# US 8,740,192 B2 · Wedge locking unit for a rail assembly

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- Number: US 8,740,192 B2
- Document ID: US8740192B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/909,325
- Filed: 2013-06-04
- Published: 2013-12-05
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2012-06-04
- Applicants: Michael Blain Wentworth; Sean Dunn Wentworth
- Inventors: Michael Blain Wentworth; Sean Dunn Wentworth
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740192B2

## CPC

- E04H 17/24: Connections for attaching additional wire to frames, posts or railings
- E04F 11/1817: {Connections therefor (E04F11/1812 and E04F11/1836 take precedence)}
- E04H 17/1413: {Post-and-rail fences, e.g. without vertical cross-members}
- E04F 2011/1819: {between balustrade posts and horizontal or sloping balustrade members}
- E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D)
- E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B)

## Abstract

The invention provides an easy to assemble railing assembly used for residential and commercial purposes. The railing assembly includes a plurality of locking components, a plurality of upright members and a plurality of locking pins. A locking component includes a plurality of wedge shaped locking slots. An upright member is configured to receive the locking component therewithin. The locking pin of the plurality of locking pins has each end connected to one or more wedge shaped locking slots of the plurality of wedge shaped locking slots.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A railing assembly comprising:
a plurality of locking components, wherein said locking component comprises a plurality of wedge shaped locking slots, each wedge shaped locking slot having a narrow end and a wide end opposite the narrow end, each locking component further comprising a receiving member with a receiving aperture at one or more ends;
a plurality of hollow upright members, wherein each upright member includes a plurality of holes, which are configured to align with the corresponding plurality of wedge shaped locking slots, when the locking component is placed within the upright member;
a plurality of rail elements, wherein each of said rail elements has at least one end portion passing through the wide end of at least one wedge shaped locking slot and a corresponding one of the holes in the upright member; and
at least one fastening unit arranged at an end of each of the plurality of upright members, wherein said fastening unit comprises:
a base member; and
at least one threaded fastener passing through said base member and engaging with said receiving aperture of a respective one of said plurality of locking components;
wherein rotation of the threaded fastener causes the locking component to move within the upright member such that the narrow end of the wedge shaped locking slots engages with each of the plurality of rail elements.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The railing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upright members and locking pins rail elements are composed of dissimilar materials.

### Claim 3

A method of assembling a railing system, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
providing at least one hollow, upright member, each upright member including a plurality of holes;
providing at least one locking component having a plurality of wedge shaped locking slots, each wedge shaped locking slot having a narrow end and a wide end opposite the narrow end;
arranging the at least one locking component within each upright member;
aligning the locking component with the upright member such that the wide end of each of the wedge shaped locking slots is aligned with one of the plurality of holes in the upright member
inserting an end portion of a rail element through an aligned pair of one of the holes in the upright member and one of said wedge shaped locking slots of said locking component arranged within said upright member;
providing at least one fastening unit at an end of the at least one upright member, wherein said fastening unit comprises: a base member; and at least one threaded fastener passing through said base member and engaging with said receiving aperture of a respective one of said plurality of locking components; and
rotating the threaded fastener, thereby moving the locking component within the upright member such that the narrow end of the wedge shaped locking slots engages with the rail element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the upright members and rail elements are composed of dissimilar materials.