Article, assembly and method for securing a line to an external surface, such as a fence post

Abstract

An article for securing a line to an external surface, such as a fence post, includes a spiral member having a first end and a second end. The first end is adapted to be secured to the external surface. The spiral member has a curved portion extending from the first end. The curved portion has an exterior surface. The second end has an outer surface that overlies in spaced relation the exterior surface of the curved portion. The space between the exterior surface of the curved portion and the outer surface of the second end having a distance that is greater than a diameter or thickness of the line. The spiral member has a circular cross-section. The curved portion extends for greater than 360°.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising: an outdoor fence post; a spiral member having a first end and a second end, said first end having a linear portion affixed to said fence post such that a cross-section of the first end faces upwardly, said spiral member having a curved portion extending from said linear portion of said first end, said curved portion having an exterior surface, said second end having an outer surface that overlies in spaced relation to said exterior surface of said curved portion, said second end having an end surface across a cross-section thereof facing upwardly when the spiral member is oriented with an end surface across a cross-section of the first end facing upwardly; and a generally horizontal line extending through an interior of said spiral member, the space between said exterior surface of said curved portion and said outer surface of said second end having a distance that is greater than a diameter or a thickness of said line, said spiral member extending in a plane aligned with a longitudinal plane of said fence post, wherein the spiral member is configured relative to the fence post to hold the generally horizontal line at a height along a span of a fence.

2. The assembly of claim 1, said line being a wire or a bundle of wires.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a mounting surface affixed to said linear portion of said first end of said spiral member, said mounting surface being affixed to said fence post.

4. The assembly of claim 3, said mounting surface being a plate, said linear portion of said first end of said spiral member being welded directly to a face of said plate, said spiral member extending transversely outwardly of said face of said plate.

5. The assembly of claim 1, said spiral member having a circular cross-section.

6. The assembly of claim 1, said curved portion extending for greater than 360°.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the line securing article in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a frontal view showing the line securing article as affixed to an external surface.

(3) FIG. 3 is a side view showing the line securing article as secured to an external surface.

(4) FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the line securing article of the present invention in which the line securing article is affixed to a mounting plate which, in turn, is affixed to an external surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the line securing article 10 in accordance with the present invention. The line securing article 10 can be used for securing a line to an external surface. In particular, as used herein, the line is directed to a variety of structures, such as wires, electrical lines, flexible tubing, flexible piping, and other conduits. In the preferred embodiment the present invention, the line securing article 10 is particularly directed toward the securing of a fence wire to a fence post.

(6) The line securing article 10 comprises a spiral member 12 having a first end 14 and a second end 16. The first end 14 is adapted to be secured to the external surface. The spiral member has a curved portion 18 extending from the first end 14. The curved portion 18 has an exterior surface 20. The second end 16 has an outer surface 22 that overlies and is in spaced relation with the exterior surface 20 of the curved portion 18. The space 24 between the exterior surface 20 of the curved portion 18 and the outer surface 22 of the second end 16 has a distance that is greater than a diameter or thickness of the line.

(7) In FIG. 1, can be seen that the first end 14 has a generally linear portion 26 that extends to the curved portion 18. The curved portion 18 extends for greater than 360°.

(8) FIG. 2 shows the line securing article 10 of the present invention as secured to an external surface 30. The external surface 30 is, in the preferred embodiment, a fence post. A line 32 will extend through the interior 34 of the line securing article 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the line 32 is a fence wire.

(9) In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the space 24 between the outer surface 22 of the second end 16 and the exterior surface of the curved portion 18 has a distance that is greater than a diameter or thickness of the line 32. The linear portion 26 of the first end 14 is illustrated as affixed to the external surface 30. In particular, it can be seen that the linear portion 16 is affixed to by weld 36 to the external surface 30. When this direct welding is used, the external surface 30 would be in the nature of a metal fence post.

(10) FIG. 2 also illustrates how it is easy to install the line 32 within the interior 34 of the line securing article 10. It is only necessary to thread the line 32 through the space 24 and then loop the line 32 through the space 24. The line 32 can then be lifted so as to be separated from the line securing article 10. Since the curved portion 18 extends for greater than 360°, the line 32 can only be removed from the line securing article 10 by a manipulative force. As such, if an animal should contact the line 32, such an manipulated contact would not cause the line 32 to separate from line securing article 10. It can be seen that the spiral member 12 has a circular cross-section, the circular cross-section will act so as to allow the user to properly “funnel” the line 32 between the exterior surface 20 of the curved portion 18 and the outer surface 22 of the second end 16. It can be seen that the second end 32 is configured so as to face upwardly. This allows the user to easily place the wire through the space 24. The attachment of the line 32 to the external surface 30 is also achieved in a reverse manner. It is only necessary to lower the line 32 behind the curved portion 18 and then to manipulate the line 32 through the space 24. Once again, the curved outer surfaces of the line securing article 10 facilitate the ability to install the line 32 without causing it to hang up on any projections or edges.

(11) FIG. 3 is another view showing the line securing article 10 is affixed to a fence post 40. They fence post 40 is a metal fence post. As such, weld 36 affixes the linear portion 26 to the fence post 40. The fence wire 42 extends through the interior 34 of the line securing article 10. Since the spiral member 12 has its curved portion 18 extending for greater than 360°, the fence wire 42 is securely mounted within the interior 34 of the spiral member 12. Once again, removal is simple. It is only necessary to thread the fence wire 42 through the space 24. The fence wire 42 will automatically move into position.

(12) FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the line securing article 50 includes a spiral member 52 having a first end 54 and a second end 56. A linear portion 58 that the first end 54 is affixed by weld 60 to a mounting surface 62. The mounting surface 62 is a metal plate. The mounting surface 62 can then be secured by various means to the external surface 64. In FIG. 4, the external surface 64 is a round post. The line 66 is simply removed by pulling the line 66 downwardly so as to free the line 66 from the second end 56, and then lifting the line 66 from the line securing article 50.

(13) The line securing article 10 of the present invention has the interior 34 that receives the strand of wire so as to facilitate movement of the wire when the line securing article 10 is coupled to the external surface 30. The line securing article 10 and the interior 34 associated with the line securing article 10 facilitates a separation between the wire and the post. This allows some inward and outward movement of the strand of wire relative to the fenced-in area. This means that the strand wire can move toward and away from the post and parallel to the ground. As such, it provides some spring-like flexibility to the fence along the entire span of the fence by promoting the avoidance of wire degradation and rusting issues associated with currently available wire fasteners. The line securing article 10 and its interior 34 also provide sufficient space to allow for omni-directional movement (i.e. up-and-down movement, side-to-side movement, and movement along the fence line toward the end post) of the stranded wire. This allows the wire to be moved, repaired and/or tightened, or to take the slack out of the wire so that the wire to be positioned and/or repositioned at the desired height without having to loosen or detach the line securing article from the external surface. The line securing article 10 and its interior 34 also promotes the ability to maintain the strand of wire at or near a desired height and/or distance relative to the fence post, the ground, and other strands of wire of the fence. Furthermore, the line securing article 10 can be configured for use with various types of wire fences. For example, the size of the interior 34 can be configured to allow clearance for barbs of a barb wire fence. Also, one or more portions of the line securing article 10 can be coated with an electrical insulating material to reduce the likelihood of shorts with an electrical fence. Moreover, the interior 34 can be configured to receive an electrical insulating member such as an insulated insert to reduce shorting of the electrical fence.

(14) The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction and in the steps of the described method can be made within the scope of the present claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.