FENCE POST FOR AN ANIMAL ENCLOSURE

Abstract

A fence post for an animal enclosure is disclosed. The fence post comprises; a first member, a second member, a collar; and a fastener. The first member and second member are substantially the same length. The second member has a cross-bore at a proximal end thereof, the collar defines an aperture, and the first member is fixedly attachable to the collar. The second member is configured to be partially received within the collar for alignment of the cross-bore and the aperture, and the second member is fixable relative to the collar by means of the fastener arranged to at least partially pass through said cross-bore and said aperture.

Claims

1. A fence post comprising: a first member, a second member, a collar; and a fastener, wherein the first member and second member are substantially the same length, the second member having a cross--bore at a proximal end thereof, the collar defining an aperture, and wherein the first member is fixedly attachable to the collar, and the second member is configured to be partially received within the collar for alignment of the cross-bore and the aperture, the second member being fixable relative to the collar by means of the fastener arranged to at least partially pass through said cross-bore and said aperture.

2. A fence post according to claim 1, wherein the first member is partially received within the collar.

3. A fence post according to claim 2, wherein the first member is fixedly and sealably attachable to the collar, for example by means of an adhesive.

3. A fence post according to claim 1, wherein, in use the first member forms an upper part of said fence post and the second member forms a lower part of said fence post.

4. A fence post according to claim 1, wherein the collar includes an end-stop.

5. A fence post according to claim 4, wherein the end-stop is provided at a collar longitudinal mid-point.

6. A fence post according to claim 5, wherein the end-stop comprises a formation extending into a bore defined by said collar, for example a dimple.

7. A fence post according to claim 1, wherein the first member further comprises a connector, for example a hook, for coupling to a fence, the connector being arranged at a distal end of the first member.

8. A fence post according to claim 7, wherein the second member further comprises a foot, the foot being arranged at a distal end of the second member.

9. A fence post according to claim 8, wherein said connector defines a fence plane and said aperture is aligned with the fence plane, and wherein said foot includes a side-foot, the side foot extending generally perpendicularly relative to the cross-bore and the aperture.

10. A fence post according to claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a screw.

11. A fence post according to claim 11 wherein the screw is self-tapping.

12. A fence post according to claim 1, wherein the first member or second member and/or collar are tubular.

13. A fence post according to claim 1, wherein the first or second member are made of fibreglass.

14. A fence post according to claim 1, wherein the collar is made of metal.

15. An enclosure assembly comprising a net fence and at least one fence post according to claim 1, said fence post being releasably connectable to said net fence.

16. An animal enclosure fence post, the fence post comprising: first support means having a distal end and a proximal end; second support means having a distal end and a proximal end; coupling means having a proximal end configured for connection to said distal end of said first support means and a distal end configured for connection to said proximal end of said second support means; wherein; said first support means includes, in the vicinity of said first support means proximal end, means for coupling said first support means to a fence, and said second support means includes, in the vicinity of said second support means distal end, ground engaging means operable to secure said second support means to the ground.

17. A method of assembling a fence from a kit of parts including a first and a second fence post and a length of reticulated fencing, said first and second fence posts each comprising: a first and a second support each having a distal end and a proximal end, and a coupling having a proximal end configured for connection to said distal end of said first support and a distal end configured for connection to said proximal end of said second support; each of said first supports including, in the vicinity of each said first support proximal end, a fencing connector for coupling the first support to the length of fencing; and each of said second supports including, in the vicinity of each said second support distal end, a ground engaging feature operable to secure said second support to the ground; the method comprising either the steps of; (a) for said first fence post: (i) connecting the coupling proximal end to the distal end of said first support and the coupling distal end to the proximal end of the second support; (ii) engaging the ground engaging feature of said second support with the ground at a first location so as to trap a lower part of said length of fencing between the first fence post and the ground; (b) for said second fence post: (i) connecting the coupling proximal end to the distal end of said first support and the coupling distal end to the proximal end of the second support; (ii) engaging the ground engaging feature of said second support with the ground at a second location spaced from said first location so as to trap a lower part of said length of fencing between the second fence post arid the ground; (c) connecting an upper part of said fencing at said first location to said fencing connector of said first fence post; and (d) connecting an upper part of said fencing at said second location to said fencing connector of said second fence post; or the steps of: (a1) for said first fence post: engaging the ground engaging feature of said second support with the ground at a first location so as to trap a lower part of said length of fencing between the second support of said first fence post and the ground; (b1) for said second fence post: engaging the ground engaging feature of said second support with the ground at a second location spaced from said first location so as to trap a lower part of said length of fencing between the second support of said second fence post and the ground; (c1) for said first fence post: connecting the coupling proximal end to the distal end of said first support and the coupling distal end to the proximal end of the second support, and connecting an upper part of said fencing at said first location to said fencing connector of said first fence post; and (d1) for said second fence post: connecting the coupling proximal end to the distal end of said first support and the coupling distal end to the proximal end of the second support; and connecting an upper part of said fencing at said second location to said fencing connector of said second fence post.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Various aspects of the teachings of the present disclosure, and arrangements embodying those teachings, will hereafter be described by way of illustrative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled fence post;

[0030] FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded view of the fence post of FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the assembled fence post of FIG. 1 showing an attachment region;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section of the fence post attachment region of FIG. 3;

[0033] FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross section of the fence post attachment region of FIG. 3 taken at line A-A;

[0034] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembled fence post of FIG. 1 with a net fence forming an enclosure assembly; and

[0035] FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the enclosure assembly of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] One implementation of the teachings of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, in which there is schematically depicted a two-part fence post 10. The two-part fence post 10 has a first member 20 and a second member 30. The first and second members 20, 30 are substantially the same length. The first and second members 20, 30 have an annular cross-section and are tubular in form.

[0037] The fence post 10 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is assembled by coupling the first member 20 and second member 30 together by means of a fastening arrangement that comprises a collar 40 and a fastener 50.

[0038] The collar 40 is tubular in form with an annular cross-section. An end-stop is provided at the longitudinal mid-point of the collar 40. The end-stop is in the form of a dimple 44 made in the sidewall of the collar 40. In one embodiment, the fastener 50 is a self-tapping screw, but other forms of self-tapping fasteners may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0039] The first member 20 has a proximal end 22 and a distal end 24. Similarly, the second member 30 has a proximal end 32 and a distal end 34. The terms proximal and distal are used in relation to the fastening arrangement.

[0040] As shown the first member 20 forms an upper member of the fence post, and the second member forms a lower member 30 of the fence post.

[0041] The first member 20 is further provided with a connector, in the illustrated embodiment a hook 60, for attaching the first member to a fence. The hook 60 is arranged at the distal end 24 of the first member 20.

[0042] The second member 30 is further provided with a foot 70 for locating and fixing the fence post 10 in the ground. The foot 70 is arranged at the distal end 34 of the second member. In this embodiment the foot terminates in a spike or other ground engaging member. The foot 70 includes a side-foot 72 extending with a dog leg cross brace 74, and terminating in a spike extending substantially in parallel with the spike of the foot 70.

[0043] The second member 30 has a cross-bore 35 adjacent the proximal end 32. An aperture 42 is defined in a sidewall of the collar 40, adjacent the end thereof that couples to the proximal end of the second member (which end will be the lower end, in use).

[0044] To assemble the fence post, the proximal end 22 of the first member 20 is covered in an adhesive 46. As shown best in FIGS. 2 to 4, the adhesive covered proximal end 22 of the first member 20 is then inserted into an end of collar 40 furthest from the aperture 42 (the upper end, in use) until the first member abuts the end stop provided by the dimple 44. The adhesive 46 cures to fixedly attach the first member 20 to the collar 40. Furthermore, the cured adhesive 46 forms a waterproof seal at the tip of the collar 40.

[0045] The proximal end 32 of the second member 30 is the inserted into the opposite end (the lower end, in use) of collar 40 until it abuts the end stop provided by dimple 44. The second member 30 is pivoted in this position until the cross-bore 35 is aligned with the aperture 42.

[0046] The fastener 50 may then be inserted into the aperture 42 and cross-bore 35. The self-tapping screw cuts a thread in a wall of the second member 30 defining the cross-bore 35 and secures the second member 30 relative to the collar 40, (see FIG. 5).

[0047] An enclosure assembly 100 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The enclosure comprises a fence post 10 and a fence 110 comprising a reticulated mesh. In this instance the fence comprises a wire mesh, but it will be appreciated that it may equally be of plastics. The fence 110 has a lattice structure comprising horizontally and vertically extending wires, together extending in a fence plane. In this particular embodiment, the wire fence 110 has a more densely arranged lattice structure in a lower region 112 and a less densely arranged latter structure in an upper region 114.

[0048] The assembled fence post 10 is arranged such that the lowermost horizontally extending wire is hooked under the dog leg cross brace 74, between the foot 70 and side-foot 72. Subsequent horizontally extending wires are thread on alternate sides of the fence post 10. The uppermost horizontally extending wire is then hooked over the hook 60. The fence post 10 and wire fence 110 are sized so as to keep the wire fence 110 relatively taught.

[0049] The enclosure 100 may be assembled in an alternate order. For example, the second member 30 may be partially inserted into the ground using the foot 70, without engaging the side-foot 72 with the ground. The wire fence 110 may then be partially threaded over the second member 30, with a lower end of the wire fence 110 looped under the side-foot 72. The second member 30 may then be fully inserted into the ground such that the side-foot 72 cross-brace 74 is level with the ground. The first member 20 may then be threaded through the remainder of the wire fence 110. The first member 20 is then connected to the second member by placing the collar 40 over the second member 30 and inserting the fastener 50.

[0050] In the exemplary embodiment the first member and second member are made of extruded fibreglass. The collar is made of metal. The use of other suitable and lightweight materials is envisaged. In alternate embodiments the first member and second member may be of plastics or metal material.

[0051] In the exemplary embodiment, the first member is fixed to the collar by adhesive. In an alternate embodiment the first member may be fixed to the collar by means of a second fastening arrangement in the same manner as used to join the collar and the second member. This second fastening arrangement may be provided instead of, or in addition to the adhesive.

[0052] In the exemplary embodiment, wire-mesh netting is described, however other similar lightweight fencing material may be used.

[0053] It will be appreciated that whilst various aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure have heretofore been described, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the particular arrangements set out herein and instead extends to encompass all arrangements, and modifications and alterations thereto, which fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, while one embodiment described herein discloses a two-part fence post, it will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art that the teachings of the disclosure may readily be applied to fence posts having more than two parts. For example, the fence post could comprise three members, a first two of which are coupled together by a first collar before the third is coupled to the coupled first and second members by means of a second collar. As such, references herein to two-part fence posts should not necessarily be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure only to fence posts having two parts.

[0054] It should also be noted that while the accompanying claims set out particular combinations of features described herein, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the particular combinations hereafter claimed but instead extends to encompass any combination of features herein disclosed.

[0055] Finally, it should be noted that any element in a claim that does not explicitly include the word “means” or explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “steps for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, par. 6. In particular, any use of “step of” in the claims appended hereto is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, par. 6.