WO2011088494A1

WO2011088494A1 - Electric fences and post insulators

Info

Publication number: WO2011088494A1
Application number: PCT/AU2010/000058
Authority: WO
Inventors: Graeme John Trainor; Lionel Alexander Trainor
Original assignee: Graeme John Trainor; Lionel Alexander Trainor
Priority date: 2010-01-21
Filing date: 2010-01-21
Publication date: 2011-07-28

Abstract

A post insulator (10) for electric fencing, including a securing portion (16,17) adapted to substantially encompass an elongate portion of a post so as to secure the insulator thereto; a holding portion (31) operatively connected to said securing portion and adapted in use to hold an electric fence tape substantially vertically adjacent the post; locking means (41) operatively connected to said securing portion for selectively locking the securing portion to the post. A fence dropper (60) that is able to be used with the post insulator is also claimed.

Description

ELECTRIC FENCES AND POST INSULATORS

This invention relates to electric fences for live stock and post insulators for such fences. The invention has particular application to electric fences incorporating steel posts of the type commonly known as "star pickets" and insulators for use with such posts. However, the invention also has application with other types of posts.

Whereas steel wire has traditionally been used for electric fences it is now common to use plastics string lines and tapes. Such stringlines and tapes are typically formed of woven strands of plastics material with a plurality of strands of stainless steel wire embedded or woven therein for carrying the electric charge. The tapes vary in width and can be up to 40mm wide. The wider tapes are particularly popular for use in fencing paddocks and other enclosures for horses because of their high visibility. However, the presently available insulators are designed for steel wire or plastic stringlines and do not accommodate the wider electric fence tapes as well as desired. Additionally, where wider tapes are fitted to known insulators, the tape is crushed and consequently loses some of its advantages, for example, by not holding the tape upright so that it can be more easily seen by horses and other livestock at least adjacent the posts to which the insulators are fastened.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides broadly in a post insulator for electric fencing, the insulator including :

a securing portion adapted to engage with a post so as to secure the insulator thereto; and

a holding portion operatively connected to said securing portion and adapted in use to hold an electric fence tape substantially upright adjacent the post to which the insulator is secured (but not in contact therewith) . In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a post insulator for electric fencing, the insulator including:

a securing portion adapted to substantially encompass an elongate portion of a post so as to secure the insulator thereto; and

a holding portion operatively connected to said securing portion and adapted in use to hold an electric fence tape adjacent the post to which the insulator is secured; and

locking means operatively connected to said securing portion for selectively locking the securing portion to the post .

Preferably, the securing portion includes opposed spaced apart first and second engagement means adapted to slidably engage with two of the three webs of a star picket type post so as to secure the insulator thereto. It is also preferred that the securing means include third engagement means adapted to engage with the third web of a star picket so as to prevent pivoting (or rotation) of the securing means about the longitudinal axis of the post or an axis parallel thereto.

Preferably, the holding portion includes a tab operatively connected at one end to said securing portion and providing a passage therebetween for an electric fence tape. In such form it is preferred that the passage be accessible from the free end of the tab to enable a tape to be fitted by simply feeding or looping it over the tab and into the passage rather than threading it through the passage. It is also preferred that the tab include a lead-in portion to assist in feeding the tape over the tab. In such form, it is also preferred that the insulator include means for selectively preventing release of the tape from the passage, for example, by riding out of the passage as the tape is pulled therethrough. In a preferred form, the means for selectively preventing release of the tape from the passage includes a ring extending about the securing portion and adapted to slide relative thereto between an open position in which the passage can be accessed from the free end of the tab and a closed position in which access is prevented by the ring.

In yet another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a fence dropper including:

a wire spacing portion;

attachment means operatively connected to said wire spacing portion for attaching two or more wires to the spacing portion in spaced apart relationship;

securement means operatively connected to said wire spacing portion for securement of the securing portion of a post insulator as previously described thereto and whereby in use the holding portion of the insulator can operate to hold an electric fence tape spaced from the attachment means.

Preferably, the securement means is formed so as to mimic an elongate portion of a post to the extent that the securing portion of the insulator can be secured thereto in the same manner as it can be secured to a post.

In order that the invention be more clearly understood and put into practical effect, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an insulator according to the invention mounted on a star picket;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the insulator mounted on the star picket shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the insulator mounted on the star picket shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the insulator mounted on the star picket shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5a is a perspective view of the insulator body of the insulator shown in Fig. 1 from one side; Fig. 5b is the same view of the insulator body shown in Fig. 5a with an electric fence tape in the in-use position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the insulator body of the insulator shown in Fig. 1 from the opposite side;

Fig. 7 is a plan of the insulator body shown in Fig. 5a; Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the insulator shown in Fig. 5a along line A-A;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the tape securing ring of the insulator shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the post locking ring of the insulator shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a mount for mounting the insulator shown in Fig. 1 to a wooden post rather than a star picket;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the mount of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a post cap for use with the insulator shown in Fig. 1 when mounted to a star picket from one side;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the post cap of Fig. 13 from the other side;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a fence dropper according to the invention which includes a mount for mounting the insulator shown in Fig.l thereto.

The insulator 10 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 mounted on a star picket (only portion 15 shown) is constructed of a plastics material (in this case polyethylene) and has a body portion 11 which includes an elongate incomplete cylindrical outer wall 12 having a longitudinal axis 13. The outer wall is incomplete by virtue of a break or split 14 along its length which allows the wall to open and close so as to increase and decrease the diameter of the cylinder slightly as will be described in more detail later. The body portion also includes two opposed fins (or webs) 16 and 17 which extend towards each other from the inner face 18 of the outer wall 12 along a substantial part of its length to form elongate corners 19 and 21 therewith and terminate in opposed elongate aligned edges 22 and 23 forming a space 24 therebetween with the edges 22 and 23 being generally parallel to the axis of the cylinder and the space being diametrially aligned with the break 14. Advantageously, the outer cylindrical wall terminates in a flared end portion 26 at its lower end to assist in fitting it to a star picket and a similar flared end portion 27 at its upper end for easy release from a star picket.

An inverted generally "V" or "U" shaped slot 31 is formed in the outer wall (with its centre line being diametrically opposite the space 24 and the break 14) to define a complementary shaped tab 32, the tab remaining connected to the outer wall at its lower end 33 and terminating at its upper end in a protruding lip 34 which provides a lead-in portion to the slot 31. As can be seen more clearly in Fig. 5a, the slot forms a passage which is adapted to accommodate an electric fence tape 36 therein running through the body portion from one side of the slot to the other. Advantageously, the slot expands slightly adjacent the lower end 33 of the tab to form a cylindrical passage 35 which is adapted to receive therethrough a cylindrical wire if desired. Suitably, the cylindrical passage has a diameter which is selected to slidably receive 12 gauge wire therethrough. However, if desired, insulators with a larger or smaller diameter cylindrical passage may be provided to accommodate larger of smaller gauge wire as desired.

Suitably, the insulator includes a tape securing ring 38 extending about the outer wall of the body portion and being slidably and rotatably mounted thereon. Advantageously, the ring is adapted to selectively engage the tab to ensure that the tape cannot jump out of the slot. In this particular embodiment, the ring is split, terminating in opposed spaced apart ends 39 and 40 so that it can be pushed over the protruding lip 34 and once in that position the lip prevents it sliding up. However, the ring could be complete and arranged to slide over the lip while the tab is being pushed inwards towards the body axis.

The insulator also includes a post locking ring 41 which is also rotatably and slidably mounted on the cylindrical outer wall. The post locking ring is also incomplete and terminates in two opposed spaced apart free ends 42 and 43. Suitably, the locking ring is sized so that either one of the free ends can be pushed through a selected one of the wire holes provided in a star picket to prevent the insulator sliding up and down relative thereto, for example hole 15a as shown in Fig. 1.

In use, the body portion is slid onto a star picket (after the star picket has been driven into the ground) such that the two matching webs of the star picket engage at their outer edges in the elongate corners 19 and 21 respectively and the other web fitting in the gap 24 between the free edges 22 and 23 and protruding through the break 14. In this embodiment, the outer wall 12 is elastically biased to close the break 14 so that the edges of the outer wall at the break grip the web of the star picket. When the body portion has been located in a predetermined desired position on the star picket, the post locking ring is rotated so as to force one of its free ends through a hole in the protruding web to lock the body portion in the predetermined position.

When the body portion has been locked in position, the electric fence tape can be fitted to the insulator by sliding it over the tab from the top with the aid of the protruding lead-in lip 34 and into the slot 31 and then the tape locking ring 38 can be slid down over the lip to engage with the upper edge of the tape with the ring closing the slot 31 and being prevented from sliding up by the protruding lip 34. If the tape needs tightening it can be tightened from one end and will slide through the slot 31 as it tightens.

The insulator 10 can also be used with a wooded post and for that that purpose, an adaptor mount 50 as shown in Fig.11 can be provided. The adaptor mount includes a post mounting portion 51 and an insulator mounting portion 52 spaced therefrom by a spacer portion 53, the insulator mounting portion including a bottom protruding lip 54. In use, the adaptor mount is secured to a wooden post by screws, nails or other suitable fastening means and then the insulator is slid over the insulator mounting portion so that the opposite edges of the outer wall portion 12 at the break engage the opposite faces of the spacer portion so as to hold it therebetween while the insulator mounting portion engages the inner face of the outer wall portion. Suitably, the lower end of the outer wall portion rests on the bottom lip 54 to prevent the insulator sliding off the mount.

Advantageously, the insulator can also be used with a fence dropper of the type which holds two or more fence wires in spaced apart held together relationship. For that purpose a fence dropper as shown in Fig. 15 is provided. The fence dropper 60 has an elongate wire spacing portion 61 and an insulator mounting portion 62 spaced therefrom and secured thereto by a spacer portion 63. Suitably, the wire spacing portion terminates at its upper and lower ends in a hook portion adapted to hook over or under a wire as the case may be so as to secure the dropper thereto and hold the wires together and apart at a predetermined spacing. The insulator 10 can be secured to the mounting portion in the same manner as described in relation to the adaptor mount 50.

The insulator may also be provided with a cap 70 as illustrated in Fig. 13 for the purpose of covering the top end of a star picket or similar post. Suitably, the cap has a cover portion 71 adapted to rest on the upper end of a star picket and a latching portion 72 connected thereto by a connector portion 73, the latching portion being adapted to latch to the cylindrical wall portion of the insulator at its bottom end. Advantageously, a tab 74 depends from the cover portion and is arranged to engage with a star picket on which the insulator is fitted between the two matching webs thereof.

The foregoing description has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention and many modifications and variations which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A post insulator for electric fencing, including:

2. A post insulator according to Claim 1, wherein said holding portion is adapted in use to hold an electric fence tape substantially upright.

3. A post insulator according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the securing portion includes opposed spaced apart first and second engagement means adapted to slidably engage with two of the three webs of a star picket type post so as to secure the insulator thereto.

4. A post insulator according to Claim 3 wherein the securing means includes third engagement means adapted to engage with the third web of a star picket so as to prevent pivoting (or rotation) of the securing means about the longitudinal axis of the post or an axis parallel thereto.

5. A post insulator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the holding portion includes a tab operatively connected at one end to said securing portion and providing a passage therebetween for an electric fence tape.

6. A post insulator according to Claim 5 wherein the passage includes a substantially cylindrical portion of a predetermined diameter adapted to receive a cylindrical wire of corresponding predetermined diameter therethrough.

7. A post insulator according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the passage is accessible from the free end of the tab.

8. A post insulator according to Claim 7 wherein the tab includes a lead-in portion adapted to assist in feeding a tape over the tab.

9. A post insulator according to any one of Claims 5 to 8 including means for selectively preventing release of the tape from the passage.

10. A post insulator according to Claim 9 wherein the means for selectively preventing release of the tape from the passage includes a ring extending about said securing portion and adapted to slide relative thereto between an open position in which the passage can be accessed from the free end of the tab and a closed position in which access is prevented by the ring.

11. A post insulator as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .

12. A post insulator according to Claim 1 as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A fence dropper including:

a wire spacing portion;

14. A fence dropper according to Claim 13 wherein said securement means is formed so as to mimic an elongate portion of a post to the extent that the securing portion of the insulator can be secured thereto in the same manner as it can be secured to a post.