ES2983050T3 - Fence post for a fence and fence equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Fence post made up of fence posts with intermediate panels, in which the fence post is made with two opposite slots on each side of the fence post in which a panel with a side edge can be enclosed, characterized in that the fence post is made of a single metal sheet or strip which is folded into an H-profile with a central square tubular part and two parallel legs on each side to form said slot. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Fence post for a fence and fence equipped with the same

The present invention relates to a fence post for a fence.

In particular, the invention relates to a fence post with an H-shaped profile with slots on each side of the fence post which are delimited by the legs of the H-shaped profile.

Reinforced concrete fence posts are already well known, but they are heavy and bulky, not rot-resistant and not very aesthetic, etc.

Extruded aluminium variants also exist, but they are not as narrow due to the forces, such as wind loading, exerted on them, and they are also not strong enough to be mechanically nailed into the ground and are also limited in length.

Metal fence posts are also well-known and leave a slimmer and more elegant impression. Such metal fence posts are made, for example, from a tubular pipe or profile against which a U-shaped profile is welded or screwed on each side to form such grooves.

Each application with a steel panel, garden screen, wooden or synthetic boards, aluminium plates or glass, always requires a different variant with other U-profiles or another tube in various dimensions as well as the corresponding mounting screws, accessories and associated tools.

Each of the existing posts can only be used for a single application, each with different accessories and tools, always with a different appearance on both sides of the fence.

Such metal fence posts have a slimmer and more modern look, but production is relatively labor-intensive.

In addition, there is always the risk of paint damage and rust formation due to welding of flat parts, so that pretreatment and paint cannot reach everywhere and warranty issues arise regarding the treatment of the relevant posts. The U-shaped profiles are only welded at a few points, so that each post size must be produced separately and cannot be shortened without the profiles coming loose.

Furthermore, the wall thickness of the hollow profile and U-shaped profiles must be sufficient to be able to absorb the forces that may occur during use, as well as the forces generated when driving the fence posts into the ground using driving piles.

This means that the location where the U-shaped profiles are welded onto the tubular profile of metal fence posts is relatively thick due to the wall thickness of the joint of both profiles welded together, resulting in such fence posts being quite heavy and requiring a relatively large amount of material.

Fence posts made of a tubular pipe with hollow flanges are known which can bend relatively easily in the event of a lateral or vertical impact, as described in EP 0935038 A1.

A fence post folded from a sheet is known from FR 2908440 A1, so that the adjoining edges are joined together by a force fit.

Apart from the above-mentioned drawbacks of the classic posts with welded U-profiles, the production of the fence posts is complex and expensive in both cases, especially in the case of FR 2908440 A1 due to the irregular and complex shape of the fence post and due to the forced fit, and in the case of EP 0935038 A1 to make the holes required to fasten the mesh panels by means of clips. The clips required are also of a complex shape and are not easy to assemble without a suitable tool. In both cases, the fence posts are also unsuitable for nailing due to the hollow flanges and the weaknesses resulting from the holes for the clips and as a result of the forced fit.

Also, the length of the fence post legs is very short in proportion to the width of the slots, so clips are needed to prevent the panels from coming loose from the slots.

EP 0935038 A1 describes a hollow fence post having an I-shaped cross section with a central portion and two flanges. The hollow flanges are on their side facing the panel provided with openings into which bolts of the fixing devices are inserted when fixing a panel between the flanges by means of fixing devices.

GB 2536312 A describes bending an H-shaped fence post from a single sheet of metal. This fence post has a centre plate formed from two overlapping sheets of steel. The fence post is to be inserted between and around an H-shaped post anchor.

Documents FR 2908440 A1, IT PG20090028 A1 and US 5671 584 A all refer to H-shaped posts.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution to one or more of the above-mentioned and other drawbacks.

To this end, the invention relates to a fence post for a fence constructed from fence posts with panels in between, such that the fence post is made with two opposite slots on either side of the fence post which can accommodate a panel with a side edge, such that the fence post is made from a single metal sheet or strip which is bent into an H-shaped profile with a tubular square central part and two parallel legs on either side to form said slot, said legs being formed by a part of the sheet which is bent over itself, such that the legs have a thickness which is essentially equal to double the thickness of the sheet or strip from which the fence post is bent and preferably the fence post is sufficiently strong to be driven into the ground.

Because the fence post is folded from a single sheet or strip, it can be much lighter and at the same time stronger than familiar metal fence posts.

Despite the limited wall thickness and very narrow shape, such a fence post is much stronger than existing posts because the folded or rolled sides opposite each other support each other at 90° and 180° angles and stabilize each other. Because the fence post is made from one piece, it becomes a tubular profile and tension is created between all sides, so that they hold each other's shape and are less flexible, which improves the strength of the post.

This means that the post can be nailed, despite a limited thickness of the sheet material.

In addition, folding can be carried out fully automatically on the conveyor belt, for example by means of rollers in a production line from a metal strip from which the desired lengths can be cut after folding.

This means that these fence posts can be manufactured more cheaply because less material and labour is required for welding. Less weight and surface area also means less pre-treatment, less painting work and less transport.

Because the slot legs are formed by a portion of the sheet being folded over on itself, so that the legs have a thickness that is essentially equal to twice the thickness of the sheet or strip from which the fence post is bent, the legs are very strong and at the same time very thin, and therefore more aesthetically pleasing.

When folding from a single sheet, the square tubular center portion can be made with a wall formed from a single thickness of the sheet or strip from which the fence post is folded.

Consequently, less material is needed for the central square tubular part, at the level of the slots, than in the case of the well-known welded fence posts where U-shaped profiles are welded against the tubular profile.

Preferably, the side edges of the folded H-profile are welded together, thus resulting in an even more robust fence post with a closed contour, so that dirt and water cannot infiltrate along said contour and there is less risk of rust formation or damage to the paint, thus considerably increasing the durability of the fence post.

Preferably, the side edges welded together are located at the level of a transverse wall of the H-profile which at the same time forms the bottom of a slot of the fence post, so that it is located in a location where a weld can be easily carried out by means of a welding robot or other similar device, and which is also not or less visible once the edges of the panels are mounted in the slots.

The profile is preferably made of steel, for example stainless steel, galvanised Sendzimir steel or Corten steel with a maximum thickness of 1.5 mm, for example with a thickness of 1.25 mm or even 1.00 mm. In this way, a large amount of material can be saved compared to known welded fence posts without subtracting the required strength in relation to mechanical pile driving and wind loading.

The fence post manufactured in this way can still be finished later by galvanising, painting or other methods without warranty or production problems, as the fence post is made from a single piece. The Corten steel version does not even need any treatment and thus offers even more advantages in terms of the environment and transport.

The invention also relates to a fence constructed from vertical fence posts according to the invention, with panels in between which are enclosed with their edges in the slots of the posts.

In order to better show the characteristics of the invention, a preferred embodiment of a fence post for a fence and of a fence according to the invention is described below, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures where:

Figure 1 schematically shows a fence according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a cross section along the N-N line in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows the bending lines along which a sheet of metal is bent to make a fence post with a cross section according to Figure 2;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view according to arrow F4 in Figure 1 of an upper section of the fence with partial omission;

Figure 5 shows a cross section along the V-V line in Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a view according to arrow F6 in Figure 5;

Figure 7 shows a view of the die from which the part indicated by F7 in Figure 6 is made;

Figure 8 shows a component of a fence according to the invention;

Figures 9 and 10 show alternative embodiments of a fence according to the invention;

Figure 11 shows a cross section along the line XI-XI in Figure 4, but with a fence post fitted with a cap.

The fence 1 shown in Figure 1 is constructed from vertical fence posts 2 which are driven into the ground 3, for example, and between which panels 4 are attached.

In the example shown, the panels 4 are mesh panels which are composed of wires 5 or rods connected to each other, respectively rigid straight wires 5a which at different heights are always enclosed between two rigid straight horizontal wires 5 at a vertical distance A from each other.

In technical jargon, these panels 4 are called 2D panels which exist in different sizes and are characterised by the diameters of the wires 5. For example, there are 2D panels 8/6/8, which refer to two horizontal wires 5b of 8 mm, with a vertical wire 5a of 6 mm in between. Analogously, there are also 2D panels 6/5/6. As shown in the cross section in Fig. 2, the fence posts 2 are made in the form of an H-profile 6 with two opposite slots 7 on either side of the fence post 2 where a panel 4 with a wire 5a is fitted and held on the side edge 8 of the panel 4, for example by means of a clip 9 as shown in Fig. 4.

According to the invention, the fence posts 2 are made of a single metal sheet or strip 10, of which a strip of limited length A is shown in Figure 3 and whose width B is folded between two side edges 11 along folding lines 12, respectively folding lines 12a and 12b, which run parallel to the side edges 11 to form the H-profile 6 as shown in Figure 2, with a tubular square central part 13 and straight legs 14 which delimit the slots 7 and lie in extension of each other in pairs.

More specifically, the folding lines 12 delimit a series of vertical bands corresponding to the folding sections of the H-profile 6, respectively the folding bands and sections 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 with corresponding widths B15, B16, B17,<b>18 and B19.

At the level of the folding lines 12a, the sheet or strip 10 is bent at a right angle to form the corners of the tubular square central part 13, while at the level of the folding lines 12b, the sheet or strip 10 is double-folded over 180° until the parts of the plate touch on either side of the folding line 12b to form the legs 14 with the folding lines 12b at the level of the free ends of the legs 14.

The sheet or strip 10 is folded so that the side edges 11 touch or practically touch each other, so that said side edges 11 of the strips 15 can be connected to each other by a welded joint 20. The strips 17 form flat and parallel flanks 21 of the H-profile 6, while the strips 15 welded together and the strip 19 form the transverse walls 22 between the flanks 17.

By folding a sheet or strip 10 with a thickness C of, for example, 1.25 mm in this way, a firm and thin tubular square central part 13 with a single thickness C of 1.25 mm and legs 14 with a double thickness D of approximately 2.50 mm are obtained.

The panels 4 are attached in the grooves 7 with their side edges 8.

Preferably, the dimensions of the fence post are chosen so that the length of the legs is approximately one third of the length B17 of the flanks 21 and approximately equal to the width B19 of the slots.

The length of the legs is preferably around 33 mm. Due to its relatively long length, the fence post is suitable for all panel thicknesses without the need for clips, which is the case for the fence posts described in EP 0935 038 A1 and FR 2 908 440 A1, and therefore without requiring holes or profiles to attach the clips.

The legs can be completely straight and even without holes or protrusions.

To prevent unintentional removal of the panels at the top, the panels may optionally be held in the slots as shown in figure 4, by means of clips 9, as shown in figures 4 to 6.

The clips 9 are formed from punched platelets 23, for example as shown in Figure 7, with a narrowed lip-shaped part 24 which is bent along a folding zone 25 to form a bent U-shaped hook-shaped part 25 with which the clip 9 can be tightly hooked onto a cross wall 22 of the fence post 2, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, and if necessary can be fastened thereto by means of a screw, rivet or the like.

Furthermore, at a distance from the folding zone 25, the plate 23 is bent at a right angle along a folding line 27 to form a rectangular support plate 28 extending into the slot 7 with a width E that fits between the legs 14 of the H-profile (6) with a minimum gap S relative to the width F of the slot 7.

Approximately three slots 29 are provided in the support plate 28 extending essentially perpendicularly to the direction of the folding line 27 at a distance from each other, respectively, two outer slots 29a and 29b and a central slot 29c.

The outer slots 29a and 29b start from a transverse slot 30 which is essentially parallel to the folding line 27 and which at one end connects with a die-cut inlet 31 in a corner of the support plate 28 for a vertical wire 5a at the side edge 8 of a panel 4, said inlet 31 narrows conically towards the transverse slot 30.

The outer slots 29a and 29b taper slightly from the transverse slot 30 in the direction of the fold line 27 towards each other.

The central slot 29c extends perpendicularly and on both sides of the transverse slot 30.

The slots 29 and 30 have a width of approximately 6 mm, so that they can contain all the most common wire diameters of the vertical wires 5a.

Figure 4 shows that a 2D panel 4 is held in a clip by hooking the panel with a vertical wire 5b through the inlet 31 in the central slot 29c, as shown in Figure 4, and lowering the panel 4 until two horizontal wires 5b rest on the support plate 28.

However, clip 9 is designed so that it is not possible to engage it with an installed clip 9 without first lifting the panel with the top wires 5b above the top of fence post 2 and slightly tilting it.

To this end, the support plate 28 is executed so that, in an assembled condition of the support plate 28, the smallest width G of the inlet 31 measured relative to a lateral edge of the support plate 28 and increased by the clearance S is smaller than the sum of the diameters of a wire 5a and a wire 5b, so that a panel 4 resting with its upper wires 5b on the support plate 28 cannot pass through the narrowest width of the inlet 13, neither to insert a vertical wire 5a, nor to withdraw it from a slot 29 of the support plate 28.

In this way it is prevented that once panel 4 is positioned between two fence posts 2, the panel is removed without breaking and fence 1 is protected against theft, so to speak.

The panel 4 is held in place between the fence posts by spacers 32, as shown in Figure 8, in the form of blocks which fit into the slots 7 of the fence posts 2 and which are provided with a slot 33 into which an external vertical wire 5a fits.

For added security, a cap 34 may be attached to the top of the fence post 2, as shown in Figure 11, which, for example, is provided with a clamping portion which is clamped onto the tubular square central portion 13 of the fence post 2.

Assuming that the clips 9 are secured, a mounted panel 4, even in the absence of a cover 34, can only be lifted to a limited height corresponding to the distance A between the wires 5b in the clips 9, which prevents the panel 4 from tilting sufficiently to be removed from the clip.

According to a practical embodiment of a support plate 28 which is suitable for mounting all commonly used types of panels 4, both 2D panels and 3D panels, the support plate 28 is executed with a width G of the narrowest opening of the inlet 31 of approximately 9 mm.

It is noted that no tools are needed to mount the panels 4 apart from possibly a tool for screwing the clips 9 onto the fence posts 2 or similar.

Figures 9 and 10 show the assembly of a 3D panel 4, in which the vertical wires 5a are not straight as in the 2D panels, but contain triangular curved parts protruding from the plane of the panel, either forwards as shown in Figure 9 or backwards as shown in Figure 10.

In the case of these 3D panels 4, slot 29a or slot 29b is used to hold a vertical wire 5a, depending on the situation in Figure 9 or Figure 10.

It is understood that the fence posts, instead of the mesh panels 4, can also be used for solid plates or beams that slide into the slots 7 with their ends.

In the same way, clips 9 can also be applied on other fence posts that are not described here, for example clips without a hook-shaped section, but with a lip instead with which the clip is held in a slot 7 of a fence post.

It is understood that fixing the panels in the fence post slots does not require any clips or at most one clip at the top.

The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described as an example and shown in the figures, but a fence post for a fence and a fence according to the invention can be made in all kinds of shapes and dimensions without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. Fence post for a fence constructed from fence posts with panels in between, such that the fence post (2) is made with two opposite slots (7) on either side of the fence post in which a panel (4) with a side edge (8) can be enclosed, such that the fence post (2) is made of a single metal sheet or strip (10) which is bent into an H-shaped profile with a tubular square central part (13) and two parallel legs (14) on either side to form said slot (7), such that the legs (14) are formed by a part of the sheet or strip (10) which is folded over itself, such that the legs (14) are formed by a fold at the level of the free ends of the legs (14) and the walls of the tubular square central part (13) are formed by a single thickness (C) of the sheet or strip (10) from which the fence post (2) is bent, The H-shaped profile (6) has two parallel flat sides (21) which are each delimited by two legs (14) located in the extension of each other and a wall of the tubular profile connecting said two legs (14) to each other, so that the sides (21) are connected to each other by transverse walls (22) which, at the level of the connection with the sides (21), are formed by a perpendicular fold of the sheet or strip (10) from which the H-shaped profile (6) is folded, so that the fence post (2) is sufficiently strong to be nailed into the ground, characterized in that the legs (14) have a thickness (D) which is essentially equal to double the thickness (C) of the sheet or strip (10) from which the fence post (2) is folded, and so that, seen in cross section, the length of the legs (14) is approximately one third of the length of the flanks (21) and approximately equal to the width (F) of the slots (7). 2. Fence post according to claim 1, characterized in that the legs (14) of the slots (7) are straight and without holes or protrusions. 3. Fence post according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheet or strip is folded (10) so that the longitudinal edges of the sheet extending parallel to the folding lines touch or practically touch each other, so that said longitudinal edges are connected to each other by a welding seam (20) to obtain a circumferentially closed H-profile (6) and because the longitudinal edges welded together are located at the level of said transverse wall (22) of the H-profile (6). 4. Fence post according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the H-profile (6) is made of steel, such as stainless steel or Corten steel. 5. Fence post according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the H-shaped profile (6) is made of steel with a maximum thickness (C) of 1.50 mm, more preferably a maximum thickness of 1.25 mm. 6. Fence post according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that, seen in cross section, the length of the legs (14) is approximately 33 mm. 7. Fence post according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the H-shaped profile (6) is finished by galvanizing, painting or the like. 8. The fence, characterized in that it is constructed from vertical fence posts (2) according to any of the preceding claims, with panels (4) between which their lateral edges (8) are enclosed in the slots (7) of the fence posts (2). 9. The fence according to claim 8, characterized in that the panels (4) are each fastened with a clamp (9) to at most one fence post (2). 10. The fence according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the fence posts (2) are driven into the ground (3).