Electricity: conductors and insulators – Insulators – With insulator-supporting or attaching means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2002-02-05
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Insulators
With insulator-supporting or attaching means
C174S16100R, C174S16300R, C256S010000, C256S019000, C256S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06344617
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fencing system, and more particularly, the invention relates to a fence rail holder for connection to conventional metal fence posts.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
There are many different fencing options for fencing horses and other animals such as wood, PVC, high-tensile wire, barbed wire, wire mesh, metal pipe, and others. Each of these fencing materials has different advantages and disadvantages in the areas of strength, visibility, aesthetics, and maintenance.
Wooden plank or post and rail fencing is both sturdy and attractive. Wood fencing is also quite visible to horses which discourages them from crashing into the fence. However, wood fencing requires high maintenance in painting and replacing rotten wooden fence posts and rails. Wooden fencing is also rather costly.
Wire fencing including barbed wire and wire mesh fencing is easy to install and uses a common inexpensive metal “T” post system for supporting the fencing. However, the metal T-posts of this type of fencing are narrow and the wire is thin making the fence very difficult for animals to see particularly in poor light.
PVC fencing has been used as an alternative to wooden fencing and provides the superior aesthetics of a conventional wooden fence without the associated maintenance. However, the new PVC fencing systems are relatively expensive. In addition, animals may lean or rub against the PVC fencing causing it to crack in cold weather.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a fencing system having the visibility advantages of a wooden or PVC fence with the cost advantages of a wire mesh or barbed wire fence.
It would also be desirable to provide a system for easily mounting an electric wire on a PVC fence to prevent animals from leaning or rubbing on the fence.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fence rail holder for detachably mounting to conventional metal fence posts.
The invention also relates to a fencing system for attaching PVC fence rails to non-PVC fence posts.
The invention also relates to a system for attaching an electric wire to a PVC fence.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a fence rail holder for mounting fence rails on a fence post includes a body having openings for receiving and supporting ends of fence rails, and at least one clip secured to the body, the clip being configured to connect the body to a fence post.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a system includes a metal fence post with a PVC fence rail holder connected to the metal fence post by clips. The fence rail holder has openings on opposite sides of the fence rail holder and a plurality of fence rails are received in the openings.
In accordance with an additional aspect of the present invention, a wire support member made of an electrically insulating material includes a wire supporting portion for receiving and supporting an electric wire, and a stem connected to the wire supporting portion. The stem has at least two flexible fingers configured to snap into a corresponding opening in a PVC fence member to secure the wire support member to the PVC fence member.
The present invention provides the advantage of a fencing system having the visibility and easy installation advantages of a wooden or PVC fence with the cost advantages of a wire mesh or barbed fence.
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patent: 5085409 (1992-02-01), Teixeira
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patent: 5556079 (1996-09-01), West
patent: 5702090 (1997-12-01), Edgman
patent: 5755431 (1998-05-01), Williams
patent: 5938184 (1999-08-01), DeSouza
patent: 5992828 (1999-11-01), Burdick
Rail Fence Brouchure by Country Estate, No Date.
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Walkenhorst W. David
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