Variable pitch railing and system

Claim 2

For use in a connection between a rail and at least one baluster having a pivot at an end thereof, the improvement comprising a) the rail having an elongated recess sunk in one lateral side thereof, and having at.least one interior socket laterally intersecting said recess, b) the socket configured to pivotally receive the baluster pivot with the baluster projecting from the rail, the socket having an interior laterally facing wall defined by the rail, c) the recess configured to receive a moulding attached to the rail to laterally confine the pivot in the socket between the moulding and said interior wall, for pivoting in said socket.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 wherein the rail has a first outer side located to face the baluster, said socket and said recess intersecting said first side.

Claim 4

The improvement of claim 1 wherein said socket is generally cylindrical and defines a lateral axis generally normal to a plane bisecting the rail.

Claim 5

The improvement of claim 1 wherein the recess has L-shaped interior sides defined by the rail.

Claim 6

The improvement of claim 4 wherein said rail has an elongated notch formed therein adjacent a corner formed by said L-shaped interior sides.

Claim 7

The combination that includes the rail of claim 1 and a moulding received in said recess and attached to the rail for laterally confining the pivot in the socket.

Claim 8

The combination that includes the rail of claim 4 and a moulding received in said recess and attached to said L-shaped sides of the rail for laterally confining the pivot in the socket.

Claim 9

The combination of one of claims 6 and 7 wherein the moulding has a laterally facing outer side configured to match a corresponding laterally oppositely facing side portion of the rail.

Claim 10

The combination of one of claims 6-7 including said baluster with said pivot confined in said socket to pivot therein, the pivot having a spherical surface.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 6 including said baluster with said pivot in said socket, and wherein the baluster has another pivot at the opposite end thereof and there being a second rail, and including d) the second rail having an elongated recess sunk in one lateral side thereof, and having at least one interior socket laterally intersecting said recess, e) the socket in the second rail configured to pivotally receive the baluster other pivot with the baluster projecting from the rail, the socket having an interior laterally facing wall defined by the rail, f) and a second moulding received in said recess in the second rail and attached to the second rail to pivotally confine said other pivot in the socket in the second rail.

Claim 12

In the method of forming a connection between a rail and at least one baluster having a pivot at the end thereof, and employing an elongated moulding, the steps that include: a) forming an elongated recess in one lateral side of the rail, thereby to provide an interior laterally facing wall adjacent the recess, b) forming at least one socket in said interior wall, and causing said socket to intersect a baluster side of the rail with an opening at the intersection, c) placing a baluster pivot in the socket so that the baluster projects through said opening, d) and placing said moulding in said recess to confine the pivot in said socket, and adhering the moulding to the rail.

Claim 13

In the method of forming a connection between a rail and at least one baluster having a pivot at the end thereof, and employing an elongated moulding, the steps that include: a) forming an elongated recess in one lateral side of the rail, thereby to provide an interior laterally facing wall adjacent the recess, b) forming at least one socket in said interior wall, and causing said socket to intersect a baluster side of the rail with an opening at the intersection, c) placing a baluster pivot in the socket so that the baluster projects through said opening, d) and placing said moulding in said recess to confine the pivot in said socket, and adhering the moulding to the rail.

Claim 14

' 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said socket forming is carried out to terminate the socket at an interior lateral wall defined by the rail.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 including preliminarily attaching the rail to a post at the end of the rail, by installing a fastener via said recess.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11 wherein the baluster or balusters has another pivot at the opposite end thereof, and there being another rail, and including carrying out additional steps corresponding to said a), b), c) and d) steps on and with respect to said other rail and pivot.

Claim 17

For use in a connection between a rail and at least one baluster having a pivot at an end thereof, the improvement comprising a) the rail having a first outer side located to face the baluster, and having at least one interior socket intersecting said first side, b) the socket configured to pivotally receive the baluster pivot with the baluster projecting from the rail, the socket having a generally cylindrical inner surface, c) and including said pivot in the socket, the pivot having opposite faces and a generally spherical surface peripherally confined by the socket cylindrical inner surface.

Claim 18

For use in a connection between a rail and at least one baluster having a pivot at an end thereof, the improvement comprising a) the rail having a first outer side located to face the baluster, and having at least one interior socket intersecting said first side, b) the socket configured to pivotally receive the baluster pivot with the baluster projecting from the rail, the socket having a generally cylindrical inner surface, c) and including said pivot in the socket, the pivot having opposite faces and a generally spherical surface peripherally confined by the socket cylindrical inner surface.

Claim 19

The improvement of claim 15 wherein said socket defines a lateral axis generally normal to a plane bisecting the rail, said axis being generally normal to said pivot opposite faces.

Claim 20

The improvement of claim 15 wherein the rail has an elongated recess sunk in one lateral side thereof, said socket laterally intersecting said recess, ana a moulding in said recess and attached to the rail for laterally confining the pivot in the socket.

Claim 21

The improvement of claim 17 including said baluster attached to said pivot via a neck projecting through an opening at the intersection of the socket with said rail first side.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 16 including said baluster attached to said pivot, and wherein the baluster has another pivot at the opposite end thereof and there being a second rail, and including d) the second rail having a first outer side located to face the baluster, and having at least one socket intersecting said first side, e) the socket in the second rail configured to pivotally receive the baluster other pivot with the baluster projecting from the second rail, the socket having a generally cylindrical inner surface, f) and the pivot in said second rail socket having opposite faces and a generally spherical surface peripherally confined by the socket cylindrical inner surface.