AU2012203796A1 - A Fencing System - Google Patents

Abstract

A fencing panel comprising a core of hardened foam and having an upper edge and a lower edge, at least one elongate support member in the core and extending at least from adjacent the upper end of the core to adjacent the lower end of the core, and at least one footing member extending from the lower edge of the core. 19 18 17 16 22 20 33 21 40 0 1 1% 11 14

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A FENCING SYSTEM The following statement is a description of the invention: 1 A FENCING SYSTEM TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is directed to a fence panel having a core of hardened 5 foam, a method to form the fence panel and a fence comprising at least one said fence panel. BACKGROUND ART A known type of fencing system comprises fence panels having a core of 10 hardened foam (typically rigid M gauge polystyrene- also known as EPS or Expanded PolyStyrene]. The panels are attached to vertical posts which are concreted into the ground. As the core is relatively brittle it is necessary to strengthen the panels so that 15 the panels can withstand windloading, bumps and scrapes against the panels. It is known to sandwich the EPS core between two fibre cement sheets to provide strength and other benefits but this increases the weight of the panels, makes it more difficult to trim the panels to size and makes it more difficult to 20 directly glue or otherwise join panels together. It is also known to render the core with a rendering agent (typically a cementitious material] and to provide a fiberglass mesh which is embedded in the render, to strengthen the panels. 25 The panels are held in position by external posts concreted into the ground. The posts are provided with flanges or brackets to hold edges of the panels. Fasteners are usually required to secure the panels. The posts need to be accurately positioned, and typically need to be about 600-1200mm apart to 30 provide sufficient support. This can increase the time taken to erect fencing. The posts remain visible in the fence line. Thus it may not be possible to provide a flush aesthetically pleasing fence which can resemble a rendered brick wall. The posts need to be concreted in the ground and it may be difficult 2 or impossible to fix a fence against an existing side wall using the post system. There would be an advantage if it were possible to provide a fencing system 5 which could provide strengthened panels and where the need for separately positioned posts is reduced or eliminated. Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form 10 part of the common general knowledge. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one form, the invention resides in a fencing panel comprising hardened 15 foam containing embedded support members. In another form, the invention resides in a fencing panel comprising a core of hardened foam and having an upper edge and a lower edge, at least one elongate support member in the core and extending at least from adjacent the 20 upper end of the core to adjacent the lower end of the core, and at least one footing member extending from the lower edge of the core. The fencing panel can comprise part of a fence. The fence may comprise a dividing fence, a pool fence, a decorative wall, a partition, or any other type of 25 dividing wall. The fencing panel may have any suitable shape and size. It is expected that a common shape for the panel will be substantially rectangular. However, there may be circumstances where it is convenient for the panel to have a shape 30 other than substantially rectangular. The size of the fencing panel can vary however it is envisaged that the size will be such that the panel can be conveniently handled either manually or using a crane or other mechanised equipment. As an example, the fencing panel may be substantially rectangular and may have a length of between 0.5-6 m and a height of between 0.5-3 m 3 although this can vary .The thickness of the panel can also vary but it is considered that a suitable thickness will be between 100-500 mm and preferably between 150-300 mm and most preferably about 200 mm. It should be appreciated that no unnecessary limitation should be placed on 5 the invention merely by exemplification of certain shapes and sizes. The panel comprises a core of hardened foam. A suitable core material comprises expanded polystyrene which is also known as EPS. The expanded polystyrene is a commercially available product and typically comprises at 10 least three grades being a low density expanded polystyrene (SL grade], a medium density (M grade] expanded polystyrene and a higher density (H grade] expanded polystyrene. The M grade EPS is considered a suitable but non-limiting example of a core material. The core may comprise different types and/or grades of hardened foam. Preferably the EPS has been treated 15 with pest repellant and also is fire resistant. The core may comprise parts or sections which are joined to form the core. The core may comprise a layered or laminate structure. The core may comprise voids or cavities if considered suitable. It is considered convenient that the core is of substantially uniform thickness, but there may be instances where it is useful for the core to have a 20 non-uniform thickness. For instance the core may have a tapered configuration. The core will suitably have a substantially flat outer surface especially if a neat seamless finished look is required for the fence. However the core may have other configurations such as a corrugated configuration, a grooved configuration and the like. It is also envisaged that there may be 25 circumstances where the core does not consist entirely of the foam material and may contain areas of other materials which may not comprise expanded material. However, it is considered most convenient that the panel is made substantially of the expanded material. 30 The core contains at least one embedded support member. Suitably, the core has an upper edge and a lower edge and the at least one support member extends from at least adjacent the upper edge of the core to at least adjacent the lower edge of the core. Preferably, a plurality of support members is provided in the core with the number of support members depending, inter 4 alia, on the size and shape of the core. The support members may be in a spaced apart side-by-side orientation in the core and the spacing between adjacent support members may vary at least between 100-500 mm. Of course, no unnecessary limitation should be placed on the invention merely by 5 exemplification of certain spacings. Suitably, at least some of the support members extend below a lower edge of the core. Preferably all, or most of, the support members extend from a lower edge of the core. The extending part of the support members may comprise at 10 least part of the footing members. Suitably, the at least one support member comprises a metal member. The metal member preferably comprises galvanized steel. However, the metal member may comprise other materials which can provide suitable support. 15 These other materials may comprise composite materials, laminate materials, non-metallic materials, reinforced materials, wood, fibreglass, certain types of plastics, filled plastics, reinforced plastics, metals other than steel such as aluminium, brass, copper and the like. The support member may comprise a solid member or a substantially hollow member. The support member may 20 comprise a hollow square or round member, a solid bar member, an elongate plate like member, a member having solid portions and hollow portions and the like. It is also envisaged that the support member may comprise a number of "sub" members which may be attached together or otherwise associated to form the support member. The "sub" members may be formed from similar or 25 separate materials and may have similar or separate shapes and configurations. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the support member comprises a hollow galvanized steel section which is substantially rectangular and which 30 has a cross-section size of between 20-100mm, and preferably about 40mm. The elongate support member preferably extends substantially along the core from the lower edge to the upper edge. The member may project from the upper edge if desired, and it is preferred that the member projects from the 5 lower edge to form part of the footing member. If a top member such as a capping member or a finishing member is provided on the top of the core, there may be an advantage in having the support member projecting from the upper edge of the core to provide some support to the top member . 5 The footing member enables the panel to be fixed in place. If the panel member is to form part of a fence, the footing member may be embedded in a concrete foundation which may comprise a strip footing. The footing member may have a configuration to enable secure bedding into the concrete. Thus, 10 the footing member may have a "T-shaped" configuration and may be plate like or may have any other suitable shape or configuration. The footing member may also be configured to enable it to be fastened to a support as opposed to being concreted in position. Thus, the footing member may be provided with openings through which fasteners can pass to fasten the footing 15 member to a suitable support. The footing member may have a configuration to enable it to be fastened or concreted in position. It is preferred that the footing member is attached to, or forms part of, at least some and preferably all of the elongate support members. Thus, the elongate 20 support member may be formed with the footing member. Alternatively, the footing member can be formed separately and attached to the elongate support member. In this manner, any load on the fence panel can be translated through the support member and to the footing member. 25 The elongate support member is preferably fixed to the core. In a preferred embodiment, the core is formed with a passageway or opening into which the elongate support member can pass. While it might be possible to form the passageway in such a manner that the support member can fit to the core using a friction fit, it is preferred that an adhesive is provided to fix the support 30 member to the core. The adhesive may comprise a polyurethane adhesive. The panel can be attached to adjacent panels, and in a preferred embodiment, the edges of adjacent panels are glued together. Thus, an intermediate post is not required. A fence or wall can be produced in a 6 relatively seamless manner. Additional core portions can be attached to the top or elsewhere by adhesion and/or using fasteners, and existing cores can be trimmed or otherwise shaped prior to being rendered. 5 It may be necessary to provide an expansion strip or an expansion gap if the length of the fence exceeds a certain distance. The panel can be manufactured by modifying a commercially available polystyrene core material (or other suitable material). Passageways can be 10 formed in the core into which the support members can pass. These passageways can be drilled or otherwise formed. A rigid building board may be fixed on at least one outer side of the panel. For example the building board may be adhered to the panel with a 15 rubberized cement compound. In a preferred embodiment the rigid building board is comprised of a MgO building panel. 20 An assembly may be provided to assist in forming the passageways. The assembly may comprise a drilling apparatus and a holding framework. The drilling apparatus may comprise a drill having an auger. The holding framework preferably holds the core in a substantially upright position to enable the auger to drill an opening into and along the core. The holding 25 framework may support an elevating means to enable the drilling apparatus to move between a drilling position and a free position. The elevating means may comprise a rise and fall platform on which the drill is supported. The assembly may be automated to enable a plurality of passageways to be drilled into the core at desired spacings. 30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient 7 information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows: 5 Figure 1. Illustrates a partially finished fence (not yet rendered) and formed from a plurality of panels in a side-by-side relationship. Figure 2. Illustrates a fence panel comprising a core of expanded polystyrene and containing embedded support members. 10 Figure 3. Illustrates a close-up of an embedded support member a lower part of which extends from the lower edge of the core. Figure 4. Illustrates an assembly to manufacture a fence panel containing embedded support members. Figure 5. Illustrates the assembly of figure 4 from a different angle. 15 Figure 6. Illustrates a variation to the support member to enable the panel to be bolted to a support as opposed to being concreted into the ground. Figure 7. Illustrates a conventional 3-bar trench mesh. Figure 8. Illustrates a strip footing to concrete the fence panels in place. Figure 9. Illustrates finishing layers incorporating a MgO building board. 20 Figure 10. Illustrates the fence of figure 1 after it has been finally rendered and finished off. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 25 Referring to the figures and initially to figure 2, there is illustrated a fence panel 10 comprising a substantially rectangular core 11 made from expanded polystyrene. In the particular embodiment, rectangular core 11 has a height of about 1800 mm, a uniform thickness of about 200 mm, and a length of between 2-3 m. The core 11 has an upper edge 12, a lower edge 13 and 30 opposed side edges 20. Embedded within core 11 are five elongate support members 14 which are spaced apart by about 400 mm. The lower end of each support member 14 forms part of a footing member 15.

8 Referring to figure 1, there is illustrated a partially finished fence or wall. The fence comprises a first panel 16, a second panel 17, a third panel 18 and a fourth panel 19. First panel 16 and second panel 17 are glued together along the respective side edges 20 and therefore an intermediate separate vertical 5 post member is not required. Indeed, because of the internal embedded support members 14 in each panel, the panels can provide an aesthetically pleasing smooth finish this being particularly illustrated in figure 1. Also illustrated at least in figure 1, additional core parts can be glued together 10 to form the panel. For example, the first panel 16 in figure 1 contains a lower core portion 21 and an upper core portion 22 which are glued together along glue line 40 to increase the height of the panel while still using standard sizes of commercially available expanded polystyrene M grade panels cut to size. 15 Each elongate support member comprises a hollow galvanized steel member having a square cross-section and a cross-section size of approximately 40 mm. An example of a slightly modified elongate support member is illustrated in figure 16. The elongate support members have a length to enable them to pass substantially through the core 11 and have a lower part extending from 20 the lower edge 13 of the core to form part of the footing member 15 this being particularly illustrated in figure 2 and figure 3. The footing member as illustrated in figure 2 and figure 3 is substantially T shaped and comprises a solid plate which is welded to the bottom of a 25 respective steel elongate support member 14. The plate is formed with a pair of spaced apart openings through which fasteners can pass if it is desired to bolt the footing into position. Otherwise, the footing is concreted in place this being described in greater detail below and illustrated particularly in figure 8. 30 The footing member can be varied as illustrated in figure 6 to enable it to be bolted to a side wall instead of being concreted in place. In this variation, the footing 23 is substantially L-shaped and extends at right angles to the elongate support member 14 and again comprises a solid plate formed with a pair of spaced apart openings through which fasteners can pass.

9 Openings are drilled into core 11 to enable the elongate support members 14 to be embedded into the core. Once the support members are pushed into the drilled openings, they can be fixed in place using an expandable adhesive such as polyurethane 24 (see figure 3). 5 The openings are formed using a drilling apparatus which forms part of an assembly and which is best illustrated in figure 4 and figure 5. The assembly comprises a drill 25 which rotates an auger 26, and a holding framework 27 to hold the core 11 in position during the drilling process. Framework 27 10 comprises a pair of spaced apart vertically extending frame members 28 between which core 11 is held in a substantially vertical orientation. Drill 25 is supported on a platform 29 which is attached to four upper vertical tubular members 30 which can slide into and out of four lower tubular members 31. Thus, platform 29 can move between a raised position and a lowered position. 15 The length of the tubes is such that when the platform 29 is in the raised position, auger 26 is fully retracted and core 11 can slide into a desired position for drilling. Platform 29 can then be lowered while auger 26 is rotating to drill a hole into core 11. The procedure can be repeated typically at 400 mm intervals to drill a series of openings into the core into which the respective 20 support members 14 can be pushed and then glued into place. The openings can be drilled entirely through the core or only partially into the core. To assemble a fence or wall as illustrated in figure 1, a strip footing trench 33 is prepared (see figure 8) which can be 350 mm wide and 450 mm deep and of the required length. A conventional three bar trench mesh 34 (see figure 7) 25 is positioned in trench 33 and may be supported by existing trench mesh supports 35 (a variety of commercially available supports being available). A panel 10 is then positioned over trench 13 such that the footing members 15 extend into the trench. A set of temporary spaced apart bottom rods 36 are positioned over the top of the trench and underneath panel 10 such that the 30 panel is supported temporary by these rods 36. The rods may be spaced apart and extend over the top of the trench. Panel 10 can be temporarily held in a vertical position by a stay system (not illustrated), and concrete can be poured into trench 33 to lock the panels in place. Once the concrete has set, 10 the temporary rods 36 can be removed. The resulting fence or wall (see for instance figure 1) can then be reinforced with a surface render. One suitable render is one that contains embedded fibreglass mesh as is known. Alternatively, with reference to figure 9, the core 11 of solid extruded 5 polystyrene, which is preferably either M-Grade or SL Grade may be coated with rubberized cementitious glue, such as a tile glue. A panel, for example a magnesium oxide panel, 39 is then located over the tile glue so that it adheres to the core. The magnesium oxide panel is a modern building board product used in construction. It is made from a mixture of magnesium oxide (MgO), 10 non organic minerals, bonders and fibre mesh composites. One such commercially available MgO board is ModakBoard available from Modakboard Pty Ltd of Unit 3a, 429 Creek Road Mt. Gravatt, QLD 4122. ModakBoard is advertised as containing no formaldehyde, no asbestos and no toxic chemicals. Once the MgO board has been set on the rubberised glue, a layer 15 of acrylic render 41 is then deposited over it. Acrylic paint 43 can then be painted over the acrylic render in the usual fashion. Figure 10 depicts the fence of Figure 1 after it has been finally rendered and finished off. The fencing system is cost-effective and lightweight and therefore the footings 20 do not need to be as large resulting in a saving in trench mesh and concrete. The fence panels have a very high sound rating and are considered to be superior to concrete blocks. The panels can be manufactured at the factory and readily assembled on-site. If desired, adjacent panels can be glued together and quite easily trimmed or shape prior to rendering. Additional parts 25 can be added to the panels such as a decorative top cap which can be glued and screwed in place. The panels can also be bolted to a side support using the modified footing as illustrated in figure 6. In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language 30 more or less specific to structural or methodical features. The term "comprises" and its variations, such as "comprising" and "comprised of' is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any 11 additional features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope 5 of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art. Throughout the specification and claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "substantially" or "about" will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms. Any embodiment of the invention is meant to be illustrative only and is not meant to be limiting to the invention. Therefore, it should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to any embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (21)

1. A fencing panel comprising hardened foam containing embedded support members.

2. A fencing panel comprising a core of hardened foam and having an upper edge and a lower edge, at least one elongate support member in the core and extending at least from adjacent the upper edge of the core to adjacent the lower edge of the core, and at least one footing member extending from the lower edge of the core.

3. The panel of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a plurality of spaced apart and substantially parallel support members are provided.

4. The panel of claim 3, wherein the spacing between the support members is between 100-500mm.

5. The panel of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the footing member is attached, or forms part of the elongate support member.

6. The panel of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the foam is a M grade expanded polystyrene foam.

7. The panel of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elongate support member comprises a metal member.

8. The panel of claim 7, wherein the metal member is hollow and has a diameter or cross-section size of between 20-100mm, and preferably about 40mm.

9. The panel of any one of the preceding claims, wherein one end of the support member extends from the lower edge of the core and forms at least part of the footing member. 13

10 The panel of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panel has a length of between 50-600cm and a height of between 100-250cm.

11. The panel of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the core comprises core pieces which are attached together to form the core.

12. The panel of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elongate support member is fixed to the core.

13. The panel of any one of the preceding claims including a rigid building board located on at least one outer side of the panel.

14. The panel of claim 13, wherein the rigid building board is comprised of a MgO building panel.

15. A fence comprising at least one panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

16. A method for forming a fence panel which has a core of hardened foam having an upper edge and a lower edge, at least one elongate support member in the core and extending at least from adjacent the upper end of the core to adjacent the lower end of the core, and at least one footing member extending from the lower edge of the core, the method comprising forming an opening through the lower edge and along the core, inserting the support member into the opening and fixing the support member to the core.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the core, support member and footing member are as claimed in any one of claims 1-14.

18. The method of claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the opening is formed by an assembly comprising a drilling apparatus comprising an auger and a holding framework to hold the core in position during the drilling process. 14

19. An assembly for drilling an opening in a core of a fence panel as claimed in any one of claims 1-14, the assembly comprising a holding framework to hold the core and a drilling apparatus having an auger to drill the opening in the core, the drilling apparatus being supported above the core and able to move between a drilling position to form the opening in the core and a free position.

20. A fence panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A method for forming a fence panel substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. * * *