US2520314A - Fence - Google Patents

Description

AUM 29, 1950 c. D. HARRIS 2,520,314

FENCE Filed April 27, 194s l l a m., i

Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED S TATES t OFFICE FENCE Clarence D. Harris, lngIeWOOd, Calif. Appiicatlion Aprile?, lciaserial No. 23,560 claims. (o1. 25e-Tg2) The present invention relates generally to fences and to a new and -novel method of fence fabrication. More specifically the inventiongcoinprises an improved prefabricated picket fence in which the pickets are adjustably locked in `place upon `their supporting rails themselves supported" I for angular adjustment upon posts to enable the fence to conform to the ground contour; ,and to a method by which suoh `a fence is made.

Picket fences are barriers and must tbe-suitable from the functional and from the appearance standpoints. The original picket fencelwasrrnade of wood but today they arereadily fabricated of light-weight metal. While earlier wooden fences `were assembled upon the permanent site `mass production methods make desirable the fabri-` t `is another object of the invention to provide l an improved metallic picket fence.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved picket fence in which the pickets are adjustably locked in place to permit relative tilting movement so that the fence` t may conform to the curvature of the supporting terrain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved picket fence in which the pickets are locked in place by struck-out tabs in the fence rail, and to a `method by which such a fence ,is constructed. i

These and other more specic objects `will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a section of a picket fence constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial horizontal section upon the line 2-2 of Figure l illustrating the angularly adjustable mounting at the supporting post;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the railsupporting bracket upon the line 3 3 of Figure l Figure fi is an enlarged perspective showing of the relationship between a locking tab on the fence rail and a picket;

,Figure 5 isa partial horizontal section in a `fencefrail showing theV initialstep inthe method of `fabrication in `which the locking tabs are struck out `Figure 6 illustrates the second step inthe method `of fabrication `in which the picket is positioned against the rail and below the tabs;

and

`liligure l `is a section similar to Figures 5 and 6 `and shows `the third `step in the method of fabrication in which the tabs are `deformed by a force sufficient tolook adjustably the Apicket in place. Referring again to the drawing, a portion of a fence constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and is seen to comprise a vertically extending post 2li,

preferably but not necessarily `U-sectioned, eX-

tending into the supporting ground and carrying a pair of split clampunits i2 each of `which is composed of opposed U-sectioned members :i3 and i4, the back of the former contacting `the post l l. `A bolt `itextends through the clamp elements i3 and ifi, its headed outer end abutting the` outer face of member lll, and itsthreaded `endeatending.through a slot ilinthe post :il to seat `a .nut ixwhich, when tightened, draws the i clamping 4unit against i the post.

"Ulsectioned open-sided rails i9 of slightly smaller height than the interior vertical dimensions of the clamp elements i3 andV id @extend into the clamping units i2 tobefsupportedthereby, their adjacent `ends being positionecly upon 4opposite sides'ofthe bolt it. The rail is suinciently smaller than the clamp as to permit limited tilting movement, as `indicated in lthe dotted lines in "Figure 1. At `spaced intervals along the rail are pickets, indicated generally by the reference character 2li," each picket `comprising a central JV- shaped portion 2i, ,at the edges `o f which are flat marginal` portions or flanges 22.

as` is` clearly illustratedin Figure l, `pickets Bil `extend`between` and beyond the spaced rails i9, the spacing of the latter being a matter of choice and varying with the design of the fence. Each picket is retained in place relative to each rail i9 by means of overlying tabs 26 which are pressed from the face of the rail at spaced intervals and subsequently flattened, as will now be described.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 7, inclusive, the method by which the pickets are locked to the rails I 9 is disclosed. Each rail is punched to provide integral tabs 23 which extend outwardly of and parallel to the forward face of the rail. The

rail may have a length of 8, 10 or 12 feet or more, and these tabs are preferably punched simultaneously, although this is not essential. After the tabs have been punched the upper and lower rails I9 are positioned at the proper distance apart, each picket 20 is threaded into its proper position relative thereto, portions of its side marginal edges or flanges 22 underlying the tabs 26. This relationship is illustrated in Figure 6. When so positioned the tabs 26 are flattened by a blow or punching operation and with sufficient force as to deform them from their initial contour, illustrated in Figures and 6, to the flattened condition shown in Figure 7. The force is suicient that the underlying portions of the ange 22 of the picket are deformed and depressed into the openings left in the rail when the tabs were pressed therefrom. The tabs 26 may be deformed individually or, preferably, all the tabs ineach rail section are deformed simultaneously to lock all of the pickets in position, this last being preferable from the standpoint of mass production economy.

The assembly and use of the picket fence fabricated in accordance with the present invention is believed to be clear. The post II is first set in the ground and the clamping units I2 positioned thereon by the bolt I6. The sections of fence, comprising the rails I9 and the pickets 20, are positioned relative to the posts, the ends of the rails I9 extending into clamps I2, which may then be tightened by the manual rotation of the nuts I8 until the rails are fixed relative to the post. In the event that the terrain is uneven and it is necessary to slope the fence the rails I9 can be tilted in their seats in the clamp I2, as for example, from the full line to the dotted line position illustrated at the right of the post in Figure 1. While the tabs 26 firmly lock the pickets against longitudinal displacement, they permit limited angular rotation or pivotal movement, the Width of the pickets 2I being sufiiciently less than the spacing between the inner surface of the tabs 26 as to make this adjustment possible. The construction makes it possible to fabricate the fence at the factory, transport it to location and position it, variations in slope and contour of the ground being readily accommodated. V

While the particular apparatus herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fence of the type having a vertical post and a rail with its end tiltably supported at said post, a picket extended transversely of said rail,

and an integral tab struck out from said rail pressing, without penetration said picket against the side of said rail, the edge of the picket retained by said tab being spaced slightly from the line of attachment of the tab to said rail to permit limited angular adjustment of the picket.

2. In a fence of the type having a vertical post and a rail with its end tiltably supported at said post, a picket extended transversely of said rail, and opposed integral tabs struck out from said rail positioned upon opposite sides of said picket and pressing it, by surface contact without penetration, against said rail, the width of the picket being slightly less than the space between the tabs at their lines of attachment to the rail, whereby limited angular adjustment of the pickets with reference to the rail is permitted.

3. The construction recited in claim 2 characterized in that said tabs extend suiflciently beyond the side edges of said picket to enable said picket to be adjusted angularly relative thereto. l

4. The construction recited in claim 2 characterized in that said rail is formed with a plurality of apertures over which extend integral tabs and in that said picket is formed with a flange having depressed portions extended into said apertures and prevented from displacement therefrom by said tabs.

5. A fence section comprising parallel rails formed with spaced pairs of apertures and integral tabs extended thereover in spaced relationship, the tabs of each pair of apertures facing toward each other, spaced pickets extending transversely across said rails and formed with integral flanges having depressed portions extended into said apertures and prevented from displacement therefrom by said tabs, characterized in that said tabs contact said pickets without penetration and the pickets including said flanges are of slightly less width than the distance between the tabs at their line of attachment, to enable said depressed portions to make limited relative adjustment in said apertures and said pickets to make limited angular adjustment relative to said rails.

CLARENCE D. HARRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Feb. 6, 1909 Certicate of Correction Patent No. 2,520,314: August 29, 1950 CLARENCE D. HARRIS It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specicaton of the above numbered patent requiring correction es follows:

Column 4, line 2, after the Word penetration insert a comme;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the Same may conform to the record of the ease n the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of December, A. D. 1950.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommz'ssz'oner of Patents.

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