Vertical railing

Abstract

A railing system is depicted that includes a top rail, a spacer positioned adjacent the top rail, a bracket configured to be connected to a support post, a cross-pin configured to secure the spacer to the support post, a bottom rail, and a plurality of balusters extending between the top rail and the bottom rail.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railing system comprising:
 a top rail;   a spacer positioned adjacent the top rail, wherein the spacer has a pair of aligned apertures;   a bracket configured to be connected to a support post, wherein the bracket has a pair of aligned apertures;   a cross-pin configured to be received in the aligned apertures of the spacer and the aligned apertures of the bracket;   a bottom rail; and   a plurality of balusters extending between the top rail and the bottom rail.   
     
     
         2 . The railing system of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises a plurality of apertures configured to receive upper ends of the plurality of balusters. 
     
     
         3 . The railing system of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of apertures in the spacer includes a projection configured to engage a corresponding channel in the upper ends of the balusters. 
     
     
         4 . The railing system of  claim 3 , wherein the projection comprises a circular head portion connected to a linear body portion. 
     
     
         5 . The railing system of  claim 4 , wherein the corresponding channel in the upper ends of the balusters comprises a wider portion configured to receive the circular head portion and a narrow portion configured to engage the linear body portion. 
     
     
         6 . The railing system of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket comprises a pair of upwardly extending flanges and the spacer comprises a pair of receiving channels configured to receive the upwardly extending flanges. 
     
     
         7 . The railing system of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom rail comprises a plurality of holes configured to receive lower ends of the plurality of balusters. 
     
     
         8 . A method of assembling a railing system, comprising:
 positioning a bottom rail between two support posts;   inserting a plurality of balusters into the bottom rail;   placing a spacer adjacent upper ends of the balusters, wherein the spacer has a pair of aligned apertures;   attaching a bracket to each support post, wherein each bracket has a pair of aligned apertures; and   inserting a cross-pin through the aligned apertures of the spacer and the aligned apertures of the brackets.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising engaging projections in apertures of the spacer with corresponding channels in the upper ends of the balusters. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the projections comprise circular head portions connected to linear body portions. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the corresponding channels in the upper ends of the balusters comprise wider portions configured to receive the circular head portions and narrow portions configured to engage the linear body portions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein attaching the bracket to each support post comprises inserting upwardly extending flanges of the bracket into receiving channels of the spacer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising positioning a top rail over the spacer after inserting the cross-pin. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein positioning the top rail comprises attaching the top rail to the spacer with a friction fit. 
     
     
         15 . A railing panel comprising:
 a bottom rail;   a plurality of balusters extending upwardly from the bottom rail; and   a spacer positioned adjacent upper ends of the balusters, wherein the spacer includes a pair of aligned apertures configured to receive a cross-pin for securing the railing panel to support posts.   
     
     
         16 . The railing panel of  claim 15 , wherein the spacer comprises a plurality of apertures configured to receive the upper ends of the balusters. 
     
     
         17 . The railing panel of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of apertures in the spacer includes a projection configured to engage a corresponding channel in the upper ends of the balusters. 
     
     
         18 . The railing panel of  claim 17 , wherein the projection comprises a circular head portion connected to a linear body portion. 
     
     
         19 . The railing panel of  claim 18 , wherein the corresponding channel in the upper ends of the balusters comprises a wider portion configured to receive the circular head portion and a narrow portion configured to engage the linear body portion. 
     
     
         20 . The railing panel of  claim 15 , wherein the spacer comprises a pair of receiving channels configured to engage with upwardly extending flanges of brackets attached to the support posts.