GB1587283A

GB1587283A - Bracket for use in an electrified fence

Info

Publication number: GB1587283A
Application number: GB24208/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bryce J J; Bryce J M
Current assignee: Bryce J J; Bryce J M
Priority date: 1977-06-09
Filing date: 1977-06-09
Publication date: 1981-04-01

Description

(54) A BRACKET FOR USE IN AN ELECTRIFIED FENCE (71) We, JOHN MOWAT BRYCE, and JENNIFER JANE BRYCE trading as J.M. & J.J.

BRYCE, a firm organized and existing under the laws of Scotland, of Linton Hill House, Kelso TD5 8AE, Roxburghshire, Scotland, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to a bracket for use in supporting an electrified wire on a fence.

Fences and walls used to prevent livestock from straying inevitably degenerate over a long period; fence posts tend to become loose in the holes wherein they are placed and the wires strung between the posts may become slack or broken, whilst walls tend to crumble.

Eventually, the fences or walls can become so weak that they may collapse when stock, especially cattle, collide with them, thus allowing the stock to pass through the fence or wall and perhaps damage crops. To prevent stock passing through a weak fence or wall, it is known to mount an electrified wire on the fence or wall but spaced therefrom by means of brackets: the electric shocks experienced by stock touching the electrified wire cause the stock to retire before they can push hard against the fence or wire and possibly cause its collapse.

The brackets used to support the electrified wire need to be of metal to give them the necessary strength and it is of course necessary to interpose an insulator between the metal bracket and the electrified wire. Hitherto, the brackets used have been substantially "V"-shaped, the tip of the "V" being enlarged to form a major arc of a circle. A substantially tubular insulator is retained within the arc-shaped portion of the bracket, the arc-shaped portion lying in a groove on the outer surface of the insulator. However, the installation of an electrified fence using such brackets is time-consuming since each insulator must be placed in position within the arc-shaped portion of a bracket and the bracket thereafter deformed to retain the insulator in its correct position. Furthermore, after the brackets have been installed for some time or if the brackets are accidentally damaged in such a manner that they no longer grip the insulators firmly, the insulators tend to slip out of the brackets, thus allowing an electrified wire passing through the insulators to short to earth via the brackets.

The present invention seeks to provide a bracket for use in an electrified fence, which bracket will at least partially overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of prior art brackets.

Accordingly, the invention provides a bracket for use in supporting an electrified wire on a fence, which bracket comprises: a substantially helical portion comprising at least one complete turn of a helix; two strut portions extending from opposed axial ends of the helical portion and away from the axis thereof, each of said strut portions having, at or adjacent its end remote from the helical portion, an attachment portion, the attachment portions being formed and arranged for simultaneous attachment, in use of the bracket, to different portions of a fence, which portions are spaced from one another, for supporting the bracket on the fence with said helical portion remote from the fence; and an insulating member formed of electrically non-conductive material, at least part of the insulating member being disposed within the helical portion so as to define an opening extending substantially axially through the inside of the helical portion, the insulating member being formed and arranged so that an electrified wire extending through said opening in the helical portion, in use of the bracket, will be insulated from the helical portion, whereby an electrified wire may be supported by two or more of said brackets so as to extend along a fence but be spaced and electrically insulated therefrom.

The invention also extends to an electrified fence comprising an electrified wire supported on a fence by two or more brackets of the invention, as well as a method of electrifying a fence comprising attaching thereto, two or more brackets of the invention and disposing an electrified wire through the openings in the insulated helical portions thereof.

In the bracket of the invention, the strut portions desirably extend substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the helical portion.

It is also desirable that the helical portion of the bracket is sufficiently flexible to permit the angle between the projections of the strut portions onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helical portion to be varied, as this facilitates the installation of the bracket in various types of fence or wall.

The insulating member very desirably takes the form of an insulating sheath substantially enclosing the helical portion of the bracket.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, though by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred bracket of the invention; and Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views showing two different ways of installing the bracket shown in Figure 1 on an existing fence.

The bracket shown in the accompanying drawings is intended for use in attaching an electrified wire to any conventional type of fence or wall and comprises a metal helical portion 1 forming substantially 1+ complete turns of a helix and two strut portions 2 and 3 extending from opposed axial ends of the helical portion 1 perpendicular to the axis thereof. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the angle between the projections of the strut portions 2 and 3 onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helical portion 1 can be varied; the helical portion 1 is sufficiently flexible to permit this variation to be effected by hand. The bracket further comprises an insulating member 4 which has the form of an electrically non-conductive sheath or sleeve disposed around the helical portion 1 (alternatively, the insulating member may be a coating around the helical portion 1.) It will be seen that the radially-inward parts of the insulating member 4 are disposed within the helical portion 1 and define an opening passing axially through the inside of the helical portion, and that a wire passing through this opening will not contact the metal helical portion and will thus be insulated therefrom.

From the ends of the strut portion 2 and 3 remote from the helical portion 1 extend attachment portions 6 and 7 respectively, which are in the form of elongated members which are substantially equal in length and extend substantially parallel to the axis of the helical portion 1 (and thus perpendicular to the strut portions 2 and 3) but in opposed directions away from one another. The attachment portions 6, 7 are formed and arranged for attachment to generally elongate fencing members such as wires as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and have the form of parts of helices of very small diameter and large pitch, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3 can firmly engage wire wrapped around them.

The form and arrangement of the attachment portions and their inclination to the strut portions can of course be varied to suit differing applications of the bracket. When the bracket is in use, the attachment portions 6 and 7 may engage the wires of a fence or alternatively may be stapled or otherwise attached to a fence post or part of a fence in the form of a wall. Depending upon the spacing desired between the attachment portions 6 and 7, the bracket may be used either in the form shown in Figure 2, in which the projections of the strut portions onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helical portion 1 extend away from and do not cross one another, or in the form shown in Figure.

3, in which the said projections do cross each other.

All parts of the bracket except the insulating member 4 are formed of metal, and the bracket is easily produced by deforming - a length of metal rod or wire, the insulating member 4 being inserted, as a straight nonconductive sleeve or coating, around the central portion of the length of rod or wire before the deformation thereof.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A bracket for use in supporting an electrified wire on a fence, which bracket comprises: a substantially helical portion comprising at least one complete turn of a helix; two strut portions extending from opposed axial ends of the helical portion and away from the axis thereof, each of said strut portions having at or adjacent its end remote from the helical portion, an attachment portion, the attachment portions being formed and arranged for simultaneous attachment, in use of the bracket, to different portions of a fence, which portions are spaced from one another, for supporting the bracket on the fence with said helical portion remote from the fence; and an insulating member formed of electrically non-conductive material, at least part of the insulating member being disposed within the helical portion so as to define an opening extending substantially axially through the inside of the helical portion, the insulating member being formed and arranged so that an electrified wire extending through said opening in the helical portion, in use of the bracket, will be insulated from the helical portion, whereby an electrified wire may be supported by two or more said brackets so as to extend along a fence but be spaced and electrically insulated therefrom.

2. A bracket as claimed in claim 1, in

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the openings in the insulated helical portions thereof. In the bracket of the invention, the strut portions desirably extend substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the helical portion. It is also desirable that the helical portion of the bracket is sufficiently flexible to permit the angle between the projections of the strut portions onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helical portion to be varied, as this facilitates the installation of the bracket in various types of fence or wall. The insulating member very desirably takes the form of an insulating sheath substantially enclosing the helical portion of the bracket. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, though by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred bracket of the invention; and Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views showing two different ways of installing the bracket shown in Figure 1 on an existing fence. The bracket shown in the accompanying drawings is intended for use in attaching an electrified wire to any conventional type of fence or wall and comprises a metal helical portion 1 forming substantially 1+ complete turns of a helix and two strut portions 2 and 3 extending from opposed axial ends of the helical portion 1 perpendicular to the axis thereof. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the angle between the projections of the strut portions 2 and 3 onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helical portion 1 can be varied; the helical portion 1 is sufficiently flexible to permit this variation to be effected by hand. The bracket further comprises an insulating member 4 which has the form of an electrically non-conductive sheath or sleeve disposed around the helical portion 1 (alternatively, the insulating member may be a coating around the helical portion 1.) It will be seen that the radially-inward parts of the insulating member 4 are disposed within the helical portion 1 and define an opening passing axially through the inside of the helical portion, and that a wire passing through this opening will not contact the metal helical portion and will thus be insulated therefrom. From the ends of the strut portion 2 and 3 remote from the helical portion 1 extend attachment portions 6 and 7 respectively, which are in the form of elongated members which are substantially equal in length and extend substantially parallel to the axis of the helical portion 1 (and thus perpendicular to the strut portions 2 and 3) but in opposed directions away from one another. The attachment portions 6, 7 are formed and arranged for attachment to generally elongate fencing members such as wires as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and have the form of parts of helices of very small diameter and large pitch, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3 can firmly engage wire wrapped around them. The form and arrangement of the attachment portions and their inclination to the strut portions can of course be varied to suit differing applications of the bracket. When the bracket is in use, the attachment portions 6 and 7 may engage the wires of a fence or alternatively may be stapled or otherwise attached to a fence post or part of a fence in the form of a wall. Depending upon the spacing desired between the attachment portions 6 and 7, the bracket may be used either in the form shown in Figure 2, in which the projections of the strut portions onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helical portion 1 extend away from and do not cross one another, or in the form shown in Figure. 3, in which the said projections do cross each other. All parts of the bracket except the insulating member 4 are formed of metal, and the bracket is easily produced by deforming - a length of metal rod or wire, the insulating member 4 being inserted, as a straight nonconductive sleeve or coating, around the central portion of the length of rod or wire before the deformation thereof. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A bracket for use in supporting an electrified wire on a fence, which bracket comprises: a substantially helical portion comprising at least one complete turn of a helix; two strut portions extending from opposed axial ends of the helical portion and away from the axis thereof, each of said strut portions having at or adjacent its end remote from the helical portion, an attachment portion, the attachment portions being formed and arranged for simultaneous attachment, in use of the bracket, to different portions of a fence, which portions are spaced from one another, for supporting the bracket on the fence with said helical portion remote from the fence; and an insulating member formed of electrically non-conductive material, at least part of the insulating member being disposed within the helical portion so as to define an opening extending substantially axially through the inside of the helical portion, the insulating member being formed and arranged so that an electrified wire extending through said opening in the helical portion, in use of the bracket, will be insulated from the helical portion, whereby an electrified wire may be supported by two or more said brackets so as to extend along a fence but be spaced and electrically insulated therefrom.

2. A bracket as claimed in claim 1, in

which each strut portion extends substantially at right angles to the axis of the helical portion.

3. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the strut portions are substantially equal in length.

4. A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the insulating member is in the form of an insulating sheath substantially enclosing the helical portion.

5. A bracket as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the attachment portions are in the form of elongate members formed and arranged for attachment to generally elongate fencing members.

6. A bracket as claimed in claim 5 wherein the attachment portions extend in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the helical portion.

7. A bracket as claimed in claim 6, wherein the attachment portions extend in opposed directions away from one another.

8. A bracket as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the attachment portions are generally in the form of at least part of a helix having a very small diameter and a large pitch.

9. A bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is formed from a metal wire or rod.

10. A bracket for use in supporting an electrified wire on a fence and substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. An electrified fence comprising an electrified wire supported on a fence by two or more brackets according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. A method of electrifying a fence comprising attaching thereto, two or more brackets according to any one of claims 1 to 10, and disposing an electrified wire through the openings in the insulated helical portions thereof.