GB2238065A

GB2238065A - Fencing

Info

Publication number: GB2238065A
Application number: GB9024592A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman Brian Griffiths
Original assignee: G B G FENCES Ltd
Current assignee: G B G FENCES Ltd
Priority date: 1989-11-14
Filing date: 1990-11-13
Publication date: 1991-05-22
Also published as: GB9024592D0; GB8925740D0

Abstract

Fence support apparatus comprising a foot 10 having a first portion 14 with apertures through which ground pins 18 are driven into the ground to secure the foot 10, and a socket 22 to receive a fence post 12. Attachment means 40 supported on the post 12 are also provided, comprising two members located on either side of a catenary wire 52 (Fig 2) whereby fencing material hung from the wire 52 is supported by the post 12. <IMAGE>

Description

Fencing The present invention relates to fencing, and in particular, but not exclusively to devices for securing fencing support members.

It is well known to secure a fencing support member, such as a vertical post, by embedding the bottom of the post in the ground, perhaps surrounded by concrete. Strong fences can be erected in this way but suffer from the disadvantage for some uses that they cannot easily be removed.

At dirty or dusty sites such as landfill waste tips, or mining spoil heaps, it is desirable to provide fencing known as "environmental screening" in order to shelter the site from the effects of wind, thereby preventing dirt and dust spreading to the surrounding environment, and allowing the dust to settle out. Many sites where environmental screening is required are not permanent, so that the expense of providing permanent fencing with concrete post footings, and the difficulty of removing such fencing may not be acceptable.

The present invention seeks to obviate or mitigate this difficulty.

The invention provides a device for securing a fencing support member, comprising a first portion having at least one aperture through which an elongate member may be driven into the ground to secure the device to the ground, and a second portion which, in use, receives a fencing support member, thereby securing the support member to the ground without embedding the support member therein.

Preferably the second portion provides a socket for receiving the support member. Preferably the first portion has a plurality of apertures through which elongate members may be driven. The apertures may be arranged to receive elongate members at respective angles. The apertures are preferably sufficiently large to receive ground pins for securing the device to the ground. The or each aperture may be defined by the walls of a hollow cylindrical member.

The first portion may be a length of angle iron.

The hollow cylindrical members may be attached to respective faces of the angle iron.

The second portion may be hollow and cylindrical. The cylindrical axis of the second portion is preferably so oriented in relation to the first portion as to secure the fencing support member, in use, at an angle to the vertical. The said angle is preferably substantially 600.

The invention also provides fence support apparatus comprising a device as aforesaid, a fencing support member received, in use, by the second member of the said device, and attachment means for attaching fencing material to the fencing support member. Preferably, in use, each attachment means is supported by more than one support member. In use, each attachment means may be supported by at least one support member on either side of the line of the fence being constructed.

The or each device preferably secures fencing support members at an angle to the vertical. The angle may be substantially 600.

The attachment means may comprise means for supporting a catenary member on the fencing support member, whereby fencing material may be hung from the catenary member is supported by the fencing support member. The means for supporting a catenary member may comprise two members which, in use, are located on either side of the catenary to be supported, and have aligned apertures through which an elongate member may pass to extend under the catenary member.

The apparatus may comprise a projection on one of the support member or attachment means, and a socket on the other of the said member or means, for receiving the projection. The projection may comprise a neck and a relatively large terminal head, and the socket may comprise a relatively wide entry portion through which the head may pass, and a relatively narrow second portion which, in use, accommodates the neck and is sufficiently narrow to prevent the head passing out of the socket through the second portion.

The invention also provides a fence comprising fencing material supported at a plurality of positions along its length by fence support apparatus as aforesaid.

One example of a device for securing a fence support member, and the manner in which it may be employed in accordance with the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention for securing a fencing support member; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the top of a fence constructed according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of the fence of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a partial section viewed along the length of the fence of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a side view of a corner formed in the fence of Fig. 2.

The device 10 shown in Fig. 1 is for securing a fence support member 12. Hereinafter, the device 10 will be referred to as a foot, and the support member 12 will be referred to as a post.

The foot 10 comprises a first portion 14 having apertures 16 through which elongate members indicated at 18 may be driven into the ground 20 to secure the foot 10 to the ground. A second portion 22 provides a socket for receiving the post 12, thereby securing the post 12 to the ground without embedding the post therein.

In more detail, the foot 10 comprises a length of angle iron forming the first portion 14, and to which two short lengths 24 of steel tube are welded. The tubes 24 are welded to respective faces of the angle iron 14 so that axes of the tubes 24 are at an angle to each other.

The diameter of the tubes 24 is chosen to be sufficiently large to allow the tubes to receive ground pins 18, which are driven into the ground through the tubes 24 to secure the angle iron 14 to the ground, with the angle 26 of the angle iron uppermost.

Towards one end of the angle iron 14, a third length of tube is welded to the angle iron to form the second portion 22. The second portion 22 extends up from the angle iron 14 at an angle of approximately 600 to the horizontal, and in a vertical plane which includes the line of the angle 26. The diameter of the tube 22 is chosen to allow the tube 22 to receive the lower end of the post 12.

The apparatus which is used at the upper end of the post 12 is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The top of the post 12 carries a pin 30 which is generally co-axial with the post 12 and has a relatively narrow neck 32, and an oversize terminal head 34.

As will be described, the post 12 supports an attachment member 40 which includes a plate 42 and a sleeve 44. The plate 42 is vertical, in use, and has two apertures 46. Each aperture 46 has a lowermost entry portion through which the head 34 may pass, and an upwardly extending, narrower second portion 48 which is sufficiently wide to accommodate the neck 32, but too narrow to allow the head 34 to withdraw from the aperture 46.

The sleeve 44 is slung below the plate 42 by connecting bars 50 welded to the plate 42 at their upper ends, and to the sleeve 44 at their lower ends.

The sleeve 44 consists of steel plate bent over to for two leaves of the sleeve 44, which extend downwardly, in use, to define a region between them for receiving a catenary wire 52 and fencing material 54.

The catenary wire 52 is received at the top of the space in the sleeve 44. Apertures in the leaves of the sleeve 44 allow elongate members such as wedges 56 to be driven across the sleeve 44 underneath the catenary wire 52, to retain the catenary wire 52 within the sleeve 44.

The fencing material 54 is hung from the catenary wire 52 by means of appropriate fastenings 58.

In use, a fencing support is constructed in the following manner. At each point along the catenary wire 52 at which support is required, a sleeve 44 is placed over the wire 52 and wedges 56 are used to secure the sleeve 44 in position. The attachment member 40 is then lifted and a post 12 is installed to project to either side of the line of the wire 52, by locating the pins 30 on the posts 12 in respective apertures 46 in the attachment member 40. The two posts attached to the attachment member now project down from the plate 42 at an angle of approximately 600. At the bottom of each post 12, the post is located in a socket 22 in a foot 10, and ground pins are used to secure the foot 10, and consequently the post 12, to the ground. The wire 52 is now supported above the ground and fencing material 54 can be hung from it.

It will be apparent that if required, a fence constructed in this way can easily be dismantled by detaching the fencing material 54 from the wire 52, removing the wedges 56 and disconnecting the plates 42 and sockets 22 from the ends of the posts 12. The feet can then be unpinned and removed. Thus, when the fencing material 54 is for forming environmental screening, the screening can relatively easily be dismantled and moved.

It will be apparent from the above description how a straight length of fence can be constructed. Fig. 5 indicates one possible arrangement for constructing a right-angle corner in a fence. At the corner position, a vertical corner post 60 is installed, preferably by pinning it to the ground using ground pins 62, rather than by embedding it. The catenary wires 52 from the two fence runs which meet at the corner are tied to the top of the post 60. The weight of the fence material and catenary wire will clearly pull on the post 60. Guy lines could be used to secure the post 60, but it is preferred to use a strut 64 of the type shown schematically in Fig. 5. This comprises a straight, central tubular member 66 with bracing bars 68 attached at or near both ends of the tube 66 and extending between the two ends along a path which is defined by a spacer member 70 which may be a steel plate. The lower end of the strut 64 is secured to the ground by ground pins or by means of a foot 10 (not shown). Two struts 64 are used, one in the plane of each fence run meeting at the corner.

It will be apparent from the above description that many variations and modifications to the apparatus described are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims:

1. A device for securing a fencing support member, comprising a first portion having at least one aperture through which an elongate member may be driven into the ground to secure the device to the ground, and a second portion which, in use, receives a fencing support member, thereby securing the support member to the ground without embedding the support member therein.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the second portion provides a socket for receiving the support member.

3. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the first portion has a plurality of apertures through which elongate members may be driven.

4. A device according to claim 3, in which the apertures are arranged to receive elongate members at respective angles.

5. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the or each aperture is sufficiently large to receive ground pins for securing the device to the ground.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the or each aperture is defined by the walls of a hollow cylindrical member.

7. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the first portion is a length of angle iron.

8. A device according to claim 6 and claim 7, in which the hollow cylindrical members are attached to respective faces of the angle iron.

9. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the second portion is hollow and cylindrical.

10. A device according to claim 9, in which the cylindrical axis of the second portion is so oriented in relation to the first portion as to secure the fencing support member, in use, at an angle to the vertical.

11. A device according to claim 10, in which the said angle is substantially 600.

12. Fence support apparatus comprising a device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, a fencing support member received, in use, by the second member of the said device, and attachment means for attaching fencing material to the fencing support member.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, in which, in use, each attachment means is supported by more than one support member.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, in which, in use, each attachment means is supported by at least one support member on either side of the line of the fence being constructed.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, 13 or 14, in which the or each device secures a fencing support member at an angle to the vertical.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which the angle is substantially 600.

17. Apparatus according to any of claims 12 to 16 in which the attachment means comprise means for supporting a catenary member on the fencing support member, whereby fencing material hung from the catenary member is supported by the fencing support member.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, in which the means for supporting a catenary member comprise two members which, in use, are located on either side of the catenary to be supported, and have aligned apertures through which an elongate member may pass to extend under the catenary member.

19. Apparatus according to any of claims 12 to 18, in which a projection is provided on one of the support member or attachment means, and a socket on the other of the said member or means, for receiving the projection.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, in which the projection comprises a neck and a relatively large terminal head, and the socket comprises a relatively wide entry portion through which the head may pass, and a relatively narrow second portion which, in use, accommodates the neck and is sufficiently narrow to prevent the head passing out of the socket through the second portion.

21. A fence comprising fencing material supported at a plurality of positions along its length by fence support apparatus as claimed in any of claims 12 to 20.

22. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

23. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. A fence substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing specification or claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.