Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
  • E04H17/00—Fencing, e.g. fences, enclosures, corrals
  • E04H17/02—Wire fencing, e.g. made of wire mesh
  • E04H17/06—Parts for wire fences
  • E04H17/08—Anchoring means therefor, e.g. specially-shaped parts entering the ground; Struts or the like
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
  • E04H12/00—Towers; Masts or poles; Chimney stacks; Water-towers; Methods of erecting such structures
  • E04H12/22—Sockets or holders for poles or posts
  • E04H12/2207—Sockets or holders for poles or posts not used
  • E04H12/2215—Sockets or holders for poles or posts not used driven into the ground
  • E04H12/223—Sockets or holders for poles or posts not used driven into the ground with movable anchoring elements; with separately driven anchor rods
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
  • E04H17/00—Fencing, e.g. fences, enclosures, corrals
  • E04H17/02—Wire fencing, e.g. made of wire mesh
  • E04H17/10—Wire fencing, e.g. made of wire mesh characterised by the way of connecting wire to posts; Droppers
  • E04H17/124—Wire fencing, e.g. made of wire mesh characterised by the way of connecting wire to posts; Droppers connecting by one or more clamps, clips, screws, wedges or ties

Definitions

• This invention relates to improvements in fencing construction and relates particularly to an improved construction of fence post and system for erecting fence and gate posts.
• Steel posts are also generally provided with a bottom plate to support the post in the post hole, and further support is usually provided by concrete around the base of the post. Installation of such posts is generally time consuming and requires substantial amount of labour to ensure that the post is properly erected and supported. Posts used for the support of gates, and strainer posts require substantial additional work to secure gate support brackets and strainer members to the post.
• Australian Patent No. 127,755 discloses a relatively complicated construction of fence post adapted for driving into the ground and having feet which can be spread outwardly beneath the ground surface after the post is driven into the ground.
• the feet are contained wholly within the post while it is being driven in the ground and an inner sleeve is then forced downwardly against the upper ends of the feet within the post to drive them down and out the bottom of the post.
• a domed shank initially located in the bottom of the post causes the feet to splay outwardly when they are forced down by the sleeve.
• This arrangement as well as comprising a plurality of parts adapted to interreact to produce the desired result, is relatively expensive to manufacture, is time consuming to use and is ineffective in a majority of soil types.
• Australian Patent No. 498,393 discloses another form of self-anchoring post comprising a plurality of angle section members united along their free edges to form a hollow member except for a portion at one end, tapering the angled section members at the one end so that upon driving the member into the ground will cause the ends to splay and lock the member in the ground.
• this construction of post is relatively expensive to manufacture due to the need to unite the plurality of angle section members, which must be of relatively heavy gauge, along their free edges, and the post so formed is relatively rigid such that minimal splaying of the tapered members occurs.
• a fence post comprising an elongated tubular member of steel or other metal having two or more axially extending cuts or slots in the wall of the tubular member at one end thereof to provide two or more discrete end portions, the discrete end portions being shaped so as to splay outwardly when the post is driven into the ground so as to form integral outwardly splayed post supporting feet.
• the invention also provides a fencing system comprising a post as described above in combination with a tubular sleeve adapted to engage with the post and be secured thereto by welding or securing means such as screws or the like, the sleeve having a socket welded thereto, the axis of the socket extending at an angle to the post axis and adapted to engage with one end of a strainer tube, and a wedge plate adapted to be driven into the ground at a location along the desired fence line and spaced from the fence post, the wedge plate having a second socket welded thereto and adapted to engage the other end of the strainer tube whereby the wedge plate strainer tube and sleeve act to support the fence post against the forces applied to the post by strained fencing wire engaged therewith.
• the sleeve may be provided with two or more sockets to receive strainer tubes which extend from the post to assist in resisting stresses set up by strained fencing wire engaging the post from several different directions or to support structures such as gates or the like.
• the fence system of the present invention may also include additional sleeves carrying gate support brackets, the additional sleeves being adapted to be secured to the fence post and to hingingly support a gate thereon.
• the tubular fence post of the invention is closed at its upper end.
• air is compressed within the post by soil entering the lower end.
• the air is compressed to a pressure which thereafter prevents further soil entering the space between the legs thereby assisting the legs to spread.
• a post of the invention can be driven into relatively wet soil and the air pressure build-up in the post assists in causing the legs to splay in such soil.
• the legs of the post of the invention are caused to splay in soil conditions which otherwise would not develop sufficient splaying forces against the shaped ends of the discrete end portions .
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence post formed in accordance with the present invention.
• Figures 2, 3 and 4 are views of the three forms of sleeves adapted to be used with the post of Figure 1 in the fencing system of the invention.
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of a wedge plate for use with the fencing system of the invention.
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of a stabilizer bar and wedge.
• Figure 7 is a general view of the fence post of the invention in combination with gate support brackets and strainer brackets.
• Figure 8 is a view showing one method of erecting the fence post of the invention.
• Figure 9 is a perspective view of the post showing one method of securing fence wire thereto.
• Figure 10 shows another method of securing fence wire to the post
• Figure 11 is a perspective view of another form of post according to the invention.
• the fence post illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a square tubular elongated post 12 formed of steel and having its upper end closed by means of a steel plate 13 which is welded around the top of the post. Adjacent the lower end of the post 12, a hole 14 is drilled in each of the four sides of the post at a position spaced from the lower end thereof.
• the post 12 is two metres long and the holes 14 are drilled approximately 25 centimetres froir. the lower end.
• the post 12 may be used as an unsupported intermediate fence post or dropper by driving the post into the ground using, for example, a post driver as shown in Figure 8.
• the post driver 21 may comprise a hollow member closed at its upper end and having two or more handles 15 thereon.
• the post driver 21 is of a relatively heavy weight, for example, 20 kilograms, and is adapted to engage over the top of the fence post to drive the post into the ground by repeated blows on the top of the post. As the post 12 is driven into the ground, the legs
• the splayed legs 17 act as a footing for the post 12 to firmly support the post in the ground and prevent easy removal thereof.
• the fencing system of the invention utilizes the post of Figure 1 in combination with other fencing materials to provide a unique, rigid fence structure suitable for a variety of applications including sheep and cattle yards, domestic fences, paddock fencing and the like.
• the fence post 12 is required to resist lateral forces applied thereto either by strained fencing wire or by the weight of a gate or the like secured to the post 12.
• a tubular sleeve 24, as shown in Figure 3, which has inside dimensions to enable it to slidably engage with the post 12, is adapted to be positioned along the post at an appropriate height from the ground.
• the sleeve 24 is secured to the post either by welding or, preferably, by use of grub screws or pointed alien head screws which engage in drilled and tapped holes 26 in the sleeve 24.
• the sleeve 24 is formed with a socket 27 for reception of a strainer tube 23.
• the socket 27 extends at an angle of approximately 25° to the horizontal.
• the other end of the strainer tube 23 is supported in the ground at a distance spaced from the post 12 by a wedge plate 31 as illustrated in Figure 5.
• the wedge plate has a pointed lower end 32 and a lower strainer tube support socket 33 is welded to the wedge plate to extend therefrom at an angle of 25 to the horizontal when the wedge plate 31 is vertical.
• the wedge plate 31 is driven into the ground so that the top edge thereof is substantially at ground level.
• the wedge plate 31, strainer tube 23 and sleeve 24 support the post 12 in the upright position against the forces applied by strained fence wire 34 engaged with the post 12.
• gate support sleeves 37 and 38 are mounted on the post 12 and secured thereto either by welding or, preferably, by use of grub screws or alien head screws.
• the upper gate sleeve 37 carries a gate support bracket 39 which is commonly used for such steel gates 36.
• the lower gate sleeve 38 carries a typical gudgeon pin arrangement 35 which is adapted to engage in an appropriate socket on the bottom of the gate 36.
• Additional support for the post 12 is provided by a sleeve 44 having outwardly extending support bars 46 which are positioned in the ground prior to driving the post 12 into the ground. The post 12 is then driven through the sleeve 44 to the desired depth.
• a wedge key 47 is driven between the post 12 and the sleeve 44 to secure them together.
• the sleeve and outwardly extending feet provide additional underground support particularly when the post is used in unstable ground.
• the additional sleeve and support bars 44 may be positioned at any desired depth commensurate with the length of the post.
• Fencing wire 34 may be fixed to the post 12 by simply wrapping the wire around the post and twisting in the normal manner. However, to support the wire in the correct position on the post, without drilling, grooving or otherwise modifying the post, one or more resilient nylon or synthetic plastic tubes 41 are placed along the post 12, and temporarily secured thereto by plastic tape or the like, before the fencing wires 34 are engaged with the post.
• the wires are then fitted around the post and the tubes 41 so that when the wires are strained they deform and compress the tubes 41 at the wire locations.
• the tubes are thereby held to the post and acts to maintain the desired spacing between the fencing wires as shown in Figure 9.
• a single tube 41 may be used, if desired, instead of the plurality of tubes shown in the drawing.
• FIG. 10 A different arrangement for securing fencing wire 34 to a post 12 is shown in Figure 10.
• fencing wire 34 is fixed to the substantially hollow post 12 by forming the post with a slot 20 in the wall thereof, which preferably extends in the axial direction, and securing the fencing wire 34 to the post by means of a staple 30 which is an interference fit within the slot 20.
• a sleeve 25 of synthetic plastic material, such as nylon, may be engaged over the fencing wire 34 at that part of the wire which is to be engaged by the staple 30.
• the width of the slot 20 is preferably slightly less than the thickness of the staple 30 which is engaged therein to provide an adequate interference between the edges of the slot 20 and the staple 30.
• the slot 20 may be formed in the wall of the post 12 by using an appropriate die to surround the post and a ram which is moved transversely to pierce the wall of the tubular post and thereby form a slot 20 of the desired dimensions.
• the post 12 is of a relatively short length of tubular material and the axially extending cuts or slots 16 are formed of a length which is a major part of the total length of the post 12.
• the post 12 is adapted to be driven into the ground so that the top of the post is either substantially level with the surface of the ground or only a small part thereof protrudes from the ground.
• the post 12 thus forms a base part to receive a second post section 48 of suitable material and shape which is adapted to fit within the tubular base part in the ground.
• the second post section 48 may be formed of aluminium or similar ductile metal, or of timber or other material which is relatively easily sheared, and the arrangement is therefore particularly suitable for use as guide posts on the road ⁇ side or the like where it is undesirable for the post to be a relatively rigid barrier to a moving object.
• the second post 48 may be formed of steel or other relatively rigid material which can be used to support fencing wire or the like but wherein the second post 48 is relatively easily replaced if the post is bent or otherwise damaged. In these circumstances, the second part of the post is simply removed from the base and replaced with a further second post section.
• the second post 48 may be secured to the first post 12 by bolts 49 or the like, as shown in Figure 11.
• the base post section is able to be driven into the ground and made secure therein and the upper section thereof is relatively easily replaced in the advent of deliberate or accidental damage or destruction thereof.
• a post 12 erected at a corner of a fencing run or at a yard corner will be provided with one or more sleeves having strainer tube support brackets 27 extending at 90° to enable wedge plates 31 and strainer tubes 23 to be engaged with the corner post along each side of the fencing run.
• the post 12 may be formed of relatively thin gauge square sectioned tubular steel or other metal, or round, hexagonal, rectangular or any other suitable section. The holes and slots sufficiently weaken the otherwise
• OMPI relatively rigid structure of the tubular member whereby the discrete end portions are able to splay outwardly.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Fencing (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=27151559

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1981
  • 1981-07-08 WO PCT/AU1981/000086 patent/WO1982000170A1/en unknown
  • 1981-07-08 EP EP81901902A patent/EP0055731A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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