GB2153403A - Adjustable fence post support - Google Patents

Abstract

The support comprises a spike 1 of L cross section formed by elongate planar walls 2, 3, and a support member 4 incorporating square bottom element 5 and two planar side-wall elements 6, 7 interconnected with two adjacent edges of the bottom element to extend perpendicularly thereto and to each other, the side-wall elements being spaced from each other. The bottom element is along its other two adjacent edges firmly connected perpendicularly to spike walls 2, 3, thus forming an upward-open box for receiving a post of square cross-section. The side walls formed by the side-wall elements are flexible for adaptation to oversized or undersized posts. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fence Post Support The invention relates to a fence post support made by pressing from a metal sheet, e.g. a steel sheet.

Pressed steel fence post supports are known in various forms. These known fence post supports have various disadvantages known to persons skilled in the art. The aim of the present invention is to avoid, or at least to mitigate, these disadvantages and to produce a new fence post support which is easy and cheap to manufacture and meets the requirements on such supports.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a spike blank to be bent along the dotted line A to produce a spike shown in Figures 2 and3, Figure 2 is a side elevation of a spike made from the blank shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is an isometric view of the spike shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 shows a support member blank to be bent along the dottedlines B to produce a support shown in Figures 5 and 6, Figure 5 is a plan view of a support member made from a blank shown in Fig. 4 Figure 6 is an isometric view of the support member shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a finished fence post support, Figure 8 is a plan to Figure 7, and Figure 9 is an isometric view of Figure 7.

The fence post support illustrated in Figures 7 to 9 comprises a spike 1 and a support member 4.

In the embodiment described below and illustrated in the drawings the spike 1 is made from a blank in the shape of an isosceles trapezium (Fig.

1) or an isosceles triangle (not shown) the height of which is 30" (762 mm) and the maximum width of which is 7.5" (190 mm). The blank is made of a sheet of mild steel 0.1" (2.5 mm) thick. The blank is bent, e.g. in a press tool, along the line A, which extends along its axis of symmetry, to produce a spike 1 having two arms 2,3 at right angles with each other, as is apparent from Figures 2 and 3.

The support member 4 is made from a substantially L-shaped blank (Fig. 4) with three holes 8, 9, 10 of the same material. The blank is bent along the lines B to produce a support member 4 having a bottom 5 with two side walls 6, 7, the bottom 5 and the side walls 6, 7 extending substantially at right angles to each other, as is apparent from Figures 5 and 6. The bottom 5 is provided with a drainage hole 8, and each of the side walls 6,7 is provided with one hole 9 or 10 for fixing screws. The hole 10 is situated nearer the bottom 5 than the hole 9. As is apparent from Figures 4 to 6 the bottom 5 is substantially in the shape of a square. In the illustrated example each side of the square is approximately 3" (76 mm) long, and each of the side walls 6,7 is approximately 6" (152 mm) high.

In orderto produce a complete fence post support according to the invention the support member 4 is welded to the spike 1 at the uppermost widest part thereof such that the tops of the side walls 6 and 7 are substantially at the same height as the tops of the arms 2 and 3 of the spike 1. In this position the tops of the arms 2 and 3 and the tops of the side walls 6 and 7 define a substantially square-shaped hole for the insertion of a wooden post of a substantially square-shaped diameter each side of which measures approximately 3" (76 mm).

The finished fence post support is painted or powder-coated.

As is apparent from Figs. 5 to 9, there is a gap between the adjacent edges of the side walls 6,7 because the side walls are at these edges made narrower than the corresponding portion of the bottom 5. This makes the whole support member 4 flexible (even if the other edges of the side walls 6,7 are welded to the adjacent arms 2, 3) and therefore adaptable to oversized and undersized wooden posts. If the post is oversized, the side walls 6,7 are forced apart, and if the post is undersized, the side walls 6,7 are pressed on to the post when the post is screwed to the support member 4 by screws passing through the holes 9, 10.The bottom 5, which extends substantially at right angles to the arms 2, 3, makes the fence support sufficiently stiff and robust even though the side walls 6,7 are flexible.

For reasons of safety the corner of the bottom 5 in the said gap is preferably cut off, e.g. as shown in Fig. 6.

1. A fence post support comprising a spike formed by two elongate, substantially planar walls longitudinally interconnected to be substantially L-shaped in cross-section, and a support member incorporating a substantially square-shaped bottom element and two substantially planar side-wall elements interconnected with two adjacent edges of the bottom element to extend substantially perpendicularly thereto and to each other, the side-wall elements being spaced from each other, wherein the bottom element is along its other two adjacent edges firmly connected to the spike walls to extend substantially perpendicularly thereto, whereby the bottom element, the two side-wall elements and the portions of the spike walls above the bottom element define an upwardly open box for receiving a post of a substantially square-shaped cross-section, in which the side walls formed by the side-wall elements are flexible for adaptation to oversized or undersized posts.

2. Afence post support according to Claim 1, wherein the wall elements include means for attachment to the post.

3. A fence post support according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom element is provided with a drainage hole.

4. A fence post support constructed, arranged, and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Fence Post Support The invention relates to a fence post support made by pressing from a metal sheet, e.g. a steel sheet. Pressed steel fence post supports are known in various forms. These known fence post supports have various disadvantages known to persons skilled in the art. The aim of the present invention is to avoid, or at least to mitigate, these disadvantages and to produce a new fence post support which is easy and cheap to manufacture and meets the requirements on such supports. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a spike blank to be bent along the dotted line A to produce a spike shown in Figures 2 and3, Figure 2 is a side elevation of a spike made from the blank shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is an isometric view of the spike shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 shows a support member blank to be bent along the dottedlines B to produce a support shown in Figures 5 and 6, Figure 5 is a plan view of a support member made from a blank shown in Fig. 4 Figure 6 is an isometric view of the support member shown in Fig. 5. Figure 7 is a side elevation of a finished fence post support, Figure 8 is a plan to Figure 7, and Figure 9 is an isometric view of Figure 7. The fence post support illustrated in Figures 7 to 9 comprises a spike 1 and a support member 4. In the embodiment described below and illustrated in the drawings the spike 1 is made from a blank in the shape of an isosceles trapezium (Fig. 1) or an isosceles triangle (not shown) the height of which is 30" (762 mm) and the maximum width of which is 7.5" (190 mm). The blank is made of a sheet of mild steel 0.1" (2.5 mm) thick. The blank is bent, e.g. in a press tool, along the line A, which extends along its axis of symmetry, to produce a spike 1 having two arms 2,3 at right angles with each other, as is apparent from Figures 2 and 3. The support member 4 is made from a substantially L-shaped blank (Fig. 4) with three holes 8, 9, 10 of the same material. The blank is bent along the lines B to produce a support member 4 having a bottom 5 with two side walls 6, 7, the bottom 5 and the side walls 6, 7 extending substantially at right angles to each other, as is apparent from Figures 5 and 6. The bottom 5 is provided with a drainage hole 8, and each of the side walls 6,7 is provided with one hole 9 or 10 for fixing screws. The hole 10 is situated nearer the bottom 5 than the hole 9. As is apparent from Figures 4 to 6 the bottom 5 is substantially in the shape of a square. In the illustrated example each side of the square is approximately 3" (76 mm) long, and each of the side walls 6,7 is approximately 6" (152 mm) high. In orderto produce a complete fence post support according to the invention the support member 4 is welded to the spike 1 at the uppermost widest part thereof such that the tops of the side walls 6 and 7 are substantially at the same height as the tops of the arms 2 and 3 of the spike 1. In this position the tops of the arms 2 and 3 and the tops of the side walls 6 and 7 define a substantially square-shaped hole for the insertion of a wooden post of a substantially square-shaped diameter each side of which measures approximately 3" (76 mm). The finished fence post support is painted or powder-coated. As is apparent from Figs. 5 to 9, there is a gap between the adjacent edges of the side walls 6,7 because the side walls are at these edges made narrower than the corresponding portion of the bottom 5. This makes the whole support member 4 flexible (even if the other edges of the side walls 6,7 are welded to the adjacent arms 2, 3) and therefore adaptable to oversized and undersized wooden posts. If the post is oversized, the side walls 6,7 are forced apart, and if the post is undersized, the side walls 6,7 are pressed on to the post when the post is screwed to the support member 4 by screws passing through the holes 9, 10.The bottom 5, which extends substantially at right angles to the arms 2, 3, makes the fence support sufficiently stiff and robust even though the side walls 6,7 are flexible. For reasons of safety the corner of the bottom 5 in the said gap is preferably cut off, e.g. as shown in Fig. 6. CLAIMS

1. A fence post support comprising a spike formed by two elongate, substantially planar walls longitudinally interconnected to be substantially L-shaped in cross-section, and a support member incorporating a substantially square-shaped bottom element and two substantially planar side-wall elements interconnected with two adjacent edges of the bottom element to extend substantially perpendicularly thereto and to each other, the side-wall elements being spaced from each other, wherein the bottom element is along its other two adjacent edges firmly connected to the spike walls to extend substantially perpendicularly thereto, whereby the bottom element, the two side-wall elements and the portions of the spike walls above the bottom element define an upwardly open box for receiving a post of a substantially square-shaped cross-section, in which the side walls formed by the side-wall elements are flexible for adaptation to oversized or undersized posts.

2. Afence post support according to Claim 1, wherein the wall elements include means for attachment to the post.

3. A fence post support according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom element is provided with a drainage hole.

4. A fence post support constructed, arranged, and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

5. A post incorporating a fence post support according to any one of the preceding claims.

6. A fence comprising a fence post support according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 or a post according to Claim 5.