FENCE RAIL WITH CONCEALED FASTENER AND ANTI-RATTLING CAPABILITIES

Abstract

A clip is described which has a T-Keeper which fits into a slot in a picket, and bent edges that apply even and constant pressure to the inside of a rail. The T-Keeper member is inserted into a picket and rotated, and then then picket with the clip are inserted through an opening in a rail, thereby securing the picket to the rail.

Claims

1. A fence panel comprising a rail, where the rail comprises two sides and a top web, where the top web additionally comprises a rail hole, at least one of the two sides additionally comprises a lip, and where the two sides each have an outer surface and an inner surface; a picket, where the picket has a picket length and a picket width, and additionally comprising a picket slot cut; a clip, where the clip comprises a main body, a protruding member, and two bent edges, where the protruding member has a narrow neck portion and a wide head portion, where the protruding member is secured to the main body by its neck portion; where the two bent edges are attached to a bottom portion of the main body; where the protruding member of the clip mates with the picket slot cut, where the picket is pushed through the rail hole such that the progress of the picket is stopped by the top edge of the clip, and where the bent edges of the clip exert an amount of pressure against an inner surface of the rail, whereby the picket slot cut provides for the clip being able to slide inside the picket thereby allowing a focal point of picket rotation to change position along an axis of the rail.

2. The fence panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional pickets and a plurality of additional clips, where each of the plurality of additional pickets is identical to the picket, where each of the plurality of additional clips is identical to the clip, and the plurality of additional pickets is secured to the rail by the plurality of additional clips.

3. The fence panel of claim 3, further comprising two posts, where each end of the rail is secured to one of the two posts.

4. The fence panel of claim 1, wherein the protruding member of the clip extends away from the main body of the clip at an angle of ninety degrees.

5. The fence panel of claim 1, wherein the head portion of the protruding member has a width that is at least twice a width of the neck portion.

6. The fence panel of claim 1, wherein the two bent edges of the clip are angled away from the main body of the clip at an angle of between twenty degrees and forty-five degrees, inclusive.

7. The fence panel of claim 1, wherein the two bent edges of the clip are angled away from the main body of the clip at 27.3 degrees.

8. A clip for securing a picket to a rail comprising a main body, a protruding member, and two bent edges; where the protruding member has a narrow neck portion and a wide head portion, where the protruding member is secured to the main body by its neck portion, where the protruding member extends away from the main body; where the two bent edges are attached to a portion of the main body, where the two bent edges are angled away from the main body.

9. The clip of claim 8, wherein the protruding member extends away from the main body at an angle of ninety degrees.

10. The clip of claim 8, wherein the head portion of the protruding member has a width that is at least twice a width of the neck portion.

11. The clip of claim 8, wherein the two bent edges are angled away from the main body at the same angle.

12. The clip of claim 8, wherein the two bent edges are angled away from the main body at an angle of between twenty degrees and forty-five degrees, inclusive.

13. The clip of claim 8, wherein the two bent edges are angled away from the main body at an angle of between twenty-five degrees and thirty degrees, inclusive.

14. The clip of claim 8, wherein the two bent edges are angled away from the main body at 27.3 degrees.

15. The clip of claim 8, wherein the edges of the main body are rounded.

16. A method of securing a picket to a rail comprising the steps of inserting a protruding member of a clip into a picket slot cut of the picket, where the clip comprises a main body, the protruding member, and two bent edges, where the protruding member has a narrow neck portion and a wide head portion, where the protruding member is secured to the main body by its neck portion; where the two bent edges are attached to a bottom portion of the main body; rotating the clip; and pushing the picket and the clip through an opening in the rail.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the rail comprises two sides and a top web, where the top web comprises the rail hole.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the progress of the picket is stopped by the top edge of the clip when pushing the picket and the clip through the opening in the rail.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the protruding member of the clip extends away from the main body of the clip at an angle of ninety degrees.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the clip is rotated ninety degrees.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the rail has a length, where the clip slides along the length of the rail.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the picket slot cut has a length, where the protruding member of the clip slides along the length of the picket slot cut.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the rail has a length, where the clip slides along the length of the rail, wherein the picket slot cut has a length, where the protruding member of the clip slides along the length of the picket slot cut, whereby the picket is allowed to rotate relative to the rail.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a clip according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a back-elevation view of the clip of FIG. 1.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the clip of FIG. 1.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a top elevation view of the clip of FIG. 1.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a picket according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a picket with a clip according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 7 is a cutaway side view of a portion of a picket, clip, and rail according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0044] FIG. 8 is an exploded cutaway side view of how the rail has a rail hole through which the picket is pushed, according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0045] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the pivoting axis and range of motion of a picket according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 10 is top elevation view of a picket according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0047] FIG. 11 is a front view of a clip according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0048] FIG. 12 is a front view of a notched clip according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0049] FIG. 13 is a front view of a clip with foldable edges according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0050] FIG. 14 is a front view of another clip with foldable edges according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0051] FIG. 15 is a front view showing a fence constructed on flat ground.

[0052] FIG. 16 is a front view of a fence constructed on an upward slope.

[0053] FIG. 17 is a front view of a fence constructed on a downward slope.

[0054] FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of a picket and a clip according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0055] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a portion of a picket with an un-rotated clip according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0056] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a portion of a picket with a rotated clip according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0057] FIG. 21 is a cutaway side view of a clip, picket, and rail according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0058] FIG. 22 is a back-elevation view of a clip with a dimple according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

[0059] FIG. 23A, FIG. 23B, and FIG. 23C show the rackability of a picket using a clip in a rail according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0060] Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with the references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings.

[0061] In one contemplated embodiment of the current invention, a single clip allows for extreme racking of a significant angle to the ground. Until now, such extreme racking was achieved by most of the prior art only through the use of extra wide stamping of existing stringers. The single clip according to the current invention also eliminates rattle and is more cost effective.

REFERENCE NUMBERS USED

[0062] 9. Clip generally [0063] 10. T-Keeper [0064] 11. Base [0065] 12. Bent Edge [0066] 13. Flap [0067] 14. Top Edge [0068] 15. Bottom Edge [0069] 16. Side Edges [0070] 17. Picket generally [0071] 18. Rail generally [0072] 19. Picket Slot Cut [0073] 20. Rail side [0074] 21. Rail hole for picket [0075] 22. Anti-rattling force directions [0076] 23. Picket width [0077] 19. Rail lip [0078] 26. Pivoting Axis [0079] 27. Plane 1 [0080] 28. Plane 2 [0081] 29. T-Keeper Range of Motion [0082] 30. Pressure Directions [0083] 31. Dimple [0084] 107. Side of picket

[0085] By way of introducing the subject matter of this description, it is very easy to build fences on flat ground. A contractor merely needs to buy enough fence panels to lay out a straight line of fence to do the job. In many circumstances, however, a fence must traverse an incline, or be racked. To achieve this, the pickets must extend up and through the stringer rails in a non-perpendicular fashion; in other words, the pickets must extend at an angle of less than or more than 90 degrees through the rail. When a fence is racked, such as when it traverses an incline, the pickets are angled relative to rails. However, the angling of the pickets relative to the rail requires a larger punched hole in the web of the rail. Smaller punched holes in the web of the rail are preferable. The smaller holes are more aesthetically pleasing and result in greater stability of the rail and overall fence.

[0086] While the prior art has several means by which this can be accomplished, the means often require external attachments, unsightly holes, and a rattling between the rails and the pickets due to loose connections. The current invention solves these problems by using the clip to create constant pressure between the pickets and rails, thereby allowing for effective racking of a fence without the rattling associated with most of the prior art.

[0087] FIGS. 1 through 4 are a series of drawings of the actual clip, showing its different parts. FIG. 1 is a front view of the clip, generally referenced as 1. The clip 1 has a top edge 6, a bottom edge 7, two side edges 8, and is roughly rectangular in shape, although embodiments with rounded edges are contemplated as well. The clip is made in this embodiment of sheet metal that is laser cut although other methods of manufacture are contemplated. In this embodiment, laser lines are cut such that the clip 1 is separated into several sub-regions: the T-Keeper, which is then bent up and serves to anchor the clip into the pivot, two bent edges 4, which are bent up and provide a constant force between the rail and the picket, and the base 3, which is the rest of the clip. The T-Keeper has a wide head portion, and a narrow neck portion. The wider head portion will later anchor the T-Keeper into a slot after the clip is turned sideways. The bent edges can be inclined at a variety of angles off the plane of the clip. In a particular embodiment, the bent edges are inclined at between 20 degrees and 45 degrees, inclusive, off the main body of the T-Keeper clip. In a further embodiment, the bent edges are inclined at between 25 degrees and 30 degrees. In another embodiment, the bent edges are inclined at 27.3 degrees.

[0088] FIGS. 5 through 7 contain three drawings showing the clip attached to a picket, and the clip applying pressure internally against the inside of a rail. In FIG. 5, the picket 10 has had a notch, or picket slot cut 12 put into it at a location where a rail is going to be placed. It should be noted that making a relatively small picket slot cut into the picket is much less damaging to the overall strength of the fence panel than some of the prior art methods which involved larger removals of picket metal and/or drilling holes for screws, bolts, etc. The clip and method of using it also provides a substantial savings in terms of cost and time, as a large number of pickets can be lined up on the ground or a table to have the picket slot cut put into them at the same part of the picket. Many of the prior art attempts to solve this problem require individual holes to be drilled in each picket, which is much more time-consuming and costly in terms of human hours required to assemble the fence panel.

[0089] FIG. 7 shows the clip after having being inserted into the pocket slot cut on the picket 10 and turned 90 degrees so that the T-Keeper (not visible in this figure) has turned sideways and has locked the clip in place. FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view that shows the picket 10 after a rail 11 has been attached. The rail as a rail hole 14 in its top surface through which the picket is inserted. The rail has two sides 13 with outer and inner surfaces. The clip is retained in the picket slot cut by the T-Keeper 2. The bent edges 4 of the clip apply pressure against the inner surface of the raid side 13, keeping a constant pressure (in the direction shown by 15) between the picket and the rail. Because the ends of the bent edges 4 are flat, the resulting pressure is a plane from the ends of the two bent edges pushing against the flat plane of the inner wall of the rail. This allows the picket and rail to pivot around each other in two planes 21 and 22, and prevents the rattling sound that occurs when the picket and rail are not kept in place by constant pressure.

[0090] FIGS. 8 through 10 are a series of drawings showing another view of how the rotation without rattling is accomplished. FIG. 8 is an exploded view of how the rail has a rail hole 14 hole through which the picket is pushed. The rail hole is slightly wider than the picket width 16 (it should be noted that many pickets are square, such that the picket width 16 is the same as the picket length 107). The size and shape of the rail hole allows for the picket to pivot and the picket pivoting through the rail hole establishes two parallel planes (21 and 22 in FIG. 10) which are kept parallel by both the size and shape of the rail hole and the pressure 24 that the clip places from the picket to the inside surface of the rail. The T-Keeper keeps the clip in place, and, as shown in FIG. 9, the rail is forced by the pressure created by the bent edges of the clip to move around a pivoting axis 20, limited only by the T-Keeper range of motion 23, in two parallel planes 21 and 22.

[0091] FIGS. 8 through 10 are drawings also show how the rail has a hole through which the picket is pushed, and how the size and shape of the rail hole allows for the picket to pivot and how the picket pivoting through the rail hole establishes two parallel planes which are kept parallel by both the size and shape of the rail hole and the pressure that the clip places from the picket to the inside surface of the rail and how the rail is forced by the pressure created by the bent edges of the clip to move in two parallel planes.

[0092] With the prior art, the pivoting axis was some place other than the top of the rail, which required a larger hole through which the picket could rotate. With the current invention, the pivoting axis is at the top of the rail, which allows for a small pivot hole to be cut, making for a sturdier and more attractive fence.

[0093] FIGS. 11 through 14 are front views showing some prior prototypes of the clip, which are also considered to be part of this invention and are not intended to be limiting in any manner. Among the other versions of the clip are a rounded version (FIG. 11), a notched version (FIG. 12), and two versions with foldable edges (FIGS. 13 and 14).

[0094] FIGS. 15 through 17 are front views showing how this invention allows a fence to be constructed on flat ground (FIG. 15) or on sloped ground where the fence is racked (FIGS. 16 and 17).

[0095] FIGS. 18 through 20 are perspective views showing how the clip is inserted into the picket slot cut and rotated, thereby not only locking it into place, but also allowing the clip to move back and forth in the picket slot cut, thereby allowing for a smoother and more efficient racking of a fence panel. As can be seen, once the T-Keeper is inserted into the picket slot cut, it can be turned 90 degrees. Because the T-Keeper is much longer at its top than at the narrower neck, once it has been turned, the neck has a very long range of motion within the picket slot cut. Thus, once the clip has locked onto a rail, the rail can be rotated up or down and will carry the clip with it.

[0096] The clip discussed herein may also be used with a rail that has no hole in its web. For example, a rail may be located at the top of the fence panel, wherein the pickets extend up to, but not through the rail. In such a configuration, the picket slot cut or picket slot punch is located near the end of the picket, such that the inserted clip restrains the top of the picket within the rail, but does not extend through the web of the rail.

[0097] Some embodiments of the current disclosure provide for a clip that includes one or more dimples on its base. The dimples are rounded protrusions that extend away from the base of the clip. When the clip is mated with the picket, as discussed in more detail below, the dimples extend toward the picket and apply a force that pushes the clip away from the picket. Accordingly, the dimples extend away from the base in a direction opposite of the bent edges. This perpendicular pressure would push the clip away from the picket but for the head of the T-Keeper that provides an opposite restraining force. The dimples provide for a smooth installation and removal of the clip, if required, with little to no scratching of the coating or other surface of the picket.

[0098] FIG. 21 is a cutaway side view of a clip, picket, and rail according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure. A picket 10 extends through a rail hole 14 in a rail 11. A clip 1 is secured through a picket slot cut 12 of the picket by a T-Keeper 2. A bent edge 4 is adjacent to and pushes against the side of the rail 11. A flap 5 of the base of the clip 1 includes a dimple 25. The dimple extends towards and pushes against the side of the picket 10. Thus, the clip 1 provides a force that pushes the inside of the rail 11 away from the outside of the picket 10.

[0099] FIG. 22 is a back-elevation view of a clip with a dimple according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure. A clip 1 has a T-Keeper 2 that extends away from the base 3. A flap 5 between two bent edges 4 includes a dimple 25. The dimple 25 has a length that is greater than its width. Particular embodiments provide for a dimple that is at least twice the length of its width. Other embodiments provide for a dimple that is at least four times its width. The length of the dimple extends between the two bent edges 4.

[0100] The dimple or embossment of the clip creates a holding pressure between the clip and the picket. The dimple pushes the body of the clip away from the picket, while the T-Keeper provides an opposite force that pulls the clip towards the picket, thereby increasing rigidity and reducing, if not eliminating, rattling. As shown in FIG. 21, the dimple also displaces the surface of the clip base away from the picket to prevent damages to the powder coat during both installation and use. The smooth transition of the dimple avoids sharp edges that may come in contact with the picket. The picket movement is against the dimple as opposed to the entire base, thereby minimizing the surface area in contact between the two components, which results in less friction and smoother movement when the two components are rotated or moved relative to each other. Furthermore, the dimple is positioned close enough to the top of the clip such that any damage to the picket caused by contact between the dimple and the picket is hidden once the clip is secured to the picket and within the rail.

[0101] In other embodiments, the two bent edges 4 are instead one or more dimples. The dimples are rounded protrusions that extend away from the base of the clip. Like the bent edges, the dimples provide a constant force between the rail and the picket.

[0102] FIG. 23A, FIG. 23B, and FIG. 23C show the rackability of a picket using a clip in a rail according to selected embodiments of the current disclosure. FIG. 23A shows a picket 10 passing through a rail 11 at approximately a ninety-degree angle; in other words, perpendicularly. The picket 10 includes a picket slot cut 12 through which extends the T-Keeper of the clip 1. The clip 1 is shown centered about the centerline of the opening in the rail 11, as well as in the center of the picket slot cut 12. FIG. 23B shows a picket 10 passing through the rail 11 at an angle. The picket 10 includes a picket slot cut 12 through which extends the T-Keeper of the clip 1. The clip 1 is shown centered about the center line of the opening in the rail. However, the T-Keeper is off-center from the centerline of the picket. FIG. 23C shows a picket 10 passing through the rail 11 at a greater angle than that shown in FIG. 23B. The picket 10 includes a picket slot cut 12 through which extends the T-Keeper of the clip 1. The clip 1 is shown off-center from the center line of the opening in the rail. Additionally, the T-Keeper is off-center from the centerline of the picket. Thus, these figures show how the clip may slide and rotate relative to the picket within the picket slot cut, as well as how the clip may slide within the rail. The travel of the clip along the length of the rail allows the pivot point of the picket to shift. These features provide for a fence panel that racks to a significant angle while at the same time providing for a rigid, rattle resistant frame.

[0103] While the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.

[0104] All the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved.