GB2260148A - Fence posts - Google Patents

Abstract

A fence post (Figure 4) has in a side a lateral mortice (8) of generally trapezoid cross-section with its parallel sides generally upright. The shape of the mortice (8) enables it to receive an end, having only one chamfered angle (7), of an arris rail (6) to be used with the post in constructing fencing. <IMAGE>

Description

FENCE POSTS The invention relates to fence posts, in particular fence posts having mortices in which the ends of lateral fence rails may be engaged for the support of such rails to be located between the posts.

In fence systems it is well known to have wooden lateral fence rails located between posts and supported by engagement of the ends of the rails in through mortices in the posts. The wooden rails are useful for the support of further fence members e.g. a succession of upright members such as overlapping feather-edged wooden boards.

The wooden, lateral rails mentioned in the foregoing are commonly of triangular cross-section, conveniently of isosceles, right-angled triangular cross-section, as such a cross-section gives certain advantages, in particular a structural strength advantage. In the case of such rails of triangular cross-section, commonly called arris rails and called that hereafter in this specification, it is general practice to chamfer, adjacent each end of the arris rail, each of the three angles of the rail to give a generally rectangular terminal cross-section. When the fence is erected, the ends of the arris rails are engaged in mortices of generally rectangular cross-section through the posts to support the rails located between the posts.The chamfering of the ends of the arris rails assists achieving a satisfactory engagement of the ends of the rails in the mortices through the posts and reduces the cross-sectional area of the mortices required and thereby reduces the weakening of the strength of the posts resulting from the mortices.

The threefold chamfering of each end of each of the arris rails involves a considerable amount of work and, even if this is done before the rails are delivered to the site where the fence is to be erected, further chamfering may need in certain instances to be done at the site and this is a further disadvantage.

According to the present invention a fence post has in at least one side at least one lateral mortice of generally trapezoid cross-section with its parallel sides generally upright. In this specification by trapezoid is meant the shape of a trapezium having only two parallel sides and the other two sides of equal length.

The mortice of a fence post according to the invention is adapted to having engaged in it a suitably chamfered end of an arris rail for the support of the rail located between two of the posts. By virtue of the cross-section of the mortice, the mortice is adapted to receive an end of an arris rail having just one chamfered angle, as by chamfering just one of the angles of the triangular cross-section a generally trapezoid terminal cross-section can be created.

Accordingly, by use of a fence post in accordance with the invention the amount of work involved in preparing arris rails having suitably chamfered ends can be considerably reduced. Moreover, as the necessary chamfering involves removing less wood from the ends of the arris rail, there is less effect on the strength of the rail.

As a number of arris rails at different heights are commonly required between any two adjacent posts of a fence, a post according to the invention preferably has two or more of the mortices each located at a different level in a side of the post.

Usually a fence post in accordance with the invention will have, at any one level, two of the mortices, one at each of two sides of the post. Where the post for use at an intermediate position in a generally straight run of fencing, the two mortices are at opposite sides of the post; where the post is for a corner position, the two mortices may be generally at right angles to each other and, for example, in adjacent sides of a post of generally rectangular cross-section. The two mortices may be united within the post, forming a continuous aperture through the post. In the event that a post is required for an end position of a fence, at any one level there may be only a single mortice, which may have a blind inner end.

A fence post in accordance with the invention is preferably of concrete.

Further aspects of the invention are a fence comprising at least one post according to the invention having engaged in a mortice thereof an end, having just one chamfered angle as indicated in the foregoing, of an arris rail and a method of constructing a fence comprising securing in an upright position a post according to the invention and engaging in a mortice of that post an end, having just one chamfered angle as indicated in the foregoing, of an arris rail.

The invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view of part of a wooden arris rail having a conventionally chamfered end; Figure 2 is a view of part of a concrete post having a conventionally shaped mortice through it; Figure 3 is a view of part of a wooden arris rail having an end shaped in accordance with the invention and Figure 4 is a view of part of a concrete post in accordance with the invention.

The cross-section of the arris rail of Figure 1 is, along most of its length, an isosceles right-angled triangle but at its end 1 each of its angles has been given a longitudinal concave chamfer 2, 3 and 4 to yield a terminal cross-section that is rectangular.

The post of Figure 2 is of rectangular cross-section and has a through mortice 5 of rectangular cross-section. In constructing a conventional fence the end 1 of the arris rail of Figure 1 may be engaged in part of the mortice 5 of the post of Figure 2.

The arris rail of Figure 3 is generally similar to that of Figure 1 but at its end 6 just one of its angles (the right angle of its general cross-section) has been given a longitudinal chamfer 7 to yield a terminal cross-section that is trapezoid. Whilst the chamfer 7 is shown as concave, the chamfer may have a different configuration e.g.

a planar one.

The post of Figure 4 is generally similar to that of Figure 2 but in this case it has a mortice 8 of trapezoid rather than rectangular cross-section. In constructing a fence in accordance with the invention the end 6 of the arris rail of Figure 3 may be engaged in part of the mortice 8 of the post of Figure 4.

Claims (11)

1. A fence post having in at least one side at least one lateral mortice of generally trapezoid cross-section with its parallel sides generally upright.

2. A post according to claim 1 in which there are two or more of the mortices located at different levels in a side of the post.

3. A post according to either preceding claim having, at any one level, two of the mortices, one in each of two sides of the post.

4. A post according to claim 3 in which, at any one level, the two mortices are in opposite sides of the post.

5. A post according to claim 4 in which the two mortices at any one level are united within the post, forming a continuous aperture through the post

6. A post according to any preceding claim made of concrete.

7. A post substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings.

8. A fence comprising at least one post according to any of claims 1 to 6 having engaged in a mortice thereof an end, having just one chamfered angle, of an arris rail.

9. A fence substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.

10. A method of constructing a fence comprising securing in an upright position a post according to any of claims 1 to 7 and engaging in a mortice of that post an end, having just one chamfered angle, of an arris rail

11. A fence constructed by a method according to claim 10.