US3720401A

US3720401A - Plastic fence post

Info

Publication number: US3720401A
Application number: US00102358A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Loch; G Loch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-12-29
Filing date: 1970-12-29
Publication date: 1973-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 1990-03-13

Abstract

A hollow plastic fence post has a detachable steel driving cap and a detachable decorative cap used after driving. Corrugations around the lower end prevent displacement of the post after driving and apertures through the walls permit attachment of wire or wood straps to which fence rails may be nailed.

Description

Elite States Patent 1 1191 Loch et a1. 1March 13, 1973 54] PLASTIC FENCE POST 3,464,671 9/1969 Thomas 5.....256/10 3,305,985 2/1967 Dean 256/47 X [76] lm'emors- Gemge 170d, 141 3,555,751 1/1971 Thorgusen ..52 155 Alphonse Loch, 2, 51,382 12/1865 Ashdown eta1.. .,...173/132 x Tofleld, Alberta, both of Canada 427,815 5/1890 Wolf ..52 155 x 931,495 *8/1909 Saunders ....52/155 X [22] 1970 1,130,076 3 1915 Eisenmengerm. ..173 132 2 APPL 102 35 2,821,365 [/1958 Lach ....256/19 3,173,662 3/1965 Millerbcrnd ..256/52 [52] US. Cl ..256/19, 256/47 Primary ExaminerDennis L. Taylor [51] Int. Cl. ..E04h 17/24 Att0rneyKent & Ade [58] Field of Search ..256/47, 48,19, 51,52,10;

52/155 [57] ABSTRACT f A ho110w plastic fence post has a detachable steel [56] Re erences C'ted driving cap and a detachable decorative cap used after UNITED STATES PAT d riving. Corrugations around thelgwer end prevent d1sp1acement of the post after dnvmg and apertures 760,507 5/1904 Witt ..256/48 through the walls permit attachment of wire 01' wood Lake traps to fence rails may be nailed 1,925,488 9/1933 Kern ...256/48 UX 3,001 ,765 9/1961 Shobert ..256/19 X 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PLASTIC FENCE POST This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fence posts, and is adapted to replace conventional fence posts which are usually made of wood, concrete or steel.

All of these are relatively heavy, deteriorate rapidly and are expensive to produce.

The present device is designed to be made from plastic and can be formed with any exterior configuration desired.

It is designed to be hollow for light weight and economy of production and a steel driving cap is provided to assist in the driving of the post within the ground without damaging same.

Once the post has been placed within the ground, the driving cap can be removed and a decorative cap placed thereon. 7

Means are provided to attach wire fencing material or, alternatively, wooden stringers to which fence rails can be nailed or bolted.

The principal object and essence of the invention is therefore to provide a hollow plastic fence post which is easily driven into the ground and which, once in position, will not deteriorate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which can be made in any configuration and color desired.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which issimple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the considerations and inventive objects herein set forth in view, and such other or further purposes, advantages or novel features as may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists of the inventive concept which is comprised, embodied, embraced, or included in the method, process, construction, composition, arrangement or combination of parts, or new use of any of the foregoing, herein exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to the accompanying Figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one of the fence posts.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side sectional elevation of the decorative cap.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of the upper end of the post with the steel driving cap in position.

FIG. 4 is an isometric exploded view of the post and driving cap.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, reference character illustrates. the fence post which is extruded plastic having walls approximately A inch thick. Although the present drawings illustrate a square cross sectional post, nevertheless it will be appreciated that other cross sectional configurations can be used.

The post consists of the main elongated body portion 11 having parallel sides and a tapered or pointed end' portion 12 formed integrally with the main portion 11' and extending downwardly therefrom. as clearly illustrated.

The lower end 13 and the pointed portion 12 are provided with corrugations 13' on the exterior walls thereof extending peripherally around the walls and these corrugations assist in retaining the post within the ground once it has been driven therein.

In order to drive the post into the ground without damaging same, we provide a steel driving cap collectively designated 14 which is removably positioned on the upper end 15 of the post. This cap is substantially square when viewed in plan and is provided with a pair of spaced and parallel peripherally extending flanges l6 and 17 depending from the underside of the cap and defining a groove 18 therebetween. The upper edges 15 of the post are received within this groove with the

flanges

16 and 17 upon either side of the walls of the upper end of the post thus enabling the post to be driven downwardly without the walls splitting under the impact.

Once the post is in position, the steel'driving cap is removed and a decorative cap collectively designated 19 is positioned on the upper end thus finishing off the post. This decorative cap is preferably formed from plastic but is similar in construction to the cap 14 inasmuch as spaced and parallel flanges 20 and 21 define a peripheral groove 22 into which the upper edges of the walls of the post fit with the flanges upon either side thereof. A decorative finish in the form of a knob 23 or the like may be provided on the cap.

I Spaced apertures 24 are formed in opposite side walls 25 of each post as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 and these apertures enable fencing materials to be secured thereto between adjacently situated posts.

If wire is being used, eyelets 26 can be engaged through convenient apertures and bolted by nuts 27 into position.

However reference character 32 illustrated the preferred method of attaching a wire to the post. It comprises a bifurciated plastic fastener having two legs 33, a wire aperture 34 at the inner ends of the legs and an enlargement 35 formed on the outer ends of the legs. The wire strand 36 is placed in the aperture 34 and the fastener is driven into one of the holes 24 in the post thus compressing the enlarged ends 35 as they pass through the aperture which then expand after passing through the aperture or hole 24 in order to prevent disengagement of the fastener from the post.

Various modifications can be made within the scope of the inventive concept which is herein disclosed and/or claimed.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. The combination of a fence post comprising a vertically elongated hollow body having an open upper end and a pointed lower end portion adapted for insertion in. the ground, said body being formed from plastic material and being provided with a vertical row of circular apertures communicating with the hollow interior of the body, a plastic closure cap removably positioned on and closing the open upper end of said body, a fence wire, and a fastener for attaching said fence wire to said post body, said fastener comprising a head portion provided with a transverse bore having said fence wire extending therethrough, a bifurcated cylindrical stem portion. integral with said head portion defining a pair of legs which are normally spaced apart but are resiliently compressible toward each other, and outby engagement of the enlargements with the interior surface of the fence body when said legs are expanded by their inherent resiliency to their normally spaced apart position.

k l i

Claims

1. The combination of a fence post comprising a vertically elongated hollow body having an open upper end and a pointed lower end portion adapted for insertion in the ground, said body being formed from plastic material and being provided with a vertical row of circular apertures communicating with the hollow interior of the body, a plastic closure cap removably positioned on and closing the open upper end of said body, a fence wire, and a fastener for attaching said fence wire to said post body, said fastener comprising a head portion provided with a transverse bore having said fence wire extending therethrough, a bifurcated cylindrical stem portion integral with said head portion defining a pair of legs which are normally spaced apart but are resiliently compressible toward each other, and outturned enlargements provided at the free ends of said legs, compression of said legs toward each other permitting said enlargements to pass through one of said apertures in the post body and said bifurcated cylindrical stem portion to be retained in the circular aperture by engagement of the enlargements with the interior surface of the fence body when said legs are expanded by their inherent resiliency to their normally spaced apart position.