AU2009100061A4

AU2009100061A4 - Wire fencing

Info

Publication number: AU2009100061A4
Application number: AU2009100061A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kenneth Leslie Forge
Original assignee: KENNETH FORGE
Current assignee: LOCKPOST HOLDINGS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2008-10-15
Filing date: 2009-01-22
Publication date: 2009-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2017-01-22
Also published as: AU2009100061B4

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Kenneth Leslie Forge of "Renwarra", Mulwala, New South Wales 2647, Australia FORGE, Kenneth Leslie DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, of 1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia "Wire fencing" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Q:\OPER\SEWU009\Ianuary\30719906 lodge report innovo,,on divisionaldoc P XOPERSEW2(E)Q\JM-ary3O7199i6 nsatiomi dw ion doC22A)112K)9 -1- WIRE FENCING FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to wire fencing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present applicant's AU 200720002, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety, discloses a fencing system including posts having inverted-L shaped slots, and wirelocking apparatus in the form of brackets having L-shaped slots. The brackets slide down onto the posts to lock strands of fencing wire in position on the posts between the opposite L-shaped slots of the post and brackets. This system saves time and labour by avoiding the need to use tie wires to tie individual strands of wire to individual holes of each post.

The present invention is directed to an improvement and modification of the wire-locking apparatus of the fencing system disclosed in AU 200720002.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided locking apparatus for locking a strand of wire in position on a post having at least one slot formed therein to receive a strand of wire, wherein the locking apparatus is sized and shaped to be fittingly-inserted into the at least one slot and over a strand of wire received therein to thereby lock the strand of wire in position on the post.

The locking apparatus can be a push-fit or press-fit plug made of plastics.

The plug can have a horizontal elongate plug body disposed between two vertically overlapping side flanges and a vertically overlapping rear end flange.

P OPERXSEMVMIX~PUanuw ioaIon spccflmclirodoc22A)2 (X19 -2c- The plug can have an H-shape in vertical cross section through the plug body and side N flanges, and a squared- U-shape in horizontal cross section through the side and rear end flanges.

INO

O 5 The at least one slot can have an L-shape or an inverted-L shape in vertical cross section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ('4 The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are respective perspective and side views of an embodiment of a fence post and locking apparatus of the invention; Figures 3 and 4 are respective side and bottom plan views of the locking apparatus; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of electric fencing insulators fitted to the fence post using the locking apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a fence post 10 and locking apparatus 12 of the invention. The post 10 has one or more slots 14 formed therein to receive a strand of wire.

The slots 14 have, for example, an inverted-L shape in vertical cross section. The slots 14 can have other equivalent vertical section shapes, for example, L shapes, angled shapes, curve shapes, etc. The slots 14 are evenly or irregularly spaced vertically along the post 10. The post 10 has, for example, a Y-shaped horizontal cross section. The post 10 can have other equivalent horizontal section shapes, for example, T shapes, I shapes, H-shapes, circular shapes, rectilinear shapes, etc. The post 10 is formed, for example, from metal or plastics.

Referring to Figure 2, each locking apparatus 12 is sized and shaped to be fittingly-inserted into a slot 14 and over a strand of wire 16 received therein to thereby lock the strand of P QOPERSEWU1 JinaaVn%111)71W 1 at O 1p.fion dC22A11121Y -3wire 16 in position on the post 10. The locking apparatus 12 is a push-fit or press-fit connector, for example, a plug formed as an integral moulding in plastics, or a metal or plastic clip. The strand of wire 16 is, for example, barbed wire, wire mesh, smooth wire, and combinations thereof.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, each locking apparatus 12 includes an elongate, generally rectangular horizontal plug body 18 having curved fir tree branches 20 extending thereunder downwardly and rearwardly. Other equivalent fir tree branches 20 may also be used, for example, the curved branches 20 may further or alternatively extend upwardly from the plug body 18. In use, the fir tree branches 20 allow the locking apparatus 12 to be fittingly-inserted into a slot 14 and over the stand of wire 16 with a low insertion force the force required to insert the locking apparatus 12 into the slot 14) while maintaining a high extraction force the force required to withdraw the locking apparatus 12 from the slot 14). The plug body 18 may have other shapes which complement the shape of the slots 14.

The plug body 18 is enclosed on three sides by two vertically overlapping side flanges 22 and a vertically overlapping rear end flange 24. The locking apparatus 12 is generally Hshaped in vertical cross section through the plug body 18 and side flanges 22, and generally squared- U-shaped in horizontal cross section through the side and rear end flanges 22, 24. In use, the locking apparatus 12 press- or push-fits into the slot 14, and the side flanges flex-fit, clip or clamp around portions of the post 10 adjacent to opposing side edges of the slot 14, as illustrated in Figure 2. The side flanges 22 prevent the locking apparatus 12 from being displaced from the slot 14 in directions generally parallel to the strand of wire 16. Each side flange 22 has a semi-circular cut-out 26 adapted in use to overlie the strand of wire 16 in position in the slot 14. The side flanges 22 therefore allow the locking apparatus 12 to be snugly flush-mounted around the post 10 and over the strand of wire 16. The side flanges 22 and/or the rear end flange 24 optionally have gripping projections (not shown) to aid insertion and withdrawal of the locking apparatus 12 from the slot 14.

P %OPERSEW\2W9anuurk1V19906 -amosim qmaonfim do.22A) I/2109 -4- Each post 10 has, for example, a plurality of slots 14, and a plurality of locking apparatus 12 are provided for each post 10. The posts 10 and locking apparatus 12 are provided separately or together as a kit of parts. The kit of parts optionally further includes the wire 16.

Referring to Figure 5, the locking apparatus 12 is compatible with electric fencing insulators 28 to lock strands of electrified wire or tape to the post 10 as part of an electrified fence. Referring to the lower insulator 28, the locking apparatus 12 is inserted into a slot 14 in the post 10, and a pin 30 is inserted horizontally through one end of the insulator 28 to thereby lock the insulator 28 to the post 10. A strand of wire or tape (not shown) to be electrified is then locked to the free end of the insulator 28 by a vertical pin 32.

It will be appreciated that the wire-locking apparatus of the present invention are improvements and modifications of the wire locking apparatus of the fencing system disclosed in AU 200720002. For example, when the locking apparatus of the present invention are embodied as plastic plugs, they have lower production costs than the brackets of AU 200720002. In addition, the wire-locking apparatus of embodiments of the present invention allow easy locking of fencing wire to fence posts without the need for tie wires, but can withstand high extraction forces due to impacts on the wire and/or the posts.

The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims

1. Locking apparatus for locking a strand of wire in position on a post having at least one slot formed therein to receive a strand of wire, wherein the locking apparatus is sized and shaped to be fittingly-inserted into the at least one slot and over a strand of wire received therein to thereby lock the strand of wire in position on the post.

2. Locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the locking apparatus is a push-fit or press-fit plug made of plastics.

3. Locking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plug has a horizontal elongate plug body disposed between two vertically overlapping side flanges and a vertically overlapping rear end flange.

4. Locking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plug has an H-shape in vertical cross section through the plug body and side flanges, and a squared- U-shape in horizontal cross section through the side and rear end flanges. Locking apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one slot has an L-shape or an inverted-L shape in vertical cross section.