Abstract:
An electric fence including a web of galvanized, high-tensile strength steel wires coupled to and between a pair of posts, the web including a plurality of substantially horizontally extending wires arranged substantially parallel to one another, and a plurality of substantially vertically extending wires arranged substantially parallel to one another and extending to and between each of the horizontally extending wires to form a plurality of wire rectangles, each rectangle having a desired size.

Description:
RELATED REFERENCES 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/379,619, filed Sep. 2, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an electric fence system for containing livestock. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a fence having a webbed configuration constructed of galvanized, high-tensile strength wire and an energizer for electrifying the fence. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Electric fences are designed to create an electrical circuit when touched by a person or animal. A component called a power energizer converts power into a brief high voltage pulse. One terminal of the power energizer releases an electrical pulse along a connected bare wire about once per second. Another terminal is connected to a metal rod implanted in the earth, called a ground or earth rod. A person or animal touching both the wire and the earth during a pulse will complete an electrical circuit and conduct the pulse, causing an uncomfortable electric shock. The effects of the shock depend upon the voltage, the energy of the pulse, the degree of contact between the recipient and the fence and the ground and the route of the current through the body; it can range from barely noticeable to uncomfortable, painful or for some fences even lethal. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an electric fence system for keeping livestock within an enclosed area and method for installing same. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an electric fence including a pair of posts, spaced-apart and anchored in the ground and a web of wires coupled to and between the pair of posts. The web includes a plurality of substantially horizontally extending wires arranged substantially parallel to one another, the plurality of substantially horizontally extending wires including an uppermost wire, a lowermost wire and a plurality of middle wires between the uppermost and lowermost wires. A plurality of substantially vertically extending wires are arranged substantially parallel to one another and extending to and between the uppermost wire and the lowermost wire and being electrically coupled to each wire of the plurality of substantially horizontally extending wires. The web includes a plurality of substantially rectangular sections formed by the intersection of the plurality of substantially horizontally extending wires and the plurality of substantially vertically extending wires. To energize the web a grounded energizer is operatively coupled to the web for electrifying the web. 
     To minimize the energy required to energize the web for the particular livestock to be contained, galvanized wires are used in constructing the web. The coating of zinc of the galvanized wires lowers resistivity of the wires as compared to wires used for in conventional electric fences. Therefore, less energy output is required to electrify the fence. Additionally, galvanized wires resist corrosion, increasing the lifespan of the fence. 
     In another aspect of the present invention the plurality of substantially horizontally extending wires includes only four substantially extending wires. In yet another aspect of the present invention, the uppermost and lowermost wires of the substantially horizontal extending wires consist of 12 gauge high-tensile strength steel wires. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrified fence at a corner post according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an overhead view of an electrified fence at a corner post according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective of an electrified fence at a position between two posts. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An electric fence  5  in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , where like features of the invention share like numbering. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , fence  5  generally includes a corner post  10  with a front side  12 , a back side  14 , two lateral sides  13 , a top  16  and a bottom side  17 . Post  10  may be composed of wood or other material and is fixed into the ground or braced at bottom side  17 . In a preferred embodiment post  10  is composed of 6×6 pressure treated wood, meaning post  10  has a square cross-sectional shape as seen in  FIG. 2  that is approximately 5.5 inches by 5.5 inches. The height of post  10  will vary depending on the livestock to be contained by the fence  5 . 
     A plurality of fastening elements such as eye bolts  30  are coupled at regular intervals along the longitudinal axis of post  10 . Eye bolts  30  as seen in  FIG. 2  are composed of a ring body  32  encircling a ring opening, the ring body  32  being connected to a threaded shank  33 . For bolts  30  to be coupled to the post  10 , a plurality of holes approximately the size of shank  33  pass through the post  10  from front side  12  to back side  14  allowing shank  33  of bolt  30  to pass through corner post  10 . Once a bolt  30  is coupled to post  10 , the shank  33  is oriented away from the back side  14  of post  10  leaving the ring body  32  of the eye bolt  30  in a horizontal orientation parallel to the ground and projecting from the front side  12  of the post  10 . In an alternative embodiment, non-conducting insulators, not shown, may be connected to the post  10 . 
     A fiberglass post  35  may be coupled to corner post  10  by inserting the fiberglass post  35  through ring bodies  32  of the plurality of eye bolts  30 . Fiberglass post  35  may be used in place of nonconductive insulators. Fiberglass post  35  may have a plurality of openings. These openings pass through the fiberglass post  35  and are found at regular intervals along the longitudinal axis of the fiberglass post  35 . To prevent excessive movement of fiberglass post  35  once the post is inserted through ring bodies  32 , a first cotter pin may be placed through the uppermost of the openings of fiberglass post  35  where the opening through post  35  is found adjacent to and above the upper most eye bolt  30  coupled to corner post  10  and a second cotter pin may be placed through fiberglass post  35  at the lower most of the openings through post  35  that is adjacent to and below the lowermost eye bolt  30  coupled to the corner post  10 . 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a web of galvanized, high-tensile strength wires extend between either a corner post  10  coupled to a fiberglass post  35  as in  FIG. 1  or a fiberglass post  35  not coupled to a corner post  10  as in  FIG. 3  and a second post. The web is formed by a plurality of horizontally extending wires. This plurality of horizontally extending wires consists of an uppermost wire  20 , a lowermost wire  15  and middle wires  25  located between uppermost  20  and lowermost wires  15 . In one embodiment, uppermost  20 , lowermost  15  and middle wires  25  are approximately 10 inches from any adjacent wire and the lowermost wire  15  is suspended above the ground along the entire length of the lowermost wire  15 . In another embodiment, the lowermost wire  15  is suspended at least 17 inches from the ground. In yet another embodiment, uppermost  20  and lowermost wires  15  are 12-gauge galvanized, high-tensile strength wire and middle wires  25  are 12.5 gauge galvanized, high-tensile strength wire. 
     Intersecting approximately perpendicular to the horizontally extending wires are a plurality of vertically extending wires  40  arranged parallel to one another and extending to and between uppermost wire  20  and lowermost wire  15 . Where wires  40  intersect or meet uppermost wire  20 , lowermost wire  15  and middle wires  25 , the wires  40  are coupled to the uppermost  20 , lowermost  15  and middle wires  25  by any feasible method of coupling including fixed knot coupling, crimping or other method. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the intersections of uppermost wire  20 , lowermost wire  15  or middle wires  25  with vertically extending wires  40  form a plurality of rectangular sections  45 . In one embodiment, each of the plurality of rectangular sections  45  have a length (l) of about 12 inches and a height (h) of about 10 inches. The galvanized, high-tensile strength wires may be assembled offsite into the above described web and wound into a roll to provide ease of transport and installation 
     The web of galvanized, high-tensile strength wires is removably attached to a fiberglass post  35  by passing the ends of the uppermost  20 , lowermost  15  and middle wires  25  through the openings of the fiberglass post  35  and crimping, tying or otherwise removably fixing the wires to fiberglass post  35 . In another embodiment, the web of galvanized, high-tensile strength wires may be coupled to the fiberglass post  35  by tying, crimping or removably attaching the ends of uppermost wire  20 , lowermost wire  15  and middle wires  25  around the circumference of fiberglass post  35  rather than passed through the post. Once the web is removably attached to fiberglass posts  35  enclosing the required area, the web is then coupled to an energizer and ground wire, not shown. 
     As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the claims below.