GB2420795A - Fence panel elements connected together by sliding - Google Patents

Abstract

A fence element 17 adapted to be fitted between spaced supports 10, 20,11,21 by having end portions of the elements engaged in facing recesses in the support elements has on its lengthwise extending edges engagement formations 32, 33, which are engaged by lengthwise sliding together when the elements 17 are not constrained between the supports. Separate supports 20, 21 may be joined by means of horizontal members 12, 22 to make a framed panel which can be slid between posts 10, 20, which may be fitted with a gravel board 16, and post caps 10a, 11a. As shown, the elements 17 may be in the form of double skin 25, 26 panels with spacer ribs 27: the whole fence may be made of plastics.

Description

PATENTS ACT 1977 A11163GB Title: Fence elements and Panels, and Fencing

Incorporating Same

Description of Invention

This invention relates to fence elements and panels, and to fencing incorporating such panels.

One very well known system of fencing utilises upright fence posts at spaced positions, with the spaces between the fence posts filled by fence panels.

The fence posts may be secured in position by having their lower ends set in holes in the ground, or by being secured to suitable supporting devices. The fence posts have laterally presented upwardly extending recesses arranged so that such recesses of adjacent posts face one another so as to be able to receive fence panels which are engaged with the recesses by being slid downwardly into them from their open upper ends at or adjacent the tops of the posts.

Traditionally, such fence panels have been of wood, with individual planks and strips of such material being assembled to a fence panel which is long and wide enough substantially to completely fill the space between the fence posts (although at ground level a so-called "gravel board" may be fitted between the fence posts before the fence panel is fitted, to keep the wooden construction of the fence panel away from the ground where it is vulnerable to damage and, more importantly, to rotting). A general disadvantage of such wooden fencing panels, however, is their need for protective treatment at intervals to preserve them.

It is also possible for the space between fence posts to be occupied by a plurality of panels each of a length sufficient to engage the fence posts but of a height equal to a part only of the total panel height required. Such panels would be fitted to the posts successively one on top of the other. Whilst this is much easier than having to fit a full-height panel into engagement with the recesses in the posts, it offers less security as the panels can relatively easily be removed one at a time from their engagement with the posts, until the remaining panel or panels, or a gravel board if present, presents no substantial barrier to a person crossing the fence.

It has also been proposed that fence panels can be made of plastics material, e.g. as extruded elements which can be assembled to form large panels or fitted individually between the fence posts as above described. Whilst such plastics components avoid the problems of degradation of wooden components, they suffer from the other disadvantages described above.

It is broadly the object of the present invention to provide improved fence panels and fencing.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a fence element adapted to be fitted between spaced support elements by having end portions of the fence element engaged with recess formations facing one another in the support elements, wherein lengthwise-extending edge portions of the fence elements have respective engagement formations which, on adjacent fence elements, are engageable with one another to hold the elements together, engagement of the formations being effected by relative lengthwise movement of adjacent fence elements when not constrained between the support elements.

The engagement formations may comprise an undercut recess provided at one of the edges of the fence element, and a headed projection at the other edge of the fence element.

Preferably the fence element is an extrusion of a suitable plastics material, and it may be hollow in cross-section.

The cross-section may include spaced generally parallel wall portions with ribs extending therebetween.

The fence element may have an appearance of some part or all of a wooden panel such as is commonly used in fences e.g. comprising a wooden plank or two or more planks which in use are disposed one above the other. To this end it may have grooves or the like in the external surface of its wall portions. Further, an element having the appearance of a gravel board may be provided, which is adapted, when fitted in a fence at the lowermost part thereof in contact with the ground, to interfit with a superposed one of the first mentioned panels.

According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a fence panel comprising at least two of the fence elements according to the first aspect of the invention, disposed adjacent one another and having said engagement formations in engagement with one another.

The fence panel preferably includes edge members provided at edges of the panel which extend vertically in use, being provided at respective opposite ends of the fence elements. Such edge members may afford recess formations in which the end portions of the fence elements fit.

The fence panel may further comprise members extending lengthwise of the fence elements, at top and bottom of the panel, to define a peripheral frame around the fence elements. Such lengthwise-extending members may be of the same configuration as the edge members.

The edge members may be extrusions of plastics material, and may be connected to one another at corners of the panel by connector members cooperating with the edge members. The connector members may comprise formations which extend into hollow parts of the extruded edge members, and be retained therein frictionally or by fastening devices such as screws.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, we provide a fencing system comprising fence posts each having at least one laterally facing recess formation, and at least one fence element or fence panel according to the first or second aspect of the invention for engagement with facing recess formations on spaced ones of said posts.

The fence posts may themselves be extrusions of plastics material.

The fence panels may engage the recess formations in the posts with the intermediary of the edge members, which engage the recess formations of the post and themselves afford recess formations in which the end portions of the fence panel fit. Thus the fence panels may be of lesser thickness than the width of the recess formations in the posts.

These and other features of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is an illustration of part of a fence in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a section through a fence panel in accordance with the invention, as used in the fence; Figure 3 is a section through a gravel board of the fence; Figure 4 is a section through one of the fence posts of the fence showing fence panels fitted thereto; Figure 5 is a section through an alternative fence post; Figure 6 is a section through a trim element of the fence; Figure 7 illustrates a fastener for the trim element; Figure 8 illustrates a corner connector for the peripheral frame of a fence panel; Figures 9 and 10 illustrate two embodiments of fence post caps.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, this shows part of a fence including two spaced fence posts 10, 11 which are fixed in an upright (as close as possible to the vertical) orientation at the required spacing from one another.

The fence posts may be held by being set, e.g. in concrete, in holes in the ground on which the fence stands, or may be held in other ways e.g. by the use of special supporting devices. The surface level of such ground is indicated at 13. The space between the posts 10, 12 is occupied by a fence panel assembly indicated generally at 12, engaging in recess formations in the sides of the posts 10, 11 which face one another. The opposite sides of the posts are also provided with recess formations for engagement by further fence panel assemblies 14, 15 whose end parts only adjacent the posts 10, 11 are shown.

Caps lOa, I la are provided at the top ends of the posts 10, 11.

As the bottom of the panel assembly 12, contacting the ground surface 13, there is firstly a gravel board 16. Above the gravel board the fence panel assembly comprises a number of individual fence elements 17 each extending between the posts 10, 11 and having its end portions engaging in the recess formations in the posts with the intermediary of edge members as indicated at 20, 21. The fence elements together present the appearance of a fence panel assembly made of superposed wooden planks, and in the particular embodiment described each element presents the appearance of three such planks, the extent of the two lowermost such elements being indicated at 18, 19. Further such elements are provided on top of the element 19, up to the required height of the post and it will be appreciated that elements of different heights presenting the appearance of different numbers of planks, or indeed any other required appearance, may be provided as necessary. As well as the edge members 20, 21 by which the ends of the panels engage in the recess formations in the post, a further such edge member is provided at 22 between the lowermost edge of the lower element 18 and the gravel board 16. A further edge member 23 and/or capping strip of any desired configuration are provided at the top of the panel assembly 12. Upwardly extending trim elements 80 are affixed to the or both surfaces of the fence elements of the panel assembly.

The edge members 20, 21, 22 and 23, together with the capping strip, form a peripheral frame for the fence panel assembly.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, this shows one of the fence elements 17, e.g. the element 18 or 19. It is made of a suitable plastics material as an extrusion and is shown in cross-section transverse to the length of the element, i.e. transverse to the direction in which it has been extruded.

The element comprises spaced generally parallel walls 25, 26 connected to and spaced from one another by transverse ribs one of which is indicated at 27. Between the upper and lower edges of the element, where indicated at 28, 29, the walls 25, 26 approach one another more closely to give the appearance of grooves between three individual planks. At the lowermost edge of the element, wall portions 30, 31 extend downwardly below the lowermost one of the ribs 27, and the lower free edges of the wall portions 30, 31 have inclined in-turned lips 32, 33 respectively so as to define an undercut recess extending along the lower edge of the element throughout its length.

At the uppermost edge of the element inclined wall portions 35, 36 extend towards one another to a neck portion 37 beyond which they further extend to an enlarged head 38. The dimensions of the neck portion 37 are such that it is a close fit between the free ends of the inclined lips 32, 33 at the lower edge of another element placed above the illustrated panel (as shown in broken lines in Figure 2), while the head portion 38 is a close fit within the undercut recess defined within the wall portions 30, 31. The engagement of an element beneath the illustrated element with the lower edge of the illustrated element is also shown in broken lines in Figure 2.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, these show possible cross-sectional shapes of the posts 10 and 11. Figure 4 shows, with fence panel assemblies in situ, a post which provides for co-operation with three fence panel assemblies of which two extend in opposite directions from one another on opposite sides of the post while the third panel assembly extends at right angles to the other panel assemblies. Figure 5 shows, alone, a fence post providing for engagement with only two panel assemblies extending in opposite directions from the sides thereof Figure 5 shows the post to be a generally H- section extrusion of a plastics material, with a number of internal strengthening ribs extending between appropriate external wall parts of the post to strengthen it: its principal feature is the provision of recess formations 40, 41 on opposite sides thereof. Caps as 1 Oa, 11 a for the tops of the posts may have formations which, as described in more detail hereafter, extend downwardly into spaces defined between the ribs of the posts, to secure the caps to the posts.

A further embodiment of posts, not illustrated, provides for co-operation with two fence panel assemblies extending at right angles to one another, and would be similar to the posts shown in Figures 4 and 5 but with only two recess formations facing in directions perpendicular to one another. Yet further embodiments of post may provide for fence panel assemblies at other angles to one another.

Figure 4 shows a post indicated generally at 45 of similar crosssectional shape affording two oppositely-facing recess formations 46, 47, but with an additional recess formation 48 facing in a direction perpendicular to that faced by each of the recess formations 46, 47. Panel assemblies which are made of panels as described in relation to Figure 2 are shown at 49, 50, 51 engaged with the recess formations 46 to 48 respectively, through the intermediary of edge members 52, 53, 54 respectively. The edge members 52 to 54 are identical to one another and correspond to the edge members 20 - 23 of Figure 1, and only the member 52 and its co-operation with the recess formation 46 and panel assembly 49 will be described in detail.

The edge member 52 is a hollow-section extrusion of plastics material of generally rectangular external shape with an inner portion 55 which fits closely within the recess portion 46 and an outer portion 56 with two correspondingly inclined chamfered edges 57. The outer portion 56 includes a recess 58 within which the end parts of the panels 17 constituting the panel assembly 49 are a close fit and are able to be installed by sliding, after which they can be held firmly therein by insertion of a wedge gasket 59. Similarly the rear portion 55 of the edge member is a sliding fit in the recess formation 46 of the post 45, and is able to be held firmly therein, once installed, by the insertion of wedge gaskets 60, 61. It will also be noticed that the rear part 55 of the edge member has a central recess 62 whose opposed walls are formed with teeth as indicated at 63, which are asymmetrical so that a part of appropriate dimensions is able to be pressed into the recess 62 in a direction transversely of the edge member, but the teeth resist the pulling out of such a part in the opposite direction.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, this shows in cross-section a possible configuration of gravel board as indicated at 16. It is an extrusion of a suitable plastics material, having parallel walls 70, 71 with transverse reinforcing ribs 72 therebetween. A transverse wall 73 at its uppermost edge has a generally rectangular projection 74 thereon, while a corresponding transverse wall 75 at its lowermost edge has a rectangular recess 76 therein. It would be possible for two gravel boards as shown in Figure 3 to be utilised one above the other, in which case the projection 74 of the lower such gravel board fits in the recess 76 of the upper one. Alternatively, a gravel board may not have the formations 74, 76 for co-operation and interfitting with further gravel boards or other parts.

In a panel assembly as shown in Figure 1, an edge member 22 is shown along the lowermost edge of the lowermost panel as shown in Figure 2. Such an edge member would be as that described above in relation to Figure 4 and as indicated at 52 in that figure, in which case the projection 74 of the gravel board therebeneath would fit in the recess 62 of the edge member and be held thereto by the teeth 63. The thickness of the gravel board is such that it would fit in the recess formations of the posts without the necessity for the edge members being continued downwardly below the lowermost fence panels, while the engagement of the lowermost part with the gravel board ensures that the panel assembly is only to be removed from its position in the fence as a unit, rather than by removing individual panels.

Figure 6 of the drawings shows in transverse cross-section a trim element 80. It is substantially rectangular in cross-sectional shape, with radiussed corners and a single reinforcing rib 81 extending between opposed walls 82, 83 thereof, which walls are wider than opposed end walls 84, 85 of the element.

Figure 7 of the drawings illustrates a fastener which may be used to secure a trim element such as shown in Figure 6 to a fence panel. It is of plastics material, and comprises a pin part 90 having a head 91, engageable in a socket part 92 which has a head 93. The pin part 90 may be a press fit in the socket part 92 to be retained frictionally therein, or may be retained therein by adhesive, or by inter-fitting formations, or in any other suitable manner.

Figure 9 illustrates, in side and end elevation (Figures 9a and 9b) and plan view (Figure 9c) and underneath plan view (Figure 9d) an embodiment of cap for fitting at the top of fence posts as shown at lOa or I la in Figure 1 of the drawings. The cap of Figure 9 is rectangular in plan view, having a frusto- pyramidal upper surface 100 and having two spaced downwardly extending generally rectangular spigots 101, 102 for fitting into the spaces between the strengthening ribs in the post extrusion as shown in Figure 5. For co-operation with a post as shown in Figure 4, a cap having differently-disposed and dimensioned such spigots would be provided.

Figure 10 shows an alternative embodiment of fence post cap, which is provided with spigots as the embodiment of Figure 9 but instead of the simple frusto-pyramidal upper surface 100 such an upper surface 105 is surmounted by a part-spherical knob 106. It will be appreciated that any configuration of cap, to provide a decorative finial for a fence post, may be provided.

The components described herein are manufactured as extrusions or mouldings of a suitable plastics material. Recycled plastics material may be used for this purpose, and the extrusion process may be a co-extrusion process in which parts of the components are made from a recycled material while some or all visible parts are of new material in order to optimise their appearance.

When a fence, as illustrated in Figure I is being erected, the panel assembly 12 would be built by engaging the co-operating formations of the individual elements 17, 18, 19 with one another by sliding lengthways of the elements. The edge members 20, 21 will be fitted along the edges defined by the ends of the individual elements, together with the further edge members 22 and 23. The ends of the edge members 20, 21, 22, 23 are mitred where they meet, and corner connector members as illustrated in Figure 8 engaged therewith. Such a connector member is a generally Lshaped component of plastics or possibly metal, and is shaped as to be a tight fit in corresponding hollow parts of the edge members defined between the outer walls and strengthening ribs thereof: it may simply be knocked into engagement with the edge members and retained by friction, or fasteners and/or adhesive may be used to provide additional security. The wedge gasket as shown at 59 in Figure 4 would be inserted at the inner side of the panel assembly. A capping strip may be engaged with the edge member 23 along the top edge of the panel assembly, by lengthwise sliding, to provide an attractive appearance and direct rain water away from the faces of the panel assembly.

With fence posts supported on or in the ground at the required position, one or more of the gravel boards can be fitted therebetween by sliding downwardly between the posts. The panel assembly can then be installed between the fence posts in similar manner, interfitting with the or uppermost gravel board as required. The caps can then be fitted to the fence posts and the wedge gaskets fitted between the edge members of the panel assembly and the posts, so the panel assembly is held in position. Fasteners such as screws may be inserted for additional holding of the panel assembly.

Trim elements 80 as shown in Figure 6 may be fitted to the surfaces of the panel assembly prior to its installation between the fence posts, the trim elements being held to the panel assembly by fasteners as shown in Figure 7.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof

Claims (22)

1. I. A fence element adapted to be fitted between spaced support elements by having end portions of the fence element engaged with recess formations facing one another in the support elements, wherein lengthwise- extending edge portions of the fence elements have respective engagement formations which, on adjacent fence elements, are engageable with one another to hold the elements together, engagement of the formations being effected by relative lengthwise movement of adjacent fence elements when not constrained between the support elements
2. 2. A fence element according to claim 1 wherein the engagement formations comprise an undercut recess provided at one of the edges of the fence element and a headed projection at the other edge of the fence element.
3. 3. A fence element according to claim 1 or claim 2 which is an extrusion of a plastics material.
4. 4. A fence element according to claim 3 which is hollow in cross section.
5. 5. A fence element according to claim 4 comprising, in cross section, spaced generally parallel wall portions with ribs extending therebetween.
6. 6. A fence element according to claim 5 wherein the wall portions have grooves or the like in their external surfaces, to present the appearance of wooden planks disposed one above the other.
7. 7. A fence panel comprising at least two fence elements according to any one of the preceding claims disposed adjacent one another and having their engagement formations in engagement with one another.
8. 8. A fence panel according to claim 7 comprising edge members provided at respective opposite ends of the fence elements.
9. 9. A fence panel according to claim 8 wherein the edge members afford recess formations in which the end portions of the fence elements are received.
10. 10. A fence panel according to claim 9 further comprising members extending lengthwise of the fence elements to define a peripheral frame around the fence elements.
11. 11. A fence panel according to claim 10 wherein the lengthwise-extending members are of the same configuration as the edge members.
12. 12. A fence panel according to any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein the edge members are extrusions of a plastics material.
13. 13. A fence panel according to claim 12 wherein the edge members are connected to one another at corners of the panel by connector members cooperating with the edge members.
14. 14. A fence panel according to claim 13 wherein the connector members comprise formations which extend into hollow parts of the edge members and are retained therein.
15. 15. A fence panel according to any one of claims 7 to 14 further comprising at least one trim element affixed to a face of the fence elements.
16. 16. A fencing system comprising fence posts each having at least one laterally facing recess formation, and at least one fence element or fence panel according to any one of the preceding claims for engagement with facing said recess formations on spaced ones of said posts.
17. 17. A fencing system according to claim 16 wherein the fence posts comprise extrusions of plastics material.
18. 18. A fencing system according to claim 16 or claim 17 further comprising gravel boards for engagement with the recess formations on the post.
19. 19. A fencing system according to claim 18 wherein the gravel boards are each adapted to inter-fit with a superposed fence panel or further gravel board.
20. 20. A fence panel according to claim 18 or claim 19 wherein the gravel boards are extrusions of a plastics material.
21. 21. A fence element, a fence panel or a fencing system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
22. 22. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein andlor in the accompanying drawings.