A railing system, the railing system comprising:
- a top rail comprising:
- a first elongated channel defined at least in part by substantially parallel, longitudinally extending first and second sidewalls, the first and second sidewalls connected by a longitudinally extending substantially flat channel base;
- an elongated handgrip portion extending longitudinally along the channel, the handgrip portion comprising:
- a first longitudinally extending edge joined to the first sidewall and a second longitudinally extending edge joined to the second sidewall;
- first and second generally planar, longitudinally extending sections adjacent respectively to the first and second edges of the handgrip portion, the first and second sections respectively extending substantially perpendicularly to the first and second sidewalls of the first elongated channel;
- opposed first and second generally planar faces extending longitudinally along a length of the handgrip portion, substantially parallel to the first and second sidewalls, spaced outwardly from the first and second sidewalls respectively, and extending upwardly from outward ends of the first and second sections respectively;
- wherein the first and second planar faces extend vertically beyond the channel base;
- and
- longitudinally extending first and second grooves located respectively on a first face of the first sidewall and a second face of the second sidewall, the first and second faces of the first and second sidewalls each facing inwardly into the first elongated channel and the first and second grooves each opening inwardly into the first elongated channel;
- wherein the first and second grooves are each defined between a lower surface of an upper groove member and an upper surface of a lower groove member, the lower surface of the upper groove member upwardly spaced apart from, and parallel to, the upper surface of the lower groove member, the groove members of the first groove extending longitudinally along the first sidewall and projecting inwardly into the first elongated channel from the first face of the first sidewall and the groove members of the second groove extending longitudinally along the second sidewall and projecting inwardly into the first elongated channel from the second face of the second sidewall;
- wherein the first longitudinally extending edge of the handgrip portion joins the first sidewall along a longitudinally extending location that is upwardly spaced apart from the first groove and the second longitudinally extending edge of the handgrip portion joins the second sidewall along a longitudinally extending location that is upwardly spaced apart from the second groove;
- a plurality of pickets having upper ends dimensioned for insertion into the first elongated channel between the first and second sidewalls;
- and
- one or more longitudinally extending spacers, each spacer comprising a first longitudinally extending wing extending in a first outward direction from a first longitudinally extending spacer sidewall for projection into, and extension along, the first inwardly opening groove and a second longitudinally extending wing extending in a second outward direction opposed to the first outward direction from a second longitudinally extending spacer sidewall transversely spaced apart from the first spacer sidewall, the second wing for projection into, and extension along, the inwardly opening second groove;
- each spacer also comprising a generally planar spacer member extending longitudinally and transversely between the lower edges of the first and second spacer sidewalls;
- wherein, for each of the longitudinally extending spacers, a transverse cross-section of the spacer is substantially uniform over its longitudinal dimension and the spacer sidewalls extend past the respective wings into the channel and abut the upper groove members when the spacers are inserted into the channel for supporting the spacer sidewalls;
- wherein the railing system comprises at least one post comprising an open-ended head, the open-ended head:
- rigidly attached to an upper face of the post;
- extending away from the post in a direction non-parallel to the post;
- having first and second generally planar vertically and longitudinally extending head sidewalls, the first and second head sidewalls connected to a head upper member at transversely spaced apart locations;
- having a uniform cross-sectional shape in its extension from the post to its opposing end, distal from the post, the uniform cross-sectional shape defined at least in part by the first and second generally planar vertically and longitudinally extending head sidewalls and the head upper member and the uniform cross-sectional shape shaped to substantially conform to longitudinally extending upper and side exterior surfaces of the handgrip portion;
- shaped to receive the top rail;
- and
- shaped to support the first and second longitudinally extending sections of the handgrip portion;
- wherein the lower groove member of the first groove has a first lower face that extends from the first face of the first sidewall along an entire inward extent of the lower groove member of the first groove and is co-planar with a lower edge of the first sidewall and the lower groove member of the second groove has a second lower face that extends from the second face of the second sidewall along an entire inward extent of the lower groove member of the second groove and is co-planar with a lower edge of the second sidewall.