US 12,180,735 B2Granted

Vertical cable rail barrier

AssigneeFortress Iron, LP

InventorsKevin T. Burt, Matthew Carlyle Sherstad, Shih-Te Lin, Hua-Ping Huang

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Abstract

A barrier panel is formed of a first rail member and a second rail member with at least one vertical support member mounted to and extending between the first rail member and second rail member. The first rail member includes first openings spaced apart along its length. The second rail member includes second openings spaced apart along its length. Vertical cables are mounted to and extend between the first rail member and second rail member. A first end of each vertical cable is secured within one of the first openings and a second end of each vertical cable is secured within an opposite one of the second openings. End members configured to adjust tension in the vertical cables are concealed by a pair of leg members of the second rail member.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A vertical cable rail panel, comprising:

a top rail comprising a cap member coupled to a top web member, the top web member defining a plurality of top through holes spaced apart along the top web member and the top rail having a first end and a second end disposed opposite the first end;
a bottom rail defining a first end and a second end disposed opposite the first end, the bottom rail comprising a bottom web portion and a pair of bottom leg portions, the bottom web portion and the pair of bottom leg portions forming a channel, the bottom web portion defining a plurality of bottom through holes spaced apart along the bottom web portion and aligned with the plurality of top through holes;
an internal member disposed within the channel and defining a bearing surface spaced apart from the bottom web portion and further defining a bottom opening having at least one flat side, the internal member being secured to inner surfaces of the channel;
a rigid support member vertically extending between the top rail and the bottom rail and disposed between the first end of the top rail and the second end of the top rail;
a vertical cable comprising a cable member, a top hollow tubular member, and a bottom hollow tubular member, the vertical cable disposed adjacent the rigid support member and having a top end and a bottom end disposed opposite the top end, the top end of the vertical cable extending through one of the plurality of top through holes, and the bottom end of the vertical cable extending through the bottom opening and extending through one of the plurality of bottom through holes disposed in vertical alignment with the one top through hole;
wherein the top hollow tubular member is swaged to the cable member and at least a portion of the top hollow tubular member being larger in size than the one top through hole such that the vertical cable is maintained through the one top through hole;
wherein the bottom hollow tubular member is swaged to the cable member;
a nut coupled to the bottom hollow tubular member, the nut being larger in size than the bottom opening, wherein adjusting the nut adjusts a tension in the vertical cable, a bearing surface of the nut contacting the bearing surface of the internal member;
and
wherein each of the first and second ends of the top rail and the bottom rail are configured to be received by respective brackets.

7 more elements

A method of forming a barrier, comprising:

positioning a first post spaced apart from a second post and a third post spaced apart from the second post;
supporting a first vertical cable panel with the first and second posts;
supporting a second vertical cable panel with the second and third posts;
wherein each of the first and second vertical cable panels, comprises:
a top rail comprising a top web member defining a plurality of top through holes spaced apart along the top web member and the top rail having a first end and a second end disposed opposite the first end;
a bottom rail defining a first end and a second end disposed opposite the first end, the bottom rail comprising a bottom web portion and a pair of bottom leg portions, the bottom web portion and the pair of bottom leg portions forming a channel, the bottom web portion defining a plurality of bottom through holes spaced apart along the bottom web portion and aligned with the plurality of top through holes;
an internal member disposed within the channel and defining a bearing surface spaced apart from the bottom web portion and further defining a bottom opening having at least one flat side, the internal member being secured to inner surfaces of the channel;
a rigid support member vertically extending between the top rail and the bottom rail and disposed between the first end of the top rail and the second end of the top rail;
a vertical cable comprising a cable member, a top hollow tubular member, and a bottom hollow tubular member, the vertical cable disposed adjacent the rigid support member and having a top end and a bottom end disposed opposite the top end, the top end of the vertical cable extending through one of the plurality of top through holes, and the bottom end of the vertical cable extending through the bottom opening and extending through one of the plurality of bottom through holes disposed in vertical alignment with the one top through hole;
wherein the top hollow tubular member is swaged to the cable member and at least a portion of the top hollow tubular member being larger in size than the one top through hole such that the vertical cable is maintained through the one top through hole;
wherein the bottom hollow tubular member is swaged to the cable member;
a nut coupled to the bottom hollow tubular member, the nut being larger in size than the bottom opening, wherein adjusting the nut adjusts a tension in the vertical cable, a bearing surface of the nut contacting the bearing surface of the internal member;
and
wherein each of the first and second ends of the top rail and the bottom rail are configured to be received by respective brackets.

11 more elements

A vertical cable rail panel, comprising:

a top rail comprising a top web member defining a plurality of top through holes spaced apart along the top web member and the top rail having a first end and a second end disposed opposite the first end;
a bottom rail defining a first end and a second end disposed opposite the first end, the bottom rail comprising a bottom web portion and a pair of bottom leg portions, the bottom web portion and the pair of bottom leg portions forming a channel, the bottom web portion defining a plurality of bottom through holes spaced apart along the bottom web portion and aligned with the plurality of top through holes;
an internal member disposed within the channel and defining a bearing surface spaced apart from the bottom web portion and further defining a bottom opening having at least one flat side, the internal member being secured to inner surfaces of the channel;
a rigid support member vertically extending between the top rail and the bottom rail and disposed between the first end of the top rail and the second end of the top rail;
a vertical cable comprising a cable member, a top hollow tubular member, and a bottom hollow tubular member, the vertical cable disposed adjacent the rigid support member and having a top end and a bottom end disposed opposite the top end, the top end of the vertical cable extending through one of the plurality of top through holes, and the bottom end of the vertical cable extending through the bottom opening and extending through one of the plurality of bottom through holes disposed in vertical alignment with the one top through hole;
wherein the top hollow tubular member is swaged to the cable member and at least a portion of the top hollow tubular member being larger in size than the one top through hole such that the vertical cable is maintained through the one top through hole;
wherein the bottom hollow tubular member is swaged to the cable member;
a nut coupled to the bottom hollow tubular member, the nut being larger in size than the bottom opening, wherein adjusting the nut adjusts a tension in the vertical cable, a bearing surface of the nut contacting the bearing surface of the internal member;
wherein each of the first and second ends of the top rail and the bottom rail are configured to be received by respective brackets;
and
wherein the top rail, the bottom rail, the rigid support member, and the vertical cable are assembled into a panel before delivery to a job site.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/139,658Filed 31 Dec 2020 · continuation
Priority: 14 Apr 2014
Published: US 2021/0123263 A129 Apr 2021
Granted: 31 Dec 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

E04H 17/1417
Post-and-rail fences, e.g. without vertical cross-members: with vertical cross-members
E04F 11/1859
Balustrades: wire cables or the like filling elements
E04H 17/24
Fences constructed of rigid elements, e.g. with additional wire fillings or with posts: connections for attaching additional wire to frames, posts…
E04H
Buildings or like structures for particular purposes

Family

Application61/979,055Us provisional application · filed 14 Apr 2014
Application14/684,810Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Apr 2015
Application15/689,502Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Aug 2017
US 9,790,707 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Oct 2017
US 2021/0123263 A1Pre-grant publication · published 29 Apr 2021
US 10,883,290 B2Parent of this continuation
US 12,123,215 B2Related patent
US 2015/0292233 A1Published application
US 2017/0362854 A1Published application
US 12,180,735 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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