GB2229204A

GB2229204A - Mesh panel assemblies

Info

Publication number: GB2229204A
Application number: GB8906012A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Gary Hardman
Original assignee: Gay Andrea Hardman
Current assignee: Gay Andrea Hardman
Priority date: 1989-03-16
Filing date: 1989-03-16
Publication date: 1990-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 2009-03-16
Also published as: GB2229204B; GB8906012D0

Abstract

The panels can form fences, animal enclosures, cages for gabions or the sides of a pallet 30. The panels have additional hooks 37 which pivotally engage bars 36 on the pallet to allow it to be collapsed after removal of retaining bars 35. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENT- TO MESH Ph';EL ASSEMLi ES The present invention- relates to resh panel assemblies which can be used in the construction of fencing, animal enclosures, gabions and the like.

Current methods of joining mesh panels together involve either the use of split rings which are passed around the wires of adjacent panels at regular intervals or the interconnection of hooks formed at the end of the wires forming the mesh of one panel wlth the wires forming the mesh of an adjacent panel.

Neither of these methods is entirely satisfactory.

The use of split rings involves a considerable amount of time beino spent in fixing the rings in place. in particular, in the construction of gabions where large stress forces are to be placed on the mesh assembly the rings should be fitted at regular intervals of six to eight inches along the edges of the two panels being joined together. However, it is common practice to fit the rings at greater intervals to reduce the length of time it takes to construct a gabion.

When hooks are formed along the edges of mesh panels for interconnection with the mesh of an adjacent panel the resulting join is usually unsatisfactory for use in a permanent structure as if stressed it tends to unfasten.

Additionally, the hooks are vulnerable to being bent out of position making it difficult to connect the two panels together.

Other forms of connection involve the projection of one portion of one mesh panel through the mesh of another panel and the use of a retaining bar. Although this is satisfactory fo use in fencing, the connection does not resuit in a hinged joint which can enable one panel to be rotated at an angle to the other panel.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mesh panel assembly which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages and which provides a means of interconnecting mesh panels together for use in a variety of constructions.

According to the present invention there is provided a mesh panel assembly comprising a retaining bar and at least two interconnectable panels, each of which comprises a first series of parallel strands attached to a second series of parallel cross-strands to form a substantially planar mesh, the edges of the first series of strands being bent along at least one edge of the panel to form a series of parallel hooks and at least one cross-strand connected to these hooked portions of the first series of strands so that the two panels can be connected together by inter-meshing of their hooked edges one within the other until either the hooked portions of one panel abut said one cross-strand of the other panel or both said cross-strands abut one another and an elongate substantially cylindrical or prismatic aperture is defined between the inter-meshing edges of the panels into which the retaining bar can be located to lock the panels together.

Preferably, the first series of strands is bent through 1800 to form the series of parallel hooks, which are preferably curved or part-rectangular in shape.

Preferably also, two cross-strands are connected to the hooked portions of the first series of strands and oppose one another on opposite sides of each hook.

Preferably also, these two cross-strands are straight and parallel and lie in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the plane cf the mesh.

Preferably also, each edge of the panels is provided with hooked portions formed on opposed edges of each panel by either said first series of strands or said second series of cross-strands. Preferably, when the hooked portions are formed b said first series of strands the said one cross-strand connected to the hooked portions lies inwardly of the hooked portions and when the hooked portions are formed by said second series of cross-strands said one cross-strand is one of said first series of strands and lies outwardly of the hooked portions.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one corner of a mesh panel forming part of an assembly according to the present invention; Figures 2 to 4 are end views of in-line joints formed between two interconnected panels as shown in Figure 1; Figures 5 to 7 are end views of 90" joints formed between two interconnected panels as shown in Figure 1; Figures 8 and 9 are end views similar to Figures 2 and 4 but using differently formed mesh panels; Figure 10 is an end view similar to Figure 5 using mesh panels as shown in Figures 8 and 9; Figure il is a diagrammatic perspective vie.pg of the corner of a gabion made from an assembly according to the invention;; Figure 12 is a diagrammatic plan view of fencing making up animal enclosures using an assembly according to the invention; and Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of a knock-down boxed pallet arrangement.

A mesh panel assembly according to the invention comprises at least two interconnectable mesh panels, as shown in Figure i and at least one substantially cylindrical or prismatic retaining bar. Each of the panels 1 comprises a first series of parallel strands or, in the case of metal mesh, wires 2 which are rigidly attached to a second series of parallel strands or wires 3 so as to lie perpendicular thereto and form a substantially planar mesh. Along each of the edges of the mesh panel 1, the ends 4 and 5 of the strands 2 and 3 respectively are bent or rolled over through 1800 so that each strand 2,3 forms a hook.However, it is important to note that the ends 4,5 are bent in relation to their respective cross-strands 3,2 so that for the ends 4 there is a cross-strand 6, which is located to join the ends 4 together so that they do not protrude subs tan t i al ly beyond the cross-strands 6. The next cross-strand 7 is located inwardly of the panel 1 from the cross-strand 6 and lies in-line with the cross-strand 6 in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the panel 1. Similarly the ends 5 are again bent or rolled so that the cross-strands 8 and 9 lie in line perpendicular to the plane of the mesh and with the cross-strand 8 joining the ends 5 of the hooks formed by the strands 3.

It will be appreciated, with reference to Fi-ure 1, that the ends 4 and 5 are bent or rolled over to for the elongate hook formations 10 and 11 along the edges of the mesh on the same side of the panel 1. This means that for the formations 10 made up from hooked ends 4 the crossstrands 6 and 7 lie inwardly of the hooks forming formation 10, whereas for the formation 11 made up from hooked ends 5 the cross-strands 8 and S lie outwardly of the formation 11. As is described below with reference to Figures 2 to 10, it is possible to connect mesh panels 1 together where the joints between the panels 1 are formed by interconnection of similar hooked formations 10 and 11 or by interconnection of a formation 10 with a formation 11.

Turning now to Figures 2 to 4, these show the interconnection of two in-line panels 1 and lA by joints formed using the hooked formations 1O,IOh on each panel 1,1A respectively: the hooked formations 10,10A and 11, 1 lit on each panel 1,lA respectively; and the hooked formations ll,llA on each panel 1,1A respectively.

With reference to Figure 2, the panels 1, 1A are located in-line with their edges forming the hooked formations 10,10A with the cross-strands 6,6A and 7,7A on the inside of the formation. Figure 2 shows panel 1A on the right inverted with respect to the panel 1 but this is not necessary to join the two panels 1,1A together.

However, it is necessary to offset one of the panels 1A longitudinally with respect to the panel 1 by the width of a strand so that the hooked formations 10,10A can be inter-meshed by pushing the two panels 1,lA together laterally. The panels 1,1A thus inter-engage until the hooked formations 10,10A come into contact with the cross-strands 6A,7A and 6,7 respectively, which prevents any further inter-meshing of the panels 1,1A. At this point, as can be seen in Figure 2, the inter-engaement of the formations 10, icy defines a substantially cylindrical aperture 1;;2 along the joint of the paneis 1,lea. A cylindrical retaining bar 13 is then located in this aperture 12, which locks the two panels 1,1A together.

It is not now possible to separate the panels 1,1A from each other without removal of the bar 13. However, the panels 1,1A can, to some extent, be rotated with respect to one another but not sufficiently to disengage one from the other because of the blocking action of the cross-strands 6,6A and 7,7A with the hooked strands 2,2A making up the formations 10 and i0A.

In a similar way, if the panels 1 and 1A are joined using the hooked formations 10 and llA on each respectively as shown in Figure 3 or using the hooked formations 11 and 11A on each respectively as shown in Figure 4, looser joints are formed but it is still not possible to disengage the panels 1,lA from one another.

In the arrangements shown in Figures 2 and 3, the panels 1 and 1A can be pulled away from one another transversely, distorting the shape of the cylindrical aperture 12 somewhat depending on the diameter of the bar 13 in relation to the diameter of the aperture 12 but not so as to disengage from one another because of the presence of the bar 13. Conversely, in the arrangement shown in Figure 4, it is possible to push the panels 1 and 1A closer together until the cross-strands 8 and 9 abut the cross-strands 9A and 8A respectively. Although this makes the joint looser than those shown in Figures 2 and 3, it is still not possible to unfasten it.

As well as loin ng panels in-line. the assep-ly can also be used to join mesh panels í,is. at an angle as shown in Figures 5 to 7, where panels 1 and 1A are shown at an angle of 90". However, in order to do this, the mesh panels 1 must not only be offset longitudinally by the width of one strand but also transversely by the same distance. In addition, the maximum diameter of the retaining bar 13 which can be used must be slightly smaller than for the same two panels 1,1A when these are connected in-line.

As before, the panels l,1A shown in Figures 5 to 7 are shown in the same attitude to one another as in Figures 2 to 4 respectively so that the joint lies outwardly of the 90" angle formed by the panels 1,1A. It will be appreciated with respect to all these figures that either of the mesh panels 1 or lA could be inverted so that the joint lies inwardly of the 900 angle.

Figure 5 shows panels 1,1A connected using the hooked formations 10 and 10A and a locking bar 13. As before, the panels 1 and lA are inter-meshed until the cross-strands 6 on the panel 1 and the cross-strands 7A on the panel 1A enaaae the formations 10A and 10 respectively. As explained, this involves both a transverse and a longitudinal offsetting of the panel 1A with respect to the panel 1 as can be seen in the drawing. A substantially cylindrical aperture 12 is still formed by the inter-engagement of the formations 10 and 10A into which a retaining bar 13 can be pushed.

In a similar way, the mesh panels 1 and 1A can be connected using a combination of formations 10 and lIA as shown in Figure 6 and formations 11 and 11A as shown in Figure 7.

The panels shown in Figures 1 to 7 ai; snow .cckei formations 10,11 along the edges of the panels i which are curved. However, as shown in Figures 8 to 10, the formations can be made part-rectangular in shape. Here, a panel 14 has a hooked formation 15 formed by bending the strands 16 through 1600 by the formation of two 900 angles. Two similar panels 14 and 14A can then be located together in the same way as previously described with reference to Figures 2 to 7. Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figures 2 and 4 respectively and show two panels 14,14A connected using a rectangular section retaining bar 17 slotted into the substantially rectangular section aperture 18 defined by the hooked formations 15,15A when inter-meshed.As before, crossstrands 20,2or and the bar 17 prevent the paneis 14,14A from being disconnected from one another. Although the use of a rectangular section bar 16 is shown in these figures, it is possible to use any sectional or prismatic shape of bar instead with the part-rectangular formations 15,15A just as it would be with the curved formations described with reference to Figures 2 to 7. In addition, it will be appreciated that the hooked formations can be formed in any part-polygonal shape.

Figure 10 shows the panels 14,14A connected to make a 90" joint, again using a rectangular section bar 16.

This assembly is equivalent to the assembly shown in Figure 5, where the cross-strands 20,20A are located inwardly of the hooked formations 15,15A. It will be appreciated that assemblies equivalent to all the assemblies shown in Figures 2 to 7 can be made using part-rectangular hooked formations with the panels 14,14A either in-line as shown in Figures 8 and 9 or with one of the panels 14 or 14A inverted, which would then be directly equivalent to those assemblies shown in Figures 2 to 5. Additionally, 90 assemblies as shown in Figure 10 can be made with the joint inwardly of the angle made by the panels 14,irk as shown, or outwardly thereof as would be equivalent to those shown in Figures 5 to 7.

The mesh assembly of the invention has many varied uses. For example, six mesh panels and twelve retaining bars can be assembled to make up a gabion as shown schematically in Figure 11. Here, mesh panels 21 similar to those shown in Figure 1 are assembled with retaining bars 22 to make up a mesh box, which can then be filled with stones for use as a gabion. If several similar gabions are to b assembled and placed in line then the longitudinal retaining bars 15 can be extended and used in the assembly of more than one gabion, locking several of them together. This strengthens the overall structure.

Figure 12 shows diagrammatically a series of interconnected animal enclosures made from mesh assemblies according to the invention. Such assemblies are suitable for constructing temporary animal enclosures or fences as the retaining bars of the assembly can be driven directly into the ground to enable a pen or fence to be produced of any desired shape. In Figure 12, the five joined enclosures 23 are made by assembling four panels 24 in a straight line using the retaining bars driven into the ground to hold the structure upright, attaching end panels 25 at 90" thereto, and then intermeshing four panels 26 with the in-line panels 24 at suitable positions using retaining bars to retain them In place. Five further panels 27 are then attached to one of the end panels 25 and the panels 26 using retaining bars which are again driven into the ground at positions 28 in the diagram. These panels 27 form gates for the enclosures 23 and a retaining bar located in the curve of their hooked formations 29 can be used to keep the gate open or shut by being tapped or pushed into the ground at the appropriate position. If necessary, these bars could be formed with a handle at the upper end for ease of use.

The rectangular enclosures 23 thus formed would be suitable for penning animals in a field. However, enclosures, fencing, gabions and the like of any desired shape can be made using mesh assemblies according to the invention. If a joint is to be produced which is to be rigid and not hinged, then panels with rectangular or other polygonal hooked formations can be used whereas if a rotatable joint is required the use of panels with curved hooked formations is suitable.

A pallet arrangement as shown in Figure 13 can also be made using an assembly according to the invention.

Here, a conventional four-ways pallet 30 is modified either by having vertical holes 31 drilled into wooden blocks 32 forming the corners of the pallet 30 or by having four corner plates (not shown) which each have a ferrule combined therewith attached to the blocks 32. A square mesh assembly 33 comprising four panels 34 of similar width to that of the pallet 30 and retaining bars 35 is then fitted to the pallet 30 by locating the bars 35 in the holes 31 or the ferrules.

A knock-down version of the boxed pallet arrangement can be made by locating four further retaining bars 36 in the lower horizontal hooked formations 37 of the panels 34 and attaching the ends of the bars 36 to the pallet.

In this way, when the vertical retaining bars 35 are removed from the corners of the assembly 33, each of the mesh panels 24 can be rotated about its respective bar 36 over the top of the pallet 30 or outwardsly thereof for storage. The boxed pallet can then be easily re-erected by replacement of the bars 35 when required.

It can be seen that any gauge mesh panel can be adapted to provide a mesh panel assembly according to the invention. A suitable size mesh for the construction of the gabion and the animal fencing described herein would be a 3 inch square mesh made from 1/4 inch diameter strands but any size mesh can be used for the invention.

However, it is important when constructing panels for use in the invention that the edges of the mesh are formed so that the cross-strands attached to the hooked portions of the mesh are straight and parallel. This enables the inter-meshed panels to define an axially straight aperture into which a retaining bar can be located easily. This involves careful construction of the panel with close attention to the tolerances involved.

Claims

1. A mesh panel assembly comprising at least one retaining bar and at least two interconnectable panels1 each of which comprises a first series of parallel strands attached to a second series of parallel crossstrands to form a substantially planar mesh and characterized in that the edges of the first series of strands are bent along at least one edge of the panel to form a series of parallel hooks and at least one crossstrand is connected to these hooked portions of the first series of strands so that the two panels can be connected together by inter-meshing of their hooked edges one within the other until either the hooked portions of one panel abut said one cross-strand of the other panel or both said cross-strands abut one another and an elongate substantially cylindrical or prismatic aperture is defined between the inter-meshing edges of the panels into which the retaining bar can be located to lock the panels together.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the first series of strands is bent through 1800 to form the series of parallel hooks.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the parallel hooks are either curved or part-rectangular in shape.

4. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims t to 3, characterized in that the retaining bar has a crosssection of similar shape and size to that of the aperture defined between the inter-meshing edges of the panels in which it is to be located.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that two cross-strands are connected to the hooked portions of the first series of strands and oppose one another on opposite sides of each hook.

6. An assembly as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the said two cross-strands are straight and parallel and lie In a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the mesh.

7. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each edge of the panels is provided with hooked portions formed on opposed edges of each panel by either said first series of strands or said second series of cross-strands and when the hooked portions are formed by said first series of strands the said one cross-strand connected to the hooked portions lies inwardly of the hooked portions and when the hooked portions are formed by said second series of crossstrands said one cross-strand is one of said first series of strands and lies outwardly of the hooked portions.

8. A gabion characterized in that it comprises at least one mesh panel assembly as claimed in Claim 1.

9. A fencing arrangement characterized in that it comprises at least one mesh panel assembly as claimed in Claim 1.

10. A pallet arrangement comprising a pallet and characterized in that it comprises a mesh panel assembly as claimed in Claim 1 wherein four mesh panels are attached to the pallet by four retaining bars, the panels being located along the edges of the pallet and each of the retaining bars being attached to one of the corners of the pallet.

11. A pallet arrangement as claimed in Claim 10, characterized in that each of the panels is hinged to the pallet so that when the retaining bars are withdrawn from between the panels, the panels can be rotated to lie either above or outwardly of the pallet.

12. A mesh panel assembly substantially as described herein and as shown in any one of Figures 2 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.