GB2277754A

GB2277754A - Fence post socket

Info

Publication number: GB2277754A
Application number: GB9309699A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Lee Bulbrook
Original assignee: QUERNUS Ltd
Current assignee: QUERNUS Ltd
Priority date: 1993-05-08
Filing date: 1993-05-08
Publication date: 1994-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-08
Also published as: GB2277754B; GB9309699D0

Abstract

A fence post support which comprises two separate integrally formed parts to be bolted together in use, one integral part comprising a pointed spike (12) surmounted by two adjacent walls (14, 16) of a square socket (10) and a second integral part comprising the other adjacent walls (18, 20) of the socket for completing said socket when fixed by bolting to the first part. The support may be made by stamping and bending of steel sheet, or of plastics. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements relating to Fence Post Supports This invention relates to a fence post support.

Several constructions of fence post support are known, each comprising a spike for driving into the ground surmounted by a square socket for receiving the base of a fence post.

In all the known constructions, the support is formed of several parts welded together. Thus, generally, the spike comprises two or more steel parts welded together, and the socket is welded to the top of the spike.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved fence post support which can be more simply and inexpensively produced.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a fence post support which comprises two separate integrally formed parts to be bolted together in use, one integral part comprising a pointed spike surmounted by two adjacent walls of a square socket and a second integral part comprising the other adjacent walls of the socket for completing said socket when fixed as by bolting to the first part.

The invention has the advantage that the support can be stamp folded from metal sheet. However, it could possibly be moulded of a tough plastics material.

Thus, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a fence post support according to which a first shaped elongate blank of metal sheet tapering to a point at one end and having a transverse slot is stamp folded to produce two adjacent walls of a square socket surmounting a spike which has two right angled fins in continuation of the said two socket walls and interconnected over at least the upper part of their lengths by a V-formation which defines the bottom of the socket, thereby to form the first part of the support, and a second rectangular blank of metal sheet is folded to produce the other two adjacent walls of the square socket which constitute the second part of the support.

The first shaped blank with the transverse slot may be integrally produced by stamping out from metal sheet, and possibly the stamp folding of the blank may be carried out as a continuation of this initial step. The second rectangular blank is preferably produced by stamping out and stamp folding in an analogous manner.

A preferred metal sheet is mild steel sheet, say 1.5 to 3 mm thick, conveniently of the order of 2 mm thick.

Preferably, in order to enable the second part to be bolted to the first part in use, the socket walls are formed with angled side-edge flanges incorporating bolt holes.

These flanges may be produced during stamp folding of the two metal blanks which form the two parts of the support.

The slot cut in the shaped elongate metal blank, thus enabling stamp folding of the V-formation beneath the two adjacent socket walls, is preferably of a wide-angled Vshape, with the apex directed away from the portion of the blank which will form the spike, so that after stamp folding the upper edge of the V-formation lies in a plane normal to the socket walls, i.e. a horizontal plane in use, thereby to form a stop for the bottom of the fence post.

The V-formation is preferably stamp folded with outer edge folds parallel to the outer edges of the fins, so that said formation terminates above the point of the spike, conveniently between one half and three quarters, say about two thirds, of the distance from the socket walls towards said point. These relative dimensions determine the width of the limbs of the V-formation at the top thereof and thus the length of the shallow-angled V-slot cut in the blank.

In a practical embodiment of formed support therefore, the socket has a depth of about one quarter of the total length of the support, and the V-formation immediately below the socket has a length of about one half the total length of the support. However, the spike may be made relatively longer if desired.

The angled flanges which enable the two parts of the support to be bolted together may extend the full height of the socket, with bolt holes near the top and near the bottom of said flanges, but less desirably said flanges could be constituted by apertured tabs.

The fence post support and method of production thereof is now exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the support in plan view; Figure 2 shows the support in side elevational view; Figure 3 shows a blank to be stamp folded to form a first part of the support; and Figure 4 shows a blank to be stamp folded to form a second part of the support.

The fence post support shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a square socket 10 from which depends a pointed spike 12.

The support has two integrally formed parts, the first comprising two walls 14, 16 of the socket 10 surmounting the spike 12, and the second comprising the other two walls 18, 20 of the socket. The socket walls have angled flanges 22 with bolt holes enabling the two parts of the support to be bolted together, as indicated at 24, and in use tightened around the bottom of a fence post.

The spike 12 has two outer fins 26, 28 which are continuations of the walls 14, 16 of the socket, and two inner fins 30, 32 which constitute a V-formation beneath the socket. This V-formation has a horizontal upper edge 34. The fold 36 forming the apex of the V-formation lies parallel to the outer edge 38 of the fins, and the fins extend downwardly from the socket to a point disposed just over two thirds of the distance down the support from the socket to the pointed end of the spike.

A slot 40 exists in the socket walls 14, 16 immediately above the upper edge of the V-formation 30, 32. This slot exists to enable the production of the first part of the support by stamp folding from a mild steel blank, conveniently about 2 mm thick.

The blank 42 in question is shown in Figure 3. The blank has an upper rectangular portion 44 and an elongate tapered portion 46. At the line where the portion 44 connects to the portion 46, a shallow V-shaped slot 48 is cut in the blank. Edge regions 50 of the rectangular portion 44 project beyond the sides of the tapered portion 46 where it adjoins the portion 44. Bolt holes 52 are formed in these regions 50.

It can readily be seen that the first part of the support can be stamp folded from the blank 42. Folding along lines 54, 56, 58 enables production of the V-formation 30, 32 beneath the slot 40 of Figure 2, which corresponds to the slot 48 of Figure 3. The V-shaping the slot 48 enables the horizontal disposition of the upper edge of the Vformation 30, 32 after folding. Folding along line 60 enables the two socket walls 14, 16 to be produced, and folding along lines 62, 64 enables production of the angled flanges 22.

The necessary stamp folding can be carried out in a single step, possibly as a continuation of the step of cutting the blank from a large piece of metal sheet.

The blank 66 which can be stamp folded to form the second part 18, 20 of the support (Figures 1 and 2) is shown in Figure 4. This blank is rectangular with edge regions 68 containing bolt holes 70, and corresponds to the upper rectangular portion 44 of the blank of Figure 3.

In use, the support may be driven vertically into the ground to provide a socket for receiving the bottom of a fence post. The use of diagonally opposite pairs of bolts enables the socket to be tightened squarely around the bottom of the post, and, assuming the post is of timber, the open bottom of the socket, excepting the top edge of the fins 30, 32, ensures total drainage of water from the socket to minimise risk of rotting of the post.

Dimensions marked on the drawings are by way of example only. It may be preferred for the spike to be of greater length, perhaps up to four or five times the depth of the socket instead of about three times such depth as illustrated.

Claims

1. A fence post support which comprises two separate integrally formed parts to be bolted together in use, one integral part comprising a pointed spike surmounted by two adjacent walls of a square socket and a second integral part comprising the other adjacent walls of the socket for completing said socket when fixed by bolting to the first part.

2. A fence post support according to claim 1, wherein each part of the support is stamp folded from metal sheet.

3. A fence post support according to claim 1, wherein each part of the support is moulded of a tough plastics material.

4. A fence post support according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the socket walls of the two parts are formed with angled side-edge flanges incorporating bolt holes.

5. A method of producing a fence post support according to which a first shaped elongate blank of metal sheet tapering to a point at one end and having a transverse slot is stamp folded to produce two adjacent walls of a square socket surmounting a spike which has two right angled fins in continuation of the said two socket walls and interconnected over at least the upper part of their lengths by a V-formation which defines the bottom of the socket, thereby to form the first part of the support, and a second rectangular blank of metal sheet is folded to produce the other two adjacent walls of the square socket which constitute the second part of the support.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the first shaped blank with the transverse slot is integrally produced by stamping out from metal sheet, followed by the stamp folding of the blank, and the second rectangular blank is preferably produced by stamping out and stamp folding in an analogous manner.

7. A method according to claim 6, for producing the fence post support of claim 4, wherein the side edge flanges are produced during stamp folding of the two metal blanks which form the two parts of the support.

8. A method according to any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the slot cut in the shaped elongate metal blank, thus enabling stamp folding of the V-formation beneath the two adjacent socket walls, is of a wide-angled V-shape, with the apex directed away from the portion of the blank which will form the spike, so that after stamp folding the upper edge of the V-formation lies in a plane normal to the socket walls, i.e. a horizontal plane in use, thereby to form a stop for the bottom of the fence post.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the V-formation is stamp folded with outer edge folds parallel to the outer edges of the fins, so that said formation terminates above the point of the spike, between one half and three quarters of the distance from the socket walls towards said point.

10. A fence post support and method of production thereof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.