GB2350625A

GB2350625A - Plastics fencing system

Info

Publication number: GB2350625A
Application number: GB9908379A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael John Hills
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-04-13
Filing date: 1999-04-13
Publication date: 2000-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-13
Also published as: GB2350625B; GB9908379D0

Abstract

A fencing system comprises two spaced-apart fence posts 11,12 and at least one fence panel 13 mounted therebetween. Each fence post 11,12 is of moulded plastics material and has a hollow circular cross-section. Each fence panel 13 also is of a moulded plastics material and has a generally rectangular shape. Each vertical edge of the fence panel is provided with a U-shaped channel section 25 extending therealong, for partially embracing the adjacent fence post 11 or 12. A corner (Fig 2) is established between two fence panels 16,17 by way of a post 15 having two similar circular cross-section sub-posts extending with their axes parallel and bonded at 20 one to the other and each sub-post engaged by the channels 25 of one of the adjacent panels 16,17, respectively.

Description

FENCING SYSTEM This invention relates to a fencing system, and in

particular to such a system which employs a moulded plastics material fence panel.

Conventional fencing systems tend to be relatively expensive to implement, and to maintain once installed. This is particularly so with domestic grades of fencing, typically consisting of a plurality of spaced- apart fence posts with fence panels mounted therebetween. Usually, such panels comprise relatively thin slats of wood (such as of larch) extending horizontally and supported within a wooden frame. The slats are held against slippage, one with respect to the others, by being woven around (usually) three similar slats, extending vertically, as well as being secured to the frame. The panel is held between a pair of fence posts by nailing or otherwise securing the frame to the fence posts. The strength of such a fence panel is relatively low and it is easily damaged, for example by strong winds. Moreover, the panel requires frequent maintenance, usually by the application of a protective material such as creosote, at regular intervals, as well as the replacement of rotting or broken slats.

The fence posts themselves are usually made either of wood or of concrete. Wooden posts are cheaper than concrete posts, and have the advantage that it is relatively easy to secure a fence panel thereto by nailing. However, wooden fence posts are prone to wet rot and have a very limited life; a householder must expect to replace such posts relatively frequently. By contrast, concrete posts are more durable but still have a limited life; corrosion of steel reinforcing members extending along the length of the concrete tends to crack the concrete and eventually the post will split along its length. Moreover, there is the added difficulty of securing a wooden fence panel to a concrete post and various clips, brackets and other devices have been designed for this purpose, but these too have a limited life when exposed to the elements.

It is a principal aim of the present Invention to address at least some of the problems associated with the fencing systems as described above, and so to provide a fencing system which is more durable and requires less maintenance than a conventional wooden-panelled system.

According to the present invention, there is provided a fencing system comprising two upstanding spaced-apart fence posts and at least one fence panel mounted therebetween, in which each fence post has a regular cross section over the greater part of its length and the fence panel comprises a plastics material moulding of generally rectangular shape provided with engagement means at each of two opposed edges for connecting the panel to said two fence posts, each of which engagement means comprises a channel section configured partially to embrace the adjacent fence post which channel section extends for no more than halfway around the post.

So long as the plastics material from which the fence panel is moulded is of a suitable and durable grade for external use, the fence panel of this invention is essentially maintenance free. For example, an ultra-violet (UV) stabilised thermoplastic material may be used for moulding the fence panel.

One such material may be stabilised polyvinylchloride of a relatively high molecular weight. To increase the strength of the panel, reinforcing members may be furnished within the plastics material, such as fibres or strands of glass, carbon or other plastics material, in a manner well known in the plastics moulding art. Other alternatives would be to reinforce the plastics material with a woven material, such as of Dacron 0 or Terylene 0.

The panel must have sufficient strength for all normal conditions to which the panel will, in use, be subjected. To this end, the cross- section of the panel may be adapted to impart increased strength, as compared to a simple planar panel. For example, the panel may have a corrugated or wave like profile, with the corrugations extending horizontally between the channel members. Other possibilities include providing the panel with two spaced apart skins, with separating webs extending between and secured to the confronting faces of those two skins: such a panel will thus have a box- like profile.

For convenience in manufacture, the fence panel may have (when in use) a relatively small vertical height, as compared to the total height of a conventional fence panel. Domestic fencing panels of the interwoven wooden slat kind, as described above, usually have a vertical height of up to 2m, but the panels of this invention may typically have (in use) a vertical height of 250mm to 350mm, In this case, the overall fence panel may be made up from a number of separate sub-panels, disposed one above the other. Thus, a 2m panel may be made up from five or six smaller subpanels.

Though the channel members at each end of each sub-panel will serve to maintain the sub-panels in alignment one above the other, it is possible that a central portion of one sub-panel may spring away from the immediately adjacent sub-panel. To prevent this happening, it is preferred for there to be means interconnecting the adjacent long edges of two sub-panels, so that all of the sub-panels making up a complete panel forms a single integrated unit.

In one embodiment, each sub-panel has a flange extending along its long horizontal edge, the upper flange of one panel then lying alongside the lower flange of the sub panel immediately thereabove. In this case, fixing holes may be provided through the flanges, through which holes pegs, screws or like fasteners may be passed. Preferably, such fasteners are of a corrosion-resistant material, such as snap-fitting moulded plastics studs or pegs.

In an alternative embodiment, a flange is provided along the upper edge of each sub-panel and a corresponding groove along the lower edge of each sub-panel, whereby the channel of an upper sub-panel may engage the flange of the sub-panel immediately therebelow. In this case, no separate fixing arrangement may be necessary. In the case of a box-section subpanel, the upper edge of each sub-panel may be provided with a rib, for example of triangular form, the lower edge of each sub-panel being of a corresponding profile with which the rib may engage.

Though each channel member may be moulded integrally with the fence panel, It is preferred for the channel members to be moulded separately and then connected to the fence panel. This allows the principal area of the fence panel to be moulded by a continuous moulding operation, such as an extrusion process, the long extrusion then being cut into separate panels of the required length whereafter the channel members may be connected thereto. Preferably, the channel members are mechanically interlocked with the principal area of each panel though the channel members may be bonded thereto, for example with an adhesive, by ultrasonic welding, or the like.

A particularly preferred form of fence panel has a box member profile, as described above. In this case, each channel member may include a plate projecting laterally therefrom, which plate is engageable with the box member, between the two opposed skins thereof. For added security, the 5 plate may be bonded in position, between the skins.

The fence posts used in the fencing system of this invention preferably are also of a plastics material. Each such fence post may be of circular cylindrical cross-section, made from a hard, strong and durable grade of plastics material, stabilised against ultra-violet radiation. Each post may be set directly in the ground, or may be received within a socket driven into the ground. A cap may be provided for each post, to retain the fence panels in position once fitted between adjacent posts, and also to prevent water entering the post.

At a corner between two runs of the fencing system, a special corner post may be provided, made up from two similar posts having their peripheries bonded together with the post axes parallel. A reinforcing plate may extend between the two posts, which plate will lie on the outside of the corner when in use. To impart an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the corner post, such a plate may be of L-shaped section. Such a post is used by having the line joining the axes of the two posts at 450 to each of the two runs of the fencing system.

With the preferred form of round fence post as described above, each channel member should define a U-shaped channel, able to receive just under 1800 of arc of a fence post. In this way, the adjacent channels of two horizontally adjacent panels will more or less wholly embrace a fence post, so giving considerable security to the mounting of the panels between the posts.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of fencing system constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, and certain modified forms thereof, will now be described in detail. reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which.--- Figure 1 is a cut away partial view on the fencing system; Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of a corner region of the fencing system., Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sections through alternative forms of fence sub-panel used in the fencing system of Figures 1 and 2, and Figures 5 to 7 illustrate alternative fence sub-panel designs.

Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, the fencing system comprises a plurality of fence posts spaced equally along the line to be fenced, with fence panels disposed between the posts. In Figure 1, two such fence posts 11 and 12 are shown, with a fence panel 13 disposed therebetween; in Figure 2, a fence post 14 is shown together with a corner post 15 and fence panels 16 and 17, extending away from the corner post.

The fence posts 11, 12 and 14 are of circular cylindrical cross- sectional shape, with a constant overall diameter along the length of the post. Each post is provided with a top cap 18 press-fitted in position to prevent the ingress of water, and to retain the panels in place between the posts. The posts are moulded from a plastics material of a suitable grade, such as a relatively hard, UV-stabilised polyvinylchloride plastics of high molecular weight, material comparable to that used for the manufacture of soil pipes.

Each post is received in a respective socket 19, set in the ground. Depending upon the nature of the soil, the socket 19 may simply be driven into position, or may be set in concrete. The sockets 19 are of a similar material to that of the posts 11, 12 and 14 and so should be resistant to rot or 5 other degradation in the soil.

The corner post 15 is made up from two posts each of which is essentially the same as the posts 11, 12 and 14 bonded together at 20 for example by means of a chemical solvent, so that the axes of the posts are parallel. An L-shaped bracket 21 is bonded tangentially to the two posts, again by a chemical solvent, to impart greater strength and rigidity to the two posts, and also to give an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the outside of the corner. At the ground level, one of the corner posts may be cut away so that the corner post may be used with a single socket 19. In the alternative, a special form of socket may be employed, having two tubes joined together and able to receive the two posts, side by side. Though not shown, a top cap covering both posts and the bracket 21 is fitted over the corner post 15.

A fence panel 13 disposed between each pair of posts is assembled from five sub-panels 23. Each sub-panel comprises a plastics material moulding of generally rectangular shape with the opposed short edges 24 having fitted thereto a pair of channel members 25. Each channel member has a plate 26 which engages the material of the principal part of the subpanel and a pair of arms 27 which between them define a semi-circular channel of the same radius as a fence post 11, 12 or 14. The arms 27 are finished so as to extend almost halfway around a fence post, so that the channel members of horizontally adjacent fence subpanels have their respective arms almost meeting, as shown at 29, on Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 show alternative sub-panels, both of which are moulded by an extrusion process from a suitable grade of plastics material - for example, similar to that used for the fence posts. The sub-panel of Figure 3 has a corrugated cross-section, with corrugations 30 extending horizontally across the sub-panel. The channel member defines a groove (not shown) into which the corrugations 30 are received, the channel member being locked to the corrugated part of the sub-panel by means of a suitable adhesive, chemical solvent, ultrasonic welding process or the like. Flanges 31 are formed along the top and bottom edges of the sub-panel, which flanges have fixing holes 32 formed therein. The flanges 31 along the top and bottom edges are offset from one another, so that when two sub-panels are fitted to a fence post, the flange along the upper edge of the lower panel lies alongside the flange along the lower edge of the next sub-panel above the lower sub-panel. When properly located in this way, the fixing holes along the overlying flanges will be in registration and suitable fastening devices are fitted therein - for example, plastics material snap-studs.

Figure 4 shows an alternative fence sub-panel, again comprising a length of extrusion moulding but having two skins 33 and 34 connected together by internal webs 35 as well as a top section 36 and a bottom section 37. The top section 36 defines an upstanding rib 38 of triangular form, whereas the bottom section 37 defines a groove 39 of complementary form to rib 38. When two such sub-panels are fitted together between two adjacent fence posts, the rib 38 of one sub-panel is received in the groove 39 of the next sub-panel above.

Figure 2 illustrates the use of sub-panels as shown in Figure 4, in conjunction with the corner post 15. By having two parallel round posts defining the corner post, each channel member still embraces substantially one half of each post and thus there is no loss of security of connection of the panels to a post, at a corner.

Figures 5, and 7 show three other alternative sub-panel sections, all of basically box-section design. Thus, each of these three alternatives has two skins held spaced apart by internal webs, as in the case of Figure 4. The sub-Panel of Figure 5 has oppositely-handed flanges 40 and 41 along its top and bottom edges respectively, whereby when one sub-panel is engaged between a pair of fence posts above an already positioned subpanel, the flanges of the adjacent sub-panels lie alongside each other. If the sub-panel has sufficient rigidity, no further fastenings need be employed though if required, fastenings could be used - such as self-tapping screws - to hold the two edges together. - Figure 6 shows another alternative, where a rib 42 of rectangular shape is formed along the upper edge of one sub-panel and a groove 43 along the lower edge of the sub-panel. The rib 42 of a lower sub-panel is received in the groove 43 of the next adjacent sub-panel above the lower sub-panel. As the rib is firmly held by the groove, there is no need for any other fastenings to be employed.

Figure 7 shows yet another sub-panel design, this having side faces of saw-tooth cross-section. Such a sub-panel may be more aesthetically pleasing, as it will tend to scatter light failing thereon. Through-holes may be formed along the top and bottom edges of the sub-panel, as shown at 44, to permit the use of fasteners to secure together adjacent panels.

It will be understood that the all-plastic construction described 'in the foregoing is very durable and essentially rot-proof; no on-going maintenance is required. The plastics material may be coloured so as to assist blending of the fence into the background. Moreover, though the posts 11, 12 may not be as rigid as (for example) a concrete fence post, once the entire fencing system has been assembled, it forms a rigid structure which is highly resistant even to bad climatic conditions. This is, in part, because each post is securely held between horizontally adjacent panels, by virtue of the post being almost wholly embraced by the respective channel members.

The fencing system is easily implemented, initially by driving the sockets 19 into the ground at the required spacing, and then dropping fence posts of the appropriate length into the sockets. The sub-panels are then lowered between the posts with their respective channels engaging the posts, and the post caps are finally fitted. Each sub-panel may be cut to a suitable length before having its channels fitted thereto, so that it is possible to accommodate irregularly spaced posts, so long as the maximum spacing does not exceed some value determined by the manufactured lengths of the sub-panels.

Claims

1. A fencing system comprising two upstanding spaced-apart fence posts and at least one fence panel mounted therebetween, in which system each fence post has a regular cross-section over the greater part of its length and the fence panel comprises a plastics material moulding of generally rectangular shape provided with engagement means at each of two opposed edges for connecting the panel to said two fence posts, each of which engagement means comprises a channel section configured partially to embrace the adjacent fence post which channel section extends for no more than halfway around the post.

2. A fencing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fence panel is moulded from an ultra-violet (UV) stabilised thermoplastic material

3. A fencing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thermoplastic material is stabilised polyvinylchloride of a relatively high molecular weight.

4. A fencing system as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein reinforcing members are furnished within the plastics material.

5. A fencing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the reinforcing members comprise fibres or strands of one or more of glass, carbon, a plastics material, or a woven material.

6. A fencing system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the panel has a corrugated or wave-like profile, with the corrugations extending horizontally between the channel members.

7. A fencing system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the panel has two spaced-apart skins, with separating webs extending between and secured to the confronting faces of those two skins.

8. A fencing system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the fence panel comprises a plurality of sub-panels arranged in a common plane, each sub-panel having a channel at each of its two ends for engaging the respective fence posts.

9. A fencing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein means are provided to interconnect the adjacent long edges of two sub-panels, so that all of the subpanels making up a complete panel form a single integrated unit.

10. A fencing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein each sub-panel has a flange extending along a long edge, the upper flange of one panel lying alongside the lower flange of the sub-panel immediately thereabove.

11. A fencing system as claimed in claim 10, wherein fixings are provided t o secure together the overlying flanges.

12. A fencing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a flange is provided along the upper edge of each sub- panel and a corresponding groove along the lower edge of each sub-panel, whereby the channel of an upper subpanel may engage the flange of the sub-panel immediately therebelow.

13. A fencing system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each channel member is moulded separately from the fence panel and is then connected thereto.

14. A fencing system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the channel members are mechanically interlocked with the principal area of each panel.

15. A fencing system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the fence posts between which the panel is mounted are also of a plastics material.

16. A fencing system as claimed in claim 15, wherein each fence post is of circular, hollow cylindrical cross-section.

17. A fencing system as claimed in claim 16, wherein a cap is provided for each post, to retain the fence panels in position once mounted between 5 adjacent posts.

18. A fencing system as claimed in any of the preceding claims and arranged to form a corner between two adjacent panels, wherein the fence post at the corner comprises two similar posts having their peripheries bonded together with the post axes parallel.

19. A fencing system as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.