Bracket for supporting attachment of the end of a railing member to a vertical member

Abstract

A railing bracket includes a cup having a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall disposed opposite the first sidewall. In some embodiments, a first tack weld couples a first portion of the bottom wall to the first sidewall and a second tack weld couples a second portion of the bottom wall to the second sidewall. The railing bracket includes a cap having a top wall, a first lateral wall, and a second lateral wall. In some embodiments, the cap is configured to attach to the cup in a first configuration and a second configuration. In some embodiments, the top wall of the cap is disposed above the bottom wall of the cup and the first sidewall and the second sidewall are disposed between the top wall of the cap and the bottom wall of the cup in the first configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railing bracket, comprising:
 a cup having a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall disposed opposite the first sidewall;
 wherein a first tack weld couples a first portion of the bottom wall to the first sidewall and a second tack weld couples a second portion of the bottom wall to the second sidewall; and 
   a cap having a top wall, a first lateral wall, and a second lateral wall, wherein the cap is configured to attach to the cup in a first configuration and a second configuration;
 wherein the top wall of the cap is disposed above the bottom wall of the cup and the first sidewall and the second sidewall are disposed between the top wall of the cap and the bottom wall of the cup in the first configuration; 
 wherein the top wall of the cap is disposed underneath the bottom wall of the cap in the second configuration. 
   
     
     
         2 . The railing bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the cap further comprises a first tab and the cup further comprises a first notch configured to receive the first tab. 
     
     
         3 . The railing bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the first tab is disposed on a distal end corner of the first lateral wall or the second lateral wall. 
     
     
         4 . The railing bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the first notch is disposed on a rear corner of the cup. 
     
     
         5 . The railing bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the cap further comprises a second tab and the cup further comprises a second notch configured to receive the second tab. 
     
     
         6 . The railing bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the first sidewall comprises a first countersunk through hole configured to receive a fastener. 
     
     
         7 . The railing bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the cup further comprises a back wall extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . The railing bracket of  claim 7 , wherein the cup is secured to a vertical post by a post fastener received through a countersunk hole in the back wall. 
     
     
         9 . The railing bracket of  claim 7 , further comprising a hinge assembly coupled to the back wall. 
     
     
         10 . The railing bracket of  claim 9 , wherein the hinge assembly comprises:
 a back plate comprising an opening;   a pivoting member comprising a center plate and two opposed ears extending perpendicularly from the center plate; and   a pivot pin coupled between the two opposed ears and extending through the opening.   
     
     
         11 . A railing bracket, comprising:
 a cup having a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall disposed opposite the first sidewall, wherein the cup is adapted to receive an end of a railing member;   a cap having a top wall, a first lateral wall, and a second lateral wall, wherein the cap is configured to attach to the cup in a first configuration and a second configuration; and   a hinge assembly defining a hinge axis, wherein the cup further comprises a back wall coupled to the hinge assembly,
 wherein the top wall of the cap is disposed above the bottom wall of the cup and the first sidewall and the second sidewall are disposed between the top wall of the cap and the bottom wall of the cup in the first configuration, 
 wherein the top wall of the cap is disposed underneath the bottom wall of the cap in the second configuration, 
 wherein the hinge axis is oriented to support pivotal movement of the cup in a vertical plane and the bottom wall is disposed underneath an end of the railing member. 
   
     
     
         12 . The railing bracket of  claim 11 , wherein the cap exposes the bottom wall when installed in the first configuration and exposes a top surface of a received end of the railing member when installed in the second configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The railing bracket of  claim 11 , wherein the cap comprises an inwardly extending tab received by the cup to secure the cap in each of the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The railing bracket of  claim 13 , wherein the inwardly extending tab is disposed on a distal end corner of the first lateral wall or the second lateral wall. 
     
     
         15 . The railing bracket of  claim 11 , wherein a first tack weld couples a first portion of the bottom wall to the first sidewall and a second tack weld couples a second portion of the bottom wall to the second sidewall. 
     
     
         16 . A railing bracket, comprising:
 a cup having a bottom wall and being adapted to receive an end of a railing member;   a cap adapted to cover the cup; and   a hinge assembly defining a hinge axis, wherein the cup further comprises a back wall coupled to the hinge assembly,
 wherein the cup is configured to receive the cap in both of a first orientation wherein the cap is installed over a top of the cup and a second orientation wherein the cap is installed under a bottom of the cup, 
 wherein the cap exposes the bottom wall when installed in the first orientation and exposes a top surface of a received end of the railing member when installed in the second orientation, 
 wherein the cap comprises an inwardly extending tab member matingly received by the cup to secure the cap in each of the first orientation and the second orientation, 
 wherein the hinge axis is oriented to support pivotal movement of the cup in a vertical plane and the bottom wall is disposed underneath an end of the railing member, 
 wherein the hinge assembly is attached to a vertical member. 
   
     
     
         17 . The railing bracket of  claim 16 , wherein the cup comprises two opposed sidewalls extending perpendicularly from the bottom wall and at least one of the two opposed sidewalls comprises an opening configured to receive an attachment mechanism for securing the received end of the railing member within the cup. 
     
     
         18 . The railing bracket of  claim 16 , wherein a notch in the back wall is configured to receive the inwardly extending tab member and secure the cap to the cup. 
     
     
         19 . The railing bracket of  claim 16 , wherein a first tack weld couples a first portion of the bottom wall to a first sidewall of the cup and a second tack weld couples a second portion of the bottom wall to a second sidewall of the cup. 
     
     
         20 . The railing bracket of  claim 16 , wherein the back wall comprises at least one opening configured to receive an attachment mechanism for securing the cup to the vertical member.