AU2021200792A1

AU2021200792A1 - A Fence Post Body

Info

Publication number: AU2021200792A1
Application number: AU2021200792A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Fraser Patison Old
Original assignee: Wireman Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Wireman Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2020-02-14
Filing date: 2021-02-08
Publication date: 2021-09-02

Abstract

A fence post body for a fence post of the type having an elongate body, a cap engaged with one end of the body, and a tip engaged with the other end of the body. The fence post body (1) has a hollow interior of substantially constant cross-section, and each 5 end (13,14) of the body being shaped to engage with a corresponding one of the caps (10), whereby said fence post body can be sawn or cut into two pieces each of which is a fence post body of that type of fence post. A method of forming two fence posts from a single fence post is also disclosed. The method comprising the steps of: sawing or cutting the elongate body into two to thereby create four ends, 10 removing any tip from the other end, engaging a second cap with the other end, and engaging the tip and a second tip with the remaining unengaged ends. FOAS FILE REF:5514AX-AU 8 Lnn C\1 C'j

Description

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A Fence Post Body Field of the Invention The present invention relates to fence posts and, in particular, to a fence post of the type having an elongate body, a cap engaged with one end of the body, and a tip engaged with the other end of the body.

Background Art Traditionally in Australia fences have been formed from posts which are timber or steel. In particular, strainer posts are generally of timber and of relatively large diameter. Intermediate timber posts are used between each pair of strainer posts, and between each pair of intermediate timber posts are 4 or 5 steel pickets.

It is also known to manufacture pickets from plastics and such posts are particularly used in relation to horses since they may take fright from thunderstorms, for example, and run into a fence. If the fence has plastic pickets the horse is much less likely to be damaged under these conditions.

International Patent Application No. PCT/AU 2020/050196 (Attorney Ref 5514AW WO) which was unpublished as at the priority date of the present application, discloses a hollow plastic fence post which utilises a separate cap and a separate tip which are pushed onto opposite ends of the post. One end of the post has a U-shaped slot to receive a top wire. The other end of the post which is to be driven into the ground, is entirely devoid of apertures or slots.

Genesis of the Invention The Genesis the present invention is a desire to expand the uses of such hollow plastic fence posts of the type referred to above.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a fence post body for a fence post of the type having an elongate body, a cap engaged with one end of the body, and a tip engaged with the other end of the body, said fence post body having a hollow interior of substantially constant cross-section, and each end of said body being shaped to engage with a corresponding one of said caps, whereby said FOAS FILE REF:5514AX-AU 1 fence post body can be sawn or cut into two pieces each of which is a fence post body of said type of fence post.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of forming two fence posts from a single fence post, each of said fence posts being of the type having a hollow elongate body, a cap engaged with one end of the body, and a tip engaged with the other end of the body, said method comprising the steps of: sawing or cutting said elongate body into two to thereby create four ends, removing said tip from said other end, engaging a second cap with said other end, and engaging said tip and a second tip with the remaining unengaged ends.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a truncated perspective view of the fence post body of the preferred embodiment, Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above of the tip used in conjunction with the fence post body of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view from below of the tip of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tip of Figs. 2 and 3 inserted into one end of the fence post body of Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified version of the tip of Figs. 2 and 3, Fig. 6 is another perspective view of the tip of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a perspective view from below of a cap for use with the fence post body of Fig. 1, Fig. 8 is a perspective view from above of the cap of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is an end view of either end of the fence post body of Fig. 1, Fig. 10 is a transverse cross-section through the fence post body of Fig. 1, Fig. 11 is a schematic side elevation of a fence over a waterway, and Fig. 12 is a schematic perspective view of a short length of fence body being utilised as an electrified apron for a conventional fence.

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Detailed Description As seen in Figs. 1, 4, 9 and 10, a fence post body 1 has a tricuspid shape and a hollow interior 2 which is shaped to receive a conventional star picket. The shape of the hollow interior 2 is clearly illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. As seen in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the fence post body 1 is able to receive an injection moulded plastics tip 4 which is preferably reinforced with glass or carbon fibres. The tip 4 has a point 5, a lip 6 and a three sided projection 7 which is shaped to mate with the hollow interior 2.

Similarly, as seen in Figs. 7 and 8, an injection moulded plastics cap 10 is provided which has a substantially flat roof 11 and a three sided projection 17 which is shaped in a similar fashion to the three sided projection 7. However, the projection 17 is provided with a U-shaped cut out 18.

As explained in the above-mentioned patent application, the fence post body 1 is able to receive the tip 4 at one end, and the cap 10 at the other end so as to create a fence post. Such a fence post has a U-shaped slot 21 at one (upper) end and adjacent transverse apertures 25, but the other end of the fence post has no apertures or slot. The U-shaped slot 21 is intended to be aligned with the U-shaped cut out 18 and is capable of carrying, or supporting, a top wire such as a barbed wire.

This is to be contrasted with the fence post body 1 of the preferred embodiment which, as illustrated in Fig. 1, has a U-shaped slot 21 and transverse apertures 25 at one end 13 (intended to cooperate with the cap 10) but also has a U-shaped slot 22 and transverse apertures 26 at the other end 14 (intended to cooperate with the tip 4).

The fence post body 1 has the particular advantage that it is able to be cut or sawn transversely into two pieces so as to form two fence post bodies having a cap10 at one end 13, a cap 10 at the other end 14, and two tips 4, one at each of the ends created by the cutting or sawing.

In particular, it is preferred that the arrangement of slots and apertures at the other end 14 is identical to the arrangement of slots and apertures at the one end 13.

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A practical advantage of the above described arrangement will now be described with reference to Fig. 11 which schematically illustrates in cross-section a fence 30 across a waterway or creek 31 having two streams 32 separated by a central ridge 33. A conventional timber strainer post 36 is located on each bank of the creek 31 and supports the fence 30 to either side of the creek 31. Such a fence 30 typically uses conventional steel pickets 37.

Because the creek 31 intermittently contains water, any steel posts used in the creek 31 are liable to rust or corrode. For this reason, plastic posts 40 having a fence post body 1, a tip 4 and a cap 10 are preferred for use in the creek 31. Such fence posts are of maximum length (eg 2700mm) and are driven into the earth below the streams 32 to a depth indicated by the designation A in Fig. 11.

However, at the ridge 33, if such posts 40 were used, then they would have to be driven to an excessive depth A in order that the top of the posts be approximately level with the top of the fence 30. In order to avoid this disadvantage, it is desirable to cut such posts 40 so as to produce shorter posts 41 (and still shorter posts 42 (Fig. 12) again). Such posts 41 need only be driven to a depth indicated by the designation B in Fig. 11.

As described above, such shorter posts 41 are provided with a tip 4 at the cup or sawn end which is to be the end to be driven into the ridge 33. Since the height of the ridge 33 may vary, being able to adapt the length of the posts 42 to the individual circumstances of each creek bed, is a useful advantage, particularly in remote areas.

Turning now to Fig. 12, one use for the "even shorter" posts 42 is illustrated. A conventional steel picket 37 (illustrated in vertically truncated fashion in Fig. 12) supports a conventional fence (such as fence 30) including at least one horizontally extending wire 45. Preferably the wire 45 forms part of a hinge lock mesh, or equivalent. In order to stop wombats and kangaroos from burrowing underneath the fence, an apron 46 is provided. The apron 46 preferably has 2 horizontally extending

FOAS FILE REF:5514AX-AU 4 wires 48, 49 which are preferably electrified with the upper wire 48 being a "hot" wire and the lower wire 49 being an "earth" wire.

It will be seen in Fig. 12 that the apron 46 is fabricated from posts 42 which are driven in at an angle in front of the steel pickets 37. The wires 48, 49 pass through the apertures 26. The cap 10 and slot 22 are also illustrated in Fig. 12. Since the posts 42 are fabricated from plastics material, such as recycled PVC, the posts 42 are natural insulators and therefore no separate insulators are required for the "hot" wire 48.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the fencing arts, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the above description illustrates the plastic posts 40 being cut into two portions one of which is longer (41) and one of which is shorter (42). However, if desired the plastic posts 40 can be cut into two halves of equal length.

The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "including" or "having" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of'.

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Claims

CLAIMS 1. A fence post body for a fence post of the type having an elongate body, a cap engaged with one end of the body, and a tip engaged with the other end of the body, said fence post body having a hollow interior of substantially constant cross-section, and each end of said body being shaped to engage with a corresponding one of said caps, whereby said fence post body can be sawn or cut into two pieces each of which is a fence post body of said type of fence post.
2. The fence post body as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said end of the un sawn fence post body has a longitudinally extending slot shaped to receive a top wire.
3. The fence post body as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said hollow interior is substantially Y-shaped.
4. The fence post body as claimed in any one of claims 1-3 and formed from an extruded plastic.
5. The fence post body as claimed in any one of claims 1-4 and having a plurality of transverse apertures extending through the fence post body at spaced apart intervals.
6. The fence post body as claimed in claim five where in the pattern of said transverse apertures adjacent each end of said fence post body is substantially the same.
7. In combination, the fence post body as claimed in any one of claims 1-6 together with a cap and a tip.
8. In combination, the fence post body as claimed in any one of claims 1-6 together with two of said caps and two of said tips.

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9. A method of forming two fence posts from a single fence post, each of said fence posts being of the type having a hollow elongate body, a cap engaged with one end of the body, and a tip engaged with the other end of the body, said method comprising the steps of: sawing or cutting said elongate body into two to thereby create four ends, removing said tip from said other end, engaging a second cap with said other end, and engaging said tip and a second tip with the remaining unengaged ends.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said one end and said other end each have a longitudinally extending slot shaped to receive a top wire.
11. The method as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein said two formed fence posts are of substantially equal lengths.
12. The method as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein said two formed fence posts are of substantially unequal lengths.

Dated this 8th day of February 2021

WIREMAN PTY LIMITED By FRASER OLD & SOHN Patent Attorneys for the Applicant

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