GB2269192A

GB2269192A - Fence-box for plants

Info

Publication number: GB2269192A
Application number: GB9215906A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Harris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-07-27
Filing date: 1992-07-27
Publication date: 1994-02-02
Also published as: GB9215906D0

Abstract

A fence-box 14, which is of unitary construction, has a trough shaped retaining arrangement which projects outwardly from one side of a rectangular fence member. In use, the fence-box forms an integral part of the fence 10. The lateral ends of the fence member slidingly engage in grooves 13 disposed along the length of vertical support posts 11 which are anchored in the ground 12. Fence panels 15, which also slot into the grooves 13, are stacked on top of the fence-box to attain the desired height of fencing. The retaining arrangement is then filled with earth and planted with vegetation. <IMAGE>

Description

FENCE-BOK The present invention relates to a fence-box which, when in use, is incorporated in a fence assembly.

While fences serve as useful boundaries, they are usually rather unattractive and mundane. For this reason they are frequently decorated or disguised in some way. Where space and money allow, a fence can be partially hidden by a border filled with shrubs or the like. In small gardens, such a border may not be practical although the fence can still be covered with species of climbing plants simply rooted in the ground. In either case, the presence of ground soil is a prerequisite which may be, and all too often is, absent in the modern environment where a fence might be used, for example in car parks or on road sides.

It is therefore desirable to be able to decorate a fence with plants, even in the absence of any surrounding ground soil.

According to the present invention there is provided a fence-box comprising a fence member, having distal ends which are shaped to engage slidingly in grooves disposed in a pair of support posts, and a retaining arrangement protruding from a first side of the fence member between said distal ends and defining a chamber for holding a plant.

Preferably, the fence-box is of unitary construction. The structure may comprise cementitious material, and it is advantageous not least from speed and ease of manufacture criteria to cast the fence-box in a single mould. The cementitious material may be further strengthened by metal reinforcing.

The fence-box may have one or more retaining arrangements on either or both sides of the fence memeber. Therefore, there may be more than one chamber for holding a plant on each side of the fence member.

The invention also provides a fence assembly comprising a pair of support posts for anchoring in the ground, a fence panel having distal ends which are shaped to engage slidingly in grooves disposed along the length of said support posts, and a fence-box as previously defined.

A further aspect of the invention provides a kit of parts for constructing a fence assembly comprising support posts for anchoring in the ground, one or more fence panels having distal ends which are shaped to engage slidingly in grooves disposed along the length of said support posts, and one or more fence-boxes as previously defined.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, purely schematically, a fence assembly comprising a fence-box and embodying the invention Figure 2 is a perspective view of a fence-box embodying a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a cross-section of the fence-box on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a front view of the fence-box of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a plan of the fence-box of Figure 2; and Figure 6 is a plan of a fence-box according to a second embodiment of the invention.

A fence assembly 10 comprises support posts 11 which are anchored in the ground 12. The support posts 11 are arranged vertically at spaced intervals. Each support post 11 has a pair of U-shaped guides or grooves 13. The grooves 13 are disposed on opposite sides of the posts 11 and extend along their length, so that each post has an I-shaped cross-section. When fixed in the ground 12, the posts are orientated such that the grooves 13 are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the fence assembly 10.

The assembly further comprises a fence-box 14 and a plurality of fence-panels 15, all of which extend generally horizontally between a pair of support posts 11. The fence panels 15 are stacked on top of the fence-box 14 to attain the desired height of fencing. The fence-box 14 and the fence-panels 15 have distal ends 16 which are shaped to engage slidingly in the grooves 13 in the support posts 11. The fence-box 14 is structurally strong enough to bear the weight of the fence panels 15 arranged on top of it.

The fence-box 14 comprises a fence member 20 and a retaining wall 21. The retaining wall 21 extends outwardly from a side of the fence member 20 and defines a chamber 22, shaped like a trough, with an aperture 23. The front face 24 of the retaining wall 21 is inclined at an accute angle a to the side of the fence member 20. The end faces 25 of the retaining wall 21 define the width of the trough-shaped chamber 22. These end faces 25 are inclined such that the chamber 22 is wider at the aperture 23 than at the bottom of the retaining wall 21. Tapering the retaining wall 21 in this manner allows one fence-box 14 to be stacked immediately above another fence-box in a fence assembly without preventing access to the chamber in the lowermost fence-box.

The embodiment shown in Figure 5 shows a fence-box with two trough-shaped chambers 22, one on either side of the fence member 20. Hence a second retaining wall 31 protrudes in an opposite sense to the retaining wall 30 on a first side of the fence member 20. The distal ends 16 of the fence member 20 are shaped to engage slidingly in grooves disposed in a pair of support posts. The retaining walls 30, 31 are similarly shaped to the retaining wall 21 in the single-troughed embodiment.

The fence-box according to either embodiment may be produced from cementitious material. The structure may be toughened by incorporating metal reinforcing into the material. In this way, the fence-box may be of unitary construction and cast from a single mould. The general tapering of the retaining wall which defines the trough-shaped chamber facilitates the removal of the casting from a reusable mould. The fence-box may be produced by other methods and other materials.

The fence-box according to either embodiment may be used as a flower-box. For example, a trough-shaped chamber 22 may be filled with earth and then sown with seeds or planted with flowers. The plants will grow through the chamber aperture 23, ultimately disguising the fence. Alternatively, the trough-shaped chamber 22 may be fitted with a removable liner in which plants may be grown. The liner may simply match the contour of the chamber. On the other hand, if the liner is sufficiently rigid, the retaining wall may be reduced to a retaining arrangement which serves merely to hold the liner in position.

Various modifications to the fence-box and fence assembly described are possible without departing from the invention. For example, the chamber defined by the retaining wall need not necessarily be trough-shaped. Instead the retaining wall may form an arcuate chamber. Alternatively, a plurality of small chambers may be provided along the length of the fence member.

The latter consideration may be of increased significance where the size of the fence-box dictates that the weight of the overall structure becomes a limiting factor. Additional weight savings may be obtained by having a retaining wall which does not extend the entire height of the fence member, thereby decreasing the depth of any chamber thus created.

It is to be appreciated that in many instances it will be convenient to produce a fence assembly as herein described as a series of parts that are made available to a user in Kit form.

It is then left to the user to select and assemble the parts according to the needs of a given situation.

Claims

1. A fence-box comprising a fence member, having distal ends which are shaped to engage slidingly in grooves disposed in a pair of support posts, and a retaining arrangement protruding from a first side of the fence member between said distal ends and defining a chamber for holding a plant.

2. A fence-box according to Claim 1, wherein the fence member and the retaining arrangement are of unitary construction.

3. A fence-box according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein a retaining arrangement is provided on a second side of the fence member, protruding in an opposite sense to the retaining arrangement on the first side of the fence member.

4. A fence-box according to any preceding claim, wherein one or both of the sides of the fence member have a plurality of retaining arrangements.

5. A fence-box according to any preceding claim, wherein the fence member and retaining arrangement or arrangements comprise cementitious material.

6. A fence-box according to Claim 5, wherein the cementitious material is strengthened by metal reinforcing.

7. A fence assembly comprising a pair of support posts for anchoring in the ground, a fence panel having distal ends which are shaped to engage slidingly in grooves disposed along the length of said support posts, and a fence-box according to any of Claims 1 to 6.

8. A fence assembly according to Claim 7, wherein said fence panel is arranged on top of the fence member of the fence-box.

A A kit of parts for constructing a fence assembly comprising support posts for anchoring in the ground, one or more fence panels having distal ends which are shaped to engage slidingly in grooves disposed along the length of said support posts, and one or more fence-boxes according to any of Claims 1 to 6.

10. A fence-box substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A fence assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.