Abstract:
An insulator and wire mounting structure for supporting an electrically conductive fence wire from a metal fence post having a generally T-shaped cross-section. The insulator and wire supporting member has a pair of leg portions which are deformable relative to each other to receive an intermediate portion of the T-post and after being brought into parallel alignment with each other receive a nut which threadably engages a thread set to tighten the mounting structure in position for supporting the wire.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to electric fence wire mounting and insulating structures and more particularly to such structures which are adapted for mounting on metal T-posts. 
     Electric fence wire mounting structures are commonly made of electrically non-conductive plastic materials for mounting on metal fence posts to support the electrically charged wires so that the wires are supported in an elevated position and are well insulated from the metal posts. The provision of mounting structures for T-posts having a flange and stem is further complicated because T-posts vary substantially in dimensions from one manufacturer to another. It is desirable that the same mounting and insulating structure can be used with any of the available of T-post types so that an inventory of different shapes and sizes of insulator units is not required by either the manufacturer or the user. 
     Many insulator units which are used with metal posts having various shapes in cross-section require mounting from one end of the post making it impossible to add insulators for additional wires below any existing wire. 
     Two-part insulators of the type having a threaded portion to receive a nut which permits locking the insulator in a selected position on the post also have similar difficulties in that they usually require mounting from one end of the post. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It therefore is a general object of this invention to provide a threaded electric fence insulator which can be mounted to a selected intermediate portion of a fence post without obstruction of existing insulators or wire. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an insulator which can be mounted to a T-post without necessitating the use of tools. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a fence wire insulating device which will accomodate variations in the cross-sectional configuration and overall dimensions of T-posts. 
     A wire supporting insulator for holding an electrically conductive wire in insulated relationship relative to a metal T-post is provided which can be attached to fence posts without the use of tools and to an intermediate portion of the post. The insulator includes a supporting bracket of general U-shaped configuration with the ends of the leg portions forming a thread set to receive a nut holding the legs together with the closed portion of the U-shaped member and the nut encircling the T-post to lock the insulator in position or to limit its movement between uniformly spaced lugs on the flange or cross bar portion of the T-shaped cross-section. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objects of this invention are accomplished by the preferred embodiment disclosed in the following description and illustrated in the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the insulator of the present invention installed on a T-post; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the insulator seen in FIG. 1 illustrating the insulator in its as-molded condition; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view as viewed from the left end of FIG. 4 with the T-post removed; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the nut of the insulator seen also in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of the nut seen in FIG. 5. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The electric fence insulator of this invention is designated generally at 10 and is molded from a weather-proof, electrically insulating, resilient plastic material. The insulator 10 is shown mounted on a metal fence post 12 having a generally T-shaped cross-section which may vary in dimensions. The T-shaped configuration shown in the drawings has a cross-bar or flange 14 which is intersected by a stem portion 16. The forward face or top surface 17 of the flange 14 is provided with a rib 18 in alignment with the stem member 16. Rib 18 also is provided with uniformly spaced studs 20 extending longitudinally of the post. Overall dimensions of the flange 14 and of the stem member 16 vary substantially from one manufacturer to another and the insulator 10 must be able to conform to posts with these varying cross-sections in order to be of the greatest utility. The insulator is adapted to be mounted on the post 12 between studs or lugs 20 which limit any relative vertical movement of the insulator 20 with the post 12. 
     The insulator 10 includes a generally U-shaped yoke or support bracket 22 having a bight portion 24 generally coextensive with the flange 14 of the post 12. A pair of legs 26 extend from opposite ends of the bight portion 24. The legs 26 each have first portions 28 which extend to opposite sides of the post 12 and converge towards each other and second leg portions 30 which extend from the first portions. In the as-mounted position of the insulator 10, the second leg portions 30 extend generally parallel to each other and form a single thread set 32 for receiving an internally threaded nut element indicated generally at 34. The thread set 32 forms an interrupted thread. 
     Thread portions 36 formed on each of the leg portions 30 are maintained in generally parallel relationship to each other and also axially aligned by spacer elements 38 formed integrally with the remainder of the insulator 10. Each of the spacer elements 38 has an irregular surface configuration 40 complementary to the irregular surface on the other of the leg portions 30. When the surfaces 40 are in engagement with each other, they serve to insure axial alignment of the threaded portions 36 as well as maintaining the threaded portions 36 in generally parallel relationship to each other. 
     A base member 44 is supported in spaced relationship from the bight portion 24 of the bracket 22 by a pair of parallel extending struts 46 which are disposed parallel to each other and formed integrally with the bight portion 24 and the base member 44. The forward face 48 of the base member is provided with a pair of wire support fingers 50. Each of the fingers 50 are generally U-shaped and are provided with a slot 52 for receiving a wire 53. One slot 52 of one of the finger opens upwardly and the other slot 52 of the other finger 50 opens downwardly so that one finger 50 limits vertical downward movement of a wire 53 resting in the slot and the other finger 50 limits the vertical upward movement of the wire. The spacing of the fingers 50 is sufficient to receive a section of wire vertically which when turned to a horizontal position will hold the wire in the slots 52 of the pair of fingers 50. 
     The bracket 22 is sufficiently flexible so that the legs 26 may be flexed apart to receive a T-post 12 therebetween. Flexing is facilitated by forming a notch 54 at the juncture of at least one of the leg members 26 and the end of the bight 24. The notch 54 acts as a hinge point to provide easier opening of the legs 26 relative to each other. 
     The nut 34 preferably has a collar 56 having diametrically opposed lugs 58 facilitating grip for rotation in either a closing or opening direction without the use of tools. The inside of the collar 56 is formed with a single internal thread 60 which is complementary to the multiple threads on the bracket 22. Preferably the threads 36 of the thread set 32 and the thread 60 are of the buttress type. 
     The insulator 10 is attached to a fence post 12 to occupy the illustrated position by initially spreading the legs 26 so that the bracket 22 is placed in position between studs 20 with the flange 14 of the T-post against the bight portion 24. This typically positions the stem 16 of the post between the legs 26 and usually between the threaded portions 36 of the thread set 32. With the insulator 10 or bracket 22 encircling the post 12, the threaded portions 36 can be squeezed together to bring the spacer elements 38 into engagement with each other after which the nut 34 can be threaded on the thread set 32 made up by the threaded portions 36 on each of the leg portions of the bracket 22. The nut 34 can then be rotated by hand to bring it into engagement with the end of the stem portion 16 of the T-post 12. This serves to hold the bracket on mounting member 22 in position and at the same time permits the member to be moved a short distance vertically on the post between the studs 20. 
     The nut 34 is provided with protrustions 61 which engage the end of stem 16 and deflect when the nut 34 is threaded into position and serve to engage the side of the post stem 16 to prevent the nut 34 from rotating in a loosening direction. As a consequence, after the nut 34 is turned firmly in position it remains in that position. 
     In the as-molded position as seen in FIG. 3, the threaded portions 36 on the leg portions 30 diverge slightly from each other to occupy a position such as that shown in the drawings. As a result when the threaded portions are moved into parallel relationship with each other and the nut 34 is placed in position, there is a tendency of leg portions 36 to return to their as-molded position thereby maintaining a tight fit between the thread set 32 and the thread 60 on the nut 34 to further resist movement of the nut in an unthreading direction.