Fence standard

Abstract

A fence standard is provided and includes a shaft and a wire support including an open ended loop. The wire support is molded onto the shaft.

Claims

1. A fence standard, comprising: an elongate shaft; and a wire support made of electrically non-conductive material, comprising: an elongate support member including a first end and a second end, and a longitudinal axis between the first end and the second end; and an open ended loop made of a length of material bending around to double onto or cross over itself and result in overlapping opposing sections having a gap therebetween to permit passage of a wire into the center of the loop in use, wherein one of the opposing sections includes an end of the loop, and the end of the loop lies within an outer periphery of the other opposing section of the loop, wherein the length of material forming the open ended loop extends from the first end of the elongate support member in a first direction away from the longitudinal axis before bending around above the first end, and wherein the elongate support member includes a guide surface facing away from the first direction, the guide surface leading outwardly from the longitudinal axis along a direction from the second end to the first end, wherein the wire support is connected to the shaft by the elongate support member.

2. The fence standard of claim 1, wherein the loop has a non-uniform thickness such that the thickness of at least one of the opposing sections is less than the greatest thickness of the loop.

3. The fence standard of claim 2, wherein the loop comprises a central portion between the opposing sections, and the thickness of the central portion is greater than that of the opposing sections.

4. The fence standard of claim 3, wherein the loop comprises sloped transition portions between the opposing sections and the central portion.

5. The fence standard of claim 1, wherein each opposing section comprises a surface facing the other section, and at least one of the surfaces facing the other section is substantially planar.

6. The fence standard of claim 1, wherein one of the opposing sections comprises an end of the loop, and the end lies within the outer periphery of the other opposing section of the loop.

7. The fence standard of claim 1, wherein the elongate support member comprises a sloped transition surface leading to a gap between the opposing sections.

8. The fence standard of claim 7, wherein the sloped transition surface is substantially planar.

9. The fence standard of claim 1, wherein the open ended loop is substantially centered about a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

10. The fence standard of claim 1, wherein the wire support is made of glass filled nylon.

11. The fence standard of claim 1, comprising a ground engaging member moulded to the shaft such that a portion of the shaft extends below the ground engaging member.

12. The fence standard of claim 1, comprising a ground engaging member which comprises: a body configured to be connected to the shaft; a foot press extending laterally from the body; and a protrusion extending away from the body and the foot press, wherein the protrusion comprises a downwards facing recess.

13. The fence standard of claim 12, wherein the ground engaging member comprises a sloped transition surface leading to the downwards facing recess.

14. The fence standard of claim 12, wherein the ground engaging member comprises a sloped transition surface leading away from the downwards facing recess.

15. The fence standard of claim 1, comprising a ground engaging member, comprising a blade having a downwards facing edge, wherein the downwards facing edge comprises a recess configured to receive a wire.

16. A fence standard of claim 1, wherein the width of the elongate support member, between a first side on which the guide surface is located and a second side opposite to the first side, increases along at least a portion of the elongate support member in the direction from the second end to the first end.

17. The wire support of claim 1, wherein the width of the elongate support member, between a first side on which the guide surface is located and a second side opposite to the first side, increases along at least a portion of the elongate support member in the direction from the second end to the first end.

18. A wire support made of electrically non-conductive material, including: an elongate support member including a first end and a second end, and a longitudinal axis between them, and an open ended loop made of a length of material bending around to double onto or cross over itself resulting in opposing sections having a gap between them to permit passage of a wire into the centre of the loop in use, wherein one of the opposing sections includes an end of the loop, and the end of the loop lies within an outer periphery of the other opposing section of the loop, wherein the length of material forming the open ended loop extends from the first end of the elongate support member in a first direction away from the longitudinal axis before bending around above the first end, and wherein the elongate support member includes a guide surface facing away from the first direction, the guide surface leading outwardly from the longitudinal axis along a direction from the second end to the first end.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 provides a side view of a prior art fencing standard;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary fencing standard according to one aspect of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3a is a perspective view of an exemplary wire support according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 3b is a side view of the wire support according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 3c is an opposing side view of the wire support according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 3d is a face on view of the wire support according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 3e is a view of the other face of the wire support according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(9) FIG. 4 is a face on view of an exemplary ground engaging member according to one embodiment of the present invention, and

(10) FIG. 5 illustrates manufacture of a fencing standard according to one aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) FIG. 2 illustrates a fence standard (indicated by arrow 100) according to one aspect of the present invention, including a straight steel shaft 101 and a wire support 200 made of glass filled nylon, the shape of which is moulded in place onto the shaft 101. A ground engaging member in the form of foot 300 made of glass filled nylon is moulded to the shaft 101 in order to assist in driving the shaft 101 into the ground and providing lateral stabilisation for supporting standard 100 in an upright position and resisting twisting.

(12) Referring to FIG. 3a, the wire support 200 includes an elongate support member 201 providing the point of connection between the wire support 200 and the shaft 101 illustrated in FIG. 2. An open ended loop 202 extends from the support member 201 (and thus beyond an end of the shaft 101). The loop 202 terminates with end 203. The entire length of the loop 202 is made of solid glass filled nylon, and is therefore electrically isolated from the shaft 101 through its cross-section.

(13) Referring to FIG. 3b, it may be seen that the thickness of the loop 202 is non-uniform along its length. In particular, the loop 202 includes two opposing sections 204a and 204b which overlap each other. The thickness of the opposing sections 204a and 204b is less than the greatest width of the loop 202 at central portion 205.

(14) This enables the overall thickness 206 of the loop 202 to be kept compact to assist in improving the ease of stacking standards against each other, and reduce the size of the lip 207 created by the edge of section 204b on which objects may catch, while maintaining a suitable gap 208 enabling passage of a wire (not illustrated) in and out of the centre of the loop 202.

(15) Further, increasing the thickness of the loop 202 at central portion 205 assists in improving the ergonomics of the wire support 200providing a broader surface against which a user may push or pull to insert or remove the standard 100 from the ground.

(16) The loop 202 includes sloped transition portions between the central portion 205 and the opposing sections 204a and 204bfor example sloped transition portion 209a. These act as a guide for the wire on exiting or entering the gap 208, improving the ease with which the wire may be positioned within, or removed from, the loop 202.

(17) Referring to FIG. 3c, opposing sections 204a and 204b each include surfaces 210a and 210b respectively, each facing the other section.

(18) It may be seen that surface 210a is substantially planar. Further, the support member 201 includes a substantially planar sloped transition surface 211 leading to the surface 210a and into the gap 208.

(19) This arrangement assists a user in positioning a wire 212 within the loop 202. The user holds the standard 100 (see FIG. 2) sideways, and inserts the wire support 200 beneath the wire 212. The user lifts the standard so the wire rests against the support member 201. By pulling the standard, the wire 212 is dragged along the line indicated by arrow 213down the transition surface 211, onto surface 210a, and into the gap 208. The standard may then be rotated to bring the wire 212 out of alignment with the gap 208 and be captured within the loop 202.

(20) The planar nature of the sloped transition surface 211 assists in aligning the wire 212 with the gap 208, reducing the likelihood of it catching on loop 202.

(21) Referring to FIG. 3d, it may be seen that the end 203 of the loop 202 falls within the outer periphery (indicated by dashed line 214) of the opposing section 204b (not clearly seen in FIG. 3d, but see FIG. 3c).

(22) By doing so, the shape of the wire support 200 around its edge is substantially contained. As a result, the chance of it catching on objects and becoming tangled is reduced. In order to further assist in achieving this, the end 203 is rounded off.

(23) Referring to FIG. 3e, it may be seen that the end of the support member 201 includes a curved edge 215 leading outwardly towards the edge of the loop 202. In doing so, objects are less likely to become caught at the point where the loop 202 crosses itself. Instead, a relatively smooth transition is created which objects brush past.

(24) From FIG. 3b, FIG. 3c, FIG. 3d, and FIG. 3e it may be seen that the loop 202 is substantially centred about a longitudinal axis of the shaft 101. This helps in reducing the overhang of the edges of the loop 202 beyond the central axis of the shaft 101, thereby reducing the likelihood of the wire support 200 becoming caught on or entangled with other objects.

(25) Referring to FIG. 4, the foot 300 is moulded to the shaft 101 such that a portion of the shaft 101 extends below it.

(26) The foot 300 includes a body 301 which surrounds the shaft 301. A foot press 302 extends laterally from the body 301, with the top side 303 of the foot press 302 providing a surface to which a user may apply force to drive the fence standard (see standard 100 of FIG. 2) into the ground.

(27) A blade 304 having a curved downwards facing edge 305 extends from the foot press 302. The blade 304 includes ridges 306 to provide reinforcement. The blade 304 provides stability when inserted into the groundincreasing the surface area of the standard in the ground to keep it upright and also resisting twisting.

(28) The blade 304 also includes a downwards facing recess 307 in the edge 305. The recess 307 may be used to catch a fence wire 308a and hold it in position while the standard is inserted into the ground.

(29) This may be repeated at a spaced interval along the fence line to create a gateway in the fence for the passage of vehicles or stock, while the remainder of the fence line remains at an elevated position.

(30) The foot 300 also includes a protrusion 309 extending from the other side of body 301 from the foot press. The protrusion 309 includes a generally downwards facing recess 310.

(31) The protrusion 309 includes a sloped transition surface 311 leading to the downwards facing recess 310. It is envisaged that a user may locate wire 308b in the recess 310 using a similar technique to that described in relation to the FIG. 3c.

(32) The user rests the shaft 101 or body 301 on top of the wire 308b with the recess 310 facing the wire 308b. The foot 300 is pushed forward, running the wire 308b up the sloped transition surface 311 in the direction indicated by dashed arrow 312 to be captured in the recess 310. The fence standard (see standard 100 of FIG. 2) is then pivoted upright, and the foot 300 used to secure it in placeholding the wire 308b at a lower elevation.

(33) The protrusion 309 also includes a rear sloped transition surface 313 leading away from the recess 310. This may be used to locate the wire 308b in the recess 310 by first dragging the wire 308b up the slope 313 before pushing the foot 300 forward to capture it.

(34) FIG. 5 illustrates the manufacture of a fence standard.

(35) The process will be described with reference to moulding of a wire support (for example wire support 200) to a shaft (for example shaft 101). However, it should be appreciated that a similar process may use usedwhether simultaneously or separatelyto mould a ground engaging member (for example foot 300) to the shaft.

(36) Referring to FIG. 5, a shaft 401 is positioned within a cavity 402 between a first die portion 403a and a second die portion 403b. Molten glass-filled nylon is injected into the cavity 402 through nozzle 404. The shaft 401 includes a crimped portion 405 around which the molten glass-filled nylon flows.

(37) Pins 406 in the first die portion 403a assist in holding the shaft 401 in place while the moulding operation takes place.

(38) Once the glass filled nylon has set, the shaft 301 and newly moulded wire support (not illustrated) may be removed as a single unit.

(39) Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.