FENCE ASSEMBLY
A fence assembly comprising a fence post having an upper support junction and a lower support junction. A fence frame includes an upper traverse rail joined to a lower traverse rail. Connection of the upper traverse rail to the fence post uses an upper rail connector having rotation relative to the upper support junction and connected therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector that includes a protrusion received by the upper traverse rail for connection at the upper support junction of the fence post. Likewise, connection of the lower traverse rail to the fence post uses a lower rail connector having rotation relative to the lower support junction and connected therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector that includes a protrusion received by the lower traverse rail for connection at the lower support junction of the fence post.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/051,062 filed May 7, 2008, said application is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to a fence assembly and to a method for its construction. More specifically the disclosure relates to interconnecting and structural components used for connecting railing members to posts such that the members adopt a configuration that is adaptable to terrain where fence installation occurs.
BACKGROUND ARTThe many and varied approaches to construction of barriers and fences, use an essentially common design based on use of posts of pre-cut lengths, which provide connection for fence panels supplied as pre-fabricated units. When suitably connected using a variety of hardware components, such as bolts or clamps, for example, these fence posts and panels become sections of fence.
In some circumstances, it is desirable to have a fence that can be dissembled by the owner of the property rather than relying on the installer of the fence or another hired person to disassemble the fence. For instance, if a home owner has a pool local laws often require that the pool be enclosed by a fence that meets certain minimum regulations. Current solutions focus on the use of mesh fencing that is assembled in panels. The mesh panels often do not fit well with the aesthetics of the house and surrounding landscape. The home owner can disassemble the fence if desired.
Other fencing systems also suffer from similar problems as described above. This disclosure presents a solution that overcomes the problems illustrated above and additional problems which would be apparent to those skilled in the art.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure in its several disclosed embodiments alleviates the drawbacks described above with respect to conventionally designed fence assemblies and incorporates several additionally beneficial features.
A fence assembly in accordance with the present disclosure comprises fence frames made from suitable elongate elements including those selected from metal, wood or plastic tubes, rods, poles, strips, slats, boards and the like. Each frame includes a transverse, upper or top rail, and a transverse, lower or bottom rail held to the top rail by at least a pair of vertical rails that also provide end rails for a rectangular frame used to support wire mesh or fabric panels. Optionally, the fence frame has a relatively open structure in which the upper and lower transverse rails have connection to each other using a plurality of vertical rails.
Interconnection of fence frames uses a fence post that in one embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure can include an upper support junction and a lower support junction. Upper and lower frame connectors extending from the upper and lower support junctions respectively include rail connectors having rotation relative to the support junctions and having connection thereto using a variety of connectors selected from connecting pins, rods, screws, pegs, plugs and clips and the like inserted through respective rail connectors for engagement with the support junction. Methods for interaction between connectors and support junctions include frictional and mating engagement.
Each of the upper and lower rail connectors may include a protrusion for attachment to each of the upper and lower traverse rails respectively to produce a fence assembly such that the fence frame has connection to the fence post by means of the frame connectors. The frame connectors can have a range of motion for variable positioning.
Construction of a fence uses a plurality of fence assemblies including fence posts can be selected from those having only one upper rail connector and one lower rail connector, as described above, and those having additional upper and lower rail connectors depending on the design of the fenced-in area or enclosure. It is an object of this disclosure to provide a fence assembly capable of quick, easy interconnection to provide a secure fence around a yard or a swimming pool, for example. Variation in the height of fence frames is possible by adjustment of frame connectors relative to the longitudinal axis of the fence post. Additionally, for added support more than two frame connectors may be provided on the post.
Another embodiment can include frame connectors having a seat for a rail connector that rotates relative to the seat and maintains abutment therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the rail connector for frictional retention against the seat. Materials suitable for producing elongate connectors include metals and plastics, including structural plastics and the like. A preferred material is sprung steel that provides a clip or pin arrangement having a cap portion with a pair of biased tangs extending from its underside. Biasing of the metal tangs urges separation of one from the other so that the tangs grip the inner surface of openings or channels into which they are inserted. The cap portion of the clip or pin has a size exceeding the diameter or cross dimension of the opening or channel to limit the extent to which the biased tangs enter the opening. Also, the cap portion can allow the user to withdraw the clip or pin to facilitate fence disassembly.
An additional embodiment of the fence assembly may include fence posts having frame connectors that have rail connectors designed with an opening to accommodate transverse rails inserted therein as an optional arrangement to protrusions extending from the rail connectors for insertion into ends of transverse rails, as described previously.
More particularly, the present disclosure can provide a fence connecting assembly comprising a fence post having an upper support junction and a lower support junction. A fence frame includes an upper traverse rail joined to a lower traverse rail. Connection of the upper traverse rail to the fence post uses an upper frame connector extending from the upper support junction and including an upper rail connector having rotation relative to the upper support junction and connected therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector that includes a protrusion to be received by the upper traverse rail for connection at the upper support junction of the fence post. Likewise, connection of the lower traverse rail to the fence post uses a lower frame connector extending from the lower support junction and including a lower rail connector having rotation relative to the lower support junction and connected therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector that includes a protrusion to be received by the lower traverse rail for connection at the lower support junction of the fence post.
Anticipating attachment of a plurality of fence frames to a fence post, an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a fence connecting assembly comprising a fence post having at least one upper support junction and at least one lower support junction. A fence frame includes an upper traverse rail joined to a lower traverse rail. Connection of the upper traverse rail to the fence post uses an upper frame connector extending from the at least one upper support junction and including an upper rail connector having rotation relative to the at least one upper support junction and connected therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector that includes a protrusion to be received by the upper traverse rail for connection at the at least one upper support junction of the fence post. Likewise, connection of the lower traverse rail to the fence post uses a lower frame connector extending from the at least one lower support junction and including a lower rail connector having rotation relative to the at least one lower support junction and connected therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector that includes a protrusion to be received by the lower traverse rail for connection at the at least one lower support junction of the fence post.
In a further embodiment describing hinge components in accordance with the present disclosure, a fence connecting assembly comprises a fence post having an upper support junction and a lower support junction. A fence frame includes an upper traverse rail joined to a lower traverse rail using a plurality of vertical rails therebetween. Connection of the upper traverse rail to the fence post uses an upper frame connector extending from the upper support junction. The upper frame connector includes an upper seat for an upper rail connector that rotates relative to the upper seat and is held in abutment therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector for frictional retention against the upper seat. The upper rail connector includes a protrusion to be received by the upper traverse rail for connection to the upper rail connector. Likewise, connection of the lower traverse rail to the fence post uses a lower frame connector extending from the lower support junction. The lower frame connector includes a lower seat for a lower rail connector having rotation relative to the lower seat and held in abutment therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector for frictional retention against the lower seat. The lower rail connector includes a protrusion to be received by the lower traverse rail for connection to the lower rail connector;
The present disclosure provides a method for constructing a fence assembly comprising: providing a fence post having at least one upper support junction and at least one lower support junction and providing a fence frame including an upper traverse rail joined to a lower traverse rail. Connection of the fence frame to the fence post involves attaching the upper traverse rail to the at least one upper support junction using an upper rail connector extending from the at least one upper support junction and connected therewith using a first elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector that has connection to the upper traverse rail. Attaching the lower traverse rail to the at least one lower support junction uses a lower rail connector extending from the at least one lower support junction and connected therewith using a second elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector that has connection to the lower traverse rail. The attaching of the upper and lower transverse rails to the at least one upper support junction and at least one lower support junction joins the fence frame to the fence post to provide the fence assembly.
The beneficial effects described above apply generally to the exemplary devices and mechanisms disclosed herein of the fence assembly. The specific structures through which these benefits are delivered will be described in detail hereinbelow.
The disclosure will now be described in greater detail in the following way of example only and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are provided herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary and may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.
Referring to the figures, wherein like numbers refer to like parts throughout the several views,
Attachment of the fence frame 14 to the fence post 12 uses an upper frame connector 26 extending from an upper support junction 28 and a lower frame connector 30 extending from a lower support junction 32. The upper and lower frame connectors 26, 30 each include a seat, identified as upper and lower seats 34, 36 for abutment with upper and lower rail connectors 38, 40 respectively. An elongate connector 50 included in each of the frame connectors 26, 30, provides means for releasable connection between the seats 34, 36 and rail connectors 38, 40. As illustrated in
Rail connectors 38, 40 in accordance with the present disclosure each include a connecting feature, identified in
Either before or after attaching the fence frame 14 to the upper rail connector 38 and the lower rail connector 40, connection of the upper and lower rail connectors 38, 40 to the upper and lower frame connectors 26, 30 requires insertion of an elongate connector 50 through each of the upper and lower rail connectors 38, 40 to enter the upper and lower seats 34, 36 respectively for engagement with the inner wall of each seat 34, 36 for retention of the elongate connector 50 therein and abutment of the upper and lower rail connectors 38, 40 with their respective seats 34, 36.
In one embodiment, the elongate connector 50 is illustrated in
The second option for retention of the elongate connector or clip 50 is shown by reference to the lower seat 36.
While the above options for retention of the elongate connector 50 have been described in relation to illustrated figure, those of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the retention of the elongate connector 50 for the fence assembly 10 may be limited to one of the above described embodiments or may include a mixture of the embodiments.
The assembly of the upper and lower rail connectors 38, 40 on the upper and lower seats 34, 36 is also illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper and lower rail connectors 38, 40 are dimensioned such that they are larger than the external dimensions of the upper and lower seats 34, 36. In other embodiments, the upper and lower rail connectors 38, 40 are dimensioned such that they are the same size as the external dimensions of the upper and lower seats 34, 36 such that the interfacing surfaces of the upper and lower rail connectors 38, 40 with upper and lower seats 34, 36 bear against one another. Other interconnections are considered within the scope of this disclosure as well.
Connection of the fence frame 14 to the fence post 12 relies upon attachment of the upper transverse rail 16 to the upper protrusion 42 of the upper rail connector 38 and attachment of the lower transverse rail 18 to the lower protrusion 44 of the lower rail connector 40. The upper and lower protrusions 42, 44 reside in openings at the end of upper and lower transverse rails 16, 18 respectively for retention therein using a friction fit between parts or adhesive or mechanical fasteners depending on preference.
In contrast to the frame connectors 26, 30 of
As mentioned above, the preceding illustrations described embodiments of the fence assembly 10 which may or may not be to scale. In
A fence assembly and its components have been described herein. These and other variations, which will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, are within the intended scope of this disclosure as claimed below. As previously stated, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various forms.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITYThe present disclosure finds applicability in the fencing and enclosures industries.
Claims
1. A fence assembly comprising:
- a fence post having at least one upper support junction and at least one lower support junction;
- a fence frame including an upper traverse rail joined to a lower traverse rail;
- an upper rail connector extending from the at least one upper support junction and connected therewith using a first elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector that is received by the upper traverse rail for connection at the at least one upper support junction of the fence post; and
- a lower rail connector extending from the at least one lower support junction and connected therewith using a second elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector that is received by the lower traverse rail for connection at the at least one lower support junction of the fence post.
2. The fence assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the upper traverse rail is joined to the lower traverse rail using a proximate rail and a distal rail.
3. The fence assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein the proximate rail and the distal rail have an orthogonal relationship to the upper traverse rail and the lower traverse rail.
4. The fence assembly as recited in claim 3, including a panel of material selected from the group consisting of wire mesh, fabric, wood, metal and plastic and the like.
5. The fence assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the upper traverse rail is joined to the lower traverse rail using more than two connecting rails.
6. The fence assembly as recited in claim 1, including an upper frame connector extending from the at least one upper support junction, the upper frame connector including the upper rail connector and an upper seat that abuts the upper rail connector for connection therewith using the first elongate connector.
7. The fence assembly as recited in claim 6, further including a lower frame connector extending from the at least one lower support junction, the lower frame connector including the lower rail connector and a lower seat that abuts the lower rail connector for connection therewith using the second elongate connector.
8. The fence assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second elongate connectors are selected from the group consisting of connecting pins, rods, screws, pegs, plugs and clips and the like.
9. The fence assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second elongate connectors provide connection of the upper and lower rail connectors to the at least one upper support junction and at least one lower support junction respectively using retention means selected from mating engagement and frictional engagement.
10. The fence assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second elongate connectors comprise a metal clip including at least a pair of hooked tips engaging the upper and lower seats respectively to provide connection with the upper and lower rail connectors.
11. The fence assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second elongate connectors comprise a screw for mating engagement with a thread formed within the upper and lower seats respectively to provide connection with the upper and lower rail connectors.
12. The fence assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the upper rail connector and the lower rail connector each include a protrusion to be received by the upper traverse rail and the lower traverse rail respectively for connection of the fence frame to the fence post.
13. A fence assembly comprising:
- a fence post having an upper support junction and a lower support junction;
- a fence frame including an upper traverse rail joined to a lower traverse rail using a plurality of vertical rails therebetween;
- an upper frame connector extending from the upper support junction and including an upper seat for an upper rail connector having rotation relative to the upper seat and held in abutment therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector for frictional retention against the upper seat, the upper rail connector including a protrusion to be received by the upper traverse rail for connection to the upper rail connector; and
- a lower frame connector extending from the lower support junction and including a lower seat for a lower rail connector having rotation relative to the lower seat and held in abutment therewith using an elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector for frictional retention against the lower seat, the lower rail connector including a protrusion to be received by the lower traverse rail for connection to the lower rail connector.
14. A fence connecting assembly comprising:
- an upper frame connector extending from an upper support junction of a fence post, the upper frame connector including an upper rail connector connected to the upper support junction using an elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector that is received by an upper traverse rail of a fence frame for connection at the upper support junction of the fence post; and
- a lower frame connector extending from a lower support junction of the fence post, the lower frame connector including a lower rail connector connected to the lower support junction using an elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector that is received by a lower traverse rail of the fence frame for connection at the lower support junction of the fence post.
15. The fence connecting assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the upper rail connector and the lower rail connector each include a protrusion to be received by the upper traverse rail and the lower traverse rail respectively for connection of the fence frame to the fence post.
16. The fence connecting assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the upper and the lower rail connectors have rotation relative to the upper and lower support junctions respectively.
17. A method for constructing a fence assembly comprising the steps of:
- providing a fence post having at least one upper support junction and at least one lower support junction;
- providing a fence frame including an upper traverse rail joined to a lower traverse rail;
- attaching the upper traverse rail to the at least one upper support junction using an upper rail connector extending from the at least one upper support junction and connected therewith using a first elongate connector inserted through the upper rail connector that has connection to the upper traverse rail; and
- attaching the lower traverse rail to the at least one lower support junction using a lower rail connector extending from the at least one lower support junction and connected therewith using a second elongate connector inserted through the lower rail connector that has connection to the lower traverse rail, the attaching of the upper and lower transverse rails joining the fence frame to the fence post to provide the fence assembly.
18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the upper rail connector and the lower rail connector each include a protrusion to be received by the upper traverse rail and the lower traverse rail respectively for connection of the fence frame to the fence post.
19. The fence connecting assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the upper and the lower rail connectors have rotation relative to the at least one upper support junction and at least one lower support junction respectively.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 18, 2008
Publication Date: Nov 12, 2009
Inventor: Blake McILWAIN (Houston, TX)
Application Number: 12/193,575
International Classification: E04H 17/14 (20060101); E04H 17/00 (20060101); E04H 17/16 (20060101);