AU747030B3 - Posts - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: ROB INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD AHEARN FOX Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, GPO Box 1149 Brisbane, Queensland, 4001 Invention Title: POSTS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:

POSTS

THIS INVENTION relates to posts.

This invention has particular application to trellis posts for grape vine trellises and reference will be made to that application although they may be used for trellises for other plants and may be also used for a variety of purposes, for example, the construction of fences for livestock.

Trellises in modern commercial vineyards are typically constructed with a plurality of vertically spaced wires supported on spaced apart posts which in the main are formed of cold rolled galvanised steel and are of relatively lightweight construction.

Such posts are typically open on one side and may have a transverse width of as little as 50mm which renders them prone to failure through twisting and bending under some side wind loads. The trellis wires are generally removably retained in slots or apertures to allow raising and/or lowering as required.

In some known posts the wire apertures are undesirably wide in the horizontal direction in order to allow the wires to be fitted easily, and undesirably long in the vertical direction in order to increase the wire retention capability of the post. The length and width of the apertures increases the likelihood of failure under lateral wind loading. In some cases where the posts have an elongate side wall forming a partially enclosed hollow, the apertures can be undesirably close to the free edge of the elongate side wall thus creating an undesirable line of weakness.

The present invention aims to provide a post in which at least one of the aforementioned problems are ameliorated. Other aims and advantages of the invention may become apparent from the following description.

With the foregoing in view, the present invention resides broadly in a post having an elongate side wall having one or more longitudinally extending corner edges and a plurality of spaced apart apertures in said side wall along said one or more corner edges for supporting therein a corresponding plurality of fence wires, each aperture comprising a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion partially separated from said first aperture portion by opposed upper and lower tongue portions of -2said side wall, each tongue portion being defined by an inclined free end edge and two opposed side edges, said inclined free end edges defining therebetween an inclined slot connecting said first aperture portion and said second aperture portion and said inclined slot being adapted to allow a fence wire to be passed therethrough to rest in said first and second aperture portions when inclined but not when horizontal, the longer one of the side edges of the lower tongue portion being inclined or curved over at least a portion of its length away from its free end towards the opposite one of said first and second aperture portions.

In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a post having an elongate side wall forming a partially enclosed hollow, said side wall having one or more longitudinally extending corner edges and a plurality of spaced apart apertures in said side wall along said one or more corner edges for supporting therein a corresponding plurality of fence wires, each aperture comprising a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion partially separated from said first aperture portion by opposed upper and lower tongue portions of said side wall, each tongue portion being defined by an inclined free end edge and two opposed side edges, said inclined free end edges defining therebetween an inclined slot connecting said first aperture portion and said second aperture portion and said inclined slot being adapted to allow a fence wire to be passed therethrough to rest in said first and second aperture portions when inclined but not when horizontal, the longer one of the side edges of said upper and lower tongue portions being inclined or curved over at leat a portion of their respective lengths away from their free ends towards the opposite one of said first and second aperture portions.

Advantageously, the inclined (or curved)long side edge of the lower tongue portion effectively provides a portion at the corner of the tongue which functions to some extent like a lip.

In this respect, the post would normally be formed of cold rolled galvanised steel and the corner edge would be curved with the tongue portions being generally centred on the curve, and the curve of the tongue portion in combination with the inclined long side creating a lip which urges the wire in the slot inwards upon any upward movement, thus inhibiting release from the aperture.

Preferably, the long side edges of the upper tongue portion is also inclined towards the opposite one of said first and second aperture portions. Advantageously, such inclination acts in a similar manner to that of the lower tongue portion and if the wire in the aperture is lifted, upon falling it tends to move inwards away from the inclined slot to rest in the lower part of the aperture against the lower tongue portion. Advantageously, the inclination of the long side edges allows the tongue portions to be shorter than in previously known posts, thus increasing their resistance to bending and wire release under the action of lateral wire load.

Preferably, each aperture portion is vertically elongate and is of greater width (horizontally) adjacent the shorter edge of one tongue portion than the longer edge of the other tongue portion. In a preferred form, the edge defining the outermost limit of each aperture portion curves inwardly towards the toe of the respective tongue portion.

The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "down", and the like are used herein to describe the invention in the position in which it is intended to be used in a trellis and is not intended to limit the use of the invention to any particular orientation.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention and wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a trellis post according to the invention from one side shown in cut-away form; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the trellis post of Fig. 1 from the opposite side, also in cut-away form; Fig. 3 is an end view of the trellis post of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apertures which can be seen in the post of Fig. 1, when punched in a galvanised steel blank prior to rolling to form the post, the dimensions being shown in true length; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another trellis post -4according to the invention from one side shown in cut-away form but with the apertures omitted; Fig. 6 is an end view of the trellis post of Fig. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another trellis post according to the invention from one side shown in cut-away form but with the apertures omitted; Fig. 8 is an end view of the trellis post of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another trellis post according to the invention from one side shown in cut-away form but with the apertures omitted; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the trellis post of Fig.

9 from the opposite side, also in cut-away form; The trellis post 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 is constructed of galvanised sheet steel which has been cold rolled in known manner to form a wall 11 which is substantially in the shape of a V having a main apex 12, two side wall portions 13 and 14 diverging from the main apex to form the legs of the V, and two inwardly directed opposed return wall portions 16 and 17 forming the tops of the V and defining minor opposed apices 18 and 19 and which terminate in spaced apart edges 21 and 22 respectively to provide an elongate opening 23 extending the full length of the post. A longitudinally extending rib 24 is provided approximately midway across each wall portion 13 and 14 respectively to increase the strength of the trellis post. It will be appreciated that the post can be of any desired length and can have a point provided at one end if desired and a cap at the other end also if desired.

As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, vertically spaced apart apertures 24 are provided at the minor apices for supporting therein a plurality of spaced apart trellis wires shown typically in phantom as item As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, each aperture 24 comprises a first vertically elongate aperture portion 31 and a second vertically elongate aperture portion 32 partially separated from the first aperture portion by opposed upper and lower tongue portions 33 and 34 of the side wall 11. The upper tongue portion is defined by an inclined free end edge 36 and two opposed side edges 37 and 38, side edge 37 being longer than side edge 38.

Similarly, the lower tongue portion is defined by a free end edge 39 which is inclined parallel to the inclined free edge 36 of the upper tongue portion, and two opposed side edges 41 and 42, side edge 41 being longer than side edge 42. As can be seen, long side edge 37 is in the upper part of aperture portion 32 while the long edge 41 is in the lower part of aperture portion 31 and the respective inclined edges are spaced apart to provide a slot connecting the two aperture portions 31 and 32. The slot 35 is slightly wider than the wire 25 and is adapted to receive therethrough the wire when inclined for placement in the aperture 24, and the tongue portions are adapted to prevent release of the wire unless it is again inclined in line with the slot.

The long edges of the tongue portions 37 and 41 are "undercut" so that the width of each tongue portion near their respective toes, that is away from the tips 43 and 44, is horizontally narrower than if the side walls had been parallel.

It will be appreciated that since the tongue portions are centred on the minor apex 18 or 19 as the case may be, the tips 43 and 44 form a lip which inhibits vertical movement of the wire from the aperture. In other words, in order for the wire to be lifted above tip 44, it must be moved inwardly towards the opposite apex. Similarly, if a wire is resting in the upper part of the aperture, it also firstly must move inwardly in order to fall below the tip 43. Advantageously, the inward movement allows such a wire to then fall into the lower part of the aperture and the likelihood of it being released from the aperture through the inclined portion 35, is reduced.

Advantageously, the elongate aperture portions 31 and 32 are much shorter in length than similar prior art apertures thus having a lesser impact on the structural integrity of the post.

Moreover, as can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2 and Fig. 4, the outermost edges 46 and 47 of the aperture portions, curve towards the long edges 37 and 41 respectively with the result that less material is removed from the blank. Therefore, the amount of steel between the aperture and the free edge 21 or 22 is greater than in prior art posts of similar form. Furthermore, the tongue portions of the present posts are much shorter than in known posts and as a result are less prone to bending which can allow unwanted release of wires from their respective apertures.

Similarly shaped apertures can be provided in any appropriate longitudinally extending corner edge of the posts shown in Figs. 5 to 10 and numbered 51 to 57 for post 50, 61 to 66 for post 60, 71 to 74 for post The foregoing description has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention, and many modifications and variations which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein disclosed.

Claims (3)

1. A post having an elongate side wall having one or more longitudinally extending corner edges and a plurality of spaced apart apertures in said side wall along said one or more corner edges for supporting therein a corresponding plurality of fence wires, each aperture comprising a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion partially separated from said first aperture portion by opposed upper and lower tongue portions of said side wall, each tongue portion being defined by an inclined free end edge and two opposed side edges, said inclined free end edges defining therebetween an inclined slot connecting said first aperture portion and said second aperture portion and said inclined slot being adapted to allow a fence wire to be passed therethrough to rest in said first and second aperture portions when inclined but not when horizontal, the longer one of the side edges of the lower tongue portion being inclined or curved over at least a portion of its length away from its free end towards the opposite one of said first and second aperture portions.

2. A post according to Claim 1, wherein the long side edge of the upper tongue portion is also inclined towards the opposite one of said first and second aperture portions.

3. A post according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each aperture portion is vertically elongate and is of greater width horizontally adjacent the shorter edge of one tongue portion than the longer edge of the other tongue portion, and the edge defining the outermost limit of each aperture portion curves inwardly towards the toe of the respective tongue portion. Dated this 1 1 th day of October, 2001. ROB INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD A ~By its Patent Attorneys AHEARN FOX