RAIL CABLE TENSIONER
A cable railing assembly having a plurality of posts, an expandable cable guide assembly, and a tensioning apparatus, and a method of assembling the cable railing assembly. The expandable cable guide assembly includes a pair of cable braces with a cable extending in a serpentine fashion between the cable braces. The tensioning apparatus includes a tensioner base, a tensioner body, a compression spring positioned between the tensioner base and the tensioner body, a movable carriage slidably mounted adjacent the tensioner body and comprising a cable clamp for gripping the cable, and a threaded adjuster secured to the body and operative for moving the movable carriage along the body.
1 - 21 . (canceled)
22 . A cable tensioning device for tensioning a cable in a cable railing assembly, the cable tensioning device comprising:
a tensioner body configured to be positioned adjacent an upright post of the cable railing assembly;
a base portion movably coupled to the tensioner body, the base portion comprising a cable opening for receiving the cable therethrough;
a cable clamp configured to grip the cable and secured to the tensioner body or the base portion;
a compression spring positioned between the base portion and the tensioner body, the compression spring biasing the tensioner body away from the base portion and having a pre-selected spring rate, and wherein with no load or minimal load on the cable the base portion and the tensioner body are held a pre-selected distance apart by the compression spring; and
wherein the tensioning device can be operated to force the base portion and the tensioner body together, eliminating the pre-selected distance between the tensioner body and the base portion and thus compressing the compression spring a pre-selected amount to develop a pre-selected tension in the cable.
23 . The cable tensioning device of claim 22 , further comprising a threaded adjuster bolt for forcing the base portion and the tensioner body together.
24 . The cable tensioning device of claim 22 , wherein the compression spring has a spring rate of between about 150 pounds per inch and about 700 pounds per inch.
25 . The cable tensioning device of claim 24 , wherein the compression spring has a spring rate of between about 250 pounds per inch and about 600 pounds per inch.
26 . The cable tensioning device of claim 25 , wherein the compression spring has a spring rate of about 500 pounds per inch.
27 . The cable tensioning device of claim 22 , wherein the cable extends through the cable opening of the base portion, through the compression spring, and into engagement with the cable clamp.
28 . A cable railing assembly comprising:
a first upright post and a second upright post spaced apart from one another;
a cable extending in a serpentine fashion between the first upright post and the second upright post;
a rigid beam extending between upper portions of the first upright post and the second upright post, the rigid beam defining a longitudinal channel; and
at least one cable tensioning apparatus housed within the longitudinal channel of the rigid beam, the at least one cable tensioning apparatus comprising:
a tensioner body positioned within the longitudinal channel adjacent one of the first upright post and the second upright post;
a base portion movably connected to the tensioner body;
a one-way cable clamp for gripping the cable;
an actuator threadedly engaged with the carriage assembly and operative for translating the carriage assembly along the tensioner body;
and
a spring positioned between the base portion and the tensioner body, the spring having a pre-selected spring rate and biasing the tensioner body away from the base portion and with no load or a minimal pre-load the tensioner body and the base portion are held a pre-selected distance apart from one another;
wherein the cable tensioning apparatus can be operated to bring the tensioner body and the base portion together until the tensioner body contacts the base portion, thereby developing a predetermined tensile force in the cable.
29 . The cable railing assembly of claim 28 , wherein the rigid beam keeps the upper portions of the first upright post and the second upright post a predetermined distance apart from one another when the cable is tensioned by the at least one cable tensioning apparatus.
30 . The cable railing assembly of claim 28 , further comprising a threaded adjuster bolt for forcing the base portion and the tensioner body together.
31 . The cable railing assembly of claim 28 , wherein the compression spring has a spring rate of between about 150 pounds per inch and about 700 pounds per inch.
32 . The cable railing assembly of claim 28 , wherein the compression spring has a spring rate of between about 250 pounds per inch and about 600 pounds per inch.
33 . The cable railing assembly of claim 28 , wherein the compression spring has a spring rate of about 500 pounds per inch.
34 . The cable railing assembly of claim 28 , wherein the biasing member comprises a compression spring having a spring rate of between about 150 pounds per inch and about 700 pounds per inch.