AU2004233492A1 - Fence cap - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant: BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED Invention Title: FENCE CAP The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 FENCE CAP Technical Field The present invention relates generally to fencing systems and more specifically to a capping for use in fences. The invention has been developed especially, but not exclusively, for metal fencing systems and is herein described in that context. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention has broader application and is not limited to that use.

Background of the Invention Metal fencing typically comprises a plurality of spaced apart fence posts and barrier panels which extend between, and are supported by, adjacent posts. The fence posts are typically of channel section having longitudinally extending recesses adapted to receive and locate an end of the barrier panel. Typically, each barrier panel comprises upper and lower rigid rails and an infill means extending from rail to rail. The infill means may be an impervious rigid sheet, a roll formed profiled sheet, a rigid sheet of expanded metal, a plurality of spaced apart pickets, a sheet of woven wire mesh or other substantially planar obstruction to the passage of people or animals between the posts. Under these circumstances, it is the end of the rails that enter the post recesses and are fixed to the posts.

Such metal fences are commonly used as they are strong, durable, relatively easy to install, and are usually less expensive than other types of fencing such as the more traditional timber paling fences.

1 -3- A problem with metal fencing is that they are not suited to older established areas, where traditional z timber fencing are widely used. The use of metal fencing IN in these circumstances is often considered not appropriate as it looks out of place with these older style fences.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect, the invention provides a cap for a fence, the cap being formed as a channel section having opposite side walls that are spaced apart and interconnected by a bridging portion, the cap being structured so as to promote the attachment of plants thereto, wherein in use, the cap is operative to straddle the fence with the side walls located on opposite sides of the fence.

A cap according to the present invention has substantial practical benefits. The cap is designed to straddle a fence ridge and is specifically structured so as to facilitate growing plants, such as creepers and the like, across the top of the fence. In this way, the cap enables the fence to more easily blend into a garden thereby making the fence better suited to its surrounding environment. In particular, the invention has particular application for use with metal fencing in established residential areas where a conventional metal fence would be unacceptable.

In one embodiment, the cap incorporates apertures so as to promote the attachment of plants. In another embodiment, the outer surface of the cap incorporates projections, such as hooks or the like, to promote the attachment of plants.

4 In one form, the cap is formed from an open structure and is made from a wire mesh, expanded sheet, or perforated sheet. An advantage of using an open structure is that the plants can grow through the capping thereby allowing the plants to integrate more fully with the fence.

A further advantage of the fence is that the capping is designed to straddle the sides of the fence. This not only allows for a system where plants can cover more completely the entire fence, but it also provides a more rigid structure to the cap as the capping can be supported and mounted to both sides of the fence.

In one form, the cap is designed so that it extends above the ridge of the fence. This arrangement is preferred as it provides a better system for training plants, particularly if the capping is made from an open structure.

In one form, the cap is sufficiently rigid so as to be self supporting when projecting above the upper ridge of the fence.

In one form, the cap incorporates supporting elements which support at least a portion of the cap in a position spaced from the fence. In one form, the supporting elements form part of, or an extension of, the fence posts.

In yet a further aspect, the present invention relates to a fence comprising a plurality of spaced apart fence posts, at least one barrier panel extending between and mounted to, adjacent ones of the posts, and a fence cap of channel form having opposite side walls spaced apart and interconnected by a bridging portion, the cap being structured so as to facilitate the attachment of plants thereto, wherein the cap extends along and

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CD straddles the ridge of the barrier panel so that the side walls locate on opposite sides of the barrier panel.

z In one embodiment, the cap is installed so as to ND project above the ridge of the barrier panel.

In one form, the fence further includes supporting elements which support at least a portion of the cap in a position spaced from the barrier panel. In one form, the supporting elements extend from, or form a part of, the fence posts. In another form, the support elements are separate from the fence posts.

Brief Description of the Drawings It is convenient to hereinafter describe embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be appreciated that the particularity of the drawings and the related description is to be understood as not superseding the generality of the preceding broad description of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a fence including a fence cap according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a variation of the fence of figure 1 with intermediate support elements; Figure 3 is a further variation of the fence of figure 1; Figure 4 is a fence cap formed from a profiled metal sheet; and Figure 5 is a fence cap formed from expanded metal sheet.

-6- C Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Fig. 1 illustrates a fence 10 which is formed from a z plurality of fence posts 11 and barrier panels 12 which D extend between adjacent fence posts 11 and are supported thereby. The fence 10 is formed from metal with the fence posts 11 being formed as channel sections which define a longitudinal recess adapted to receive and locate an end of the barrier panel 12. Each barrier panel 12 comprises upper and lower ridge rails (13 and 14 respectively) and infill means extending from rail to rail. In the illustrated form, the infill means are formed from symmetrical palings 15 but may be formed from numerous other structures as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the fence posts include extension portions 16 which project above the top rail 13.

In the illustrated form, these extension portions 16 are integrally formed as part of the fence post 11.

The fence 10 also includes a capping 20 which extends along the fence 10 above the barrier panels 13. The fence cap is formed from wire mesh and is of channel form having opposite side walls 21, 22 which are interconnected by bridging portion 23. As best illustrated in Fig 1, the capping 20 is located over the support 16 so as to be supported in a position where it straddles the fence but projects above the top rail 13 of the barrier panels. The side walls 21, 22 of the cap extend down below the line of the barrier panel so as to be located against the outer surfaces 17, 18 of the barrier panels 12. With this arrangement, the capping 20 with its open structure is ideally suited as the basis to grow creeping vines and to support hanging plants and the like from the fence. As

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-7- C such, the fence is designed so that it can be more easily concealed by planting than traditional metal fences.

z The capping 20 is secured to the main portion of the ND fence by mechanical fasteners (not shown), typically self tapping screws or the like, which may be secured directly into the fence posts or alternatively into the barrier panel themselves. An advantage of the channel form of the capping 20 is that it is of strong and robust design and therefore well suited to support the growth of creeping vines and hanging plants and the like.

Fig. 2 illustrates a variation on the fence design.

However, as the embodiment of Fig. 2 includes many of the features of Fig. 1, like reference numerals have been given like features.

The main distinguishing feature in the arrangement of Fig. 2 is that independent support elements 30 are used to support the fence capping 20 rather than the extension 16 of the fence post 11 as in the previous embodiment. In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the fence posts 11 are designed to be mounted flush with the top ridge rails 13 of the barrier panels.

The independent support elements 30 are formed as metal brackets and are arranged to be secured directly to the top rails 13 of the barrier panels, typically by self tapping screws or the like (not shown). As in the previous arrangement, the capping extends over the supports so as to straddle the fence thereby again providing an arrangement for training plants therefrom.

Fig. 3 shows a further arrangement of securing the capping 20 to the fence 10. The arrangement of Fig. 3 differs from the previous embodiments in that no separate supports are used to support the fence capping 20. In this arrangement, the fence capping is sufficiently rigid

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-8- C so as to be self supported when secured directly to the fence.

z Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate further variations where the ND fence capping 20 is made from sheet material as distinct from the wire mesh of the earlier embodiments. Typically the sheet material is metal. However, it is to be appreciated that other materials such as plastic could be used as required.

In the arrangement of Fig. 4, the metal is processed by a punching operation to form an array of projections which extend outwardly from the cap 20 to give it the required structural surface characteristic to enable plants to easily attach itself to the cap. Also with the punching operation, apertures 26 are formed thereby allowing the growth of plants through the capping as in the earlier embodiments.

In the arrangement of Fig. 5, the capping 20 is formed from an expanded metal sheet. Initially the sheet is cut into slits which is then stretched so as to form of a plurality of apertures 27 along the sheet thereby providing the suitable surface for attaching plants thereto.

The fence capping 20 shown in the embodiments in Figs 4 and 5 may be used in any of the fencing systems 10 shown in the earlier embodiments. As such, the capping 20 is disposed across the top of the barrier panel 12. One of the advantages of the arrangement of capping shown in Fig.

4 is that it can be used in an arrangement where the capping is disposed against the barrier panel 12. As the projections 25 extend outwardly from the cap 20 they provide adequate attachment points for training plants regardless of whether the cap itself is mounted flush with a surface of the fence.

9 In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context z requires otherwise due to express language or necessary IND implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further Sfeatures in various embodiments of the invention.

Variations and/or modifications may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims (14)

1. A cap for a fence, the cap being formed as a channel section having opposite side walls that are spaced apart and interconnected by a bridging portion, the cap being structured so as to promote the attachment of plants thereto, wherein in use, the cap is operative to straddle the fence with the side walls located on opposite sides of the fence.

2. A fence cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap incorporates apertures so as to promote the attachment of plants thereto.

3. A fence cap according to claim 2, wherein the cap is formed from wire mesh.

4. A fence cap according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the cap is formed from sheet material.

A fence cap according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer surface of the cap incorporates projections so as to promote the attachment of plants thereto.

6. A fence cap according to any preceding claim, wherein the cap is designed so as to extend above the ridge of the fence.

7. A fence cap according to claim 6, further incorporating support elements operative to support the cap so that at least a portion of the cap is spaced from the fence.

8. A fence cap according to claim 7, wherein the support elements are connected to or integrally formed with the fence posts.

9. A fence cap according to claim 7, wherein the support element are in the form of brackets which are mountable to the fence. 11 o

10. A fence cap according to claim 7, wherein the cap is sufficiently rigid so as to be self supporting when 0 Z mounted above the ridge of the fence. NO

11. A fence comprising a plurality of spaced apart fence posts, at least one barrier panel extending between and C-i mounted to, adjacent ones of the posts, and a fence cap of channel form having opposite side walls spaced apart and Sinterconnected by a bridging portion, cap being structured so as to facilitate the attachment of plants thereto, wherein the cap extends along and straddles the ridge of the barrier panel so that the side walls locate on opposite sides of the barrier panel.

12. A fence according to claim 11, wherein the cap projects above the ridge of the barrier panel.

13. A fence according to claim 11, wherein the fence posts extend above the ridge of the barrier panel and are operative to support the cap.

14. A fence according to claim 11, further comprising support elements which are securable to the ridge of the barrier panel so as to support the cap in its position above the ridge of the barrier panel. A fence cap substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 2 5 th day of November 2004 BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK