GB2323108A - Electrified fencing - Google Patents

Abstract

To convert conventional fencing to electrified fencing, a mounting member (10) is slidably attached to a fencing post (1), and carries means whereby an electrical conductor, e.g. a wire, can be mounted thereon. The mounting member may be of folded galvanised sheet metal, and have holes (12) therein for attaching a wire carrying insulator (21) thereto. Further holes (13) are provided for bolting the member to a post. For use with a concrete post (31, Fig 4, not shown), the member (45) is mounted on plates (42) fixed to the post by brackets, the member (45) being slidable relative to the plates.

Description

Title - Improvements relating to security fencing This invention relates to improvements in security fencing, in particular to electrified security fencing.

Security of commercial and residential properties is a matter of intense and increasing concern.

Theft of stock from stockyards, factories and other commercial premises is increasingly frequent and such premises must be adequately secured at all times, but especially when not in use, eg at night. Fencing of the type known as palisade fencing is commonly erected around commercial premises. However, even such fencing is often ineffective in keeping out determined thieves.

To further strengthen security measures around commercial premises, electrified fencing is now sometimes installed. In view of the fact that conventional fencing often already exists, rather than replace that existing fencing it is often desirable to add electrification to the existing fencing. This can be done fairly easily, but is expensive and time-consuming.

There have now been devised improvements to electrified security fencing which overcome or substantially mitigate the above-mentioned disadvantages.

According to a first aspect of the invention, an electrified fence comprises a fixed fence post, and a mounting member for electric conductors, the mounting member being configured for sliding engagement with the fence post.

The fence according to the invention is advantageous in that the mounting member can be easily and quickly fitted to the fixed fence post, thus enabling simple and rapid modification of an existing fence.

The mounting member is conveniently configured for sliding engagement with fence posts of conventional form. Thus, according to a further aspect of the invention, a mounting member for electric conductors is configured and dimensioned for sliding engagement with a fixed fence post.

Fence posts, particularly those used with palisade fencing, are commonly of I-section, one end face of the I-section being disposed inwardly. Thus, the mounting member is preferably formed with a longitudinal channel for sliding engagement with the inward end face of the fence post.

Alternatively, where the fence posts are of square or rectangular section (eg concrete posts), suitable brackets may be provided to enable sliding engagement ofthe mounting member with the post. For example, two or more brackets may be attached to the post, eg at or near the upper and lower ends thereof, the brackets comprising plates on which the mounting member can slide in a similar manner to the way in which such a member may slide on an H-section palisade fence post.

The mounting member preferably has a spine projecting generally perpendicular to the fence and being provided with means for holding insulating supports for the electric conductors. Such means conveniently comprises openings spaced at intervals along the spine.

Preferably, the mounting member is formed of folded sheet metal, most preferably galvanised steel.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the mounting member comprises a sheet of metal which is folded substantially centrally to form a spine, the two sides of folded sheet then being folded outwards and folded over at their edges to define a channel substantially orthogonal to the spine.

The mounting member preferably has a length comparable with or greater than the height of the fence post. For example, the mounting member may have a length of 2m or more, eg a length of between 2m and 3m.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view (not to scale), from the outside, of a section of electrified palisade fencing according to the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view ofthe lower end of a mounting for electric fencing according to the invention, and the upper end of a fence post forming part of the fence of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view of an insulating support for an electrical conductor used in the palisade fencing of the invention; and Figure 4 is an exploded view of a bracket assembly used for fitting a mounting of the type shown in Figure 2 to a concrete fence post.

Referring first to Figure 1, a palisade fence comprises vertical fence posts 1, which are spaced at intervals and set in concrete footings. Successive fence posts 1 are connected by upper and lower cross-bars (2,3 respectively) which support between them closely spaced palisade posts 4. The palisade posts 4 extend from ground level to a point approximately level with the top of the fence posts 1. The upper ends of the palisade posts 4 are pointed.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the fence posts 1 are of I-section. The cross-bars 2,3 take the form of angle irons which are bolted, riveted, welded or otherwise fixed to the internal face ofthe outer limb of the I-section fence posts 1. Similarly, the palisade posts 4 are fixed to the cross-bars 2,3.

The palisade fence so far described is entirely conventional.

Figure 2 also shows the lower end of a mounting 10 according to the invention for electrified conductors 6 (see Figure 1). The mounting 10 is formed, from l.5mm galvanised steel sheet, into a generally T-shaped component. The ends of the cross limb of the "T" are folded through approximately 180" to form a channel 11 dimensioned and configured to slidingly receive the inner limb of the H-section fence posts 1, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2.

The other limb ofthe T-shaped mounting 10 forms an inwardly projecting spine 15 which carries corresponding holes 12 at, say, 10cm centres. Electrically insulating supports 20 (see Figure 3) are moulded from plastics material and are fitted to the mounting 10 in the manner described below.

Further intermediate holes 13 are provided in the mounting 10, and may receive clamping bolts (not shown) by which the two sides of the limb 15 can be clamped together, thereby drawing the mounting 10 into engagement with the upright 1 held within the channel 11.

As shown in Figure 3, the insulating support 20 is moulded from plastics and comprises a plate 21 having, on the rear side thereof a pair of apertured limbs 22. The spacing of the limbs 22 is such that the spine 15 can be closely received between them. The limbs 22 have apertures 23 which, in use, are aligned with the holes 12. A pin 24 is integrally moulded with the support 20 and connected to one ofthe limbs 22 by a flexible link 25. The pin 24 can be pressed through the apertures 23 (and the holes 12) to fix the support 20 in place.

The front face of the plate 21 has an integrally formed wire support 26 through which an electric conductor wire may be fed.

In use, an existing palisade fence is electrified as follows. Mountings 10 are slid downwards over the internal faces of each of the fence posts 1. If desired, clamping bolts are passed through the intermediate holes 13 and tightened to clamp the mountings 10 in place.

If not already fitted, supports 20 are then fixed to the spine 15 of each mounting 10. Electric wires 5 (see Figure 1) are then fed through the supports 20 on successive fence posts 1. Once the assembly is complete, the wires 5 can be energised in conventional fashion.

The mountings 10 may be similar in length to the height of the fence posts 1, or possibly shorter, or for greatest security longer so that the electrified conductors 5 extend above the conventional fence, as shown in Figure 1. For example, for use on a conventional fence of height 2.4m the mountings 10 may be supplied in lengths of 3m so that they project 60cm above the conventional palisade.

Turning now to Figure 4, a fence comprising square section concrete posts 31 can be electrified by fitting to each such post 31 two or more bracket assemblies, one of which is shown in exploded form.

The bracket assembly comprises an outer clamp bracket 32 and an inner clamp bracket 33 with an offset end 34. The outer clamp bracket 32 and inner clamp bracket 33 are placed either side ofthe post 31 and have corresponding bores 35,36 through which coach bolts 37 are passed and secured with washers 38 and nuts 39. Tightening ofthe nuts 39 clamps the bracket assembly in secure engagement with the post 31.

The offset end 34 of the inner clamp bracket 33 also has a bore 40 within which is received a threaded spigot 41 which is welded centrally to a mounting carrier 42 in the form of a generally square steel plate. The spigot 41 is secured by means of a washer 43 and bolt 44.

Upper and lower bracket assemblies are fixed to the post 31. The width of the carrier 42 is the same as that of the palisade fence post 1 of Figure 2. A mounting 45, which is identical to the mounting 10 of Figure 2, is then slidingly engaged with the carriers 42 in the same way that the mounting 10 is engaged with the palisade fence post 1.

If, as is commonly the case, the post 31 is of greater cross-sectional area at its lower end than at its upper end, then the offset in the inner clamp bracket 34 may be omitted from the lower bracket assembly, ie the inner clamp bracket ofthat assembly may be straight, so that the mounting 10 is held vertically despite the difference in cross-section of the upper and lower parts of the post 31.

Claims (18)

Claims

1. An electrified fence comprising a fixed fence post, and a mounting member for electric conductors, the mounting member being configured for sliding engagement with the fence post.

2. A fence as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fence post is of I-section, one end face of the I-section being disposed inwardly.

3. A fence as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mounting member is formed with a longitudinal channel for sliding engagement with the inward end face of the fence post.

4. A fence as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fence posts are of square or rectangular section and suitable brackets are provided to enable sliding engagement ofthe mounting member with the post.

5. A fence as claimed in claim 4, wherein two or more brackets are attached to the post, the brackets comprising plates on which the mounting member can slide.

6. A fence as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member has a spine projecting generally perpendicular to the fence and being provided with means for holding insulating supports for the electric conductors.

7. A fence as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means comprises openings spaced at intervals along the spine.

8. A fence as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member is formed of folded sheet metal.

9. A fence as claimed in claim 8, wherein the metal is galvanised steel.

10. A fence as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member comprises a sheet of metal which is folded substantially centrally to form a spine, the two sides of folded sheet then being folded outwards and folded over at their edges to define a channel substantially orthogonal to the spine.

11. A mounting member for electric conductors configured and dimensioned for sliding engagement with a fixed fence post.

12. A mounting member as claimed in claim 11, which has a spine provided with means for holding electrically insulating supports for electrical conductors.

13. A mounting member as claimed in claim 12, wherein said means comprises openings spaced at intervals along the spine.

14. A mounting member as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, which is formed of folded sheet metal.

15. A mounting member as claimed in claim 14, wherein the metal is galvanised steel.

16. A mounting member as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15, which comprises a sheet of metal which is folded substantially centrally to form a spine, the two sides of the folded sheet being folded outwards and folded over at their edges to define a channel substantially orthogonal to the spine.

17. An electrified fence substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figures 1 to3.

18. An electrified fence substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figure 4.