IE84045B1 - A fencing corner module - Google Patents

Description

A FENCING CORNER MODULE WRIGHT & MCLENNAN LTD CHARLES LAWRENCE SURFACES PLC A FENCING CORNER MODULE The invention relates to a fencing corner module for a fence bounding a substantially rectangular playing area, and in particular to a self-supporting fencing comer module that defines a curved barrier.

Playing areas used for games, such as football, rugby, hockey, tennis, squash, badminton and numerous other sports and recreations have right- angled comers. Some pitches or playing areas, including but not limited to indoor and outdoor tennis courts and indoor or outdoor pitches, include fencing or other barriers enclosing a marked out playing surface. Such fencing typically comprises straight fencing lengths that intersect at right- angled comers adjacent or coterrninous with the marked comers of a playing area. Not only does the fencing keep e.g. a ball within a predefined area but also in some games, such as five—a-side football, the barrier-type construction is an essential component of the playing area since the ball may be played off it.

When a ball, puck, shuttlecock or other similar device (herein “ball") is played off a right-angled corner section of a fence, it is difficult to predict the path the ball will follow. In addition, there is also a risk that a ball may become wedged in the right-angled corners of the fencing. This interrupts the flow of the game being played.

It has therefore been suggested to modify the fencing so as to incorporate a curved comer, rather than a right-angled corner.

The provision of a curved barrier in the corner of a fence bounding a substantially rectangular playing area means that the path of a ball being played off the fence is easier to predict than when it is played off a right- angled corner section.

The provision of a curved barrier in the comer of a fence bounding a substantially rectangular playing area also eliminates the risk of a ball becoming wedged between fencing components.

Throughout the present specification, the descriptors “fron ” and “rear” relating to relative orientation, as well as adjective and adverb derivatives thereof, are used in the sense of the orientation of the fencing corner module in use and as described in the drawings.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a fencing corner module for a fence bounding a substantially rectangular playing area, the module comprising a barrier mounted on a floor- or ground-engaging support, the barrier having a curved frontal surface and the support including at least one support limb extending rearwardly from the barrier such that the module is self-supporting, wherein the or each support limb extends between a rear surface of the barrier and a floor- or ground-engaging post.

The provision of a floor- or ground-engaging support that enables the module to support itself means that the module may be formed as a stand-alone component that does not rely on other components to maintain it in an upright position. The module may therefore be incorporated within existing fences in order to form curved corners without weakening the structural integrity of the fencing. This is because the fencing side wall components are not required to support the barrier in an upright position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the barrier has a concave frontal surface. This enables the corner module to form a continuous barrier with fencing side wall components.

The support may include atleast two support limbs extending from a rear surface of the barrier so as to converge toward a point spaced from the rear surface of the barrier where the limbs directly or indirectly engage a floor or the ground.

The provision of two support limbs that directly or indirectly engage a floor or the ground at a position spaced from a rear surface of the barrier reduces the risk of the module tipping over backwards when a ball is played off the curved frontal surface.

A lamp may be mounted on the post making the fencing comer modules suitable for use in darkness, as well as in daylight or other illumination. ln embodiments wherein at least two support limbs converge towards a point spaced from the rear surface of the barrier, the support limbs may be aligned with an upper edge of the barrier. They may have mounted thereon a planar member corresponding in shape and size to the area defined by the support limbs and the upper edge of the barrier. This ensures that balls played over the kicking board cannot drop between the support limbs, behind the barrier. This is particularly useful when the corner module abuts the side walls of a room since it could otherwise be difficult to retrieve balls that fall behind the barrier. ln preferred embodiments of the invention, the barrier may be formed from a flexible board that is flexed to define a kicking board having curved front and rear surfaces. The provision of a curved kicking board makes the fencing corner module suitable for use in a fence bounding a playing area where a ball is played off the fence. lt also provides an advertising area on which logos and other advertising material may be printed, for example.

The curved kicking board may have a concave frontal surface and a convex rear surface, and may be mounted between first and second frame members forming part of the floor- or ground—engaging support.

One or more curved brace members may be provided to support the curved kicking board. This improves the ability of the kicking board to withstand the impact of a ball being played off the fence.

To increase the height of the barrier defined by the fencing corner module, a secondary barrier having a curved frontal surface that corresponds in length and has the same radius of curvature as the front surface of the kicking board may be secured above the kicking board in order to form, with the curved frontal surface of the kicking board, a continuous barrier.

The secondary barrier is preferably transparent to enable spectators to see through the secondary barrier member, and in embodiments of the invention may be formed from a mesh. Such transparent secondary barrier members protect spectators from being hit by the ball.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a fence for bounding a substantially rectangular playing area comprising at least four fencing side wall modules and at least four fencing comer modules as defined above, wherein the fencing side walls each define a planar barrier and are interconnected by the fencing comer modules to form a continuous barrier having curved corner sections.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a fencing corner module according to an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 2 is a side view of the rear of the fencing corner module shown in Figure 1.

A fencing comer module 10 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1.

Module 10 includes a barrier 12 having a concave front surface 30 and a A convex rear surface 32. The curved front and rear surfaces 30,32 have a radius of curvature R.

The curved barrier 12 is provided by a kicking board 14 that is formed from a flexible board flexed, and secured at each end, between first and second elongate and parallel frame members 16,18 to form a continuous barrier.

The kicking board may be made from a 6mm thick sheet of plastic and preferably defines an advertising surface on which logos and other advertising material may be printed.

The fencing comer module 10 also includes three curved brace members ,2l,22 (Figure 2) having the same radius of curvature R as the kicking board. The braces 20,2l,22 are secured at each end between the first and second fi'ame members 16,18 and along their lengths to the rear surface 32 of the kicking board 14. The curved brace members 20,2l,22 support the kicking board 14 and increase its resistance to impacts from e.g. footballs being played off the front surface 30 thereof.

Two support limbs in the form of shuts 24a,24b; 26a,26b (Figure 2) extend between each of the first and second frame members 16,18 and a floor- or ground-engaging post 28. The post 28 is parallel to the first and second frame members 16,18, and is spaced from the rear surface 32 of the kicking board 14.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 a lamp 34 is fitted to the top of the post 28, that protrudes above the other components of the module 10.

Consequently the lamp 34 may be shaded and angled as shown to project light onto the playing area.

The kicking board 14 is secured along each of its edges to a respective one of the first and second frame members 16,18 such that a bottom edge 36 of the kicking board 14 is aligned with bottom ends 16b,18b of the fiame members 16,18.

Two of the struts 24a,26a extending between the post 28, and the first and second frame members 16,18 respectively, are aligned with an upper edge 38 of the kicking board 14.

A planar member 40 is mounted on the struts 24a,26a. The planar member 40 corresponds in shape and size to the area defined by the upper edge 38 of the kicking board 14 and the struts 24a,26a.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, a secondary barrier member 44 in the form of a wire mesh is secured between the first and second frame members 16,18 above the kicking board 14.

The secondary barrier member 44 corresponds in length to the kicking board 14. It also has curved front and rear surfaces 48,49 having the same radius of curvature R as the kicking board 14. As with the kicking board 14, the secondary barrier member 44 has a concave frontal surface 48 and a convex rear surface 49.

Three curved brace members 45,46,47, having the same radius of curvature R as the front and rear surfaces 48,49 of the secondary barrier member 44, are secured between the first and second frame members 16,18 and to the rear surface 49 of the secondary barrier member 44.

The secondary barrier member 44 is secured along a bottom edge 50 to the upper edge 38 of the kicking board 14 so as to form a continuous, curved, barrier.

In other embodiments of the invention, the secondary barrier member 44 may be formed from a transparent material such as, for example, Perspex The fencing corner module 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 also includes a netting frame 52 secured to the post 28 above the secondary barrier member 44. The netting frame 52 includes two elongate members 54,56 secured together at their ends to form a right-angled member that is secured at its apex to the post 28.

A net 58 made from nylon, for example, is suspended fiom the netting frame 52, and is secured along a lower edge 53 to an upper edge 60 of the secondary barrier member 44. The net 58 thereby further increases the height of the barrier defined by the fencing corner module 10.

In use, the fencing corner module 10 is linked between fencing side wall modules that extend generally perpendicular to each other.

Each of the fencing side wall modules has a kicking board, a secondary barrier member, a netting frame and a net that interconnect with those components of the fencing corner module 10 in order to form a continuous barrier around a playing area.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 the net 58 provided on the fencing corner module 10 is a separate component from the net associated with each fencing side wall module.

In other embodiments, a single net may be suspended from the netting frame defined by fencing side wall modules and fencing comer modules after construction of a fence bounding a playing area. This ensures that the netting forms a continuous barrier around the playing area and eliminates the need to interconnect sections of netting when connecting fencing side wall modules and fencing corner modules together.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the kicking board 14 is 1.2m high and has a radius of curvature R of 1.5m. In such an embodiment, the secondary barrier member 44 may be 1.8m high to make a combined height of 3m.

Claims (15)

1. A fencing corner module for a fence bounding a substantially rectangular playing area. the module comprising a barrier mounted on a floor- or ground-engaging support, the barrier having a curved surface forming a frontal surface in use, and the support including at least one support limb extending rearwardly from the barrier such that the module is self-supporting, wherein the or each support limb extends between a rear surface of the barrier and a floor- or ground- engaging post.

2. A fencing corner module as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the barrier has a concave frontal surface.

3. A fencing corner module as claimed in Claim l or Claim 2 wherein the support includes at least two support limbs extending from a rear surface of the barrier so as to converge toward a point spaced from the rear surface of the barrier where the limbs directly or indirectly engage a floor or the ground.

4. A fencing comer module as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the support limbs are aligned with an upper edge of the barrier and have mounted thereon a planar member corresponding in shape and size to the area defined by the support limbs and the upper edge of the barrier.

5. A fencing comer module as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the barrier is formed from a flexible board that is flexed to define a kicking board having curved front and rear surfaces. l0 30

6. A fencing corner module as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the flexible board is flexed to define a kicking board having a concave frontal surface and a convex rear surface.

7. A fencing corner module as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the curved kicking board is mounted between first and second frame members forming part of the support.

8. A fencing corner module as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the kicking board is secured to one or more curved brace members extending between the first and second frame members.

9. A fencing corner module as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 8 further including a secondary barrier positioned above the kicking board and having a curved frontal surface that corresponds in length and has the same radius of curvature as the frontal surface of the kicking board so as to form, with the curved frontal surface of the kicking board, a continuous barrier.

10. A fencing corner module as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the secondary barrier member is formed from a mesh.

11. A fencing corner module as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the secondary barrier member is formed from a transparent material.

12. A fencing corner module as claimed in Claim 1 and any of Claims 9 to 11 further including a right-angled netting frame mounted at its apex to the floor- or ground- engaging post, at a position located above an upper edge of the secondary barrier member such that a netting suspended from the right-angled netting frame extends between the right-angled netting frame and the upper edge of the secondary barrier member. l0 10

13. A fence for bounding a substantially rectangular playing area comprising at least four fencing side wall modules and at least four fencing corner modules in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the fencing side wall modules each define a planar barrier and are interconnected by the fencing corner modules to form a continuous barrier having curved comer sections.

14. A fencing corner module generally as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

15. l5. A fence generally as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. F. R. KELLY & CO., AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANTS