ZA200900995B

ZA200900995B - Support post

Info

Publication number: ZA200900995B
Application number: ZA2009/00995A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Oosthuizen Johan
Original assignee: Oosthuizen Johan
Priority date: 2008-02-27
Filing date: 2009-02-12
Publication date: 2010-02-24

Description

~ a . FIELD OF INVENTION . The present invention relates to a support post.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a support post for holding elongated elements, such as wire strands used in fences or trellises.

BACKGROUND TO INVENTION

On type of fence includes a number of spaced apart fence posts being planted in the ground, either vertically or at an inclined angle, and which support at least one wire strand running horizontally. Such fences can be used for a variety of purposes, e.g. as perimeter fences or as trellises in vineyards or orchards.

In a vineyard the vines are normally supported by at least two wire strands that are joined to the posts by staples or by hammering in nails and bending the nails around the wire strands. Alternatively, wooden slats can be provided with suitable holes through which the wire strands can be passed.

After harvesting it is necessary to prune the grape vines, which can involve an automated process requiring the wire strands to hang loose from the wooden posts. The above described methods of joining the wire strands to the posts hampers such a pruning process. The nails either have to be bent open allowing the wire strands to be removed or the wire must be cut. Furthermore, the nails have a tendency to pull out of the posts during strong winds.

It is known to provide barbed wire hooks, which are substantially J-shaped having a long leg and a short leg. These hooks have a barb on the long leg that is adapted to grip the wooden post. A wire strand can then be placed into the J- curvature of the hook. However, as these hooks are made of wire, they are relatively flexible and it is difficult to hammer them into the wooden posts. The wire strands are also not securely held by the J-curvature of the hook.

DrG Ref: 675214

It is an object of the invention to suggest a support post, which will assist in overcoming these problems.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention, a support post for supporting at least one strand-like element, such as a wire strand, includes an elongated body; at least one channel cut through the body in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the body, the channel being adapted to receive a strand-like element; and a slot leading into each channel from outside the body and being adapted to allow insertion or removal of a strand-like element into the channel.

The support may have opposite ends with a first part towards a first end being adapted to be inserted into ground and a second part towards a second end adapted to be located above the ground.

The body may be a hollow tube being substantially triangular in cross section.

The body may have rounded corners at its vertices when seen in cross-section.

The body may have one of its vertices is flattened so that the body has a trapezoidal shape in cross-section.

Each slot may be substantially J-shaped in cross-section.

Each slot may have a width of 3 to 5 mm.

The slot may be bounded with opposite protrusions at its end opening into the channel, the protrusions being directed into the channel.

Each channel may be heart shaped in cross-section.

The body may be provided with pairs of channels located transversely opposite to each other and spaced along the length of the body. : DrG Ref: 675214

Each pair of channels may be separated from each other pair of channels by between 100 and 150 mm.

The first end may be provided with an enlarged foot member being adapted to . act as a foundation for the body when inserted into the ground.

The second end may be provided with an enlarged head being adapted to assist hammering of the body into the ground.

Also according to the invention, a support post for supporting at least one strand-like element, such as a wire strand, includes an elongated tubular body being substantially triangular in cross-section.

The support post may have opposite ends with a first part towards a first end being adapted to be inserted into ground and a second part towards a second end adapted to be located above the ground.

The support post may include at least one passage cut through the body in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the body, the passage being adapted to receive a strand-like element.

The body may have rounded corners at its vertices when seen in cross-section.

The body may have one of its vertices flattened so that the body has a trapezoidal shape in cross-section.

The body may be made of metal and being surface-treated by galvanising or electroplating.

The body may be made of a polymer material.

The polymer material may be a plastics material.

The body may be made of a composite material. . DrG Ref: 675214

The composite material may include carbon fibre. ) The strand-like element may be a wire strand, a string or a rope. i BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the 5 accompanying schematic drawings.

In the drawings there is shown in:

Figure 1 a front perspective view of trellis arrangement including support posts according to the invention;

Figure 2 an exploded rear perspective view of one support post shown in

Figure 1;

Figure 3 an end view of the support post seen along arrow III in Figure 2;

Figure 4 a side view seen along arrow IV in Figure 3;

Figure 5 on an enlarged scale, a plan view seen along arrow V in Figure 3; and 1s Figure 6 on an enlarged scale, an end view of the area indicated by arrow VI in Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A fence or trellis arrangement that is generally indicated by reference numeral 10 in Figure 1, includes a support post 12 in accordance with the invention and that is shown in greater detail in Figures 2 to 6. The support post 12 has a removable head member 14 and a removable foot member 16.

DrG Ref: 675214

The support post 12 is in the form of a hollow elongated tube being substantially triangular in cross-section as can be seen more clearly in Figure 5. As such the ) support post 12 has three walls 18,20,22 and three vertices 24,26,28. In use, a number of the support posts 12 are placed in line with each other to support a ' 5 number of long wire strands 30. The support post 12 has a lower part 32 extending towards the foot member 16, for insertion into the ground, and an upper part 34 to extend above the ground for supporting the wire strands 30.

The upper part 34 is provided with a number of channels 36 cut through the support post 12, with a slot 38 cut through the vertices 24,28 and leading into each channel 36 from the outside of the support post 12. The channels 36 are provided in pairs, wherein the associated channels 36 of a pair are orientated substantially parallel to each other and further are orientated substantially perpendicularly to the wall 18, i.e. the channels 36 are orientated to extend in the same direction as the wire strands 30.

The channels 36 are heart shaped in end view with the slot 38 being J-shaped in end view so as to enter the channel 36 at an inner vertex of the heart shape.

This forms protrusions 40 located on opposite sides of the opening of the slot 38, with the protrusions 40 being directed inwardly into the channel 36.

The slot 38 preferably has a width of between 3-5 mm so that it snugly receives wire strands having a lesser diameter. The relatively small width of the slot 38 and the protrusions 40 assist in preventing the wire strand 30 from exiting the channel 36 through vibrations caused by the wind or during other operating procedures, such as when harvesting or pruning machinery shakes the wire strands 30. If thicker wire strands are needed, then the slots 38 and channels 36 can be increased in size accordingly.

Each pair of channels 36 may be separated from each other pair of channels 36 by between 100 mm and 150 mm or as may be required for proper spacing and attachment of the agricultural produce to the wire strands 30.

The upper part 34 further has a number of passages 42 extending centrally through the support post 12, with the passages 42 also being aligned

DrG Ref: 675214 substantially parallel to the channels 36. The passages 42 are adapted to receive additional fixed wire strands, e.g. to provide structural stability to the . trellis arrangement 10, or can accept other conduits such as water pipes, etc. . The support post 12 can be made of metal, which is surface-treated, such as by galvanising or electroplating. Alternatively, the support post 12 can be made of a polymer material, such as a plastics material, or it can be made of a composite material including carbon fibre.

The support post 12 can be used for any suitable purpose where wire strands 30 must be supported, e.g. in vineyards or orchards, electrical or telephone posts, fencing or washing lines.

The support post 12 can alternatively be provided with rounded corners in place of the angular vertices 24,26,28, when seen in cross-section.

The support post 12 can further alternatively be trapezoidal in shape, when seen in cross-section.

DrG Ref: 675214

Claims

i. —— 8 CLAIMS Cd

] 1. A support post for supporting at least one strand-like element, such as a wire strand, including an elongated body; at least one channel cut through : the body in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the body, the channel being adapted to receive a strand-like element; and a slot leading into each channel from outside the body and being adapted to allow insertion or removal of a strand-like element into the channel.
2. The support post as claimed in claim 1, which has opposite ends with a first part towards a first end being adapted to be inserted into ground and a second part towards a second end adapted to be located above the ground.
3. A support post as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the body is a hollow tube being substantially triangular in cross section.
4. A support post as claimed claim 3, in which the body has rounded corners at its vertices when seen in cross-section.
5. A support post as claimed claim 3, in which one of the vertices is flattened so that the body has a trapezoidal shape in cross-section.
6. A support post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each slot is substantially J-shaped in cross-section.
7. A support post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each slot has a width of 3 to 5 mm.
8. A support post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the slot is bounded with opposite protrusions at its end opening into the channel, the protrusions being directed into the channel.
9. A support post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each channel is heart shaped in cross-section. DrG Ref: 675214
10. A support post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the body is provided with pairs of channels located transversely opposite to } each other and spaced along the length of the body. .
11. A support post as claimed in claim 10, in which each pair of channels is separated from each other pair of channels by between 100 and 150 mm.
12. A support post as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 11, in which the first end is provided with an enlarged foot member being adapted to act as a foundation for the body when inserted into the ground.
13. A support post as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 11, in which the second end is provided with an enlarged head being adapted to assist hammering of the body into the ground.
14. A support post for supporting at least one strand-like element, such as a wire strand, including an elongated tubular body being substantially triangular in cross-section.
15. The support post as claimed in claim 14, which has opposite ends with a first part towards a first end being adapted to be inserted into ground and a second part towards a second end adapted to be located above the ground.
16. The support post as claimed in claim 14 or 15, which includes at least one passage cut through the body in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the body, the passage being adapted to receive a strand-like element.
17. A support post as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, in which the body has rounded corners at its vertices when seen in cross-section.
18. A support post as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, in which one of the vertices is flattened so that the body has a trapezoidal shape in cross- section. DrG Ref: 675214
19. A support post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the body is made of metal and being surface-treated by galvanising or . electroplating. :
20. A support post as claimed in any one claims 1 to 18, in which the body is made of a polymer material.
21. A support post as claimed in claim 20, in which the polymer material is a plastics material.
22. A support post as claimed in any one claims 1 to 18, in which the body is made of a composite material.
23. A support post as claimed in claim 22, ih which the composite material includes carbon fibre.
24. A support post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the strand-like element is a wire strand, a string or a rope.
25. A support post substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying schematic drawings. Date: 12 February 2009 John Spicer DR GERNTHOLTZ INC Patent Attorefeys of Applicant(s) P O Box 8; Cape Town 8000; South Africa 30 Union Road; Milnerton 7441; South Africa Tel: (021) 551 2650 Fax: (021) 551 2960 DrG Ref.: 675214 t:\files\14\675214\675214 spec.docx DrG Ref: 675214