GB2526327A

GB2526327A - An innovative and improved wind-proof fence

Info

Publication number: GB2526327A
Application number: GB1409033.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Stimson; Edward Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-05-21
Filing date: 2014-05-21
Publication date: 2015-11-25
Also published as: GB201409033D0

Abstract

A fence having a plurality of horizontal slats (panels) pivotally mounted between upright frames such that under high winds the slats (a) pivot to allow passage of wind. Preferably the slats are pivotally mounted by axles mounted in bushes in the uprights, the fence panels may also include spring loaded ball catch (c) cooperating with sockets in the upright posts, the spring loaded ball catch retains the panels in the vertical position during normal conditions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The winter storms of 2013-2014 caused severn damage and disruption in the UK. Many individual households which employ the standard lap-panel fencing panel as a boundary or for privacy found that these were damaged or destroyed by the force of the wind acting across the area of the inflexible panel.

Wind-resistant panels are known and several are patented1 2 However, these designs rely on a static form of slat with provision for wind to pass through carefully sited gaps in the panel in order to retain a degree of privacy.

Several claims have also been made for a pivoting mechanism: Storm fence United Kingdom Patent 2252341-A Wind-responsive fencing panel United Kingdom Patent 2241000-A Flexible fence assembly United States Patent Application 20070267617-Al but these: a. do not provide a stable locking mechanism, or b. require the userto manually reset the slats to a closed position, or c. rotate about a vertical axis, or d. have no balance mechanism and are able to rotate freely thus carrying risk of injury.

The presented design claims invention of wind-resistant type fencing panels such that the individual slats in the panel as a whole dynamically and individually respond to the prevailing conditions and return to a retained, closed position without further manual intervention. Each slat is able to move independently of the others and will return to its closed position in calm conditions. The modular design permits easy maintenance and the replacement of individual slats should they become damaged, without the need to replace the entire panel. Furthermore, the dynamic design ensures privacy under normal use and is sate for a domestic garden environment. The manufacture of the invention is relatively straightforward and requires no additional innovation as it is similar to the manufacture of, for example, moulded or extruded products. The use of recycled polymer material in the invention increases its potential low carbon footprint and economy of manufacture.

SUMARY OF THE INVENTION.

The fence panel described is of the standard lap panel domestic type, normally measuring I.83m in width and varying heights normally seen, typically, in a domestic garden environment utilised as a property boundary A number of horizontal slats are contained within a frame which conforms to the size of fencing panels normally found in a domestic garden environment; that is I.83m high and up to 1.83m wide.

The innovation presented here requires that the individual horizontal slats of the panel contained within the frame are able to dynamically and independently respond to wind conditions such that they are able to pivot around a horizontal axis, thus reducing or eliminating much of the wind force on the fence. The slats are aerodynamically shaped with the upper edge thicker and the lower edge thinner such as to form an elongated pear-drop shape.

The slats are contained within a frame such that the individual slats are almost overlapping. Two friction-based mechanisms retain the slats in their closed position and each slat is weighted so as to provide additional stability and inertia to motion, while providing momentum as the slat swings back to its closed position.

In high wind conditions, the slats overcome the friction-based retention mechanisms and open about their individual axes, thus reducing the force on the fence panel

FIGURES and DESCRIPTION.

Figure 1. Showing the design of an individual slat and its axle.

a. Shaped slat b. Retaining mechanism -ball and socket c. Retaining mechanism -brush or strip d. The axle Figure 2. Showing a partial panel comprising the frame and slats in closed position.

a. Shaped slat; b. The frame; c. The retention ball and socket mechanism; Figure 3. Showing a partial panel comprising the frame and slats in open position.

a. The shaped slat; b.The frame;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

The* wind-proof fence panel comprises the following innovations: 1. A fence panel for primarily domestic use as a property boundary or privacy screen which is able to resist high winds by virtue of comprising novel slats which individually rotate up to 90 degrees about a horizontal axis in high wind conditions and thereby reduce the overall force on the panel, preventing damage; 2. The suspension and rotation mechanisms of the individual slats comprising the panel which allow the slats to independently and dynamically rotate in high wind conditions, but return to, and remain in a closed position in calm conditions.

3. A series of friction-based retention mechanisms, together with the weighted design of each slat, which allow the fence to remain closed in normal use, but which will open in high winds.

The panel comprises a plurality of individual slats, shaped as in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

This shaping of the slats allows for aerodynamic performance of the slat and permits the slats to hang in a closed position in normal use. Each individual slat is weighted along its lower edge by means of embedded metal or other material. The weighting maintains inertial stability of the slat in low wind conditions while imparting additional momentum to the slat when in motion so that it falls back to its closed position.

Each horizontal slat is able to pivot about an axis by means of an axle passing horizontally through that axis above the mass-centre of the slat Typically, this would be 2/3 to % of the slat width from the bottom edge of each slat. Thus the slats are suspended about their individual axes such that the centre of mass ensures that the slats remain in a vertical position when at rest. The protruding ends of the axle at each end are embedded in a bush contained within the frame and spaced at vertical intervals along the upright of the frame such that the slats are evenly spaced apart and almost overlapping.

The slats are retained in a vertical position in normal conditions by a spring-loaded ball and socket mechanism whereby the socket is embedded in the upright of the frame and the ball is embedded into the slat such that the ball and socket will engage and lock each slat into an upright resting position.

Additional stability and privacy is ensured by virtue of retaining brushes or flexible rubber strips along the leading and trailing edge of each slat. Together, these ensure privacy and enhance safety of the moving parts.

Typically the slats are wood or recycled polymer with the retaining mechanism and axle made of metal. In order to improve the longevity of the innovation, the slats may preferentially be moulded from recycled polymer or do-polymer material with an embossed or moulded wood-effect' and the retaining brushes fabricated from recycled nylon. The extruded plastic slats maybe hollow for reasons of economy and weight. Alternatively, the brushes providing resistance may be replaced by rubber resistance strips along the upper and lower edges of each slat.

The frame containing the slats is drilled to accept the axle of each slat and also contains the retaining socket of the ball and socket mechanism. The frame also contains drilled holes to allow the entire frame to be attached to standard fence post on either side.

In normal or low-wind conditions, the slats hang vertically about their axes and the panel appears broadly similar to the domestic lap fence. The friction device and the spring-loaded ball and socket mechanism ensure that the slats remain in a closed position.

However, if the wind strength increases, the force will overcome the friction of the ball and socket and the friction devices. The slats are then free to rotate and allow wind to pass through the gaps between the slats. The overall force on the panel is thereby reduced.

Once conditions return to normal, the slats return to their closed position through the force of gravity and the friction mechanisms re-engage. Slats are weighted at the bottom edge to help in returning to the Home' closed position.

A further interpretation of the invention claimed here would be a modification of the retention mechanisms such that the horizontal axle is retained by a torsional spring at the opposing ends of each axle in order to resist rotational motion of the slat in normal conditions and to return the slat to its closed position. A further interpretation of the invention is to shape the ends of the horizontal axle and embedded bush in order to resist rotational motion, e.g. by forming the ends of the axle and bush into a pear-drop' shape.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY ORPRMLEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS: 1. Adynamically responsive fence panel comprising a plurality of individual slats connected to an upright frame, each slat about a horizontal axle, which are able to individually and partially rotate up to ninety degrees in a horizontal direction by means of a pivot mechanism and thereby reduce force on the whole panel in high wind conditions while remaining vertical under normal conditions.
2. The combination in claim 1, wherein the pivot mechanism comprises a horizontal metal axle passing through a point above the mass-centre of each of the individual slats comprising the panel and allowing the slat to rotate about a horizontal axis whereby the ends of each axle are embedded in a bush in the vertical frame to permit rotation and come to rest in a loosely locked vertical position by means of a retention mechanism;
3. The combination in claim 2 wherein the retention mechanism for each of the plurality of slats comprises a spring-loaded ball and socket mechanism formed of the spring-loaded ball embedded in the side of each of the slats adjacent to the frame and a corresponding reinforced socket contained within the upright of the frame such that the ball and socket for each individual slat may engage when the slat is at rest in zero or low wind conditions. The retention mechanism also comprises a friction device along the leading and trailing horizontal edge of each of the individual slats which inter-mesh and provide additional stability, resistance and privacy; Enriched by weighted slats.
4. The combination in claim 3 whereby the friction device is a series of inter-meshing brushes of nylon or natural material or a flexible rubber strip fixed to the leading and trailing edge of each of the slats so as to provide friction resistance to movement in low or zero wind conditions;
5. The slats from claim 1 are aerodynamically shaped to respond to high winds and made from wood or moulded from recycled polymeric material and embossed or moulded with a wood-effect design and coloured accordingly or to requirements of individual customers and weighted along their lower edges so as to provide further inertial resistance to motion, or momentum to engage the closure mechanism;
6. An upright frame of claim 1 to contain the plurality of slats which conforms in measurements to the requirements for domestic lap-fence panels and which has a series of horizontal holes and bushes spaced vertically along its upright members to accept each axle of each of the slats and a reinforced socket to engage the spring-loaded ball of each slat to retain the axle in an upright position in normal conditions and furthermore a means of attaching the frame to a fixed standard fencepost;
7. An axle of claim 1, present for each individual slat, which passes through a point above the horizontal centre-mass of each slat such that the slat hangs vertically in normal conditions, and permit the spring-loaded ball and socket to engage and permitting rotation about a horizontal axis and may additionally be retained by a torsional spring mechanism.