Bracket, railing system including the same, and method of assembling a railing system

Abstract

A bracket, railing system including the same, and a method of assembling a railing system. The railing system may include first and second structural posts, a top rail, a bottom rail, an infill panel, and a first bracket. The first and second structural posts are spaced from one another. The top and bottom rails extend from the first structural post to the second structural post. The infill panel extends from the first structural post to the second structural post and from the top rail to the bottom rail. The first bracket receives the infill panel and secures the top rail to the first structural post. The first bracket has a first receiving channel configured to receive the infill panel, a second receiving channel configured to receive the infill panel, and a bridge separating the first and second receiving channels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railing system comprising:
 a first structural post extending from a bottom end to a top end;   a second structural post extending from a bottom end to a top end, the second structural post spaced from the first structural post;   a top rail configured to extend between the first structural post and the second structural post at a position that is proximate to the top ends of the first and second structural posts;   a bottom rail configured to extend between the first structural post and the second structural post at a position that is proximate to the bottom ends of the first and second structural posts;   an infill panel assembly configured to be positioned between the first and second structural posts and between the top and bottom rails; and   a first bracket configured to secure the top rail to the first structural post, the first bracket comprising:
 a first receiving channel configured to receive a first portion of the infill panel assembly; 
 a second receiving channel configured to receive a second portion of the infill panel assembly; and 
 a bridge separating the first receiving channel from the second receiving channel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The railing system according to  claim 1  wherein the infill panel assembly comprises first, second, third, and fourth channel members, first, second, third, and fourth gaskets located within respective ones of the first, second, third, and fourth channel members, and an infill member with first, second, third, and fourth perimeter edges, each of the first, second, third, and fourth perimeter edges located within respective ones of the first, second, third, and fourth channel members. 
     
     
         3 . The railing system according to  claim 2  wherein the first bracket is attached to a bottom surface of the top rail and to the first structural post, the first channel member is located within the first receiving channel, and the third channel member is located within the second receiving channel. 
     
     
         4 . The railing system according to  claim 1  further comprising a pair of the first brackets, a first one of the first brackets configured to couple the top rail to the first structural post and a second one of the first brackets configured to couple the top rail to the second structural post. 
     
     
         5 . The railing system according to  claim 1  wherein the first bracket comprises a first transverse finger and a second transverse finger that are spaced apart from one another to form the first receiving channel. 
     
     
         6 . The railing system according to  claim 5  wherein the first and second transverse fingers are coplanar with the bridge. 
     
     
         7 . The railing system according to  claim 5  wherein the first bracket comprises a first vertical finger and a second vertical finger that are spaced apart from one another to form the second receiving channel. 
     
     
         8 . The railing system according to  claim 7  wherein the first and second transverse fingers and the first and second vertical fingers are symmetrical about a vertical plane, the vertical plane extending through the bridge. 
     
     
         9 . The railing system according to  claim 1  wherein the first bracket is configured to be fastened to a bottom surface of the top rail and to the first structural post. 
     
     
         10 . The railing system according to  claim 1  wherein the bridge comprises a fastener hole that is configured to receive a fastener that extends through the fastener hole of the bridge and into the top rail to attach the first bracket to the top rail. 
     
     
         11 . The railing system according to  claim 1  wherein the infill panel assembly has a recess, and wherein the bridge of the first bracket is configured to nest within the recess. 
     
     
         12 . A bracket for coupling a rail of a railing system to a post of the railing system while providing support for an infill panel assembly, the bracket comprising:
 a first transverse finger and a second transverse finger that are spaced apart from one another to form a first receiving channel, the first receiving channel configured to receive a first portion of the infill panel assembly;   a bridge joining the first and second transverse fingers;   a first vertical finger and a second vertical finger that are spaced apart from one another to form a second receiving channel, the second receiving channel configured to receive a second portion of the infill panel assembly; and   wherein the bracket is a monolithic, unitary component.   
     
     
         13 . The bracket according to  claim 12  wherein the first transverse finger is joined to the first vertical finger at a first bend and the second transverse finger is joined to the second vertical finger at a second bend. 
     
     
         14 . The bracket according to  claim 12  wherein the first and second transverse fingers are coplanar with the bridge. 
     
     
         15 . The bracket according to  claim 12  wherein the first and second transverse fingers and the bridge comprise fastener holes that are configured to receive fasteners for coupling the bracket to the rail of the railing system. 
     
     
         16 . The bracket according to  claim 12  wherein the bridge comprises a front edge and a rear edge, the first and second transverse fingers extending from the front edge of the bridge and being coplanar with the bridge, and the first and second vertical fingers extending downwardly from the bridge. 
     
     
         17 . The bracket according to  claim 12  wherein the first and second vertical fingers comprise fastener holes configured to receive fasteners for coupling the bracket to the post of the railing system. 
     
     
         18 . The bracket according to  claim 12  wherein the bracket is L-shaped, and wherein the bracket is symmetric about a vertical plane extending through the bridge. 
     
     
         19 . A method of assembling a barrier between a first post and a second post, the method comprising:
 mounting a bottom rail between the first and second posts;   fastening first and second transverse fingers of a bracket to a top rail, the first and second transverse fingers defining a first receiving channel therebetween, the bracket comprising first and second vertical fingers extending downwardly relative to the first and second transverse fingers and defining a second receiving channel therebetween;   joining a first channel member to the top rail so that the first channel member at least partially nests within the first receiving channel of the bracket;   coupling a second channel member to the bottom rail;   coupling a third channel member to the first post;   positioning a lower portion of an infill member into the second channel member and a first side portion of the infill member into the third channel member;   positioning the top rail between the first and second posts so that the third channel member engages a bridge of the bracket and nests within the second receiving channel of the bracket and a top portion of the infill member nests within the first channel member; and   installing one or more fasteners through at least one of the first and second vertical fingers of the bracket to couple the bracket to the first post.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the bracket is a monolithic, unitary, component, and wherein the bridge of the bracket nests within a recess in the infill panel assembly.