POST JOINING MEANS

Abstract: A device for joining a vertically standing wooden post to an extension post to provide a longer vertically standing post, which comprises a tubular metal sleeve (1) and sleeve (1) having substantially no external projections and being open at both ends and having a first end portion (1a) for receiving the top end of a vertically standing wooden post and a second portion (1b) for receiving one end of a second wooden post portion such that the second wooden post portion extends coaxially with the post, said first and second portions being separated by a stop member (5) comprising a portion of the sleeve of restricted internal dimension preventing the post or the second post portion from passing completely through the sleeve. Preferably the sleeve (1) has axially oriented inturned flanges (3) to compensate for difference in the actual size of posts of given nominal dimension. Preferably, the stop member is located substantially midway along the length of the sleeve (1) and comprises an inturned flange (5) presenting an edge or surface perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve.

Description: This invention relates to a device for joining together lengths of timber and more particularly for joining together a vertically standing wooden post, for example a fence post, to an extension post to provide a longer vertical standing post, which may, for example, be used to erect a higher panel fence or to support a trellis or other structure above an existing fence, without the need to replace the existing post by a longer post. GB-A-2132305 describes a timber connector comprising a sleeve having a plurality of inturned teeth around its periphery the tips of which teeth engage with a pair of timbers introduced one from each end of the sleeve and serve to resist movement of the timbers out of the sleeve. According to the invention a device for joining a vertically standing wooden post to an extension post to provide a longer vertically standing post, comprises a tubular metal sleeve, the sleeve having substantially no external projections and being open at both ends and having a first end portion for receiving the top end of a vertically standing wooden post and a second end portion for receiving one end of a second wooden post portion such that the second wooden post portion extends coaxially with the post, said first and second end portions being separated by a stop member comprising a portion of the sleeve of restricted internal dimension preventing the post or the second post portion from passing completely through the sleeve, the wall of the sleeve in each end portion being formed with a plurality of axially oriented inturned flanges extending substantially prependicularly to the wall of the sleeve. The device according to the invention may be used with wooden fence posts of any cross section and will normallly have a cross section corresponding to the section of the post to be extended. Normally the device will be used with posts of rectangular, and especially square cross section, in which case the sleeve will be of rectangular section. The inturned flanges allow a device of a given cross sectional dimension to be used on fence posts of smaller dimensions than their nominal size. When the sleeve is rectangular there will normally be at least one inturned flange in two adjacent walls of the sleeve, at each end. In a preferred embodiment two flange portions will be formed in each of two adjacent walls at each end of the sleeve. The flange portions may be produced by forming a suitable cut in the metal wall of the sleeve and bending the thus formed flap inwardly of the sleeve. The stop member is preferably located substantially midway along the length of the sleeve and may for example be produced by deforming the wall of the sleeve inwardly without breaking the wall of the sleeve to form a ridge extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve at least partially around the periphery thereof. Preferably, however, the stop member is provided by at least one tongue portion projecting inwardly of the sleeve and having a surface or edge substantially perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve. A deformation forming such a ridge on the internal surface of the sleeve may extend completely around the sleeve but is preferably present on only part of the periphery, for example, on one or two walls of a rectangular sleeve, and similarly an inturned tongue of material may be formed on each wall of a rectangular sleeve but preferably is formed on only one or two walls. An inturned tongue forming a stop member preferably has two surfaces perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve since it does not then matter which way up the device is used. The invention also provides a method for vertically extending a post using a device according to the invention. The invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which :- Fig. 1 shows one form of device according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a second form of device according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig.2; and Fig. 4 shows a third form of device. Referring to Fig.1 the first form of device according to the invention comprises a rectangular open ended sleeve 1 of mild steel. The sleeve has a first end portion 1a for receiving the top end of a vertically arranged fence post (not shown) and a second end 1b for receiving one end of a second fence post portion thereby forming an extended fence post. The metal of the wall of the sleeve 1 at each end 1a,1b is cut at two locations on adjacent walls by a vertical and two horizontal cuts and the tongue of material thus formed is turned inwardly of the sleeve to extend perpendicular to the wall forming apertures 2 in the wall and vertically arranged inturned flanges 3. When a wooden post or a post extension portion is inserted into an end 1a,1b of the sleeve 1 the flanges 3 will dig into the surface of the post, securely to fix the sleeve to the post and the post extension portion. In order to prevent the sleeve from passing too far over the post the sleeve 1 has a stop member arranged substantially midway along its length. According to Fig.1 the stop member is produced by forming a horizontal and two vertical cuts in two adjacent walls of the sleeve, in the Fig.1 these walls being the same walls as have the inturned flanges 3, and bending the resultant flap of material inwards providing openings 4 in the wall of the sleeve 1 and a downwardly inclined tongue of material 5 resisting passage of the post or second post portion. The arrangement shown in Fig 2 and 3 is basically the same as that shown in Fig.1 except that in this case stop member is formed by groove 6 on the surface of the sleeve 1 and a corresponding ridge 7 on the inner wall of the sleeve 1. In the form of device shown in Fig.4, the flanges 3 are formed as described in relation to Fig.1. but with one horizontal and one inclined cut so that the flanges 3 each have an upper surface inclined towards an open end of the sleeve. This assists the flanges to cut into the wood of a post or post portion being introduced into the sleeve. Moreover, the tongues 5 extend perpendicular to the walls of the sleeve and are positioned on the two walls that do not include flanges 3. The device of the invention is preferably made up from two prestamped blanks welded together along diagonally opposed edges of the sleeve. The device of the invention may be attached first to the post portion by driving the post portion into one end portion of the sleeve until further movement is prevented by the end of the post portion contacting the stop member. The second post portion with the attached device may then be postioned over the fence post and the top end of the post be driven into the sleeve by applying a driving force to the free end of the second post portion. Alternatively the end of the post and one end of the second post portion may partially inserted into respective end portions of the sleeve and a driving force applied to the free end of the second post portion to drive the post and the post portion completely into the sleeve until they contact the stop member. The device can, also first be applied over the post but then care must be taken to avoid damage to the opposite end of the sleeve while driving it over the post. The device of the invention will be dimensioned to receive a conventional nominal size of post, say 50 x 50 mm (2 x 2 inch) or 75 x 75 mm (3 x 3 inch). The length of the sleeve is preferably about 2.to 2.5 times the nominal dimension of the post, say 100 to 125 mm or 150 to 180 mm. The stop member may, for example, project inwardly approximately 6.5 mm (.25 inch) and the inturned flanges may have a length of about 40 mm (1.5 inches) and a width of 6.5 mm (.25 inch). The device is preferably constructed from 3 mm (.125 inch) mild steel.

Claims: A device for joining a vertically standing wooden post to an extension post to provide a longer vertically standing post, which comprises a tubular metal sleeve (1) the sleeve (1) having substantially no external projections and being open at both ends and having a first end portion (1a) for receiving the top end of a vertically standing wooden post and a second end portion (1b) for receiving one end of a second wooden post portion such that the second wooden post portion extends coaxially with the post, said first and second end portions (1a, 1b) being separated by a stop member (5, 6) comprising a portion of the sleeve (1) of restricted internal dimension preventing the post or the second post portion from passing completely through the sleeve (1), characterised in that the wall of the sleeve (1) in each end portion (1a, 1b) is formed with a plurality of axially oriented inturned flanges (3) extending substantially perpendicularly to the wall of the sleeve (1). A device according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve (1) is of rectangular cross section. A device according to claim 2 wherein the sleeve (1) is of square cross section. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the axially oriented inturned flanges (3) are formed at at least two spaced apart locations peripherally of the sleeve (1) in each end portion (1a, 1b). A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the axially oriented inturned flanges (3) are formed on two adjacent walls of each end portion (1a, 1b). A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the stop member (5, 6) is located substantially midway along the length of the sleeve (1). A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the stop member (6) is provided by a ridge extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve (1) and at least partially around the wall of the sleeve (1). A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the stop member (5) is provided by at least one tongue portion projecting inwardly of the sleeve (1) and having a surface or edge substantially perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve (1). A method for vertically extending a vertically standing wooden post to produce a longer vertically standing post wherein there is used a device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and comprising the steps, in any order, of fitting one end portion of the device over the upper end of the post and the other end portion of the device over one end of a second post portion until the ends of the post and post portion contact the stop member.

Inventors: MILLS, DEREK JOHN
Applicants: METPOST LIMITED
Application year: 1988
Main classification: E04H17
IPC codes: E04H17