AU2009243411A1 - Fencing - Google Patents

Description

1 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: GREGORY GENE FEATHER Actual Inventor(s): GREGORY GENE FEATHER Address for Service: INTELLEPRO Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys Level 7 102 Adelaide Street BRISBANE, QLD, 4000 (GPO Box 1339, BRISBANE, 4001) Invention Title: FENCING Details of Associated Provisional Australian Patent Application No 2008906165 filed 28 NOVEMBER 2009 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 FENCING FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to fencing and in particular but not limited to a star picket of the type having at least one longitudinally extending flange. 5 Fencing herein means any arrangement of posts used to string wires and support the wires and includes trellis arrangements as well as barriers. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Star pickets are known which include three flanges set at 1200, the wider of the three flanges having spaced holes through which strands of 10 fencing wire pass. The pickets are driven into the ground and the fencing wire is passed through the pickets and tensioned. The present invention provides an alternative for holding wires in operative position within the picket. OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION In one preferred aspect therefore the present invention resides in a 15 method of fencing including the provision of a plurality of metal fencing posts driven into the ground at spaced intervals, each post having a vertically extending flange, the said flanges of the post being generally parallel, each flange having vertically spaced wire side entry passage means enabling a tensioned fencing wire extending across the posts to be pushed sideways 20 through the passage means, the method comprising the use of a hand tool to hold the wire on opposite sides of a said post, use the tool to displace a section of the wire out of the line of the wire to manipulate the wire through the passage means and upon release of the wire from the tool, the wire 3 straightens and by reason of the straightening of the wire it is retained within the post. In other words, the passage means is so made arranged and dimensioned that the wire must be non-straight in order to enter or leave its position in the 5 post. While in this form it is preferred to use a tool for the convenience of inserting pretensioned wire into the post, the wire may be left loose and inserted by hand and be tensioned afterwards. It is however preferable to apply some tension and use the tool. To this end it is preferable that the tool have spaced wire engaging means and the tool is manually rotated with the 10 wire held in the wire engaging means and then the wire is pushed into position. In another aspect present invention resides in a fencing post comprising a metal post having an upper end, a lower end and at least one flange, the flange having spaced wire side entry passage means, each 15 passage means being bounded by an edge of a lug bent out of the plane of the flange, and a second edge of the flange adjacent the said edge of the lug, the edge of the lug extending transversely into the flange, the passage means dividing into upper and lower passages. In a further aspect present invention resides in a fencing post 20 comprising a metal post having an upper end, a lower end and at least one flange having an outer edge, the flange having spaced wire side entry passage means, each passage means commencing at the outer edge of the flange and being bounded by an edge of a lug bent or otherwise displaced out of the plane of the flange, and a second edge of the flange adjacent the 4 said edge of the lug, the edge of the lug extending transversely into the flange, the passage means extending inward along the edge of the lug to an inner end of the edge of the lug and having a return portion which terminates outboard of the inner end of the edge of the lug. 5 In a still further aspect present invention resides in a fencing post comprising a metal post having an upper end, a lower end and at least one flange, the flange having spaced wire side entry passage means, each passage means being bounded by an edge of a lug bent out of the plane of the flange, and a second edge of the flange adjacent the said edge of the lug, 10 the edge of the lug extending transversely into the flange and comprising an upper edge of the passage means. Preferably, the upper and lower passages commence at a juncture at an inner end of the edge of the lug and both terminate outboard of said juncture. 15 Preferably, the lug is on an upper side of the passage means and the lug bends about a bend line extending from the edge of the flange to the passage means to a point on the passage means inboard of the edge of the flange. Preferably, the point on the passage is at or adjacent the termination of the passage means. 20 As the various aspects of the invention the various posts can be used with a tool and a partially tensioned wire, in a preferred form there is provided a fencing kit employing posts and a tool, the tool comprising a hand tool to hold a partially tensioned wire on opposite sides of a said post, use the tool to displace a section of the wire out of the line of the wire to manipulate the wire 5 through a passage means and upon release of the wire from the tool, the wire straightens and by reason of the straightening of the wire it is retained within the post. Preferably, the tool includes a handle and a yoke, the yoke having 5 spaced ends and wire retainers in each of the spaced end so that the yoke may be passed over the wire and used to move the wire to a non straight position and push the wire into the passage means in the post. In another preferred embodiment the post can be configured for use with an electric fence using an insulator inserted into the post and 10 surrounding the wire. Typically the insulator comprises a plastics or rubber or made from similar material grommet that is inserted into the post by a resilient and insertible press action. Preferably, the grommet has a locating protrusion that fits into the passage means. The locating protrusion typically fits into wire side entry passage means and the grommet has a slit or other 15 side opening through which the wire may be forced to position the grommet on the wire. The grommet may be adapted to aid positioning the wire. In one preferred application of the invention it is applied to a trellis where two or more wires are strung side by side or offset but through holes formed in two of the flanges. Thus in this embodiment the post or picket has 20 holes formed in at least two of the flanges and preferably the holes are at about the same distance along the picket. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to the 6 accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein: Figure 1 is part of a picket according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic view illustrating a typical tool; 5 Figure 3 is a drawing illustrating operation of the tool; Figure 4 is part of a picket adjacent a bent lug viewed edge on to the flange; Figures 5 and 6 are opposite side views of the flange showing the upper and lower passage means; 10 Figures 7-9 illustrate a grommet for use in insulating a wire from the post and Figures 10 and 11 illustrate application of the invention to a trellis where two wires are supported on each picket to provide a trellis for tomatoes or other plants where this may be desirable. 15 METHOD OF PERFORMANCE Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures 1 to 3 there is illustrated a top end portion of a picket 10 comprising spaced wire holders 11, 12, 13 and 14 where a transverse cut 15, 16, 17 and 18 in each case enables lugs 19, 20, 21 and 22 to be bent out of the plane of the flange 23. A curved 20 section 24, 25, 26 and 27 is punched out of the flange to provide a curved hole which is centred on the cut and the cut in combination with the curved hole enables the lug to be bent into the position shown to define a sideways entry passage means.

7 By using a tool 28 as illustrated in Figure 2, a tensioned wire 29 may be manipulated and pushed passed an edge of the lug in each case and upon release of the wire it assumes the position shown in phantom at 30 in Figure 3. This is repeated for each of a number of wires and various wire 5 holders down the picket and along the fence on other pickets. Wire holders are illustrated in more detail in Figures 4 to 6. Like numerals illustrate like features. Referring now to Figures 4 to 6 there is illustrated a picket 10 which has a wide flange 23 and two narrow flanges, 31 and 32, Figures 5 and 6 10 show the flange 23 rotated into a position parallel to the plane of the paper. As can be seen in Figures 5 and 6 the lug 33 is shown bending in to the page in Figure 6 and out of the page in Figure 5. The passage means is basically anchor shape having a transverse section 34 defined by the edge 35 of the lug 33 and the edge 36 of the lug 37. Lug 33 bends about a line extending 15 from a position at about 38 on the edge of the flange 23 and across to the upper terminal end 39 of the upper passage 40. The terminal end 41 of the lower passage 42 is generally symmetrically positioned around the lug edges relative to the terminal end 39 of the upper passage 40. The juncture of the upper and lower passages and the end of the edges of the lugs is at 43 and it 20 will be appreciated that upon entry of the wire past the juncture 43 that the terminal ends 39 and 41 are outboard of the juncture and therefore the wire would not only have to be pushed to a non straight position to be removed but also would have to navigate inward from the position illustrated at the terminal end portions 39 and 41 and then outward.

8 In a preferred embodiment it is usual for the wire to be positioned adjacent the terminal end 39 and in this case wherever a picket tends to bend over in certain situations particularly where loaded against a wire, the wire would tend to act on the lug 33 to close the entry into the picket. 5 Where it is desirable to use the posts to carry electrified wire an insulating grommet 50 is used. This is illustrated in Figures 7-9. The grommet 50 is moulded from insulating material and includes a lead in flange 51, a backing flange 52 and a channel 53 slightly narrower that the thickness of the flange, typically 6mm. A wire side entry slit is at 54 and this is just 10 above a locating tongue 55. Another example is in Figure 9 showing a locating tongue 56 where the wire is pushed passed the tongue and into the passage. The tongue may be a fairly close fit as in Figure 9 or there may be more space to ease entry of the wire. The grommet may be put in place before the wire or slid onto the wire and pushed into position afterwards. 15 The present invention may be used in any situation where it is desirable to suspend a wire from a post. One example is a trellis for tomatoes. In this example the picket has two passages in adjacent flanges so that two wires may be strung in parallel to support the tomatoes. This is shown in Figure 10 and in the detail in Figure 11. In these Figures there is 20 shown a trellis 57 having spaced pickets 58, 59, and 60 together supporting wires 61, 62, 63 and 64. The picket 60 is shown in Figure 11 and the following description also applies to the pickets 58 and 59. The picket 60 has three flanges 65, 66 and 67. The flanges 65 and 66 have passage means according to Figure 6 so that two wires may be supported as shown. It will be 9 appreciated that in the case of rows of tomatoes that the pickets may be used a stakes and the flanges aligned with flange 67 running along the row and wires may be tensioned along the row and simply lifted into and engaged with the stakes around the growing plants. There is no need to tie off the wires 5 and the openings into the pickets may be enlarged so that the whole trellis may be dismantled by hand, the wire rolled up for reuse. The pickets may be easily removed and reused as well. This may all be accomplished unaided by a single person since there is no need to use ties to tie off the wires and after disassembly there is are no scraps of tie wire or other waste and everything 10 may be reused in the next growing season. Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims. 15

Claims (14)

1. A method of stringing wires between posts including the provision of a plurality of metal posts driven into the ground at spaced intervals, each post having a vertically extending flange, the said flanges of the post being 5 generally parallel, each flange having vertically spaced wire side entry passage means enabling a tensioned fencing wire extending across the posts to be pushed sideways through the passage means, the method comprising inserting the wires into the posts using a sideways twisting action applied manually to the wires. 10

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the use of a hand tool to hold the wire on opposite sides of a said post, use the tool to displace a section of the wire out of the line of the wire to manipulate the wire through the passage means and upon release of the wire from the tool, the wire straightens and by reason of the straightening of the wire it is retained within 15 the post.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the tool has spaced wire engaging means and the tool is manually rotated with the wire held in the wire engaging means and then the wire is pushed into position.

4. A method according to any ne of claims 1 to 3 wherein the posts are 20 trellis posts and each post has vertically spaced sets of adjacent wire side entry passage means and the wires are positioned to support a growing crop.

5. A post comprising a metal post having an upper end, a lower end and at least one flange, the flange having spaced wire side entry passage means, each passage means being bounded by an edge of a lug displaced out of the 11 plane of the flange, and a second edge of the flange adjacent the said edge of the lug, the edge of the lug extending transversely into the flange, the passage means dividing into upper and lower passages.

6. A post comprising a metal post having an upper end, a lower end and 5 at least one flange having an outer edge, the flange having spaced wire side entry passage means, each passage means commencing at the outer edge of the flange and being bounded by an edge of a lug bent out of the plane of the flange, and a second edge of the flange adjacent the said edge of the lug, the edge of the lug extending transversely into the flange, the passage means 10 extending inward along the edge of the lug to an inner end of the edge of the lug and having a return portion which terminates outboard of the inner end of the edge of the lug.

7. A post comprising a metal post having an upper end, a lower end and at least one flange, the flange having spaced wire side entry passage means, 15 each passage means being bounded by an edge of a lug bent out of the plane of the flange, and a second edge of the flange adjacent the said edge of the lug, the edge of the lug extending transversely into the flange and comprising an upper edge of the passage means.

8. A post according to claim 5 wherein the upper and lower passages 20 commence at a juncture at an inner end of the edge of the lug and both terminate outboard of said juncture.

9. A post according to any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the lug is on an upper side of the passage means and the lug bends about a bend line 12 extending from the edge of the flange to the passage means to a point on the passage means inboard of the edge of the flange

10. A post according to any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein the post is configured for use with an electric fence using an insulator inserted into the 5 post and surrounding the wire.

11. A post according to any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein the post is configured for use with an electric fence using an insulator inserted into the post and surrounding the wire, the insulator comprising a grommet having a locating protrusion that fits into the passage means, the grommet having a slit 10 or other side opening through which the wire may be forced to position the grommet on the wire.

12. A trellis using posts according to any one of claims 5 to 11 where two or more wires are strung through holes formed in two of the flanges.

13. A trellis using posts according to any one of claims 5 to 11 where two 15 or more wires are strung through holes formed in two of the flanges at about the same distance along the post.

14. A wire passage in a post substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. 20 DATED this 30th day of NOVEMBER 2009 25 GREGORY GENE FEATHER By his Patent Attorneys INTELLEPRO