AU748721B3 - Posts - Google Patents

Description

1 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT oo o; 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.

In recent years, trellises in commercial vineyards typically have been constructed having a plurality of vertically spaced wires supported on spaced apart posts, with most of the posts being formed of cold rolled steel and being relatively narrow in width or diameter and the remainder of the posts being timber, typically CCA treated pine, and being interspersed at predetermined intervals to provide lateral stability for the trellis against wind load. The intervals may be every third post, every fourth post, every fifth post, etc depending on location, soil type and various other factors. The CCA treated timber posts are typically have a diameter of 100mm or more.

One disadvantage of the timber posts, is that they interfere with the operation of mechanical grape harvesting machinery, to an extent whereby a significant portion of the fruit is left on the vines and must be picked manually or lost. The resulting loss can be in the order of 5% to 10% of the total available yield.

The presently available steel posts are typically constructed by roll forming galvanised steel sheet and can have a transverse width of as little as 50mm. However, they are typically open on one side and are prone to failure through twisting and bending under the prevailing wind loading in some areas, unless sufficient intermediate timber posts to withstand the windload are provided.

The present invention is aimed at providing a post which has significantly smaller transverse width than the typical CCA treated pine posts and which has improved wind loading characteristics and which can be produced at a reasonable cost.

With the foregoing in view, the present invention resides broadly in a post comprising: a first elongate component having a first side wall forming -2a partially enclosed first hollow of substantially triangular cross-sectional shape, two adjacent portions of said first side wall meeting at an apex and the edges of said first side wall or respective portions of said first side wall adjacent the edges defining a first elongate opening extending along its length opposite said apex; a second elongate component having a second side wall forming a partially enclosed second hollow of substantially triangular cross-sectional shape, the edges of said second side wall or respective portions of said second side wall adjacent the edges defining a second elongate opening extending along its length; said second elongate component being engaged with said first elongate component with said second opening being within said first hollow and opposed portions of the outer face of said S second side wall being engaged with spaced apart portions of the inner face of said first side wall, and the edges of said first side wall or respective portions of said first side wall adjacent the edges being engaged with the outer face of said second wall to secure said second component to said first component.

In another aspect the invention resides broadly in a post comprising: a first elongate component having a first side wall forming a partially enclosed first hollow, the edges of said first side wall or respective portions of said first side wall adjacent the edges defining a first elongate opening extending along its length; a second elongate component having a second side wall forming a partially enclosed second hollow, the edges of said second side wall or respective portions of said second side wall adjacent the edges defining a second elongate opening extending along its length; 4 B0214O.wpd Amendments 5 March 2002 i-.

-2asaid second elongate component being engaged with said first elongate component such that a portion of said second elongate component is within said first hollow and another portion extends through said first elongate opening, said first and second components being of substantially the same shape.

In yet another aspect the invention resides broadly in a method of constructing a post, including: providing a first elongate component having a first side wall forming a partially enclosed first hollow, the edges of said first side wall or respective portions of said first side wall 2140.wpd Amendments 5 March 2002 -3adjacent the edges defining a first elongate opening extending along its length; providing a second elongate component of substantially the same cross sectional shape as said first elongate component and having a second side wall forming a partially enclosed second hollow, the edges of said second side wall or respective portions of said second side wall adjacent the edges defining a second elongate opening extending along its length; forcing said second elongate component into engagement with said first elongate component such that said second opening is within said first hollow and the edges of said first wall or respective portions of said first side wall adjacent the edges engage with the outer face of said second wall to secure said second component to said first component.

In still yet another aspect the invention resides broadly in a method of constructing a post, including: providing a first elongate component having a first side wall forming a partially enclosed first hollow, the edges of said first side wall or respective portions of said first side wall adjacent the edges defining a first elongate opening extending along its length; providing a second elongate component of substantially the same cross sectional shape as said first elongate component and having a second side wall forming a partially enclosed second hollow, the edges of said second side wall or respective portions of said second side wall adjacent the edges defining a second elongate opening extending along its length; forcing said second elongate component into engagement with said first elongate component such that a portion of said second elongate component having the edges of said second side wall is within said first hollow and another portion extends through said first elongate opening.

Preferably, said first and second components are forned from two components of substantially identical cross sections which may each be used as trellis posts where wind loading requirements are relatively low or where high wind loading posts such as CCA treated pine posts or posts according to the present invention are provided at spaced intervals. Although being of substantially identical cross section, the first component may have a plurality of apertures for supporting trellis wires while they may be omitted from the second component and there may be other differences of a like nature. Further, the two components may be deformed to allow the second component to be forced into engagement with the first component, for example, the elongate opening of the first componentmay be widened and that of the second component narrowed to allow the second component to be forced into engagement with the first component. In a preferred form of manufacture, where the components are roll formed galvanised steel, the second opening may be narrowed by an additional rolling operation. That is to say, a component which would normally be roll formed as a low wind loading trellis post would undergo a further rolling operation to narrow the elongate opening so as to allow engagement with another low wind loading post formed by the same roll forming machine. Alternatively, the second component may be pressed to close the elongate opening.

Preferably, the outer face of the second side wall engages with the inner face of the first side wall along two opposing contact portions spaced from the first elongate opening. In a preferred form in which inwardly extending ribs are provided in the first side wall, it is preferred that contact be made on or adjacent such ribs. Further, in a more preferred forn where both the first and second components have such ribs and the ribs are formed by forming a recess in the outer face, it is also preferred that the edges of the first side wall engage in the recess.

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 pictorial representation of a trellis post according to the invention shown in cut-away form; Fig. 2 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 1 from the opposite side, also in cut-away form; Fig. 3 is a pictorial representation of a portion of a trellis post of the type from which each of the two main components of the post of Fig. 1 is formed; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a pictorial representation of another trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 7 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 6 from the opposite side; Fig. 8 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a sectional end elevation of an alternative trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 10 is a pictorial representation of another trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 11 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 10 from the opposite side; Fig. 12 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. Fig. 13 is a pictorial representation of another trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 14 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 13 from the opposite side; Fig. 15 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 13; and Fig. 16 is a pictorial representation of another trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 17 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 16 from the opposite side; Fig. 18 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 16; Fig. 19 is a pictorial representation of another trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 20 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 19 from the opposite side; Fig. 21 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 18; -6- Fig. 22 is a pictorial representation of another trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 23 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 22 from the opposite side; Fig. 24 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 22; Fig. 25 is a pictorial representation of another trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 26 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 25 from the opposite side; Fig. 27 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 25; and Fig. 28 is a pictorial representation of another trellis post according to the invention; Fig. 29 is a pictorial representation of the trellis post of Fig. 28 from the opposite side; and Fig. 30 is a sectional end elevation of the trellis post of Fig. 28.

The trellis post 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a first elongate component 11 and a second elongate conponent 12 which 20 is engaged with the first component such that part of the second component is within the first component. Each coimponent is formed by cold rolling galvanised sheet steel in known manner. A plurality of vertically spaced apertures 3 are provided in the first component for supporting therein a plurality of spaced apart trellis wires. Different shaped apertures could be provided if desired. 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.

Each component is a slightly deformed individual trellis post generally of the type shown in Fig. 3 which has a wall 14 formed substantially in the shape of a V with a main apex 16, two side wall portions 17 and 18 diverging from the main apex to form the legs of the V, and two inwardly directed opposed return wall portions 19 and 20 forming the tops of the V and defining minor opposed apices 21 and 22 and which terminate in spaced apart edges 23 and 24 respectively to provide an elongate opening -7extending the full length of the post. Suitably, as can be seen in Fig. 1 the apertures 13 are provided at the minor apices. A longitudinally extending rib 27 is provided approximately midway across each wall portion 17 and 18 respectively to increase the strength of the trellis post. These reference numbers are used to reference the corresponding parts of the first and second components of the post shown in Fig. 1 except that they are proceeded by the letter for the first component and the letter for the second component. It is to be understood that the trellis post of Fig. 3 is shown without apertures for trellis wires for clarity and would normally have apertures corresponding to those shown in Fig. 1.

As can be seen in Fig. 5, the second component 12 has been formed by rolling or pressing a post 13 so as to close or almost close the elongate opening 25b thereby decreasing the width between the opposed apices 21a and 22a such that the distance between the wall portions adjacent the ribs 27b is approximately the same as the distance between the terminal edges 23a and 24a of the first component or preferably slightly greater, and the terminal edges 23a and 24a engage with the outer face of the wall ,0 portions 17b and 18b adjacent the respective ribs.

It will also be seen in Fig. 5 that the opposed apices 21b and 22b engage with the inner wall of the first component in close proximity to the ribs 27a.

In order to construct the post 11ii, the second component 12 is formed by rolling or pressing as previously mentioned, a taper is formed on the return wall portions 19a and 20a of the first component to provide a lead-in to the elongate opening 25a. The two components are then placed end to end in line with the final position shown in Fig. 5 and the second component is then 30 slidingly forced into engagement with the first component. If desired weld may be applied at the ends or along the edges 23a and 24a to ensure that the two components are secured together.

However, it is believed that the frictional forces between the two components will be sufficient and that over time there will be a certain amount of cold welding between the two components.

It will be appreciated from Figs. 1 and 2 that the portion of -8walls 17b and 18b provide a backing for the apertures 13 thereby reducing wire wear on the edges of the apertures.

The post illustrated in Fig. 6 is very similar to that of Fig. i, the main difference being that the ribs 27a and 27b are slightly further from the respective main apices 16a and 16b.

This allows the terminal edges 23a and 24a to engage within the rib recesses in the outer face of the second component. It is believed that such engagement will provide additional security to prevent relative movement between the two components.

The trellis post shown in Fig. 9 is the same as that of Fig.

1 except that neither of the components has ribs formed therein.

It will be appreciated that the first and second components may be formed from identical trellis posts but it is preferred that the second component not have apertures for trellis wires provided in the minor apices. Apertures may be provided at the main apex of either or both components if required, and in one form apertures are provided in both components and they are engaged so that such apertures are in alignment thereby allowing wires to be run therethrough.

It will also be appreciated that a post constructed according to the present invention will be able to withstand far greater wind loads than the trellis posts from which they are formed. Preliminary tests have indicated that posts of the type shown in Fig. 1 can withstand at least four times the wind load of the single posts from which they are constructed.

The posts illustrated in Figs.10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, and 28 are similar to that of Fig. 1 in many respects and for ease of reference corresponding items have been given corresponding reference numbers but prefaced by a and respectively. In all of those posts, the shape of the second component is different from the shape of the first component.

Further, in post 110, the outer faces of the wall portions of the outer component 111 adjacent the terminal edges 123a and 124a rather than the terminal edges themselves abut the respective outer faces of the inner component 112, while the terminal edges 123b and 124b abut the inner faces of the wall 114a more or less opposite the elongate opening 125a. Posts 210 and 310 are similar -9in these aspects also. However, in post 410, the terminal edges 423a and 424a of the outer component abut the outer face of wall 414b at opposite sides and the terminal edges of the inner component abut the inner face of wall 114a opposite the opening 425a. Posts 510, 610 and 710, are similar in these aspects.

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. 2. A post according to Claim 1 wherein two adjacent portions of said second wall meet at an apex and said second elongate opening is opposite said apex.
2. 3. A post according to Claims 1 or Claim 2, wherein said first and second components are formed from two components of substantially identical cross sections and the outer face of the second side wall engages with the inner face of the first side wall along two opposing contact portions spaced from the first elongate opening.
3. 102140.wpd Amendments 5 March 2002 Dated this 25th day of March, 2002. ROB INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD By its Patent Attorneys AHEARN FOX /CROB0214O.wpd Amendmtents 5 March 2002