AU2003100898A4 - Erection of Fencing - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Erection of Fencing This invention relates to fences and to methods of erecting fences from successively erected panels and posts.

In one form the invention resides in a fence comprising a series of panels supported between hollow posts formed to receive a supporting picket adapted to be driven into the ground and having obliquely disposed flanges which locate the internal corners of the post.

In another form the invention resides in a method of erecting a fence comprising posts and intervening panels including the steps of positioning a tubular post formed with internal corners to receive a supporting picket on the line of the fence to be erected, locating within the post a picket adapted to be driven into the ground and having obliquely disposed flanges which locate the internal corners of the post, and driving the picket into the ground.

The invention also provides a tool for driving pickets within posts in carrying out such a method.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to presently contemplated embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows in side elevation a panel according to a first embodiment of the invention;

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Fig. 2 is a plan view of the panel of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary illustration of a first side post; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary illustration of a second side post; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary illustration of a picket; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a fence panel according to a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 in Fig 7; Fig. 9 is an isometric view of a top or bottom rail, Fig.10 is an isometric view of a centre rail; Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a fence constructed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention; Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a picket driver; Fig. 14 is a section taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is an end elevation of the picket driver, and Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the driver engaged with a picket.

The panel illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 consists of a frame comprising side post members 110 and 111, upper and lower rails 112, and a panel wall 113. The wall 113, which in this embodiment consists of a sheet of roll-formed coated steel profile but may be of any suitable material or combination of materials, is held in place between side flanges 114 of the rails 112, which are in turn fixed to the post 110 by metal screws or other fixing devices 120 passing through flanges 115 which extend inwardly from the post 110 to embrace the edge of the wall 113.

The post members 111 are in the form of channels, having opposed edge flanges 117 which receive for fixing between them the ends of the rails 112, and a body which is shaped to form a pocket 118.

The post members 110 and 111, which may be formed from galvanised sheet by stamping and roll-forming, are shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively. It will be observed that the post 110 has formed in its face downwardly disposed tongues 121 which may be pressed outwardly so they are disposed outwardly and obliquely downwardly of the face of the post, while the post 111 has in its face correspondingly spaced apertures 122.

As shown in the drawings, each post member 111 is attached to the right hand end (as viewed in the drawings) of the panel by means of the flanges 117, by means of screws or other fastening devices driven through the flanges 117 into the side flanges 114 of the rails.

The pocket 118 formed by the post 111 is dimensioned to receive a picket 116 (Fig. 6) having four obliquely disposed flanges which locate the internal corners of the post. In this embodiment the picket is fabricated by a pair of channel sections 123 and 124 having outwardly oblique flanges 125, the channel sections being fixed back to back, for example by welding. The pickets 116 may be formed in other ways, for example by extrusion as a single piece. Although not shown in the drawings, the pickets 116 may be tapered at their lower end to facilitate their being driven into the ground. Such pickets support the fence and enable its assembly by the methods described below.

With the arrangement thus described, a fence may quickly and easily be erected by locating a first panel at the fence line and driving a picket 116 down through the pocket 118 of the post 111 to fix the panel in place. A second panel may then be engaged with the first as described above, by engaging the tongues 121 of the post 110 of the next panel with the apertures 122 of the post 111 of the first panel. A further picket 116 may then be driven down the pocket 118 of the second panel's post 111.

The length of the line of fence is completed by repeating this process. A fence may in this way quickly be erected without special tools, indeed with only a string line, spirit level and a picket driver.

The pickets 116 are preferably driven fully into the posts 110, whereupon if desired a cap (not shown) may be placed over the otherwise open upper end of each post.

It will be understood that where the line of the fence extends across sloping ground, the slope may be accommodated by a providing a partial, rather than complete, vertical overlap of successive panels, by choosing the points of engagement of the respective tongues and apertures 121 and 122.

As mentioned above, the panel wall 113 may take any suitable form. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the panel is in the form of a roll-formed steel sheet. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 the panel is formed from overlapping wooden pales.

The panel illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 comprises a metal frame having side posts 110 and 111 constructed in the same manner as described in relation to Figs. 1 to 6. In this case, however, the panel wall consists of a number of overlapped wooden pales 316, and the panel is completed by a pair of top and bottom rails 312 and a pair of opposed centre rails 314 and 315.

The pales 316 are held in place in the panel by the rails 312, 314 and 315. The upper ends of the pales are located in a channel formed by the upper rail 312, and lower ends are similarly located in a channel formed by the lower rail. The pales are furthermore held between the opposed centre rails 314 and 315. Figs. 11 and 12 show in detail the relevant features of these rails. (It will be understood that while only the bottom rail 312 is illustrated here, the top rail can be identical to it). Each of the rails may be formed in galvanised sheet steel by stamping and roll-forming.

The bottom rail 311 consists of a bottom web 319 with a pair of side flanges 320.

Each of the side flanges has an in-turned edge flange 321, provided with spaced recesses 322 for the reception of a pale 316. It will be observed that the recesses 322 of the opposed edge flanges 321 are staggered to accommodate, and indeed define, the regular overlapping pattern of the pales 316.

The centre rails 314 and 315 have a vertical web 326 and upper and lower edge flanges 327, again provided with spaced recesses 328 for the reception of the pales 316. Only the centre rail 314 is illustrated, as it will be understood that the rail 315 is similar, with a relatively staggered location of the recesses 328 so as to repeat the pattern of recesses established by the rails 310 and 311.

A fence is erected from panels of the kind illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 in the same manner as that described in relation to Figs. 1 to 6.

The pattern of palings can of course be varied from that shown. Other changes to the configuration of the elements of the panel, which has been illustrated by way of example only, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, panels having panel walls of different kinds, for example the steel and paling walls described above, can be alternated in a continuous line of fence.

It will also be understood that the invention may be embodied in ways other than that illustrated. For example, where a temporary fence is to be erected such as for event or safety fencing, free-standing poles may be employed instead of pickets driven into the ground, and alternative formations may be adopted for the interengagement of the successive panels.

Such an alternative approach is illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, where the invention is applied to fencing of the kind commonly used as safety fencing around swimming pools.

Such a fence may comprise panels 400, in this example consisting of a top rail 401, bottom rail 402 and vertical tubes 403, the rails being connected by means of brackets 404 to posts 405. These components may be of aluminium or steel and of course the panels may take any desired form.

The posts 405 are of hollow square tubular form, typically of 50 mm width, and receive complementarily dimensioned pickets 416 formed in a manner similar to the picket 116 shown in Fig. 6, with oblique flanges 425 disposed so that their outer edges locate at the internal corners of the tubular posts 405.

A fence of the kind illustrated can therefore be erected by successively locating a post 405 on the fence line, fixing the post by inserting a picket 416 into the post, attaching a panel 400 to the post, this panel preferably having already attached to it the next post 405, locating that post on the fence line and driving a picket 416 into the ground to secure it, and so on. Conventional post caps 407 are inserted into the tops of the posts.

In this way a fence can quickly be erected using, in conjunction with the supporting pickets 416, posts and other components available off the shelf.

A picket driver 500 suitable for use in the erection of fences by the method described above, is illustrated in Figs. 13 to 16. The driver consists of a shell 501 including a back 502 and a pair of side flanges 503 to which are attached a pair of handles 504.

The top of the shell is closed by a plate 505.

Extending from the top plate 505 are a pair of guide members 506, each consisting of a web 507 and side flanges 508. The guide members are separated by and fixed to a driving body 509, which extends over part of their length to end at a driving face 510 located within the length of the shell 501.

As shown in Fig. 16., a driver constructed in this way is employed by inserting the guide members 506 into a post 405 in to which a picket 416 has been initially driven, with the flange of the picket fitting between the guide members, and the flanges 508 of the guide members sliding along the inner edges of the oblique picket flanges 425.

The driving face 510 is thereby repeatedly brought into contact with the upper end of the picket, driving it into the ground and below the upper end of the post.

Because the shell 501 is open along one side, the driver can be engaged with the post 405 while, as described earlier, the post is attached at one side to the panel extending from the previously driven post.

Claims (4)

1. A fence comprising a series of panels supported between hollow posts, said posts being formed to receive a supporting picket adapted to be driven into the ground and having obliquely disposed flanges which locate the internal corners of the post.

2. A fence according to claim 1 in which said flanges extend obliquely to the internal corners of the post from the sides of a central flange.

3. A method of erecting a fence comprising posts and intervening panels including the steps of positioning a tubular post formed with internal corners to receive a supporting picket on the line of the fence to be erected, locating within the post a picket adapted to be driven into the ground and having obliquely disposed flanges which locate the internal corners of the post, and driving the picket into the ground.

4. A method according to claim 3 further including the steps of locating a fence panel and the next such post on the line of the fence, locating within the said next such post a further such picket, driving said further picket into the ground, and repeating the above steps in relation to the further and subsequent panels and pickets. A picket driver for use in a method according to any preceding claim, the driver including a driving surface adapted to impact against the upper end of a picket, and a pair of spaced guide members extending forwardly of said driving surface and adapted to be guided on said picket within a post. 8 DATED this 2 9 th day of October 2003 Michael Jones Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: HALFORD CO