Patent ID: 7841378
Filing Date: 2010-11-30
Classification: E01F

Abstract:
1. A windscreen for mounting onto a fence, having a first fence side and an opposite fence side, said windscreen comprising: a plurality of flexible sheet material panels mounted onto the fence; and a ballast material mounted on, received in or secured to each of said plurality of flexible sheet material panels for providing a preselected weight or ballast to the flexible sheet material panels, said ballast material selected to permit each of said flexible sheet material panels to yield to a non-vertical position in response to an oncoming wind when said oncoming wind exceeds a predetermined velocity to reduce or facilitate reducing stresses on the fence; said plurality of flexible sheet material panels each comprising a first panel side situated adjacent the fence and a second panel side situated opposite said first panel side, said ballast being selected such that each said flexible sheet material panel yields leeward away from the fence when a wind of said predetermined velocity engages said first panel side of a flexible sheet material panel to reduce or facilitate reducing stresses on the fence, said plurality of flexible sheet material panels connected to the fence in one of the following arrangements: a) all of said plurality of flexible sheet material panels are located on the first fence side of the fence; b) all of said plurality of flexible sheet material panels are located on the opposite fence side of the fence; c) each of the plurality of flexible sheet material panels are staggered with respect to the flexible sheet material panel immediately adjacent, such that the flexible sheet material panels alternate between connection to the first fence side of the fence and connection to the opposite fence side of the fence; d) each of the plurality of flexible sheet material panels are connected to either the first fence side or the opposite fence side, without regard to the location of any other flexible sheet material panel; wherein flexible sheet material panels are arranged on the fence so that the vertical side edges of adjacent panels abut so there is no gap between adjacent panels, or the panels can be arranged on the fence so that the vertical side edges of adjacent panels do not abut so there is a gap distance between adjacent panels.