another, said first and second wall forming a first corner, said second and third wall forming a second corner, said third and fourth wall forming a third corner, and said fourth and first wall forming a fourth corner.  
   
   
       13 . The picket of  claim 11  wherein said reinforcing member extends from said first corner to said third corner.  
   
   
       14 . The picket of  claim 11  wherein said reinforcing member extends from said second corner to said fourth corner.  
   
   
       15 . The picket of  claim 11  wherein said reinforcing member extends from said first corner to said third corner and from said second corner to said fourth corner.  
   
   
       16 . The picket of  claim 10  wherein said elongated tubular body is comprised of aluminum.  
   
   
       17 . The picket of  claim 10  wherein said reinforcing member is comprised of aluminum.  
   
   
       18 . A picket for a railing system having a top rail and a bottom rail, the picket comprising: 
 an elongated tubular body having inner and outer walls and first and second ends for engaging the top and bottom rails, respectively, said inner wall defining a bore through said elongated tubular body from said first end to said second end; and    a plurality of reinforcing members connected to and extending away from said inner wall of said elongated tubular body, each of said reinforcing members running longitudinally from said first end of said tubular body to said second end.    
   
   
       19 . The picket of  claim 18  wherein each of said plurality of reinforcing members span said bore defined by said inner wall.  
   
   
       20 . The picket of  claim 18  wherein said elongated tubular body is comprised of aluminum.  
   
   
       21 . The picket of  claim 18  wherein each of said plurality of reinforcing members is comprised of aluminum.