GB2444930A - Self raking fence panel and rail - Google Patents

Abstract

A self raking fence panel comprises a plurality of pales 10 and at least two rails (30, Fig 1), one or both rails being formed from commonly available steel U or box section having apertures 37 cut or stamped in a top wall 32 thereof to receive the pales. Each aperture is cut from the rail to leave one or, preferably, two tongues (40, Fig 5A) integral with the top wall which are pressed into the rail, each tongue having a recess 43 formed therein to receive a corresponding projection 22 on the pale. The projections and recesses are aligned transversely across the rail so that the pale can pivot about the projections. Preferably the projections are outwardly resiliently biased and form part of a double ended spring assembly which is inserted laterally into the pale wall (Fig 3B).

Description

Self raking fence panel and rail This invention relates to panels for

fences, and in particular so-called self adjusting or self raking panels comprising a plurality of pales supported by two or more rails.

Self raking fence panels are arranged to permit the pales to pivot through a limited angular range with respect to the rails, so that the rails can be fixed between adjacent vertical posts and adjusted or raked to follow the slope of the ground.

Such panels should preferably be economical to manufacture and should preferably permit assembly on site from their component rails and pales, which facilitates installation and reduces the cost of transportation. They must also resist disassembly by unauthorised persons after they have been installed, so that the fence can resist vandalism and, where required, provide a secure barrier.

US 5 873 564 discloses a self raking fence having square tubular pales and square tubular rails. The pales are fastened to the rails by clips which arc arranged inside S...

the pales; as each pale is inserted through a square hole punched in a first wall of the rail, the clip is urged against the opposite wall of the rail so that its free end projects from a hole in one corner of the pale wall and lodges against the inner surface of the first wall. S... S. *

This provides a rail which may be manufactured at low cost; however, although it is difficult to remove the pales from the rails after installation, they may be undesirably loose due to the axial movement of the pale as the clip is engaged with the rail. Moreover, all of the pales must be inserted simultaneously into the second of the rails, which makes on-site assembly difficult.

EP 1 016 768 B I discloses a self raking panel in which each of the tubular metal pales is fitted with a resilient clip whose ends extend through opposed openings in the pale wall to provide a pivot. The rail comprises an invert U-shaped channel having a horizontal top wall and inner and outer sidewalls. The pales are inserted through apertures in the top wall so that the openings in the pale wall are aligned with corresponding recesses in the rail which receive the ends of the clip. The recesses may be formed in the inner sidewalls, or alternatively by depressing small sections of the top wall adjacent each aperture, which however disadvantageously exposes part of the clip to the weather and to possible attack.

In each case, the inner sidewalls extend for nearly the full height of the rail, so that they provide a surface which can be used to depress the ends of the clip as the pale is rotated during assembly. In practice however it is found that the clips and rails are easily damaged by this procedure, so that it is preferred to assemble such panels off-site using ajig which aligns the pales with the rails prior to insertion of the clips into the pales.

WO 02/072982 discloses a self raking panel with a similarly shaped rail, each pale :... having a fixed transverse lug. The pales are inserted through apertures in the top *I..

wall of the rail and then rotated so that the projecting ends of each lug enter recesses formed in the upper edges of the inner sidewalls and aligned in the transverse direction of the rail. An angled bar is then inserted between the adjacent inner and outer sidewalls of the rail so that its upper leg occupies a gap between :::: : the upper edge of the inner sidewall and the top wall of the rail, trapping the lugs * in the recesses. In practice, the angled bar is found to be difficult to insert due to its length and the frictional resistance of the rail, so that factory assembly is preferred.

In both of the two last described panels, the clips or lugs in principle permit the panel to be assembled on site, although factory assembly is easier, while their projecting ends provide pivots about which the panel can be raked.

Disadvantageously however, the inner sidewalls of the rail increase the materials cost (and weight) of the rail by some 50% or more, while making a relatively lesser contribution to its overall strength and rigidity. Moreover, the rail must be manufactured from relatively heavy gauge material (typically steel) in order for the inner sidewalls (which are unsupported at their upper edge) to have sufficient rigidity to reliably retain the pivots. Such rails must also be specially manufactured, for example by roll forming from steel strip, which requires expensive tooling, further increases their manufacturing cost and makes it difficult to source them from alternative suppliers.

It has long been known to produce self raking panels incorporating rails formed from relatively low cost, standard steel section; however, such panels are typically difficult to assemble on site and/or are easy to disassemble after installation.

US 2 563 530 discloses a self raking balustrade in which the upper rail is a telescopic assembly of two metal sections and the lower rail is a plain, invert U section with apertures formed in its upper wall to receive the pales. The pales may :... be pivotably fixed to the rails on-site by pins which pass through the sidewalls of the rail, or alternatively through upwardly protruding ears formed by cutting and bending the upper wall of the lower rail. In each case, the pins must be : 20 individually fixed, and remain accessible and hence vulnerable to disassembly after installation. Such a construction is therefore unsuitable for use in a secure ::: fence.

In an alternative embodiment, each pale is welded to the rail at one point, about which the pale may be pivoted by local bending of the rail. This advantageously avoids the use of vulnerable fasteners; however, the panel is welded together off-site, so that the weld regions may become fatigued by unintended bending during transportation.

I

US 6 739 583 discloses a panel in which the rail has a plain, invert U-shaped section having apertures fonned in its top wall to receive the pales. Each aperture is formed by cutting and bending two tongues downwards between the sidewalls of the rail.

Similarly, US 4 723 760 provides a tubular rail of plain square section with apertures formed in its top and bottom walls for receiving the pales; one of each pair of apertures is formed by cutting a tongue and bending it inwardly into the rail.

In both of the last described panels, each pale has a cross-bore which after assembly is aligned with corresponding holes in the tongues. A rod is then inserted axially into the rail so that it passes through all of the tongues and pales together, fixing the pales in position. In the former panel each pale is fixed to two tongues and there is no provision for raking, whereas in the latter panel, raking is stated to be accommodated by bending of the single tongue; in practice however, the rod will resist raking unless a large degree of looseness of the pales is *...

permitted. * . * * .

*...: 20 In either case, it is difficult to align (both axially and rotationally) the transverse bores in all of the pales simultaneously while the rod is inserted, and a small :::: : inaccuracy at any point may make it impossible to fully insert the rod into the rail.

* The frictional resistance of the pales (perhaps fifteen or more per panel in a typical installation) and the tongues will also make it difficult to insert the rod without bending it, so that such arrangements are found in practice to be time consuming and unsuitable for on-site assembly.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a rail for a self raking fence panel, and a self raking fence panel incorporating the rail, wherein the rail is economical to manufacture and the panel resists disassembly after installation.

Preferably the panel should permit on-site assembly.

According to the present invention there are provided a rail and a panel according to the appended claims.

The novel rail may be manufactured at low cost from readily available standard "U" shaped mild or galvanised steel section, which may incorporate short, inturned return walls, or alternatively from standard square or rectangular steel box section, by cutting or stamping the tongues from the or a central wall of the section, a hole or equivalent recess being formed in each tongue, and pressing the tongues inwardly between the side walls of the section. Each recess is aligned with a corresponding projection on the pale along a transverse axis of the rail, permitting the pale to pivot as the panel is raked, while the projections are concealed and protected from attack by the side walls of the rail.

Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following illustrative * S..

embodiments which will now be described, purely by way of example and without limitation to the scope of the invention, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: S...

* Fig. 1 shows a first fence panel erected on sloping ground; Fig. 2A shows a first pale of the first fence panel before insertion of the spring assembly; Figs. 2B and 2C are respectively side and cross-sectional views of the first pale after insertion of the spring assembly; Fig. 3A shows the spring assembly in the compressed condition; Figs. 3B and 3C are respectively cutaway and side views of the spring assembly; Fig. 4A is a plan view of part of a first rail of the first fence panel before depression of the tongues; Fig. 4B is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 4A after depression of the tongues; Fig. 4C is a cross section seen in the direction of arrows C -C of Fig. 4B; Fig. 4D is a longitudinal section seen in the direction of arrows D -D of Fig. 4C; Fig. 4E is a view corresponding to Fig. 4C after installation of a pale; Figs. 5A and 5B are respectively a cross section and a longitudinal section of a second rail; * S..

Figs. 6A -6D are views corresponding to Figs. 4A -4D of a third rail; and ** . * *5 * ..

Figs. 7A -7D are views corresponding to Figs. 4A -4D of a fourth rail.

: . Corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference numerals in each of the figures.

Referring to Fig. 1, a first fence panel I comprises a plurality of pales 10 supported by a pair of identical rails 30. The rails have a plurality of apertures 37 for receiving the pales, and are mounted between two vertical posts 2 by conventional adjustable fixings 3. The pales are pivotably mounted in the rails, enabling the panel to be raked as shown by adjusting the rails to lie parallel with the slope of the ground.

Referring to Figs. 2A -2C and Figs. 3A -3C, each pale 10 comprises a steel tube with a pair of opposed apertures 11 formed in the wall of the tube along a transverse axis X -X of the pale so as to form a cross-bore. A spring assembly 20 is adapted to be inserted into the cross-bore via the apertures 11 so that it lies along the transverse axis X -X of the pale. The spring assembly comprises a tubular body 21 which supports a pair of projections 22; the projections are resiliently biased outwardly from the ends of the body 21 by an internal spring 23, so that they can be compressed axially to the position shown in Fig. 3A and afterwards return to the extended position shown in Fig. 3C. A collar 24 is formed on one end of the body 21, so that the spring assembly can be accurately positioned by simply inserting it through the apertures 11 until the collar abuts the pale wall as shown in Fig. 2B.

Referring to Figs. 4A -4D, each rail 30 comprises a generally U-shaped elongate steel section 31 of a readily available type, having a central wall 32 (which is preferably arranged at the top of the rail) and two integral side walls 33 extending from it in opposed relation as shown. The side walls are extended to form two *:*. integral return walls 34 which are joined to the side walls by base walls 35; the return walls are arranged between the side walls and extend up inside the rail towards the central wall 32.

S S...

S

*.: If desired, the return walls of the rail may be shorter than in the example shown, or closer to the side walls; they may also be angled with respect to the side walls, and may assist in compressing the spring assembly as it is inserted into the rail, as further described below. Alternatively, the rail may merely comprise the central wall and side wall, the return walls and base walls being omitted. Alternatively the side walls may terminate in a very small, intumed portion adjacent each edge.

The central wall 32 of the section is cut as shown by the solid lines in Fig. 4A, for example by means of a punch or a laser cutter, to define two integral tongues 40, which remain attached to the central wall by hinge portions 41 (indicated in Fig. 4A by dotted lines), and two waste portions 42 which fall out of the rail when they are cut. The hinge portion 41 of each tongue is separated from the adjacent side wall 33 by a lateral portion 36 of the central wall 32, which strengthens the rail and accommodates and protects the projections 22 as described below.

A hole 43 is also cut or punched in each tongue, which forms a recess for receiving one of the projections 22 as described below.

Instead of a hole, the recess might be formed for example by depressing a section of the tongue, or by cutting and bending a tab which remains attached to the tongue. In this specification, the term trecess" embraces any hole, cavity or depression suitable for receiving the corresponding projection of the pale.

After the tongues 40 and recesses 43 have been cut from the central wall 32 as S...

S..... shown in Fig. 4A, the tongues are pressed inwardly into the rail between the side walls 33 as shown in Figs. 4B -4D so that the recesses 43 are aligned along the transverse axis X -X of the rail, forming an aperture 37 in the central wall which accommodates the pale. The shorter dimension of the aperture 37 lies along the transverse axis X -X of the rail and is slightly greater than the diameter of the pale (or, for a non-round pale, its corresponding transverse dimension), while the longer dimension of the aperture 37 lies along the longitudinal axis Y -Y of the rail and accommodates the slight displacement of the pale as the panel is raked.

Referring to Fig. 4E, the panel is assembled by first inserting a spring assembly 20 into the pale 10 via the aperture 11 in the pale wall. Desirably, each pale has two pairs of apertures 11 so that it can be attached to both the upper and lower rails 30 by two respective spring assemblies. This makes it more difficult to remove the pale after installation. The pale is inserted through respective aligned apertures 37 in the top and bottom rails 30, so that the projections 22 enter the corresponding recesses 43 in the tongues 40. The recesses 43 and projections 22 are thus aligned along the transverse axis X -X of each rail, so that the pale is able to pivot about the axis X -X as the panel is raked. The recesses 43 are located close to the central wall 32 so as to minimise the movement of the pale along the longitudinal axis Y -Y of the rail at the central wall as the panel is raked, and hence to minimise the length of the aperture 37.

* 10 After assembly, the projections 22 are concealed within the rail by the central wall 32 and side walls 33, and further by the base walls 35 and return walls 34, which makes it difficult to tamper with them and so remove the pale 10. Desirably, the free edge 44 of the tongue extends adjacent the free edge 34' of the adjacent return wall 34, so that it is close to the return wall as shown or alternatively is in abutment with the return wall, so that it is difficult to insert a tool between the tongue and the return wall 34. The tongue may also be supported by the return :... wall, for example by overlapping. *. * * **

*:*. Referring to Figs. 5A and SB, rather than a generally U-shaped section, a square :1 20 or rectangular, tubular box section 50 may be employed instead, having a central * top wall 32, side walls 33 and a fourth, base wall 51 opposite the central wall. The : apertures 37 and tongues 40 are formed as in the first embodiment, and additional * apertures 52 are formed in the base wall 51 to accommodate the pales; the bottom apertures 52 are correspondingly longer than the top apertures 37 to accommodate the relatively greater displacement of the pale at the base wall 51 as the panel is raked. This embodiment benefits from relatively greater rigidity and more complete enclosure of the projections 22, while the box section 50 is readily available in standard dimensions.

Conveniently, each pale is fixed to the two rails 30 by first inserting it through the corresponding apertures 37 in each rail so that each aperture 11 in the pale lies just below the corresponding rail. The spring assemblies 20 are then inserted into the apertures 11 and aligned with the longitudinal axis Y -Y of the rail, and the pale is raised so that the spring assemblies enter the channel or lower aperture in the base of the rail and are positioned level with the recesses 43. The pale is then rotated by 90 so that the projections 22 engage the tongues 40 adjacent each recess 43 and are pushed back inside the pale by the tongues as the pale rotates, compressing the internal spring 23. Once the projections 22 are aligned with the recesses 43 they spring out into the recesses, locking the pale simultaneously to both of the rails. The procedure may be carried out in situ with both rails attached to the posts; alternatively it may be carried out in the factory, and the panel transported in an assembled condition. In an alternative method of assembly, a sleeve or equivalent means is used to compress the projections 22 before they are inserted into the rail.

:... Assembly may be facilitated by providing for at least a part 40' of each tongue, or * *** alternatively for the whole of the tongue 40, to be resiliently depressible so that it *:*. is deflected by the projections 22 as the pale is rotated. For example, the rail and integral tongues 40 may be formed from thin, springy steel from roughly 1mm to roughly 2mm thick. Once the projections are aligned with the recesses 43, each tongue 40 resiles to its original position. Rather than using resiliently biased, depressible projections 22 as shown, each pale may be provided with fixed projections, formed for example by a roll pin or stamped, embossed, cut or otherwise formed from the pale wall itself. The fixed projections are accommodated by the resilience of the tongue 40 as the pale is rotated, until they are aligned with the recesses 43, whereupon the tongue resiles to its original position and locks the pale in place.

The fixed projections may also be inserted into the recesses by pushing the pale axially into the rail, rather than rotating it, in which case the resilient tongue is preferably provided with a ramped surface, for example by arranging for its free edges to diverge downwardly away from the aperture 37, while the lower wall or (in a U-shaped rail) the base walls and return walls are recessed to accommodate the fixed projections.

Referring to Figs. 6A -6D, on-site assembly of pales having resiliently biased projections may be facilitated by forming a ramped surface 60 on each tongue adjacent the recess 43. The surface is arranged to progressively engage the projections 22 and urge them into the pale 10 as the pale is rotated, until they spring out into the recesses 43.

Conveniently, each ramped surface is formed by dividing the tongue 40 into a first portion 61, in which the recess 43 is formed and which remains attached to the central wall 32 by the hinge portion 41, and a second portion 62 which is attached to the first portion 61 by a second hinge portion 63. The second portions 62 are S...

pressed in a first operation so that they extend at an angle from the first portions 61, before the first portions 61 are pressed into the rail in a second operation to assume the position shown in Figs. 6B -6D. S...

:::: : Referring to Figs. 7A -7D, a part of each tongue may be arranged to engage an * S adjacent side wall 33 of the rail so as to support the tongue; the tongue may also be folded so as to enclose or partially enclose the projections 22, making it more difficult to insert a tool to remove the pale.

In the embodiment shown, each tongue 40 comprises a first portion 70, in which the recess 43 is formed and which is attached to the central wall 32 of the rail by a first hinge portion 41, and two integral wing portions 71 which are attached to the first portion 70 by second hinge portions 72. After cutting the wing portions 71 from the central wall 32 of the rail along the solid lines as shown, they are pressed into the rail in a first operation so that they extend at an angle from the first portion 70. The first portion 70 is then pressed into the rail in a second operation so that the tongue 40 assumes the position shown in Figs. 7B -7D, in which the wing portions 71 engage the adjacent side wall 33 of the rail, rigidifying the tongue 40 and enclosing the projections 22 at the sides after the pale is inserted.

In summary, preferred embodiments provide a plurality of pales and at least two rails, one or both rails being formed from commonly available steel U or box section having apertures laser cut or stamped in a top wall thereof to receive the pales. Each aperture is cut from the rail to leave one or, preferably, two tongues integral with the top wall which are pressed into the rail, each tongue having a recess formed therein to receive a corresponding projection on the pale. The projections and recesses are aligned transversely across the rail so that the pale can pivot about the projections. Preferably the projections are outwardly resiliently biased and form part of a double ended spring assembly which is inserted laterally into the pale wall. * S

.: In alternative embodiments, each pale can be attached to only one rail, the other : 20 rail being of a similar or different construction; more than two rails may also be provided. It is also possible to provide only one tongue having a corresponding recess at each aperture in the central wall, so that the pale is attached to the rail by * a single projection rather than a pair of projections; the pale wall opposite the single projection is then supported by the edge of the aperture in the central wall.

Conventional resilient clips, such as wire clips which are inserted into one end of the hollow pale so that their ends project through holes in the pale wall, may also be used in place of the spring assemblies 20. Many further adaptations will be evident to those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims.

Claims (13)

1. A rail for a self raking fence panel, comprising an elongate member having at least a central wall and two integral, opposed side walls extending therefrom, the central wall having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving a plurality of pales, each aperture having at least one tongue, the tongue being integral with the central wall and extending therefrom at an edge of the respective aperture; characterised in that each tongue extends between the opposed side walls and each tongue has a recess for receiving a cooperating projection, the projection being arranged on a respective one of the pales, * a.. * a ** )a

the recess and the projection being aligned along a transverse axis of the rail * * such that the pale can pivot about the said transverse axis with respect to the rail. *aSa S. S * as * 5

2. A rail according to claim 1, characterised in that each aperture has two tongues, and the respective recesses of the two tongues are aligned along the said transverse axis of the rail such that the pale may be pivotably mounted therebetween.

3. A rail according to claim I or claim 2, characterised in that each tongue includes a ramped surface adjacent the recess, the ramped surface being adapted to assist the projection to enter the recess during assembly.

4. A rail according to claim I or claim 2, characterised in that at least a part of each tongue is resiliently depressible such that it assists the projection to enter the recess during assembly.

5. A rail according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that each tongue comprises at least a first portion extending from the central wall of the rail and a second portion extending at an angle from the first portion to engage a respective adjacent side wall of the rail.

6. A rail according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that each side wall is integral with a return wall, a * * * a.. * ***

the return walls being arranged between the side walls and extending towards the *:*. central wall. **.*.

* 25

7. A rail according to claim 6, characterised in that a free edge of each tongue is * *** arranged adjacent a free edge of a corresponding return wall.

8. A rail according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the rail comprises a tube including a fourth wall opposite the central wall, the fourth wall having a corresponding plurality of second apertures formed therein to receive the pales.

9. A self raking fence panel, comprising a plurality of pales and at least two rails, at least one of the rails comprising an elongate member having at least a central wall and two integral, opposed side walls extending therefrom, the central wall having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving the pales, each aperture having at least one tongue, the tongue being integral with the central wall and extending therefrom at an edge of the respective aperture, characterised in that each pale is provided with at least one resiliently biased projection, each tongue extends between the opposed side walls, and each tongue has a recess adapted to receive one said resiliently biased projection of a respective one of the pales,

S * S * S.. S.'.

s's.' the recess and the projection being aligned along a transverse axis of the rail S. S * S S such that the pale can pivot about the said transverse axis with respect to the rail. S...

::: :

10. A fence panel according to claim 9, characterised in that each aperture has two * S tongues and each pale has two resiliently biased projections, the respective recesses of the two tongues being aligned along the said transverse axis of the rail to receive the said two resiliently biased projections of one of the pales such that the one pale may be pivotably mounted between the two tongues.

11. A fence panel according to claim 10, characterised in that the two resiliently biased projections of each pale comprise the respective ends of a spring assembly, and the spring assembly is adapted to be inserted laterally into the pale via an aperture arranged on a transverse axis of the pale.

12. A rail for a fence panel substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A fence panel substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.. U. * . * *** S... * S 5.5 * . * U. * *5

**S*U* * * *.**

S S... S. *

SS S.