Picket fence structure

A picket fence structure comprising a plurality of coplanar contiguous vertical pickets which have at least one key slot cut into each edge, so that the mating edges of two adjacent pickets have their key slots in the same position. A key is placed in each key slot, which serves to keep the pickets in a planar assembly. There are preferably two key slots, one near each end, on each edge of the pickets. The planar assembly of pickets, held together by suitable keys in the key slots, are keyed to fence posts contiguous with the outermost pickets. The keying of the outermost pickets to adjacent fence posts, can be by longitudinal grooves or slots in the faces of the fence posts, or by means of key slots similar to those which hold the individual pickets into a planar assembly. The keys may be rods or dowels. They are preferably discs of a diameter that will fit into semi-circular key slots in the matching edges of the pickets. If the key slots are elongated, with a key in adjacent key ways, the adjacent pickets can have relative longitudinal movement to conform to a sloping ground surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention lies in the field of outdoor walls or fences. More 
particularly, it concerns a construction of a fence having coplanar, 
parallel, contiguous or spaced apart pickets, which may be flat strips, or 
they can be cylindrical or semicylindrical rods, etc. 
More particularly, it concerns an improved method of holding a plurality of 
contiguous picket elements into a planar configuration by means of key 
slots and suitable keys, recessed into the matching edges of contiguous 
picket elements. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In the prior art, various methods of constructing picket fences have been 
illustrated which, almost entirely have been constructed in either of two 
forms; one form involves the use of a plurality of drilled holes through 
the pickets, perpendicular to the length, from one edge to the other, and 
provision of a long metal rod which is inserted through successive holes 
in adjacent pickets. The long metal rod is anchored in fence posts 
adjacent to the outermost pickets. 
A second conventional form is to provide a pair of spaced horizontal rails, 
to which the individual pickets are nailed to provide a planar assembly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a primary object of this invention to provide a picket fence by means 
of which a plurality of picket elements can be locked to each other in a 
planar assembly, and to a pair of posts adjacent the outermost pickets, 
without having external beams, rails, or braces to hold the pickets in a 
planar assembly. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide a type of fence 
construction that permits disassembly of the fence picket elements, and 
reassembly without damage to the individual pickets while still 
maintaining a substantially planar fence. 
These and other objects are realized and the limitations of the prior art 
are overcome in this invention by providing picket elements which are 
identical to each other, and are placed in mating position, edge-to-edge, 
of adjacent picket elements. The elements can be complete pickets or short 
portions of pickets forming spacers, so that a spaced relation between the 
full pickets is provided. 
Each individual pair of contiguous pickets are keyed to each other, by 
means of key slots cut into the mating edges, and provision of a suitable 
key. The key may be of wood or metal, that is placed in the key slot prior 
to positioning the two edges of adjacent picket elements together. 
The preferred shape of the key slot is in the form of a semi-circular 
groove, such that two adjacent semi-circular grooves or key slots on 
mating edges will be held coplanar by inserting a key into the slots, 
which can be of a circular disc form, of a thickness equal substantially 
to the width of the key slots, and of a diameter slightly less than the 
depth of the slots. Other types of keys and key slots, such as rectangular 
or rod-like, can be used. 
An improved key slot is one in which a semi-circular key slot is elongated 
a selected dimension, such as by using a circular cutter and advancing the 
cutter longitudinally along the edge of the picket element. This provides 
additional benefits in that a circular disc key in such a slot, permits 
the two adjacent picket elements to be moved longitudinally relative to 
each other, so that the picket elements can accommodate a sloping ground 
surface, for example, and still maintain a rigid planar structure. 
In order to provide maximum stiffness of the structure, the keys and key 
ways should be of substantially the same thickness. Also, by setting the 
key ways in opposite edges of a picket at different longitudinal 
positions, the key ways can be of such depth that the key slot can be 
greater than half the width of the picket and therefore provide for 
greater rigidity of the structure. 
Another feature of the key and key slot-type type of assembly, is that if 
it is desired to have a permanently assembled panel of pickets, the 
pickets will be made of wood, and the keys in the form of circular discs 
can be made of wood, and suitable adhesive or glue can be applied to the 
surfaces of the key and the key slots so that once the fence is assembled 
the keys and key slots will be formed into a rigid monolithic assembly. 
The picket assembly can be supported on fence posts by any keying method 
desired. One such keying method involves cutting longitudinal grooves of 
width equal to the thickness of the pickets, in the facing walls of two 
spaced posts. Thus, the previously prepared planar picket assembly can be 
inserted into the slots. Conversely the posts can be keyed to the 
outermost pickets in the same manner that the individual pickets are keyed 
to each other. 
A type of fence post support means is described, which comprises a cast 
concrete cylinder of selected length and diameter, which has an axial 
opening adapted to tightly receive the bottom end of the fence post, so 
that the post can be removed if desired and the fence can be disassembled 
and reassembled at will.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, 
there is shown one embodiment of this invention. It comprises a picket 
fence indicated generally by the numeral 10A, having a plurality of 
similar pickets 12 each of the same length and same width, if desired, 
which are locked together in planar relation by suitable key slots and 
keys, in contiguous edges of the pairs of pickets. It is preferably 
desirable to have at least two key slots and keys 22A and 22B on 
contiguous faces. 
Furthermore, it is desirable to have the position of the pair of key slots 
and keys on opposite edges of a picket to be at different selected 
distances from one end of the pickets. This makes it possible then to have 
the key slots and keys extend more than half way through the width of a 
picket, without seriously mechanically weakening the picket, by 
interference between the key slots on opposite edges. Thus, having the 
spacing 26 between key slots and keys 22A and 22B equal to 28 the 
dimension between the key slots and keys 24A and 24B offset by a distance 
27, for example, provides a stronger assembly than if the key ways 22A and 
24A were colinear on opposite edges of each of the pickets. 
By the use of the key ways and keys shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 10 for example, 
the plurality of pickets can be formed into a substantially ridged, planar 
assembly, or panel, which can be then inserted into key ways such as the 
grooves 30 on the facing parallel spaced edges 32 and 34 of two posts 14A 
and 14B, for example, as in FIG. 1 and 3. 
If there are at least a pair of panels 10A on opposite sides 32, 34 of a 
post 14B, the slots 30 can be coplanar as in FIG. 3 or they can be offset 
as in FIG. 4 to provide greater strength to the post. 
Shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 is a variation 10B of the picket panel 10A of 
FIG. 1. This has a U-shaped channel member 38 which is positioned over the 
bottom edges of the panel or pickets and is held to the pickets by means 
such as nails or screws 40. The channel member 38 can be made of metal or 
plastic, or other selected material. With this additional mechanical 
support, it may be possible to avoid the use of the bottom rows of key 
slots and keys 22B and 24B, since the support which these keys and key 
slots would provide, is provided by the channel member 38. 
Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is shown one embodiment of a fence 
post support means 16, which comprises a cylindrical concrete unit of 
selected diameter and length, which has an axial opening 44 of the proper 
shape and size to receive the bottom portion of the fence post, as in FIG. 
1. 
The weight and size of the fence post support member 16A can be any value 
selected, such that when inserted into an opening in the earth, of 
substantially the same diameter as the outer surface 42 of the support 
member, and with the earth thoroughly tamped around the support member, a 
support for the fence posts is provided which will be comparable to that 
in which cement is poured around the base of the post in a prepared hole 
of substantially the same diameter and depth. However, in the form as 
shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, if it is desired to move the fence, the support 
member 16 can be dug up and reused in a new location. 
If desired, handles such as 46 can be cast into the concrete for 
facilitating the lifting and positioning of the support member. 
While the cross-section of the support member is shown in FIG. 9 is 
circular, it could equally well be of another shape such as triangular or 
square, which would provide greater resistance against bending in a 
selected direction. This is illustrated in FIG. 9A where a post support 
member is shown of square cross-section, for the same volume of concrete, 
the diagonal dimension is greater than the diameter of 16A, which provides 
a larger area for resistance against rotation of the post in the earth. 
In FIGS. 1 and 5, there are shown key slots and keys which are of the 
nature of drilled openings perpendicular to the edges of the pickets into 
which cylindrical pins or dowels are inserted as keys. 
A more useful and preferred type of key slot and key is shown in FIGS. 10 
and 11 where the key slots are shown as semi-circular grooves in the edges 
of the pickets, the longitudinal spacing would correspond to that of the 
slots and keys in FIGS. 1 and 5, for example. That is, the individual keys 
on opposite edges of a picket would be offset longitudinally one from the 
other to provide a deeper key slot without seriously weakening the picket. 
The key slots are shown as semi-circular grooves 50 such as might be cut 
by a circular cutter. Two types of keys are shown, a rod type key 52 which 
is of length equal to double the depth of the semi-circular key slot, and 
also a preferred type of key, which is a circular disc 54, which 
substantially fills key slot and makes for a tighter more rigid planar 
assembly, or panel, of the plurality of pickets. 
With the semi-circular key slots 50, and the rod type keys 52, as shown 
with the right hand group of pickets 12C, the individual pickets can be 
slid, one with respect to the other, to accommodate the bottom edge 
against the sloping surface 20 of the earth. This is possible because of 
the greater length of the grooves 50, compared to the narrow width of the 
rod type key 52 which permits this longitudinal movement while still 
providing a solid restraint of the key in the slot. 
A corresponding advantage is illustrated in FIG. 12 of the situation as in 
FIG. 10, where a circular key 54, is utilized but the key slot 58 is 
extended a selected distance by advancing the cutter along the edge of the 
picket. Thus, it is possible to shift two adjacent pickets by a distance 
60, and still have a circular key fit properly into the key slots. 
As mentioned earlier, it is possible to use a wooden disc, for example, of 
the proper width to fit in the groove in the key slot and to glue the key 
into the two slots, to provide a very strong rigid panel of pickets. 
In all the previous illustrations, the pickets 12 are shown all of 
substantially the same length 64 as shown in FIG. 5. However, where the 
ground surface as in FIG. 10 is not horizontal, it may be desirable to 
lengthen the pickets by a dimension 66, so that, although the bottom edges 
follow the contour of the surface 20 of the earth, the tops of the pickets 
will all be in a horizontal line. 
In FIG. 13 is shown a variation of the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 5 wherein 
alternate pickets are replaced with short lengths of wood of the same 
width and thickness as the pickets, but limited in length, to at least 
provide for the presence of two spaced key slots in the edges of the 
spacer 13. With spacers 13 at the top rows of key slots, and at the bottom 
rows of key slots, the picket fence would have a much more open nature, 
which would provide a variation in the type of fence indicated in FIGS. 1 
and 5. 
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the panels of pickets keyed together can 
be inserted into longitudinal grooves such as 30 in the matching faces 32 
and 34 of the posts 14A and 14B for example. However, it is possible to 
assemble the panel of pickets against the surface 32 of the post 14 by 
means of semi-circular key slots as indicated in FIG. 14, for example. 
This is illustrated for the rod type keys in the post 14B of FIG. 1 where 
an elongated rod-like key is used in a drilled opening 36 in the post. 
This key way 36 can be used with or without the slots 34. 
FIG. 14 illustrates the use of a semi-circular key slot 50 in the picket 12 
and the post 14, with a circular key 54 similar to those joining adjacent 
pickets. Here again a key slot longer than the key can be used to permit 
longitudinal relative positioning of the post and the pickets. 
While the invention has been described with a certain degree of 
particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details 
of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from 
the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the 
invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes 
of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached 
claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each 
element thereof is entitled.