GB2587609A

GB2587609A - Improvements relating to fencing

Info

Publication number: GB2587609A
Application number: GB1913718.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sweeney David
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-09-24
Filing date: 2019-09-24
Publication date: 2021-04-07
Also published as: GB201913718D0

Abstract

An assembly having a fence post 10 and a cover 36, 38 mounted on the post, each cover overlying a front face 12 and at least part of the side faces 14, 16 of the post, The assembly provides a pair of longitudinally extending mounting channels in the side faces 18, 26 for allowing coupling to fence panels. The/each cover may be extruded plastic and may conceal the surfaces of the post, which may be concrete, for aesthetic purposes. Each cover may be a U-shaped sleeve suitable for sliding over the post, free ends forming resiliently biased tongues 46, 48 for engaging or clipping into channels in the post. Also claimed is a cover only in the form of a U-shaped channel with tongues, and a cover in the form of a sleeve, the cover having channels (63) for receiving a fence panel. The cover may entirely encircle the post forming an outer layer.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO FENCING

The present invention relates to fencing, and more specifically to a cover for a fence post, to an assembly comprising a fence post and a cover, and to a fence incorporating the fence post cover.

Fences commonly comprise fence posts mounted upright in the ground at intervals along the line of the fence, with a fence panel mounted between each adjacent pair of fence posts. Figure 1 represents a known type of fence structure in which fence posts 10 each have a front face 12, a rear face opposite the front face, and side faces 14, 16. Each of the side faces 14, 16 comprises a respective mounting channel 18 (only one of which is seen for each post in Figure 1 as side face 16 is directed away from the observer) for receiving an edge of a fence panel 20. The fence panels 20 of this example are pre-fabricated. Erection of the fence involves first mounting the fence posts 10 at suitable intervals, and then slipping each of the fence panels 20 downwards into position between a pair of fence posts 10, so that the upright edges of each fence panel 20 are received in the mounting channels.

In the illustrated example optional gravel boards 22 are provided at ground level between the fence posts 10, serving to raise the lower edges of the fence panels 20 above ground level. The fence panels 20 are often of timber construction and might rot if placed in direct contact with the ground. This problem is avoided by virtue of the gravel boards 22.

A fencing system of this type typically includes fence posts of at least three types:- 1. The majority of the fence posts 10 are of the intermediate type depicted in Figure 1, having mounting channels along opposite side edges 14, 16.

2. At the end of a fence there is typically an end post, which has a mounting channel along one of its side faces but not along the other (since the other side face will be visible at the end of the fence, and need not itself receive a fence panel).

3. Corners are formed using corner posts which have a channel along one side face and along the front or rear face, so that the two channels are at right angles to one another.

Fence posts may be made from a range of materials including timber and plastic, but it is very common to use concrete for this purpose, often with internal steel reinforcement. Concrete posts can be economical, strong, and can have a long lifetime when used outdoors, not being subject for example to rot (which can affect timber posts) or other forms of damage inflicted by the outdoor environment. Concrete posts can be directly mounted in the ground, e.g. being straightforwardly set in concrete.

Gravel boards may also be formed from concrete, with or without internal reinforcement.

The outward appearance of concrete fence posts and gravel boards, which often have a pale grey hue, is not to everyone's taste, and is not suited to certain visual environments. Fences are after all often used in gardens and other settings in which appearance is a major consideration. Such aesthetic considerations sometimes lead to wooden fence posts being used despite the problems such as rot from which they are known to suffer.

Although the aforegoing discussion relates especially to problems associated with concrete fence posts and panel type fences, the invention is not necessarily limited to use in that context. Embodiments of the invention may in principle use fence posts comprising other materials, and may be employed in fences whose construction differs from that depicted in Figure 1.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is an assembly comprising a fence post and a cover, the fence post being an elongate member having a front face, a rear face and a pair of side faces, the cover being mounted to the fence post to overlie the front face and at least parts of both of the side faces, and the assembly providing a pair of mounting channels each extending along a respective side face and each configured to receive and/or to form a coupling to an edge of a respective fence panel.

In certain embodiments the mounting channels are formed in respective side faces of the fence post and the cover comprises a base panel and first and second side panels together forming an approximate "U" section, free edges of the side panels being provided with respective engagement tongues, so that the cover is able to be introduced laterally to the fence post, thereby positioning the base panel to overlie the front or rear face of the fence post and the side panels to overlie parts of respective side faces of the fence post, with the engagement tongues engaged in respective mounting channels of the fence post to retain the cover in position.

The engagement tongues may be engageable in the mounting channels by a clip action involving resilient deformation of the cover. Portions of the free edges of the side panels may be turned toward one another to form the engagement tongues.

In certain embodiments the cover comprises a sleeve which is able to slip onto the fence post from an end thereof, and to encircle the fence post. The mounting channels may in such embodiments be formed by the sleeve. The mounting channels may each be defined by a pair of upstands extending along side panels of the cover, free edges of the upstands being turned toward one another.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is a fence post cover for mounting on a fence post having a front face, a rear face and two side faces, the fence post cover comprising a base panel and first and second side panels together forming an approximate "U" section, free edges of the side panels being provided with respective engagement tongues, so that the cover is able to be introduced laterally to the fence post, thereby positioning the base panel to overlie the front or rear face of the fence post and the side panels to overlie parts of respective side faces of the fence post, with the engagement tongues engaged in respective mounting channels of the fence post to retain the cover in position.

The fence post cover may comprise an elongate hollow sleeve for receiving the fence post, the sleeve having oppositely directed side faces each of which comprises a longitudinally extending mounting channel for receiving or otherwise coupling to an edge of a fence panel.

The mounting channels may each be configured to receive a respective edge of a respective fence panel.

The invention may further be embodied in a fence comprising the aforesaid assembly of fence post and cover. The invention further provides a kit of parts comprising a fence post cover of the aforesaid type and a gravel board cover comprising a panel for mounting upon a gravel board.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 represents a conventional garden fence able to be modified in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross section through a first fence post assembly embodying the present invention; Figure 3 is a cross section through a second fence post assembly embodying the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross section through a third fence post assembly embodying the present invention; Figure 5 is a detail view in longitudinal section of a junction between two lengths of a cover embodying the present invention; Figure 6 is a section in a horizontal plane through an upright gravel board surrounded, in accordance with the invention, by a gravel board cover; Figure 7 is a cross section through a fourth fence post assembly embodying the present invention; and Figure 8 represents a second gravel board cover according to an aspect of the present invention.

The embodiments to be described herein provide an economical and straightforward solution to the problem of unsightly exposed concrete surfaces on fence posts through the use of external covers applied to the posts. The covers overlie exposed surfaces of the fence posts and so conceal them from view. The covers can be provided with any suitable surface finish, colour, texture and appearance, giving for example product designers and garden designers great scope in achieving a desired look. They may for example be coloured and/or patterned and/or textured to imitate the appearance of timber or stone.

Referring to Figure 2, a concrete fence post 10 is seen to have a substantially rectangular section with a front face 12, a rear face 24, and side faces 14, 16, although each of the side faces 14, 16 has a respective mounting channel 18, 26 extending along the length of the fence post. In the present example the mounting channels 18, 26 each have a substantially flat bottom face 28 and sides 30, 32 which diverge slightly in the outward direction. Width 34 of the mounting channel is such that the edge of a pre-fabricated fence panel 20 can be received in it, to mount the panel.

In accordance with the invention, the fence post 10 depicted in Figure 2 carries post covers 36, 38. The covers 36, 38 are elongate members having the depicted cross section along their full length. They may for example comprise extruded or otherwise moulded plastics. They may comprise metal. Folded sheet metal construction may be used.

Cover 36 overlies the front face 12 of the fence post and parts of the two side faces 14, 16. It has a roughly "U" shaped section, with a base panel 40 overlying the front face 12 of the fence post 10, and side panels 42, 44 overlying parts of the side faces 14, 16. Free edges of the side panels 42, 44 are turned inwardly, toward one another, to form a convergent pair of tongues 46, 48. The cover 36 is mounted to the fence post by introducing it laterally to the fence post, deforming the side panels 42, 44 outwardly somewhat to enable the post to be introduced between the convergent tongues 46,48 which, when the cover 36 is then permitted to resume its normal shape, extend somewhat into the mounting channels 18, 26 to keep the cover 36 in place. The cover 36 can thus be said to "clip" resiliently onto the fence post 10. It can be clipped into place after the fence has been fully erected and the fence panels 20 installed. It can also be removed from the fence without need for removal of the fence panels 20.

The cover 36 overlies all surfaces of the fence post 10 visible from one side of the fence. The cover 38 is formed in this embodiment identically to the cover 36 but is installed on the opposite side of the fence post 10, overlying its rear face 24 and thus overlying all surfaces of the fence post 10 visible from the other side of the fence. In this way the fence post 10 can be entirely covered. That is, its concrete surfaces are concealed from view.

Looking now at Figure 3, an alternative form of cover 50 is depicted upon the fence post 10. The cover 50 comprises a tubular sleeve to be slipped onto the fence post 10 from one end, thereby entirely surrounding the fence post 10. In this example the cover 50 is shaped to closely conform to the outer sectional shape of the fence post 10, thus being formed substantially as a rectangular tube, with a front panel 52, rear panel 54 and side panels 56, 58, but additionally having mounting channels 60,62 formed along respective side panels 56, 58. These are respectively received in the mounting channels 18, 26 of the fence post 10. Hence in this assembly the surfaces which engage the fence panel 20 are those of the cover 50, rather than of the fence post 10. Nonetheless the assembly provides mounting channels to receive the panel edges and so mount the fence panels 20. The cover 50 will typically be installed on the fence post 10 before the fence panels 20 are erected.

Figure 4 represents a further form of cover 60 which once more comprises a tubular sleeve to be slipped onto the fence post 10 from one end, thereby entirely surrounding the fence post 10. In this example the mounting channels 63 used to mount fence panels 20 take a different form, each being defined by a pair of upstands 64, 66 extending along side panels 68, 70 of the cover. Free edges of each upstand are turned toward one another to form returns 72, 74. Coupling of the fence panels 20 to the assembly formed by the fence post 10 and the cover 60 is made through shaped fixtures (not shown) which are secured to the fence panel edges and which have enlarged heads which are captively receivable in the mounting channels 62, and able to slide along them.

The covers 50, 60 may be used to effectively make good a concrete post which has begun to degrade, e.g. because the concrete has begun to crumble and perhaps to expose unsightly metal reinforcement. Simply slipping the sleeve over the post not only hides it from view but can also conritbute to its structural integrity and to its function in supporting the fence panel.

It is envisaged that the covers 36, 38, 50, 60 will typically be cut to length to match the fence post 10 on which they are mounted, although in principle some part of the length of the fence post 10 may be left exposed. To conceal the upper end of the fence post 10 and provide an additional decorative feature, an end cap or finial may be applied to the top end of the fence post 10. Such end caps are in themselves well known, and are not depicted herein.

The covers 36, 38, 50,60 may be formed in such a way as to enable formation of a joint between two lengths. In this way (a) a need to provide excessively large lengths of the covers may be avoided, by making it possible to join two shorter lengths to cover an especially long fence post 10 and (b) wastage may be reduced, by making it possible to use a pair of offcuts to form a required length of the cover. Figure 5 shows a suitable form of joint. An end portion of one cover part 80 is formed with a joggle 82 which receives an overlap portion 84 at the end of a second cover part 86. This formation proves a tidy and easily formed joint able to conceal a cut end 88 of the second cover part 86 and to ensure that no part of the fence post 10 is exposed even if the cut end 88 is somewhat irregular. The covers 36, 38, 50, 60 may be supplied in lengths having the joggle 82 at one or both ends, enabling the joggle to be used or cut off to suit the specific installation.

The sleeve type covers 50, 60 may be used in combination with the clip-on type covers 36, 38, as represented in Figure 7. Here, a clip-on cover 36 has been provided on one side only of the sleeve type cover 50. In this way the two sides of the fence can be given a different appearance, e.g. because the sleeve type cover 50 has one colour and the clip-on cover 36 has another colour.

Figure 6 shows a gravel board 90 which, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, is provided with a cover 92. In this example the cover 92 takes the form of a sleeve, albeit a sleeve with a wide and shallow section, which can be slipped over the gravel board 90 to encircle and fully cover it. In other embodiments the gravel board 90 may be covered by means of a pair of cover panels applied respectively to its two faces. The surface appearance of the gravel board cover 92 may be chosen to match that of the covers 36, 38, 50, 60 applied to the fence posts 10.

Figure 8 represents an alternative version of the gravel board cover 100, which in this case comprises an upright face panel 102 to overlie the upright face of the gravel board, and and a return 104 to overlie, and typically to rest upon, the gravel board's upper edge. These gravel board covers may be supplied in pairs to be applied to both sides of the gravel board.

The above embodiments are presented by way of example and not of limitation. The scope of the invention is to be determined by reference to the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An assembly comprising a fence post and a cover, the fence post being an elongate member having a front face, a rear face and a pair of side faces, the cover being mounted to the fence post to overlie the front face and at least parts of both of the side faces, and the assembly providing a pair of mounting channels each extending along a respective side face and each configured to receive and/or to form a coupling to an edge of a respective fence panel.
2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting channels are formed in respective side faces of the fence post and the cover comprises a base panel and first and second side panels together forming an approximate "U" section, free edges of the side panels being provided with respective engagement tongues, so that the cover is able to be introduced laterally to the fence post, thereby positioning the base panel to overlie the front or rear face of the fence post and the side panels to overlie parts of respective side faces of the fence post, with the engagement tongues engaged in respective mounting channels of the fence post to retain the cover in position.
3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which the engagement tongues are engageable in the mounting channels by a clip action involving resilient deformation of the cover.
4. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 in which portions of the free edges of the side panels are turned toward one another to form the engagement tongues.
5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the cover comprises a sleeve which is able to slip onto the fence post from an end thereof, and to encircle the fence post.
6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5 in which the mounting channels are formed by the sleeve.
7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6 in which the mounting channels are each defined by a pair of upstands extending along side panels of the cover, free edges of the upstands being turned toward one another.
8. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cover comprises a plastics extrusion.
9. A fence comprising an assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.
10. A fence post cover for mounting on a fence post having a front face, a rear face and two side faces, the fence post cover comprising a base panel and first and second side panels together forming an approximate "U" section, free edges of the side panels being provided with respective engagement tongues, so that the cover is able to be introduced laterally to the fence post, thereby positioning the base panel to overlie the front or rear face of the fence post and the side panels to overlie parts of respective side faces of the fence post, with the engagement tongues engaged in respective mounting channels of the fence post to retain the cover in position.
11. A fence post cover as claimed in claim 10 in which the cover is resiliently deformable to enable the engagement tongues to be engaged in the mounting channels of the fence post by a clip action.
12. A fence post cover as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11 in which portions of the free edges of the side panels are turned toward one another to form the engagement tongues.
13. A fence post cover comprising an elongate hollow sleeve for receiving the fence post, the sleeve having oppositely directed side faces each of which comprises a longitudinally extending mounting channel for receiving or otherwise coupling to an edge of a fence panel.
14. A fence post cover as claimed in claim 13 in which the mounting channels are each configured to receive a respective edge of a respective fence panel.
15. A fence post cover as claimed in claim 13 in which the mounting channels are each defined by a pair of upstands extending along side panels of the cover, free edges of the upstands being turned toward one another.
16. A kit of parts comprising a fence post cover as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15 and a gravel board cover comprising a panel for mounting upon a gravel board.
17. A kit of parts comprising a fence pot cover as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15 and a fence post for receiving the cover.