Extruded protective railing system

Abstract

A protective railing system includes at least two extruded posts, two post-mounted extruded brackets, and at least one extruded rail. The rail can be selectively installed with infinite adjustability both vertically and rotationally. Each post includes an outer tube and an inner tube with reinforcing ribs extending between the two. To secure the post to a floor, a floor-mounted anchor extends up into the inner tube. The anchor and inner tube are preferably rectangular to restrict relative rotation between the post and the anchor. When two or more rails are installed between two posts, the two rails can be interlocked, or the rails can be spaced apart to support a spacer therebetween. In some cases, the spacer is a sign or a fabric mesh.

1 . A protective railing system, comprising: 
 a plurality of posts at least one of which is a plastic hollow post having a post height and a post cross-sectional area, wherein the post cross-sectional area is extrudably uniform along most of the post height;    a first plastic hollow rail having a rail length and a rail cross-sectional area, wherein the rail cross-sectional area is extrudably uniform along most of the rail length;    a bracket having a bracket height and a bracket cross-sectional area, wherein the bracket cross-sectional area is extrudably uniform along most of the bracket height; and    a plurality of fasteners for maintaining the plastic hollow post, the first plastic hollow rail and the bracket in a substantially fixed relationship to each other such that the plastic hollow post and the bracket are substantially parallel to each other with respect to the post height and the bracket height, and the first plastic hollow rail is substantially perpendicular to the plastic hollow post with respect to the post height and the rail length, wherein the plurality of fasteners can be selectively installed to help support the first plastic hollow rail selectively at one of an infinite plurality of elevations along the plastic hollow post.    
   
   
       2 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket extends along most of the post length when the bracket is attached to the plastic hollow post.  
   
   
       3 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic hollow post is substantially cylindrical.  
   
   
       4 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic hollow post comprises an outer tube, an inner tube, and a plurality of ribs extending therebetween.  
   
   
       5 . The protective railing system of  claim 4 , further comprising a floor anchor extending up into the inner tube.  
   
   
       6 . The protective railing system of  claim 4 , wherein the inner tube and the floor anchor each have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional area.  
   
   
       7 . The protective railing system of  claim 3 , wherein the bracket comprises a channel for receiving the first plastic hollow rail and a concave surface for engaging the plastic hollow post.  
   
   
       8 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of fasteners is hidden between the first plastic hollow rail and the bracket when the protective railing system is assembled.  
   
   
       9 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plastic hollow rail defines an interlockable channel that extends completely along the rail length.  
   
   
       10 . The protective railing system of  claim 9 , further comprising a rail coupler adapted to engage the interlockable channel to couple the first plastic hollow rail to a second plastic hollow rail.  
   
   
       11 . The protective railing system of  claim 10 , wherein the rail coupler maintains the first plastic hollow rail and the second plastic hollow rail in a spaced-apart relationship to each other.  
   
   
       12 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second plastic hollow rail, wherein the plurality of fasteners when installed maintains the first plastic hollow rail and the second plastic hollow rail in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship to each other, whereby the first plastic hollow rail and the second plastic hollow rail define a gap therebetween.  
   
   
       13 . The protective railing system of  claim 12 , further comprising a spacer that overlies the gap.  
   
   
       14 . The protective railing system of  claim 13 , wherein the spacer is a sign.  
   
   
       15 . The protective railing system of  claim 13 , wherein the spacer is pliable.  
   
   
       16 . The protective railing system of  claim 12 , further comprising a third plastic hollow rail interposed between the first plastic hollow rail and the second plastic hollow rail.  
   
   
       17 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second plastic hollow rail that interlocks with the first plastic hollow rail and is substantially parallel therewith.  
   
   
       18 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , further comprising an elongate reinforcing member disposed inside the first plastic hollow rail.  
   
   
       19 . The protective railing system of  claim 1 , further comprising an elongate electrical conductor disposed inside the first plastic hollow rail.  
   
   
       20 . A protective railing system, comprising: 
 a first floor anchor;    a first plastic hollow post that includes a first outer tube, a first inner tube, and a first plurality of ribs extending therebetween, wherein the first floor anchor extends upward into the first inner tube;    a second floor anchor;    a second plastic hollow post at a spaced-apart distance from the first plastic hollow post, wherein the second plastic hollow post includes a second outer tube, a second inner tube, and a second plurality of ribs extending therebetween, wherein the second floor anchor extends upward into the second inner tube; and    a first plastic hollow rail extending between the first plastic hollow post and the second plastic hollow post, wherein the first plastic hollow rail has a rail cross-sectional area that is substantially uniform along most of the spaced-apart distance.    
   
   
       21 . The protective railing system of  claim 20 , wherein the first outer tube and the second outer tube are substantially cylindrical, and the first inner tube and the second inner tube are substantially rectangular.  
   
   
       22 . The protective railing system of  claim 20 , further comprising an elongate bracket having an extrudable cross-sectional area and being attached vertically lengthwise to the first plastic hollow post, wherein the elongate bracket includes a channel for receiving the first plastic hollow rail.  
   
   
       23 . A protective railing system, comprising: 
 a first floor anchor;    a first plastic hollow post that includes a first outer tube, a first inner tube, and a first plurality of ribs extending therebetween, wherein the first plastic hollow post has a first post height and the first floor anchor extends upward into the first inner tube;    a second floor anchor;    a second plastic hollow post that includes a second outer tube, a second inner tube, and a second plurality of ribs extending therebetween, wherein the second plastic hollow post has a second post height and the second floor anchor extends upward into the second inner tube;    a first bracket fastened to the first plastic hollow post and extending along most of the first post height, wherein the first bracket includes a first channel;    a second bracket fastened to the second plastic hollow post and extending along most of the second post height, wherein the second bracket includes a second channel;    a first plastic hollow rail extending into the first channel and the second channel and having a rail length and a rail cross-sectional area, wherein the rail cross-sectional area is substantially uniform along most of the rail length; and    a plurality of fasteners maintaining the first plastic rail in a substantially fixed relationship with the first plastic hollow post, the second plastic hollow post, the first bracket and the second bracket in a substantially fixed relationship to each other such that the first plastic hollow rail is substantially perpendicular to the first plastic hollow post and the second plastic hollow post, wherein the plurality of fasteners can be selectively installed to help support the first plastic hollow rail at one of an infinite plurality of elevations.