GB2155073A - Fence - Google Patents

Abstract

A fence building system comprising two end posts 9, a rail 8 secured adjacent the upper ends of the end posts, and a series of fence elements (1 Fig. 1) secured together and to the posts and rail to define a fence section. The fence elements can be generally square and provided with holes at each corner. Connectors of plastics material 3 and 4 engage through the holes of overlapping fence sections to secure them together and at the periphery of the fence section to the posts and rail. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A fence building system The present invention relates to a fence building system.

Conventional garden fences are constructed from for example a wooden frame supported by suitable posts and filled in with a suitable material such as overlapping boards to define a fence panel. Garden walls of conventional brick or incorporating decorative apertured blocks are also very popular but are expensive as they. require sound foundations along the length of the wall, buttresses at intervals along the wall, and skilled labour two erect them. On the other hand wooden panel fences are relatively fragile, and although easier to erect than masonery walls still require some skill as generally the supporting posts are cemented in at the same time as the wall panels are erected. This is difficult for a householder to do on his own.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fence building system.

According to the present invention there is provided a fence building system comprising two end posts, a rail, means for securing the rail adjacent the upper ends of the posts, a plurality of fence elements intended to be secured together to define a fence section, means for securing the fence elements to the posts and rails, and means for securing the fence elements together in a regular array, whereby a section of the fence can be assembled in the form of a curtain-like array of interconnected fence elements suspended from the rail and secured at each side edge to the posts.

The fence elements may be of any suitable outline form but will generally have peripheral portions which adapt them for interconnection in a generally square array. For example, each of the fence elements can be provided with a connector receiving hole or other equivalent formation arranged at each of the corners of a square. The generally square fence element may be apertured for decorative purposes in desired configuration compatible with strength requirements.

The means for securing the fence elements together may be in the form of plastic members adapted to engage the connector receiving holes or otherformations. The means for securing the fence elements to the posts and rail may be similar but provided in addition with a formation adapted to engage in a slot in the post or rail to form for example a dovetail joint.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates four fence elements interconnected by plastics members; Fig. 2 is a section through Fig. 1 on line ll-ll; Fig. 3 is perspective view of one half of one of the plastics members shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Figs. 4 and 5 are front views of the two halves of the connector shown in Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 6 is a front view of one end of a fence section assembled from the components of Figs. 1 to 5; Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the interconnection between the fence sections and a supporting post and rail frame; Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate the cross section of the post and rail respectively; Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate alternative means for connecting fence elements; and Figs. 13 to 16 illustrate four possible fence element designs.

Referring to Fig. 1 four fence elements 1 are shown formed from sheets of glass reinforced cement and moulded to have a four pointed star outline pierced by connector holes 2. The elements 1 are arranged in a regular array so that each element is connected to a total of eight other elements, except at the periphery of the array. Each point of each star-shape element is connected to three other elements by a connector 3, except at the periphery of the array where two points are interconnected by a connector 4.

Figs. 2 to 5 illustrate details of the connectors 3 and 4. Connector 4 is essentially the same as one half of the connector 3, and accordingly only connector 3 is described in detail herein. The connector 3 comprises two parts which are mirror images of each other, each part supporting two ribbed pins 5 and a triangular central projection 6.

The connector 3 is assembled with the ends of the four fence elements sandwiched between them, the pins being a tight push fit in the apertures 2. Thus the diagonally opposed pairs of fence elements are interlinked. The triangular projections of the adjacent faces of which may be ribbed to improve interengagement are pressed together and prevent the two parts of the connector from moving apart.

All four adjacent fence elements are accordingly secured together.

Figs. 6 to 10 illustrate the connection of an assembly of fence elements to a post and rail frame.

As shown in Fig. 6, an array offence elements 1 is interconnected by connectors 3 and 4 and connected by connectors 7 to rail 8 mounted on posts 9. The connectors 7 are identical to the connectors 3 except for the addition of a dovetail 10 (Fig. 7) on one side of its parts. This dovetail is slipped inside a mating channel member 11 that is secured to the posts by a bolt engaging a nut slipped inside a channel in the posts. Fig. 9 illustrates the cross-section of a post which defines a channel 12 into which a nut 13 is slid, the channels 11 being bolted to the nuts 13. Fig. 10 illustrates the rail 8 which itself defines a channel into which the dovetails 10 of connector 7 are slipped. The connector 7 located at the top end of each post 9 is secured to the post by a bolt 14 extending into engagement with a nut 13 received in the post channel.

Thus the array of fence elements 1 is suspended in the manner of a curtain from the rail 8 secured to the post 9. The rail is bolted to the posts 9. A bracket (not shown) may be provided to hook the rail to the tops of the posts and thereby prevent it slipping down the posts. and to interconnect lengths of rail.

The bottom of the curtain, secured together by connectors 4, rests on a cement board 15 (Fig. 8).

Alternatively bottom connectors may be provided which positively engage the bottom board and secure itto the posts.

In the above embodiment, the fence elements are generally planar and are connected edge to edge.

The interconnected portions of the fence elements may overlap however, and this can be readily achieved by using non-planarfence elements as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the fence elements being held together by bolts 16. The bolts may have heads 17 suitable for engagement in channels formed in a post 17.

It will be appreciated that the fence elements can have a wide variety of outlines, thickness and general appearance as desired. For example, simple edge connected reinforced cement elements can be produced having the configurations shown in Figs.

13to 16.

Claims (7)

1.A A fence building system comprising two end posts, a rail, means for securing the rail adjacent the upper ends of the end posts, a plurality af fence elements intended to be secured together to define a fence section, means for securing the fence elements to the posts and rail, and means for securing the fence elements together in a regular array, whereby a section of the fence can be assembled in the form of a curtain-like array of interconnected fence elements suspended from the rail and secured at each end to the posts.

2. A fence building system according to claim 1, wherein the fence elements have peripheral portions which adapt them for interconnection in a generally square array.

3. A fence building system according to claim 2, wherein each of the fence elements is provided with a connector receiving formation arranged at each of the corners of a square.

4. A fence building system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the fence elements are apertured.

5. A fence building system according to claim 2, 3, or 4, wherein the means for securing the fence elements together are in the form of plastics members adapted to engage the connector receiving formations.

6. Afence building system according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for securing the fence elements to the post and rail are provided with a formation adapted to engage in a slot in the post or rail to form for example a dovetail joint.

7. A fence building system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.