AU2006202319A1 - Fencing connector, and fence assembly utilising the connector - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Fencing connector, and fence assembly utilising the connector The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 004816712 2 Fencing Connector, and Fence Assembly utilising the connector Field of the invention This invention relates generally to fencing, and has particular utility in the construction of panel fencing, e.g. fencing in which corrugated steel panels are supported by rails between upright posts.

Background to the invention Solid panel fencing is widely used for boundary and yard delineation in industrial and commercial properties, and is also used extensively for domestic fencing, especially in provincial and rural areas. The conventional mode of assembly is to form posts of 0 back-to-back C-section channels, then to fit C-section or U-section rails into the channels of these posts. The rails are fastened to the posts by screws or other suitable means. The panels are retained in the opposed open sides of top and bottom rail pairs.

Ground slope is provided for by initially mounting each rail with a single fastener and then rotating the rail on that fastener to the appropriate angle. To some extent, this traditional approach has stood the test of time and is attractive for its simplicity and robustness. However, it results in a relatively "basic" appearance and is not aesthetically optimal.

Rather more sophisticated rail-to-post connection systems are disclosed in US patent 5,547,169 and in US patent publication 2004/0099855. In each case, a bracket component is mounted to an outside face of a post, and a rail socket component is coupled to the bracket and receives the rail into a square section socket end. In the disclosure of US 5,547,169, the rail component has a part spherical shaped end that engages a complementary socket in the bracket, thereby permitting three-dimensional angular adjustment of the rail. The arrangement of US 2004/0099855 entails an arc shaped coupling, allowing adjustment only in one plane.

An earlier document, US patent 3,960,367 discloses an adjustable fence arrangement in which the adjustment of rails is achieved by the use of collars secured around a post. The collars may be rotated on the posts to provide horizontal angular 004816712 3 adjustment, and the rails are pivotally connected to the collar, thereby allowing for vertical angular adjustment. Arrangements allowing angular adjustment of a rail relative to a post are also disclosed in EP 0748906, JP 2002/250153, JP 11-229676 and JP 11- 62328.

While these various arrangements provide a more modular and rather neater S approach to adjustability in the mounting of rails to posts in fencing configurations, they generally involve relatively complex componentry and a significant level of labour input.

Most are also less than optimum from a design standpoint.

In this specification, any reference to a specific prior art document is not to be 0 taken as admission that all or part of the contents of the document is common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

It is an object of the invention to provide a rail-to-post connector for use in fencing that is an improvement over current practice and over other published proposals.

Summary of the invention The invention provides, in a first aspect, a connector for coupling rail and post members of a fence, comprising: a first component receivable into the interior of a hollow post for fixing at a selectable position therealong; a second component engageable with an end of a rail, and having a coupling portion adapted to project into said interior of the hollow post through a longitudinal opening in the post, at a selectable position along the opening; wherein said first component and said coupling portion of the second component have respective complementary formations receivable one into the other as the components relatively approach longitudinally of the hollow post, whereby to define an assembled condition of said connector in which the components are 004816712 4 relatively pivotable for adjusting the rake with respect to the post of the rail engaged with the second component.

The second component is preferably engageable with an end of a rail by being shaped to be a press fit into a hollow end of the rail.

Said complementary formations preferably comprise a pair of laterally projecting bosses on one component and complementary blind slots in side walls of the other, said slots defining fully engaged seats for the bosses in which the bosses are rotatable.

The bosses are preferably on the coupling portion of the second component. This coupling portion is advantageously generally cylindrical or part-cylindrical, preferably 0 concentrically with the bosses, which in this arrangement are disposed at respective ends of the cylindrical or part-cylindrical coupling portion.

The first component is advantageously of rectangular-U cross-section to match a receiving post of rectangular-C cross-section. Where provided, the aforesaid blind slots are in the arms of the rectangular-U.

The first component preferably includes one or more guide means, e.g. slits or holes, to receive a fastener for fixing the first component at its selected position along the post.

Each of said first and second components is preferably an integral moulding in a suitable polymer material, preferably a fibre-reinforced material.

The invention further extends, in a second aspect, to a fence comprising an assembly of rails and hollow posts wherein the rails are coupled at their respective ends to respective posts by connectors according to the first aspect of invention.

In a third aspect, the invention also extends to a fencing system, comprising multiple connectors according to the first aspect of the invention; 004816712 plural hollow channels erectable as posts, preferably as back-to-back pairs or Ssets, for receiving said first component of the connectors; and plural rails engageable at each end which said second component of the connectors, for mounting the rails to the posts.

Cc 5 Brief description of the drawings c The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with

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reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a short segment of solid panel fence in which the rails are assembled to the posts by connectors according to an 0 embodiment of the first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 is a partially cut-away part-fragmentary view of one of the rail-to-post mountings supporting a top rail; Figure 3 is an exploded view showing components of a connector supporting a bottom rail; Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-section of a fitted connector; Figure 5 shows two pivot blocks at the same height in a post; and Figures 6A and 6B show alternative post configurations.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments Figure 1 shows a typical kind of fence to which the connectors of the invention are usefully applicable. The fence 10 comprises spaced posts 12 each consisting of a pair of back-to-back C-section channels 14, 15, and a pair of upper and lower rails 16, 17, also of C-section channel, arranged so that their longitudinal openings are opposed and retain the upper and lower margins respectively of one or more metal sheet panels Panels 20 will typically be corrugated and/or profiled for enhanced rigidity and more 004816712 6 pleasing aesthetic appearance. Channels 14, 15, 16, 17 have slightly tapered side walls 13, as best seen in Figure 4. Posts 12 are fixed to ground pads or footings, or secured in holes in the ground.

It will be seen that post channels 14, 15 and rails 16, 17 are both of similar uniform cross-section, although the posts have relatively small return lips 19 and the rails relatively larger return lips 21. These lips minimise the risk of injury when handling the channels.

Each rail 16 is connected at each end to a respective post 12 by a connector comprising an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention. The connector is 0 designed to allow free selectivity of rail height on the post, and of rail rake relative to the post. All connectors 30 are similar, and are orientated similarly in situ.

Each connector 30 consists of two components a first component or pivot block that is dimensioned to be receivable in a firm sliding fit into the interior of hollow channels 14, 15, and a second component or pivot bracket 50 that couples to pivot block 40 in a manner to be described. Components 40, 50 are each integrally moulded in a suitable fibreglass-reinforced plastics material.

Pivot bracket 50 engages a respective rail by having an end portion 52 comprising a pair of projecting, spaced tabs 53a, 53b. Tabs 53a, 53b are together a press-fit into the end of the rail. The press-fit arises from slight inward resilient flexing of tabs 53a, 53b towards each other (Figure A generally cylindrical coupling portion 54 of pivot bracket 50 is adapted to project into the interior of a post channel 14, 15 though a longitudinal opening 55 in the post, at a selectable position along the post.

Each pivot block 40 is of rectangular-U cross-section, defining side walls 42, 43, and a back wall 44, so as to be a close sliding fit in a channel 14, 15. The pivot block can be introduced into the open end of channel 14, 15 and slid along it to a selected rail position, at which position the pivot block is typically fixed by screws or nails 45 that engage locating guide slits 46 in the block.

004816712 7 The respective ends of pivot bracket coupling portion 54 have outstanding bosses 56 concentric with the cylindrical portion 54. When the coupling portion 54 and pivot block 46 relatively approach along the post 12, bosses 56 are received onto a complementary formation of pivot block 40, i.e. blind slots 62, 63 in side walls 42, 43.

Slots 62, 63 terminate in respective circular seats 66, 67 in which the bosses 56 are firmly but freely rotatable, for selectively varying the rake of the rail(s) engaged with, or to be engaged with, the pivot bracket.

It will be seen that connectors 30 can be employed for mounting bottom, intermediate and top rails at any selected height in the post 12. Because posts 12 0 consist of two back-to-back channels, the rails to either side are fitted to the respective channels, but can, as would often be the case, have their connector pivot blocks at the same height position: in this case, illustrated in figure 5, the pair of blocks is fixed together and to the intervening channel bases by one or more common fasteners. In the case where the rails each side of the post are the same height, then the protruding point of a screw 45 fixing one pivot block 40 acts as a locator for the other block 40a when inserted into the post 14. The screws 45a then inserted from the block 40a through one of two upper locating guide slits 47 (above lower slits 46) then lock in the block against uplift.

Figure 1 illustrates the versatility of the connector 30 in accommodating different rail orientations. In this case, a first part 102 of fence 10 is of a low height, a second part 104 is higher, and on an increasing ground slope 105, while there is a bridging part 106 with an inclined top rail. For each post pair, the fencing contractor will typically drop a pivot block down the post channel to the desired position near the ground, fix the block with a screw, then fit the pivot bracket with a bottom rail press fitted to it. A suitably trimmed fence panel, in this case a solid metal profiled panel, is pushed into the lower rail and clamped or fixed in place (by any suitable means, not illustrated). A top rail similarly fitted to the top of the panel is then mounted to the post by a second connector.

As the work progresses, the free rotational engagement of each pivot bracket with its pivot block permits immediate adjustment of the rake angle of the rail to the required position.

004816712 8 I Another arrangement of the rails permitted by this connection system (but not illustrated) is that the rails can be installed at different heights either side of the fence, creating a step like appearance either side of the post (for example, top, bottom, or both rails can be stepped at the post location).

Figure 4 shows how the gap between tabs 53a, 53b of the pivot brackets accommodates the metal panel 20 carried by the rail to which bracket 50 is fitted.

Once a fence construction is complete, and all rails are in place, each post is capped by a press-fitted profiled cap 70 (Figure 2) that has compressible or crushable side ribs 72 for firmly engaging with the wall of each channel. Screws 74 are applied to 0 secure the cap to the underlying top rail pivot block(s) 40: a threaded or threadable screwhole 76 is provided for this purpose in an outstanding internal rib 77 at the centre rear of each block 40. Cap 70 has clearance 78 at each end for an upwardly raked position of the associated pivot brackets It will be appreciated that the connector system of the invention involves only two standard, preferably moulded, components, which accommodate both top and bottom rails at any vertical post position. The components do not require any separate fixing action in assembly, and the connector is effectively hidden from view in the final fence assembly: this allows optimum aesthetics in fence design.

The described fencing connector system also readily accommodates different post configurations. Figure 6A illustrates a right-angle corner arrangement achieved by respective post channels 12' back-to-back with different sides of a square tube post member 12a. Figure 6B depicts the insertion of a triangular-section tube 12b to form a 450 corner in a fence line.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. A connector for coupling rail and post members of a fence, comprising: a first component receivable into the interior of a hollow post for fixing at a selectable position therealong; C 5 a second component engageable with an end of a rail, and having a coupling C portion adapted to project into said interior of the hollow post through a longitudinal opening in the post, at a selectable position along the opening; wherein said first component and said coupling portion of the second component have respective complementary formations receivable one into the other as the 0 components relatively approach longitudinally of the hollow post, whereby to define an assembled condition of said connector in which the components are relatively pivotable for adjusting the rake with respect to the post of the rail engaged with the second component.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the second component is engageable with an end of a rail by being shaped to be a press fit into a hollow end of the rail.

3. A connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said complementary formations comprise a pair of laterally projecting bosses on one component and complementary blind slots in side walls of the other, said slots defining fully engaged seats for the bosses in which the bosses are rotatable.

4. A connector according to claim 3, wherein the bosses are on the coupling portion of the second component. A connector according to claim 4, wherein the coupling portion is generally cylindrical or part-cylindrical, concentrically with the bosses, which are disposed at respective ends of the cylindrical or part-cylindrical coupling portion. 004816712 NO c 6. A connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the first component is of rectangular-U cross-section to match a receiving post of rectangular-C cross- section.

7. A connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the first component O 5 includes one or more guide means, e.g. slits or holes, to receive a fastener for q fixing the first component at its selected position along the post.

8. A connector according to any preceding claim, wherein each of said first and second components is an integral moulding in a suitable polymer material, e.g. a fibre-reinforced material. 0 9. A fence comprising an assembly of rails and hollow posts wherein the rails are coupled at their respective ends to respective posts by connectors according to any one of claims 1 to 8. A fencing system, comprising multiple connectors according to any one of claims 1 to 8; plural hollow channels erectable as posts for receiving said first component of the connectors; and plural rails engageable at each end which said second component of the connectors, for mounting the rails to the posts.

11. A fencing system according to claim 10, wherein the plural hollow channels are erectable as back-to-back pairs or sets. Dated 31 May 2006 Freehills Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: The Australian Steel Company (Operations) Pty Ltd