AU2019100998A4 - A low-cost star post extension - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A star post extension is cut and folded from a sheet of metal. The extension has a central fold and an upper portion and a base portion, the upper portion comprising parallel upper portion lateral edges and the base portion comprising lateral folds. The extension is folded about the central fold and the base portion is further folded about the lateral falls, thereby defining a substantially triangular cross section enclosure for engaging an upper portion of a star post in use. 113 -104 -11510 102 113,10 104 • 109 -110 108-- l 120 112 112 120-112 112 10310 105 \10 119 125 119 119 125 119 FIG. 1 FIG. 2

Description

Field of the Invention [1] This invention relates generally to fencing extensions. More particularly, this invention relates to a low-cost star post extension.

Background of the Invention [2] The fencepost extensions are sometimes desirous for extending the height of fencing without having to replace the entire fence and various fencepost extensions exist for this purpose.

[3] The present invention seeks to provide a low-cost star post extension, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[4] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Summary of the Disclosure [5] There is provided herein a star post extension which is economically press cut and folded from sheet-metal.

[6] The extension has an elongate axis and has a central fold along the elongate axis. Furthermore, the extension has upper and base portions. The upper portion comprises parallel upper portion lateral edges. Furthermore, the base portion comprises lateral folds which may be generally colinear with the respective parallel upper portion lateral edges.

[7] The extension is folded about the central fold. Furthermore, the base portion is further folded about the lateral folds such that the base portion defines a substantially triangular cross-section enclosure specifically suited for engaging upper portions of Y-shaped star posts.

[8] In this way, the extensions can be easily inserted over existing star posts to extend the height thereof.

[9] In embodiments, the lateral folds may define lateral portions and wherein upper edges of the lateral portions may be angled so as to define triangular portions. These triangular pieces can be folded over horizontal so as to cap the upper edge of the star post. In this way, the extension can be placed atop the star posts and held in place by the horizontal triangular pieces.

[10] In embodiments, the base portion comprises a pair of apertures adjacent the central fold. As such, a lowermost wire strand can be run through the pair of apertures and a corresponding aperture of the star post. In embodiments, these pair of apertures may be spaced away from the horizontal triangular pieces such that the pair of apertures collocate with the corresponding aperture of the star

2019100998 03 Sep 2019 post. For example, the pair of apertures can be located approximately 28 mm below the horizontal triangular pieces.

[11] With this particular configuration, the extensions can be placed atop the existing star posts and held in place by the horizontal triangular pieces. Thereafter, a lowermost wire strand may be run through the collocating lowermost pair of apertures of the extension and the uppermost aperture of the star post so as to immovably retain the extension to the star post.

[12] Furthermore, the upper portion may further comprise further upper pairs of apertures such that further upper wire strands can be run therethrough, completing the height extension of the fence.

[13] In embodiments, the extension may further comprise mid folds such that lateral edges of the extension can be further folded in at the mid folds, thereby further conforming the cross-section of the extension to the profile of the star post. The central fold may define adjacent central portions and the mid folds may further define further adjacent mid portions. When folded in this way, the central portions may be angled at approximately 20° with respect to each other and the mid portions may be angled at approximately 80° with respect to each other.

[14] In embodiments, the upper portion may be formed by cutting lateral pieces away from the upper portion which may be recycled. In alternative embodiments, the lateral pieces may be folded in, thereby further stiffening the proportion.

[15] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings [16] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[17] Figures 1 and 2 show sheet-metal being formed into a star post extension in accordance with an embodiment;

[18] Figure 3 shows a star post extension formed from the sheet-metal of Figure 1 in accordance with an embodiment;

[19] Figure 4 shows a top cross-sectional view of the extension engaging a star post including exemplary dimensions in accordance with an embodiment;

[20] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the extension in accordance with an embodiment;

[21] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a typical star post; and [22] Figure 7 shows a side elevation view and Figure 8 shows a rear elevation view of the extension engaging a star post in accordance with an embodiment.

2019100998 03 Sep 2019

Description of Embodiments [23] Figures 1 and 2 show a metal sheet 101 being formed into a star post extension 100 as is substantially shown in Figure 3.

[24] The metal sheet 101 comprises an upper portion 102 and a widened base portion 103. The upper portion 102 comprises parallel upper portion edges 113 and the widened base portion 103 comprises parallel base portion edges 114 which are parallel to the parallel upper portion edges 113. The upper portion 103 may be formed by removing an upper removable portion 109 by forming a cut 115 along the respective parallel upper portion edge 113. Alternatively, the upper portion 103 may be formed by a fold over portion 116 which is folded through 180° at the respective upper portion edge 113.

[25] The sheet of metal 101 is folded about central fold 104. In an embodiment as shown in Figure 4, adjacent central portions 117 so formed may be angled at approximately 20°.

[26] The base portion 103 is further folded at lateral folds 107 which may be generally co-linear with the parallel upper portion edges 113 of the upper portion 102.

[27] Folding the base portion 103 about the central fold 104 and the lateral folds 105 provides a substantially triangular shaped enclosure 106 which engages a top of a Y-shaped star post 107 in the manner illustrated in Figure 3.

[28] A plurality of wire strand apertures 110 may be punched through the sheet 101. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, pairs of apertures at various elevations are provided through adjacent central portions 117.

[29] At least one of the pairs of apertures 110 is provided at the base portion 103 such that a base wire strand 118 may be engaged therethrough and through a corresponding uppermost aperture of the star post 107 so as to immovably retain the extension 110 to the star post 107.

[30] In embodiments, lateral portions 119 of the base portion 103 may comprise an angled upper edge 120, thereby defining upper triangular portions 112. With reference to Figure 3, these upper triangle portions 112 may be folded about orthogonal folds 111 to cap the upper edge of the star post 107 and prevent the extension 110 from sliding further down the star post 107.

[31] Installation of the extension 100 may comprise sliding the base portions of the extension 110 over the top of the star post 107 which is then held in place by the horizontally extending triangular portions 112. Thereafter, a base wire strand 118 may be run through the apertures 110 of the base portion 103 and the uppermost aperture of the star post 107 to immovably retain the extension 100 to the star post 107. Thereafter, a plurality of further upper wire strands 121 may be run through corresponding upper apertures 110 to complete the fence extension.

2019100998 03 Sep 2019 [32] With reference to Figure 1, the sheet 110 may be further folded at mid folds 108 so as to bring in the sides of the extension 100 further into conformity with the cross-section profile of the star post 107.

[33] Figure 6 shows typical dimensions of a star post 107. The star post 107 may comprise a major blade 122 and minor blades 123 arranged at 120° with respect to each other and comprising a typical thickness of approximately 3 mm. A plurality of star post apertures 124 may be provided through the major blade 122, typically having a diameter of approximately 8 mm. The edge of the star post apertures 124 may be approximately 12 mm from the edge thereof. The central blade may comprise a cross-sectional length of approximately 33 mm and the minor blades 123 may comprise a crosssectional length of approximately 20 mm.

[34] With reference to Figure 4 and 5, the central portions 117 may be angled at approximately 20°. As can be seen, the central fold 104 may be rounded. Furthermore, the mid portions 125 may angle from the mid folds 108 so as to be angled at approximately 80°.

[35] With reference to Figure 7 and 8, the enclosure 106 may comprise a length of approximately 140 mm. Furthermore, the aperture 110 of the base portion 103 may be approximately 28 mm below the horizontally extending triangular portions 112 such that the apertures of the base portion 110 correspond to the uppermost aperture 110 of the star post 107. The upper portion may further comprise a plurality of further upper apertures spaced at approximately 110 mm. The uppermost aperture 110 may locate approximately 20 mm from the top of the extension 100.

[36] The extension 110 may comprise a length of approximately 790 mm.

[37] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed; obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, they thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

Claims (17)

1. Claims

   1. A star post extension cut and folded from a sheet of metal, the extension comprising a central fold and an upper portion and a base portion, the upper portion comprising parallel upper portion lateral edges and the base portion comprising lateral folds and wherein the extension is folded about the central fold and wherein the base portion is further folded about the lateral falls, thereby defining a substantially triangular cross-section enclosure for engaging an upper portion of a star post in use.
2. 2. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral folds are substantially colinear with respective parallel upper portion lateral edges
3. 3. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral folds define lateral base portions and wherein upper edges of the lateral base portions are angled with respect to an elongate axis of the extension thereby defining upper lateral triangular portions and wherein the upper lateral triangular portions are folded about orthogonal folds being substantially orthogonal to the elongate axis of the extension such that the upper lateral triangular portions are substantially orthogonal to the elongate axis of the extension.
4. 4. A star post extension as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base portion comprises a pair of wire strand apertures adjacent the central fold.
5. 5. A star post extension as claimed in claim 4, wherein the apertures are a predetermined offset away from the upper lateral triangular portions so as to co-locate with corresponding uppermost star post apertures.
6. 6. A star post extension as claimed in claim 5, wherein the apertures are offset by approximately 28 mm from the upper lateral triangular portions.
7. 7. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion is formed by cutting the upper portion along a line substantially collinear with the lateral folds of the base, thereby defining the upper portion lateral edges.
8. 8. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion is formed by folding lateral portions of the upper portion in along lateral folds.
9. 9. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central fold defines adjacent central portions and wherein the adjacent portions are angled at approximately 20° with respect to each other.
10. 10. A star post extension as claimed in claim 9, wherein the extension further comprises mid folds between the lateral folds and the central fold and wherein the extension is further folded along the mid folds, thereby further defining mid portions.

    2019100998 03 Sep 2019
11. 11. A star post extension as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mid portions are angled at approximately 80° with respect to each other.
12. 12. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension comprises a plurality of pairs of apertures adjacent the central fold.
13. 13. A star post extension as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pairs of apertures have diameters of approximately 8 mm.
14. 14. A star post extension as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pairs of apertures are located approximately 20 mm from the central fold.
15. 15. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension has a width of approximately 50 mm.
16. 16. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension has a depth of approximately 46 mm.
17. 17. A star post extension as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises a length of greater than 100 mm.