AU2012100522A4 - Fence Support and Fence System for Use Therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

-17 Abstract: A fence support wherein the elongated body 22 include at least one elongate profiled groove 26 which extends along a length of the elongate body: wherein the elongated profiled groove 26 has a dovetail cross-sectional profile; wherein 5 at least one retaining strip 18 includes a bevelled base 22 which has a cross sectional profile which substantially matches the dovetail cross-sectional profile of the elongate profiled groove 26; and wherein the at least on retaining strip 18 may have a length which substantially matches a width of the mesh material 14 thereby causing the retaining strip 18 to anchor in use the mesh material 14 10 to the support post substantially over the entire width of the mesh material 14. Figure 2 - - 24 Figure 3

Description

IP Australia Regulation 3.2 0 4 MAY 2012 REJEj~.E IPL AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT APPLICANT: Christopher Michael Clarke INVENTION TITLE: Fence Support and Fence System for Use Therefor The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: - -2 FENCE SUPPORT AND FENCE SYSTEM FOR USE THEREFOR Field of the Invention The invention generally relates to fencing and more particular is concerned with a fence support and fence system for use therefor. 5 Background to the Invention In some applications, fences are permanently fixed to the ground. However, some applications require a temporary installation such as on building sites, swimming pool installations, or the like. Some temporary fence installations use fence panels which are supported at 10 opposed ends to post structures which are anchored on a base. A drawback of such a fence includes weight as typically these components are manufactured from or include metal. Furthermore, the bases are made to be heavy thereby to provide the necessary anchoring support to the post structures. Coupled with the weight factor is an element of bulkiness making 15 often these types of fencing installations unsuitable for domestic applications or being installed relatively easily by one person. A need could therefore exist which requires a temporary fence which is light and easy to install relative to existing temporary fencing solutions. Summary of the Invention 20 Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to at least partly overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art or to provide a useful alternative. In one embodiment, the invention provides a fence support, comprising: an elongate post body having at least one elongate profiled groove extending 25 along a length of the elongate body; at least one retaining clip having a base receivable by the profiled groove and at least one flange to anchor the base -3 substantially against an outer surface of the elongate body against rotation inside the profiled groove thereby to provide a torsion restriction. The retaining clip comprises a laterally facing hook for engaging a longitudinal component of mesh material. 5 In a further embodiment, the invention provides a fence support which includes an elongate body having at least one retaining strip which is slidingly mounted to the elongate body; wherein the at least one retaining strip is configured to allow in use for engagement to a mesh material at regular 10 intervals, to allow ready movement of the at least one retaining strip relative to the elongate body, and to provide torsion restriction when in use the post is placed under tension. 15 The elongate body may include at least one elongate profiled groove which extends along a length of the elongate body. The elongated body can be mounted to a ground surface or embedded into a ground surface. The elongate profiled groove may have a dovetail cross-sectional profile; wherein the at least one retaining strip may include a bevelled base which has 20 a cross-sectional profile which substantially matches the dovetail cross sectional profile of the elongate profiled groove. The at least one retaining strip may have a length which substantially matches a width of the mesh material; wherein the retaining strip anchors the mesh material to the support post substantially over the entire width of the mesh 25 material. The at least one retaining strip may include at least one flange which provides the torsion restriction.

-4 The at least one flange may anchor the bevelled base substantially against an outer surface of the elongate body against rotation inside the at least one elongate profiled groove thereby to provide the torsion restriction. The at least one retaining strip may include two flanges each of which bear 5 against the outer surface of the elongate body thereby to provide the torsion restriction. The at least one retaining strip may include a hook arrangement, such as a patterned or spaced arrangement, which allows for engagement of the mesh material at regular intervals with the at least one retaining strip. io The retaining strip can be in the form of a plurality of individual retaining clips. In the preferred form, the retaining strip is in the form of a sliding plate. In this preferred form, the retaining strip provides a hook arrangement including a plurality of hooks which are spaced apart relative to each other along the length of the at least one retaining strip; and wherein positioning of the plurality 15 of hooks relative to each other allows the plurality of hooks to be meshed with the mesh material thereby to allow each hook to extend through the mesh material to cause engagement of the mesh material with the at least one retaining strip. The mesh material may consist of a plurality of patterned vertical and 20 horizontal components; wherein each hook has a length which substantially matches a portion of a length of a vertical component which lies in between a pair of adjacent horizontal components thereby allowing the hook to engage substantially the entire portion. The fence support may include a brace which support a vertical position of the 25 elongate body. The brace may be anchored at one end inside the at least one elongate profiled groove.

-5 In a different embodiment the invention provides a fence system which includes a mesh material and a plurality of fence supports which is configured to provide in use support to the mesh material; each of the plurality of fence supports including an elongate body, 5 having at least one elongate profiled groove which extends along a length of the body, and a retaining strip which is configured to allow the retaining strip to be slidingly engaged with the elongate body through the elongate profiled groove; wherein the retaining strip includes a patterned hook arrangement which 10 is configured to allow in use engagement at regular intervals to the mesh material; wherein the sliding engagement of the retaining strip with a respective fence support allows for automatic height adjustment of the mesh material relative to ground when the elongate body of the respective fence support is 15 driven into the ground thereby to cause the mesh material to rest at a lower end on the ground while being anchored to the respective fence support. In another embodiment, there is provided for a fence system which includes a plurality of posts which are embedded into ground at determine positions, 20 each post including at least one profiled groove which extends along a length of the post, a retaining strip which is slidingly engageable with the at least one profiled groove thereby to provide the respective post with one or more hooks which allow in use a wire mesh to be hooked onto the post, 25 one or more support braces each of which is anchored at one end into ground and at an opposed end engages with a respective post thereby to provide an anchoring mechanism for the post, and a lifter which includes a post bracket at one end and a lever arrangement at an opposed end which can be pivoted relative to the post 30 bracket about a support mechanism thereby to remove a selected post from the ground through engagement of the post bracket with the selected post.

-6 In a further embodiment, the invention provides a fence system comprising a lifter for removing a ground embedded post, the lifter comprising: an angle arm pivotally secured to a central base plate, the angle arm further comprising: at 5 one end, a foot pedal, at a second end, a pivotally connected ring element wherein the ring element has a cross-sectional profile larger than the outer dimensions of the post in order to fit over the post and provide an angled frictional fit during use; wherein the downward movement of the foot pedal causes reciprocal upward movement of the square ring. 10 Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention can be more readily understood one or more embodiments of the invention are further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic representation of a 15 fence system according to the invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic representation of an elongate body of a fence support according to the principles of the invention. Figure 3 is a plan view showing a schematic representation of the elongate body of Figure 2. 20 Figure 4 is an end view showing a schematic representation of a retaining strip of the fence support according to the principles of the invention. Figure 5 is a side view showing a schematic representation of the retaining strip of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a plan view showing a schematic representation of the 25 retaining strip of Figure 4. Figure 7 is a side view showing a schematic representation of a brace providing support to the fence support according to the principles of the invention. Figure 8 is an end view showing a schematic representation of the brace 30 of Figure 7.

-7 Figure 9 is a plan view showing a schematic representation of a cap which is used to protect an end of the elongate body when driving the elongate body into ground. Figure 10 is a side view showing a schematic representation of the cap 5 of Figure 9. Figure 11 is a side view showing a schematic representation of a post lifter. Figure 12 is a plan view showing a schematic representation of the post lifter. 10 Description of Illustrated Embodiment of the Invention Referring to the accompanying representations, Figure 1 illustrates a fence system 10 according to the invention. The fence system includes a plurality of elongated post body in the form of fence supports or posts 12 which provide support to a mesh material 14 at predetermined positions. Each of the plurality 15 of posts is supported by one or more braces 16. The mesh material is anchored to each post using a retaining strip 18 which is slidingly engaged with a respective post. The post 12 is shown in greater detail in Figures 2 and 3. The post includes an elongate body 22 which carries on each outer surface 24 and elongate profiled 20 groove 26 which extends along a length of the elongate body. As can be seen in Figure 3, each elongate profiled groove has substantially a dovetail cross sectional profile. One or more registering holes 28 are also formed at predetermined positions along a length of the elongate body. The retaining strip 18 can be in the form of a plurality of retaining clips with 25 hook formations or, as shown in greater detail in Figures 4 to 6, the retaining strip can be in the form of a sliding plate which includes a number of hook formations formed at spaced apart positions along a length of the plate. According to the embodiment presented in Figures 4 to 6, the retaining strip includes a base in the form of a bevelled base 32, a pair of flanges 34 which 30 extends transversely from the bevelled base, and a hooked arrangement -8 formed by a plurality of hooks 36 which extend at one end from the bevelled base adjacent the flanges. The flanges 34 are against the outer surface 24 of the elongate body 22 thereby to provide torsion restriction for the retaining strip 18. 5 In one embodiment, the base 32 can be a bulbous base or other complementary shaping to the elongate profiled groove 26. Each of the plurality of hooks 36 has a curved cross-sectional profile thereby allowing the mesh material to be hooked onto a respective hook. In the illustrated embodiment the mesh material 14 is constructed from a plurality of 10 vertical and horizontal components 38 and 40 (see Figure 1). Each hook has a length which is such that the hook engages a portion 44 of a respective vertical component which lies in between a pair of adjacent horizontal components. The length of the hook therefore reduces the likelihood of the respective vertical component bending in the portion 44 thereby allowing the mesh 15 material to be manufactured from a plastic material. The brace 16 is shown in greater detail in Figures 7 and 8. An upper end 48 is configured for engagement with a selected one of the registering holes 28 which are formed in a respective elongate profiled groove 26. A lower end 50 of the brace is sharpened to promote insertion into ground. A step platform 52 20 is formed adjacent the lower end and which is configured to assist an installer of the fence system to push the low end into the ground. It should be noted that in Figures 7 and 8 of the step platform is shown to be formed from two bars and in Figure 1 shown to be formed from a rectangular plate. The invention is not limited to the construction of the step platform and 25 these illustrations are merely used for illustratory purposes and should not be seen as limiting. A hammering cap 56 is shown in greater detail in Figures 9 and 10. The hammering cap has a cross-sectional profile which substantially matches a cross sectional profile of the elongate body 22. Referring also to Figure 1, the 30 hammering cap is placed on an upper end 58 of the elongate body 22 thereby -9 allowing a hammer, not shown, to be used to drive in a sharpened lower end 60 of the fence support 12. The hammering cap includes groove engaging formations 62 which reduce the likelihood of damage being caused to the dovetail grooves 26 when the fence support 12 is hammered into the ground. 5 An upper end 64 of the hammering cap also has a textured finish to reduce the likelihood of the hammer during use slipping off the cap. The posts 12 are shown in use in Figure 1. Each of the plurality of fence supports 12 have been driven into ground using a hammer and a hammer cap 56 to reduce damage being caused to the respective upper ends 58. The caps 10 have been removed and stored for future use. The braces 16 are used to substantially secure a vertical position 70 of the posts. Figure 1 shows a fence 100 which have been constructed in accordance with the invention. As an example post 102 is first inserted at least partly into ground and anchored with a brace 16. The dovetail profiled groove 26 allows 15 the retaining strip 18 to be slidingly engaged through the bevelled base 32 with the elongate body 22. The retaining strip 18 is capable of being slidingly moved relative to the elongate body since the retaining strip 18 is not secured against longitudinal movement. This allows, for the first post 102 of the fence 100, to be first installed into and anchored to ground before the retaining strip 20 18 is engaged with the elongate body or with the retaining strip already engaged with the elongate body. The latter is possible due to the sliding nature of the engagement of the retaining strip to the elongate body which allows the retaining strip to move progressively along a length of the elongate body 22 as the post 12 is hammered into ground. 25 Once the first post 102 is securely anchored to and braced relative to ground, one end 104 of the mesh material 14 is hooked onto the post 102 through the patterned hook arrangement. The spaced apart nature of the plurality of hooks 36 allows a hook to be inserted in between each pair of adjacent horizontal components 40. In other words, the mesh material 14 is secured substantially 30 across an entire width 106 thereof as the retaining strip 18 has a length 108 which substantially matches the width 106.

- 10 The slidingly engagement of the retaining strip 18 to the elongate body 22 allows the second post 110 to be hammered into ground while the mesh material 14 is connected to the post. Initially the mesh until 14 will be positioned relatively close to the lower end 60 as the bevelled base 32 will 5 move under the influence of gravity inside the dovetail groove 26 until the retaining strip 18 rests on ground. However, hammering of the elongate body 22 into ground will cause sliding readjustment of the retaining strip 18 relative to the elongate body thereby preventing the mesh material 14 being dragged into ground. Furthermore, the 10 mesh material is supported in a substantially vertically extended manner since the mesh material 14 is supported substantially across the entire width 106. The vertical extension of the mesh material gives an indication to the installer up to what depth the post 110 has to be hammered into ground. The sliding engagement of the retaining strip 18 also allows the elongate body 22 to be 15 hammered into position, relative to the first post 102, at which the mesh material 14 will extend substantially straight and under some tension in between the first and second posts 102 and 110. The second post 110 is braced using the brace 16 once the second post 110 is hammered up to the required depth into ground. In the same manner further 20 posts are anchored into the ground while the mesh material 14 is connected to a respective elongate body 22 until the fence 100 is completed. As mentioned hereinabove, the flanges 34 provides a torsion restriction for the retaining strip 18 by bearing against the outer surface 24 of the elongate body 22. In other words, a flange 34 bearing against an outer surface 24 provides 25 an external anchoring point which substantially prevents rotational movement or pivotal rotation of the bevelled base 32 inside the elongate profiled groove 26 when in use the mesh material 14 is attached to the retaining strip 18. This torsion restriction promotes a force, transversely placed on the retaining strip 18 when the mesh material is attached to a respective post 12, to be 30 transversely placed on the elongate body 22. This transverse communication of force placed on the elongate body is counteracted by the operation of the - 11 brace 16 thereby providing a substantially stable fence support. Moreover, the torsion restriction created by the flanges 34 promotes the correct channelling of transverse forces placed on the post 12 through the supporting of the mesh material 14. The correct channelling of the transverse forces reduces the 5 likelihood of the transverse forces incorrectly forcing the bevelled base 32 to turn inside the elongate profiled groove 26. Such turning could cause damage to the retaining strip 18, the elongate body 22, or both. Figures 11 and 12 illustrate a post lifter 120 which in one form can be used to remove a ground embedded post 12 typically when the fence 100 is 10 disassembled. The post lifter includes an angled arm 122 which is pivotally secured to a central base plate 124. One end of the arm carries a foot pedal 126 and the other end carries a square ring 128. In use the square ring 128 of the post lifter 120 is fitted over the respective post 12 which an operator wishes to remove from ground. The square ring is 15 dimensioned to have a cross-sectional profile which is slightly oversized relative to outer dimensions of the post 12. This allows the square ring to be fitted over the post with a substantially tight fit which allows the square ring to be slid along a length of the post without much lateral play. The square ring 128 is moved to a position on the post 12 so that the arm 122 20 adopts an angled configuration relative to ground as is shown Figure 11. This allows the operator to be able to step on the foot pedal 126 without having to lift a foot of the operator to an awkward height at which the operator may not be able to generate sufficient force to remove the post. Downward movement of the foot pedal 126 causes reciprocal upward 25 movement of the square ring 128. However, in the upward movement the square ring 128 frictionally engages with the post 12 due to the close fitment of the square ring around the outer surfaces 24 of the elongate body 22. Furthermore, the frictional engagement of the square ring with the post 12 is promoted through the pivotal connecting point 130 with which the arm 120 is 30 connected to the square ring. The pivotal connecting point is adjacent the -12 square ring thereby causing pivotal movement in the square ring when the pivotal connecting point is moved upwardly. The pivotal movement in combination with the close fitment of the square ring around the post 12 causes the square ring to pivotally engage with the outer surfaces 24 of the 5 elongate body 22. Further upward movement of the pivotal connecting point causes the post 12 to be pulled along with the square ring 128. This causes the post to be pulled from ground. A front end of the squaring 128 carries a hook 132 which can be used to remove a brace 16 which is difficult to remove from the ground. Typically the 10 hook will be attached to the step platform 52 thereby allowing downward movement of the foot pedal 126 to remove the brace. The patterned hook arrangement allows the mesh material 14 to be manufactured from a light material such as a plastic. The plurality of hooks 36 are able to engage substantially across an entire width 106 of the mesh 15 material thereby reducing the likelihood of a particular point, area or section of the mesh material taking a large portion of the tension used to pull the mesh material straight in between adjacent posts 12. Furthermore, the plurality of hooks reduces the likelihood of the plastic mesh material tearing or warping during use. 20 Additionally, the torsion restriction created by the profiling of the retaining strip 18 promotes the correct transfer of transverse forces created in the fence when erected. This allows light materials to be used in the manufacture of the posts and retaining strips such as a plastic. The ability to manufacture the mesh material, posts and retaining strips from a relatively light material such as 25 plastics allows the disassembled weight of the fence 100 to be reduced which reduces the bulkiness of the fence components. While we have described herein a particular embodiment of a fence support and fence system for use therefor, it is further envisaged that other embodiments of the invention could exhibit any number and combination of 30 any one of the features previously described. However, it is to be understood -13 that any variations and modifications which can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof are included within the scope of this invention.

Claims (7)

1. A fence support, comprising: an elongate post body having at least one elongate profiled groove 5 extending along a length of the elongate body; at least one retaining clip having a base receivable by the profiled groove and at least one flange to anchor the base substantially against an outer surface of the elongate body against rotation inside the profiled groove thereby to provide a torsion restriction. 10

2. A fence support according to claim 1, wherein the retaining clip comprises a laterally facing hook for engaging a longitudinal component of mesh material.

3. A fence support having an elongate post body including at least one elongate profiled groove which extends along a length of the elongate body: 15 the elongated profiled groove has a dovetail cross-sectional profile; at least one retaining strip includes a bevelled base which has a cross-sectional profile which substantially matches the dovetail cross sectional profile of the elongate profiled groove; 20 and wherein the at least on retaining strip may have a length which substantially matches a width of the mesh material thereby causing the restraining strip to anchor in use the mesh material to the support post substantially over the entire width of the mesh material.

4. A fence support according to claim 3, wherein the at least one retaining 25 strip includes at least one flange wherein the at least one flange anchors the bevelled base substantially against an outer surface of the elongate -15 body against rotation inside the at least one elongate profile groove thereby to provide a torsion restriction.

5. A fence system, including a mesh material and a plurality of fence supports which are configured to provide in use support to the mesh material, such 5 that; each of the plurality of fence supports including an elongate body, having at least one elongate profiled groove which extends along a length of the body, and a retaining strip which is configured to allow the retaining strip to be slidingly engaged with to the elongate body through the elongate 10 profile groove; wherein the retaining strip includes a hook arrangement which is configured to allow in use engagement at regular intervals to the mesh material; wherein the sliding engagement of the retaining strip with a respective 15 fence support allows for automatic height adjustment of the mesh material relative to the ground when the elongate body of the respective fence support is driven into the ground thereby to cause the mesh material to rest at a lower end on the ground while being anchored to the respective fence support. 20

6. A fence system, which comprises: at least one elongated post body which are mounted into ground at determined spatial positions, each post including at least one profiled groove which extends along a length of the post, 25 a retaining strip which is slidingly engageable with the at least one profiled groove thereby to provide the respective post with one or more hooks which allow in use a wire mesh to be hooked onto the post, one or more support braces each of which is anchored at one end into ground and at an opposed end engages with a respective post thereby to 30 provide an anchoring mechanism for the post, and -16 a lifter which includes a post bracket at one end and a lever arrangement at an opposed end which can be pivoted relative to the post bracket about a support mechanism thereby to remove a selected post from the ground through engagement of the post bracket with the selected post. 5

7. A fence system comprising a lifter for removing a ground embedded post, the lifter comprising: an angle arm pivotally secured to a central base plate, the angle arm further comprising: at one end, a foot pedal, 10 at a second end, a pivotally connected ring element wherein the ring element has a cross-sectional profile larger than the outer dimensions of the post in order to fit over the post and provide an angled frictional fit during use; wherein the downward movement of the foot pedal causes reciprocal upward 15 movement of the square ring.