Fences – Rail – Connection
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-27
2003-03-25
Brittain, James R. (Department: 3677)
Fences
Rail
Connection
C256S065020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06536745
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fence post construction, and more particularly to a T-post fencing unit. Another aspect of the present invention is a lateral bracing arrangement or assemblage that may be used for a corner fence assembly utilizing at least one T-post fencing unit described herein. The present invention further relates to a method for forming a braced fencing arrangement.
2. Background of the Invention
Fence posts are widely used in the construction of fences for a variety of purposes, such as, animal management, boundary demarcation and the like. Currently, metal fence posts having a “T” cross-section configuration, hereinafter “T-posts”, are widely used for both temporary and permanent fencing units. Conventionally, T-posts have a flat vertical face with a series of spaced apart lugs or projections that are substantially perpendicular to the face and aligned along the longitudinal axis of the T-post. These lugs provide a means to facilitate attachment of wire, such as barbed, chicken or electric, in constructing the fence.
Although these T-posts are relatively low in cost and are easily installed using a sledge hammer or other manual driving device, T-posts are not without their problems. One problem is that T-posts have little lateral strength and can be readily displaced from their vertical position when a lateral force is applied, such as, when constructing a corner assembly using such T-posts. The end and corner units of such fences may be subjected to static forces of upwards from 3000 to 5000 pounds. This force is attributed to the tension in the wire and the change in direction of the fence at a corner. This force must be counteracted if the fence is to remain standing and/or the wire to remain taut.
To overcome this problem, corner T-post(s) must be reinforced with additional bracing. In the past, wooden posts have been used. However, a problem with using two types of materials is that often a metal T-post will last as long as 40 years, whereas a wooden post may have a life of only 10 years. Additionally, today's wooden posts are typically treated with a chemical preservative to add to the useful life of the post. The hazards of such wood preservatives is currently a topic of debate and may not be safe for human contact or the environment. Moreover, it is fairly widely accepted that it is more economical to install fencing components which have an approximate equal and long useful life. This reduces maintenance and labor costs associated with the fence during its useful life.
In the past, the shape of the T-post did not facilitate the simple attachment of brace members. Generally, bracing was accomplishes by a rather complex assembly of additional parts, which may have required the drilling holes in the T-post, digging holes for bracing units, and/or the pouring of concrete. All of which detract from the ease of T-post installation.
Various devices have been developed for attaching brace members and the like to fence posts. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,879 issued to Wasicek et al. on Aug. 16, 1988 discloses a connector assembly having a collar with three openings circumferentially and equidistantly positioned around the collar. The connector further includes a wedge member for tightening the collar. The wedge member is an L-shape configuration and includes a notch. In use, the collar is positioned over the T-post and the wedge member is positioned so that the notch receives the central web portion of the post. The connector assembly also includes a deformable wire member to secure the wedge member to the collar when it is finally positioned and to prevent the parts separation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,787 issued to Watson on Jan. 16, 1990 discloses a corner post assembly having a steel main post. A laterally extending steel brace member having a body portion that can be positioned at ground level is welded to the steel main post. A bracing strut is welded between the main post and the brace member. The corner post assembly also includes a downturned leg portion. In use, the lower portions of the main post and the leg portion of the brace member are placed in parallel post holes so that the brace member absorbs the static load on the main post arising from the tension in the fencing wires. The corner post assembly further includes a plurality of stabilization plates welded to the main post and to the brace member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,109 issued to Miller on Oct. 29, 1991 discloses bracing members and a method for using the bracing members for a metal T-posts. The bracing members have two substantially identical elongated first members each having U-shaped or hooked oppositely disposed ends. Each hooked end of the first bracing member is apertured to receive a single bolt. The first bracing members are structured for spanning horizontally between and attaching with the hooked portions placed around two T-posts. In use, one first bracing member is placed adjacent to the ground, and one first bracing unit is placed adjacent to the upper ends of the T-posts. Also included in the assembly is an elongated straight bracing member having bolt receiving holes at the two oppositely disposed terminal ends. The straight bracing member is used for a diagonal brace between the two vertical T-posts, extending at an angle from an attachment point to a hook of the upper bracing member adjacent one T-post downward at an angle to an attachment point to the hook of the lower bracing member adjacent the other T-post. Nuts and bolts are used to attach the bracing members on T-posts installed in the ground. The bracing members having the hooked ends have been structured in a manner which allows the brace to be used as a measuring gage for quickly determining the proper distance two T-posts should be set apart prior to bracing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,780 issued to Yearwood on Aug. 27, 1991 discloses a T-post brace having a transverse bar adjacent one end portion. The other end of the brace is pivotally connected with an open bracket which frictionally grips opposing sides of a T-post when the brace is engaged with the T-post and driven into the soil during the last earth penetrating movement of the T-post.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,181 issued to Asher et al. on Sep. 14, 1982 discloses an end or corner fence post construction having a main upright post supported by a main brace. The main post has an anchoring plate attached near its lower end i.e., below ground level. The main brace unit also has a bearing plate which is buried below ground level. A cross brace is attached at one end to the main post and the other end attached to the main brace.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,322 issued to Wagner on Dec. 26, 1989 discloses an apparatus for bracing T-posts. The apparatus includes a collar having one or more enclosed slots is secured between the lugs of the T-post by a wedge. The slots in the collare are used to receive attachment members, such as sockets for the cross-brace member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,724 issued to Williams on Dec. 25, 1990 discloses a T-posts bracing system having a hollow collar member adapted to slideably fit over a fence post and leave a space between the collar member interior and the fence post. The bracing system also includes a double action expansion wedge for attaching a collar to a T-post fence. The double action expansion cam wedge secures the collar between adjacent lugs on the post by tightly wedging the collar and post together. The double action expansion causes the top edge of the collar and the bottom edge of the collar both to be wedged against the post to hold the collar in alignment with the post.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,235 issued to Kilmer on Aug. 18, 1992 discloses a fence post unit having an augered base, a removable extension piece and a bracket. The bracket may be used alternately to support a handle piece which is rotated in order to auger the post into the ground and to couple a support brace. Several units may be coupled to form a corner fence post. The base unit is equipped with a stabilizer devi
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