AU610537B2

AU610537B2 - Improvements relating to wire supports

Info

Publication number: AU610537B2
Application number: AU82027/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Grant Wayne Quinn; Raymond Tregurtha
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-12-22
Filing date: 1987-12-02
Publication date: 1991-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 2007-12-02
Also published as: AU8202787A

Description

Davies Collison, Melbourne and Canberra.

I es j' 1 I -I 'lT7 i COMMONWEALTH OF AU A^ Io3 7 PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: -p'lated Art: C e Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant:

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Actual Inventor(s): **Address Ce Address for Service: GRANT WAYNE QUINN RAYMOND TREGURTHA /g Kii toa(d Lower Hutt, New Zealand and 29 Magnolia Grove, Manungarki, Lower Hutt, New Zealand respectively DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

Complete specification for the invention entitled: "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO WIRE SUPPORTS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us ~_il I i. To: The Commissioner of Patents, Commonwealth of Australia. 1 -2- This invention relates to wire support assemblies and systems involving the support and maintenance of a plurality of strand wires in spaced relationship e.g. as in a strand wire fencing system.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple but effective dropper,batten or like support assembly for supporting strand wires as aforesaid and in a manner providing for ease of fitment or removal whilst ensuring that the assembly is not readily accidently displaced relative to the wires, or vice versa, in use.

Other and more particular objects and advantages 0so of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description.

0 According to a first aspect of this invention '15 therefor, there is provided a support assembly for maintaining a plurality of strand wires in spaced relationship comprising a rigid tubular outer member having a plurality of trans- 00 versely diskposed slots located in spaced relationship along 0 the length of a side wall part of the outer member for the receipt of strand wires in any one or more of said slots, and an elongate insert member of at least partially resilient material and dimensioned so as to be insertable longitudinally in the outer member as a tight fit between the portions of wires when engaged in said slots and the inner slotted wall surface of said outer member.

According to a second aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of supporting a plurality of strand wires in spaced parallel relationship, comprising the provision of a plurality of similar rigid tubular outer I I I- ~tX(l__~_jiiiilIYl_.i.i. iy I ~I 3members each having a plurality of transversely disposed slots located in spaced relationship along the length of a side wall part thereof, locating the outer members in spaced substantially parallel relationship transversely of and relative to said wires and engaging the wires in respective aligned ones of said slots, and locating an elongate insert anchor member in each outer member between the portions of wires engaged in the slots of the outer member and the inner slotted wall surface thereof, said insert anchor members each being of an at least partly o resilient material and dimensioned so as to locate as a

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ooog tight fit between said respective wire portions and inner ooo, wall surface.

es"The invention is particularly applicable to a strand wire fencing system for farms and the like, and se the invention will accordingly be particularly described with reference to such an application. It is to be appreciated however that the invention is not necessarily 00 confined to fencing systems as the support assembly and 29 system employed may be usable in other situations e.g. such

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as in the maintaining of spacing between such as overhead power and telephone lines. The term "strand wire" as used herein is intended to embrace electrical,telephone or like wires or lines, as well as fence wires (electrified or not electrified). Some preferred aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a part broken face view of a fencing dropper or batten in accordance with the invention, 4 -1 4] *e o e *5 o app

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p -4- FIGURE 2 is a part broken side view of the arrangement shown in figure 1, FIGURE 3 is a part broken face view illustrating a modification of the invention, and FIGURE 4 is a plan view (enlarged) of the arrangement shown in figures 1 and 2.

It is of course well known to provide fence posts, battens and droppers with wire receiving slots, and known also to provide anchor members in the form of rods which locate between the wires engaged in the slots and the slotted face of the posts. However, in the known constructions the anchor member is usually of rigid metal and the metal to metal contacting surfaces of the anchor rods and wires do not securely hold the wires against movement relative to the fence posts, droppers or battens, or vice versa. The present invention overcomes this deficiency.

Whilst the outer support member (generally indicated by the arrow 1) of the assembly can be formed from tubular metal, it is preferably formed from a strong rigid weather resistant plastics material so as to be light in weight (facilitating handling and carrying of large bundles of battens, droppers or posts in accordance with the invention, particularly in such as high country).

In the batten or dropper form the outer members 1 are simply of a length sufficient to span the number of wires 2 required to be supported or engaged by the assembly, and the plurality of transverse wire receiving slots 3 .1 are provided at such intervals along the length of one side part of each outer member 1, as required.

It is envisaged that the slots 3 can be simply and economically formed such as by saw cutting existing available tube stock, but it is known that in the forming of rigid tubular plastic articles that certain stresses are set up within the material and these can be upset by subsequent saw cutting of slots resulting in a weakening of the tube member and possible break down and cracking 0S of the material at the opposite side of the slots 3.

0e Accordingly, it is preferable that the slots 3 are formed 0 00 oeoo 0 o with a suitably heated cutter or former and/or formed at the time of moulding or extrusion of the tubular outer members 1 prior to the plastics material "aging" and fully 15 hardening, so that such members are not subjected to the o0 o aforementioned weakening to the same extent and a stronger support assembly is provided. The tubular outer members 1 can be of cylindrical form and for typical lightweight oOO•O fencing work as battens or droppers can be of relatively "d U small diameter e.g. 22 to 3 centimetres bore diameter, and the slots 3 may extend approximately half way through such members I so that the wires 2 located therein are medially placed relative to the fitted assemblies and spaces 4 are provided between the wires 2 and inner slotted surface wall parts of the outer members 1, and so that a longitudinal insert anchor member 5, preferably spanning all the wires 2 with which the outer members are engaged can be inserted longitudinally into one open end of each r, -6outer member 1 e.g. the top end,for location in the said spaces to anchor the wires against displacement relative to their respective slots. Each insert member 5 is again preferably of a strong weather resistant plastics material and is at least partially resilient and deformable,and dimensioned to be a close fit when in position so as to bind on and firmly wedge the wires 2 in their position relative to the tubular outer members 1, the resilience at the same time facilitating fitment (or subsequent .*10 removal if so desired). Each insert member 5 can be of a solid plasticsmaterial but is preferably and economically provided simply as lengths of readily available plastics tubing of appropriate diameter. It will be seen that the provision of a resilient insert member 5 enables deform- 15 ing and tight fitment even whenthe fencing wires 2 are strained e*.

and taut, and that any further straining of the wires 2 from a slackened position would simply create greater locking of the insert and outer members 5 and 1, relative

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to the wires 2.

":20 In the case of requirement to provide a fence post for ground engagement, as exampled in figure 3 of the drawings, similarly fence constructed fence posts can be provided with a ground engaging lower end spike or insert 6, and if so required any suitable capping member or plug 7 for the upper end of the batten, dropper or fence post 1 can be provided.

It will be further seen that by the employment of plastics for the outer member 1 and insert member i H I 00 *000 *0 S 00 S0 00 0* o.

o 00 the support assembly provided is particularly usable for supporting electrified wires of an electrified fencing system, and as previously indicated the invention may be similarly applicable to the support in spaced relationship of such as overhead electric power or telephone lines.

Some aspects of the invention have been described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it will br appreciated that other variations of and modifications to the invention can take place without departing therefrom.

Claims

1. A support assembly for maintaining a plurality of strand wires in spaced relationship comprising a rigid tubular outer member having a plurality of transversely disposed slots located in spaced relationship along the length of a side wall part of the outer member for the receipt of strand wires in any one or more of said slots, and an elongate insertmember of at least partially deformable and resilient material and dimension- ed so as to be insertable longitudinally in the outer member as a deformed tight fit between the portions of wires when engaged in said slots and the inner slotted wall surface of said outer member.

2. A support assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tubular outer member is of a substantially rigid plastics material.

3. A support assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said insert member is a substantially solid but resilient member.

4. A support assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said insert member is of tubular form.

A support assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said insert member is of a resilient plastics material.

6. A support assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said tubular outer member is provided with end closure members.

7. A support assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims when arranged and adapted for use in a strand wire fencing system for the support of the fencing wires. i i I ;i I I I~LI

8. A support assembly as claimed in claim 6 and claim 7 when dependent on claim 6, wherein said tubular outer member is arranged for upright disposition and the lower end closure member is formed as a spike arranged for insertion in the ground.

9. A support assembly for maintaining a plurality of strand wires in spaced relationship, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A fencing system incorporating a plurality of the support assemblies according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. A method of supporting a plurality of strand wires in spaced parallel relationship, comprising the provision of a plurality of similar rigid tubular outer members each having *a plurality of transversely disposed slots located in spaced relationship along the length of a side wall part thereof, locating the outer members in spaced substantially parallel relationship transversely of and relative to said wires and engaging the wires in respective aligned ones of said slots, and locating an elongate insert anchor member in each outer member betweenthe portions of wires engaged in the slots of the 5 SO' outer member and the inner slotted wall surface thereof, said insert anchor members each being of an at least partly deformable and resilient material and dimensioned so as to locate as a deformed tight fit between said respective wire portions and inner wall surfaces.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said tubular outer members and said insert anchor members are the support assemblies according to any one of claims 1 to 9 inclusive. B O .i P i j i ~I N

13. A method of supporting a plurality of strand wires substantially as hereinbef ore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Any- step or foature or Qb~ao ofsteps or -P 4-A- 1, I Ra- 4:4- Dated this 2nd day of DECEMBER

1987. dl 6 606 20 6 6 Ow eq... a *00* 66 a 0t 0# 63 .o a I £6 GRANT WAYNE QUINN and RAYMOND TREGURTHA By their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON 'p d S 06 p d 6£ 60 a 0* *6 a .5 0 em a a. E aS