GB2272712A

GB2272712A - Securing fence panels to posts

Info

Publication number: GB2272712A
Application number: GB9224219A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Richardson; Derek Dyer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-11-18
Filing date: 1992-11-18
Publication date: 1994-05-25
Also published as: GB9224219D0

Abstract

A fence panel securement member (16) is provided in the form of a length of elastic material having means whereby it can be secured to ends of respective fence panels (15) which engage a post (11). The member (16) is arranged to be elastically tensioned in position to resist removal of the panels from the post; apertures (17) may co-operate with pins driven into the panel frame (14) to hold the member in place, and further apertures (18) enable a tool to be inserted to stretch the member (16). <IMAGE>

Description

Fencing This invention relates to fencing of the type wherein a plurality of H-sections concrete posts provide airs of facing channels which accommodate wooden panels.

In order to allow for installation tolerances, for example the concrete posts may not be quite vertical and may not be exactly the right distance apart, the amount of tolerance between the edges of the wooden panels and the channels in the concrete posts is significant. This can mean that in a fence which has been well constructed the panels are a very loose fit into the posts.

This has several disadvantages. Firstly, persons wishing to gain entry can very easily lift the panels and this can give problems with thieves and/or vandals. Secondly, in high winds the panels (which are relatively thin) tend to bow and their ends can be thus drawn out of the posts and the panels can blow away.

Proposals have been made in the past for securing the panels to the posts. However, these usually require that the posts be drilled and plugs used to connect fasteners thereto to secure brackets. Such a procedure is time consuming and requires to be done accurately if the securement is to be adequate. It does, additionally, require a reasonable amount of skill and expertise in the handling of power tools. A disadvantage of such known methods is that there are different sizes of panels and posts and therefore brackets usually have to be specific to one sort and can not necessarily be used in connection with various different sizes and shapes of fence posts and panels.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a panel to post connector whereby the above described disadvantages can be reduced or minimised.

The invention provides a fence panel securement member in the form of an elastic member having connection means at each end and to extend a pair of panels engaging a common post and, when secured to those panels resiliently to embrace the post.

The material can be rubber or plastics material, the attachment means can comprise eyelets or the like dividing apertures through which fasteners can be passed to engage the fence panels.

Desirably the connection means is large enough to allow it be passed over the head of a fastener so as to engage a shank thereof.

Instead of eyelets a material can be a length of elastic cord having a cork or ring at each end.

Desirably means are provided for tensioning the elastic element and engaging it with a fastener pre-driven into one of the panels.

The invention also provides a method of securing a pair of fence panels to a post including the steps of connecting one end of an elastic element to one of the panels, disposing the elastic element to embrace a part of the post and connecting it to the other panels so that it remains in tensioned relationship about the post.

The member can be secured to the panels by means of fasteners.

Fastener can be driven through the member. Alternatively means can be provided on the member for engagement by the fastener.

Desirably the fastener is connected to the post before the elastic member is placed in position and the elastic member is thereafter engaged with one panel and tensioned so that it can be connected with the fastener and tensioned so that it can be connected with the fastener on the other fence post.

Desirably means is provided on the elastic element to facilitate tensioning thereof.

Such means can comprise, in the case of a strap like elastic element one or more apertures (perhaps protected by grommets) which can be engaged by a rod which can be used as a lever to apply tension.

If the elongate element is in the form of a rope or cord such means could be a knot in the cord or a transverse member secured thereto.

For conditions where it is not possible to satisfactorily engage a fastener with the edge of the panel so as to achieve a good connection it is possible to provide thin accessory brackets which can engage the up right edges and provide a pin for connecting the elastic element to the panel.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein; Figure 1 is a plan perspective view illustrating a preferred connector of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates a preferred fence incorporating the connector of figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of the fence of figure 2 on a smaller scale; Figure 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view illustrating a preferred fence fixing arrangement of the invention and illustrating a modification; Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing part of figure 4 but illustrating part of preferred method of the invention; Figure 6 is a view similar to that of figure 1 but showing a possible modification; and Figure 7 is a view again similar to figure 1 but showing a further possible modification.

Referring firstly to figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that a fence (10) can be constructed using a plurality of spaced apart vertical 8-section concrete posts (11) providing respective pairs of facing channels (12) which receive rectangular fence panels (13). As best seen in figure 2 the panels (13) each comprise a peripheral frame (14) surrounding a thinner body sheet (15) which is often made up of woven or lapped sheets of wood. As will be appreciated from a consideration of the construction it is usually necessary for the panels (12) to be quite wide compared to the sizes of the frames (14). This allows for variations in the thickness of the frames (14) during manufacture and allow for tolerances in the verticality and spacing of the post (11) during installation which can not be a exact task.

This great tolerance means that when a fence is well made panels (13) tend to be rather loose fit in the posts (11) and can be lifted there from by intruders and can sometimes be bowed sufficiently by strong winds to be blown out of their anchorage in the channels.

To solve this problem the present invention proposes a connector (16) which is the form of a length of tough elastic material which may be rubber, elastomer or a mixture of the two.

Described in figure 1 the connector (16) is generally strap like form. Whilst it would be possible to connect the connector (16) directly the panels (13) by using nails driven directly through the connector, it is desired if the connector is provided with means for connecting to the panels. In the case of the connector (16) this means is constituted by a respective eyelet (17) at each end. A further pair of eyelets (18) are provided for a purpose which will later be described.

As will be best apparent from figure 4 the frame (14) of the panel (13) is usually thicker than the sheet (15). To get a best fastening to the frame (14) it is desirable if a fastener is driven into its face (19) which faces away from the post (11).

In the case of the panel and post assembly shown in figure 2 the connector (16) is first connected at its left hand end (not shown) into a fastener, again not shown, driven into the corresponding space (19) of the frame member (14) which is engaged in the left hand slot (12) in the post (11) with the one left hand eyelet (17) engaged over that fastener (which will usually be a nail) the end of the connector (16) having the two eyelets (18) is arranged to extend around the post, tension manually and eyelet (17) urged towards a fastener (20) (figure 4) driven into the face (19) of the frame member (14).To ensure a firm fixing and apply a sufficient tension to the connector (16) so as to get good frictional engagement with the post (11) a tool having a pair of forks (21) can be passed through the eyelets (18) and used as lever as shown in figure 5 to draw the eyelet (17) to a position where it can be passed over the head of the pre-driven fastener (20). The tool can of course be reused for other connectors.

As will be seen from figure 3 two or more connectors (16) can be disposed on the inside of a fence thus, a thief wishing to enter can not simply lean over and cut the connector (16). It is , of course, always possible for the intruder to climb the fence but in the case of panels some 5 or 6 feet high this is often a procedure which the casual vandal or criminal will not undertake.

Although securement of the connector (16) by means of the eyelet (17) is described, it is equally possible for a length of resilient material to be nailed to say the face (19) of the panel so that it is used in any convenient tool, for example a conventional upholstery stretcher and then nailed to an adjacent panel and then disposed so as to be disposed in tensioned relationship about part of the post (18). This will allow the eyelet (17) to be dispensed with, although it would make the fastening rather more critical on the skill of the user.

Figure 4 shows a possible variation. To the left thereof a panel (14A) shown which does not have the thicker frame portion (14) and therefore there is no face (19) into which a fastener can be driven so as to be loaded by the connector (16). If the fastener was driven into the lateral surface of the panel (13A) the connector could easily withdrawn from the panel during movement in wind and therefore this would be most undesirable. For use in this situation, therefore, there is also provided an accessory bracket (21) (22) which has a channel portion which can surround the end of the panel (13A) and an outwardly extending flange (23) can carry a pin (24) simulating the head of a fastener such as fastener (20). The end of the connector (16) can be connected to the pin (24).It would, of course, be possible, when installing a fence to incorporate such fasteners or like attachment means to the panels themselves to allow the use of connector which would preferably be the eyelet (17), the invention also includes a post and panel combination wherein an extensible connector extends from a panel on one side of a post to a panel on the other side of the post and is secured to those panels under tension so as to engage the post and secure the panel thereto.

The invention includes, of course, a fence having a plurality of arrangements as above.

The invention of course includes the method of connecting a pair of panels to a post including connecting an elongate elastic element to one of the panels adjacent the post, tensioning the elongate elastic element and securing the other end of the tension on the elastic element to the other panel to leave the elastic element in tensioned relationship with the post.

Variations can be made within the scope of the invention. For example, instead of a flap strap of elastic material, elastic cord can be used.

Figure 6 and 7 illustrate two possibilities. In figure 6 a connector (25) is formed from a length of circular section bungee cord. A loop (26) is formed at each end of the cord and secured an attachment means (27). In order to assist in tensioning the connector (25) a protrusion in the form of a knot (28) is provided adjacent one of the ends. This can be engaged by a fork or like tool similar to the tool engaging within the eyelets (18).

Figure 7 shows a connector (20) again in the form of a length of elastic cord. In this case, however, each attachment means is in the form of a member crimped to the cord. Similarly the tensioning grip (31) is provided by a transverse member again crimped to the cord.

Many other variations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A fence panel securement member, being elastic and having connection means and adapted to extend between a pair of panels engaging a common post and, when secured to those panels resiliently to embrace the post.

2. A member as claimed in claim 1 wherein the member is of rubber or plastics material.

3. A member as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the attachment means is eyelets or the like providing apertures through which fasteners can be passed to engage the fence panels.

4. A member as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the connection means can be passed over the head of a fastener to engage a shank thereof.

5. A member as claimed in claim 4 wherein the member is a length of elastic ligament having a hook or ring at each end.

6. A member as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein means are provided for tensioning the elastic member and engaging it with a fastener pre-engaged with one of the panels.

7. A fence panel securement member substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of securing a pair of fence panels to a common post including the steps of connecting one end - of an elastic member to one of the panels, disposing the elastic member to embrace a part of the post and connecting it to the other panel so that it remains in tensioned relationship with the post.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the member is secured to the panels by means of fasteners.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein fasteners are driven through the member.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein means are provided on the member for engagement with the fastener(s).

12. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11 wherein a fastener is connected to one post before the elastic member is placed in position and the elastic member is thereafter engaged with one panel and tensioned and connected with the fastener on the other fence panel.

13. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 12, wherein means is provided to facilitate tensioning thereof.

14. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 13, wherein such means comprises one or more formation on the member which can be engaged by a tool which can apply tension.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the formations are apertures.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the elongate element is in the form of a rope or cord and such means is a knot in the cord or a transverse member secured thereto.

17. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 16, wherein accessory brackets are provided to engage upright edges and other panels to provide means for connecting the member to the panels.

18. A method of securing fence panels to a post substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.