CA1287730C

CA1287730C - Fence posts

Info

Publication number: CA1287730C
Application number: CA000539377A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Moreno Masci
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-06-10
Filing date: 1987-06-10
Publication date: 1991-08-20

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The invention concerns improvements in fence posts. A fence post comprises a trunk to be vertical above the ground with its base substantially at ground level and a prong which extends on the one hand into the ground to a depth below the expected frost line and on the other hand upwardly into the body of the trunk to support it. The prong is preferably a galvanised steel rod or tube, especially a tube.

Description

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This invention relates to Eence postsO It especially relates to fence posts used for decorative fencing or screerling or privacy ~encing.

Various proposals have been made over the years to ease the labour and expense in setting fence posts in the ground.
Some of these have involved separate devices whîch may be screwed or driven into the ground and to which the upstanding part of the fencepost is attached. Nevertheless, the traditional manner of erecting fence posts, that is digging a hole and setting a substantial depth of post into it, is still in general use. The post may be set in the hole in concrete and the post itself may be chemically treated against rot, thus involving yet further labour and expense.

Traditional methods are often difficult or impossible during the winter when the frost is in the ground and hampers hole digging. Moreover, posts are commonly planted only to a depth where they are subject to frost heave.

A known alternative to the traditional fenceposts is currently available and involves driving an iron prong into the ground and setting the fence post into a socket on the prong. The socket may be tightened around the base of the post but it is relatively shallow in comparison with post height and supports the post only at its base.

I have tried to design a Eence post which is easy to erect without the necessity of digging, sometimes even in winter, which is not subject to frost heave, and which is stable and supported over at least a substantial portion of its height.

According to the invention, I provide a fence post comprising an above-ground trunk havlng a longitudinal, central socket opening at its base, and a prong adapted to be driven into ~ 7~

the ground having a first part locatable Ln the socket and a second part to project therefrom, the ELrst part belng oE
sufEicient length to support the trunk on the prong and the second part being oE sufficient length, when clrLven Lnto the ground, to support the trunk vertlcally.
Preferably the length of the second prong part is about ~
feet so that it may reach beLow the Erost line and thus make the erected fence post not subject to Erost heave in the ground. Preferably also the socket may extend over at least a substantial portion oE the height of the trunk so that the first part of the prong can support the trunk over a substantial proportion of its height.

The prong may comprise a metal rod or tube, preferably a tube. The metal is advantageously steel, especially galvanised steel. For some applications it may be useful to use both a rod and a tube, the rod being used as reinforcement inside the tube.

According to a feature of the invention, I provide a fence post comprising an above-ground trunk having a longitudinal, central socket opening at its base and extending into the trunk over at least a substantial portion of its height, and a prong adapted to be driven into the ground and comprising a rod or tube of sufficient overall length to provide a first division locatable in the socket and a second division to project therefrom, the first division being of sufficient length to support the trunk on the prong and the second division being of sufficient length, when driven into the ground, to support the trunk vertically. The rod or tube is preferably a tube and preferably formed of steel or galvanised steel.

The proportions of the overall prong length comprising the first and second divisions may vary. The first and second ~ ~7~

divisions may be integral one with the other ancl may be of constant cross section, or they may be integral one with the other but marked by a mark line or even by a flange at the division polnt. When a flange is provided it may be useful as a rest for the base of the trunk. The depth of the socket may accomodate at least the longest first division, whereby, when erected, the base of the trunk is above the ground~ For example it m~y be one or even two inches above the ground.

To avoid frost heave, it is believed that the length of the second division should be at least about 4 feet. However, this length is dependent on climatic conditions and the figure of 4 feet is a rough guide for Southern Ontario.

It is possible to form the trunk of the post in discrete parts. In one embodiment the parts may be stackable, each one including a socket section which is arrangable to fit around the first part or division of the prong to form the complete trunk. This is useful when the prong is first driven into the ground and the dimensions of the whole trunk are such as to make it unwieldy to handle as a whole.

In another embodiment, useful due to ease of manu~acture the trunk may comprise two longitudinal parts each having corresponding longitudinal channels, and means to hold the parts together such that the channels form the socket. The channels may extend for the whole length of the longitudinal parts. The means to hold them together may suitably be 5 crews or nuts and bolts.

Usefully, a collar may be provided for the prong at and just below ground level where the ground gives minimum support against any bending forces on the prong. The collar may provide greater strength and stability and may comprise a first ring fitting loosely around the prong and a second ,`, '` ~ '' ~ 73~

ring o greater diameter spaced radially Erom the first by struts. l`he depth of each rlng and the struts may useull~
be about 4 to 6 inches.
Embodiments oE the invention will now be clescribed by way of example with reference to the drawings ln which:-Figure 1 shows a fence post according to the invention in relation to the ground;

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a fence post according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a fence pcst according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows a fence post according to the invention illustrating an additional feature of the invention; and Figure 5 shows part of a fence post according to the invention illustrating yet a further feature of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a fence post in which the trunk 10 is formed of a wooden post, for example a wooden post of square cross section of 4 inches by four inches. Other dimensions and shapes are possible.

The trunk 10 has been bored to have a socket 12 which extends substantially the length of the trunk from an open end at the base to a closed end at the top. The socket 12 may alternatively extend to an open top of the trunk which may, if desired be closed by a cap.

A prong 14 is formed from a galvanised steel tube which fits 77 ~O

into socket l2. The prong 1~, as shown, is oE the same cross section over i~s length and Ls divided without a visible break into ELrst and second divisions. Alternative'ly the prong may by clividec~ by a f'Lange which a]so acts as a rest for the base oE the trunk. The overa'Ll length oE the prong 14 is such that the first division fits into socket 12 over a substantial length of the trunk 10 and the second division may be around 4 feet to be driven into the ground. It is important that the second division is long enough to be embedded in the ground far enough to hold the trunk stable in a vertical position.
In operation the prong 14 is driven into the groundg without the necessity of digging, until it upstands therefrom by an amount no greater than the depth of the socket 12 and no less than that required to hold the trunk stable in an upright position. The upstanding portion constitutes the first division. If an obstruction in the ground is encountered so that it is not possible to drive prong 14 in so far that the upstanding first division is no greater than the depth of the socket, then another attempt must be made. Care must also be taken that the prong 14 is not driven in so far that the upstanding division will not support the trunk stably.
However, within these limits, the length of each division is a matter of choice for the operator or dependent on obstructions encountered in the ground. When the prong 14 has been driven into the ground the trunk 10 may be located on it so that the base of the trunk is just above the ground surface as shown in Figure 1. For example~ the base of the trunk may be one or two inches a'bove the ground.

When the socke-t 12 is closed at the top end and the ground is relatively free from obstructions, the trunk and prong can be assembled prLor to driving the prong.

Figure 3 shows an aLternative embodiment where the trunk is ~ ~7~ 3~

Eormed of two longitudinal wooclen members 16, ~8 which are provided with corresponding routed channels 20~ 22 over thelr length. Channels 20, 22 are dimensloned to Eorm a socket to fit snugly aro~md the upstanding flrst divislon o prong 14 which has been driven into the ground when the members 16, 18 are fitted together~ The members 16, 18 may be held securely with the socket Eormed by channels 20, 22 around prong 14 by means of nuts and bolts or by screws or by any other convenient means, such as strapping. Strapping may be used alone or in conjunction with other means of holding the members together to strengthen the members and inhibit splitting of wood.

Figure 4 shows a fence post, which may be either of the embodiments shown in Figures 2 and 3, which may be useful in very ligh~ or sandy soils. The second division 20 of prong 14, that is the below ground portion, is separate from the first division 22 and of greater diameter. The divisions are joined through any conventional pipe reducer 21. As described previously the prong 14 is driven into the ground to a depth such that the base of the trunk, when positioned on the prong, is just above, say 1 or 2 inches, above ground level.
In order to strengthen fence posts according to the invention around ground level where strains on the exposed prong, or that part of the prong that is only just below the surface, may be greatest, a strengthening collar 30 may be provided as shown in Figure 5. The collar may be of any convenient construction but may suitably be an inner ring 34 fitting loosely around prong 14 and an outer ring 32 spaced from the inner ring by spacers. The depth of both rings may suitably be from about 4 to about 6 inches. The collar 30 is bedded into the ground so that its top edge is at ground level and the prong extends deeply into the ground within the inner collar 32.

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In some light soils it may be possible to drive colLar 30 into the ground to the shallow depth required. Howe~er, even if it ls necessary to clig a shallow hole to locate it, the labour req-ulred is slight in comparison to digging the deep hole require for traditional fence posts As described the trunk 10 is formed of wood, which may be of any type and may be treated with preservative or paint.
However the invention is not confined to the use of wood and trunks formed of metal or plastic or other material are also possible.

Claims

1. A post comprising an aboveground wood trunk having a longitudinal, central cylindrical socket extending over a substantial portion of the height of the trunk and opening at its base; and a cylindrical prong adapted to be driven into the ground comprising a rod or tube of sufficient overall length to provide a first division locatable in snug fit within the socket over the whole length of the first division, and a second division to project from the socket into the ground, whereby the base of the trunk is positionable adjacent or substantially adjacent to the ground, the first division being of sufficient length to support the trunk on the prong and the second division being of sufficient length when driven fully into the ground, to support the trunk vertically, whereby, when the post erected the prong is reinforced for stability over its substantial length by an inside wall of the socket on the one hand and by the ground on the other hand.

2. A post as claimed in claim 1, in which the proportions of the overall prong length comprising the first and second divisions vary and the depth of the socket accommodates at least the longest first division, whereby, when erected, the base of the trunk rests on the ground for all lengths of the second division.

3. A post as claimed in claim 2, in which the length of the second division is at least about 4 feet.

4. A post as claimed in claim 2 in which the prong is a galvanized steel tube.

5. A post as claimed in claim 1, in which the trunk comprises a plurality of parts each one including a socket section and being stackable one upon another about the prong to form the complete trunk.

6. A post as claimed in claim 1, in which the prong is of substantially constant cross-section over its whole length.

7. A post as claimed in claim 1, in which the trunk comprises two longitudinal parts each having corresponding longitudinal channels, and meant to hold the parts together such that the channels form the socket.

8. A post as claimed in claim 7, in which the channels extend for the whole length of the longitudinal parts.

9. A post as claimed in claim 7, in which the means to hold the longitudinal parts together comprise screws or nuts and bolts.

10. A post as claimed in claim 1, or claim 5, in which a collar is provided for a prong at, or just below, ground level.

11. A post as claimed in claim 1, in which a collar is provided for the prong at, or just below, ground level, the collar comprising an inner ring loosely fitting the prong and an outer ring spaced from the inner ring by strut.