Abstract:
A freestanding fence supported on x-shaped posts or x-posts that sit on top of the ground. Two tubes are welded together at approximately a 55 degree angle to form each x-post. The legs of the x-posts are provided with adjustable length feet and with receivers for holding electrical or non-electrical fence wires. Universal joints secure horizontal members between adjacent x-posts. The universal joints secure to a pair of ears proved on each leg of the x-posts. An adjustable height footed vertical support member can be installed on each horizontal member approximately midway between the adjacent x-posts. The fence is constructed of easily transported and assembled pieces that can be disassembled, moved, and then reassembled as often as needed. Once assembled, the fence is strong and stable and can be used to mount various types of equipment such as lighting, security, camera, motion detection, solar panels, radio frequency identification devices, etc.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation in part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/713,052 filed on Mar. 1, 2007 for the invention entitled FREESTANDING FENCE. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a freestanding fence that is supported on footed x-shaped posts. A horizontal member extends between adjacent x-shaped posts and a footed vertical support member can be installed on each horizontal member approximately midway between the adjacent x-shaped posts to provide additional support. Several fence wires extend horizontally and connect adjacent x-shaped posts along the length of the fence. The horizontal members attach to the x-shaped posts with universal joints in the form of couplings that allow for both vertical and horizontal adjustment that allow the horizontal member to attach to the x-shaped posts at virtually any angle. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    It is often desirable to construct a freestanding fence that can later be moved and reused in a different location and used in a different configuration. Also, it would be desirable if the materials used to construct the fence where pieces that were easily transported using a pickup truck and could be assembled and disassembled using a few simple tools. 
         [0006]    The present invention addresses these needs by providing a freestanding fence that does not require the digging of post holes and installing posts in the ground. Further the present invention is constructed of readily available square tubing and a few connectors that attach together to construct a fence that can be made in almost any configuration and installed on almost any terrain. Because the present invention is constructed in pieces, it can be disassembled, moved, reconfigured and reassembled multiple times without damage to the pieces. 
         [0007]    Further, the present fence is not as likely to serve as a ground for lightening strikes as would a fence that had posts buried in the ground. This is particularly true when the feet of the present invention are pretreated with a non-conductive plastic or rubber coating. 
         [0008]    Still further, with only slight modification, the horizontal members of the present fence can be used as a conduit for water so that the fence can additionally be used as a lawn sprinkler. And the horizontal members can be used as a conduit for security system wiring, lighting, communications, fiber optics, electrical wiring, cameras, monitoring devices, solar panels, radio frequency identification devices, etc. 
         [0009]    Also, the present fence is structurally strong so that it can be used to mount additional equipment on the fence, such as for example monitoring devices, lighting, alarm systems, communication or transmission devices, cameras, motion detection equipment, radio frequency identification equipment, solar panels, etc. 
         [0010]    Because of the unique features of this fence and the easy and speed with which it can be constructed and deconstructed, the uses for the present fence are numerous. These uses may include agricultural applications; electrical, chemical and industrial facilities protection; and government installations, including military facilities, border perimeter fencing, etc. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The present invention is a freestanding fence that is supported on x-shaped posts. Each leg of the x-shaped posts has a post foot on its lower end on which the post rests upon the top of the ground. A horizontal member extends between adjacent x-shaped posts and a vertical support member can be installed on each horizontal member approximately midway between the adjacent x-shaped posts. Each vertical support member has a member foot on its lower end on which the vertical support member rests upon the top of the ground. 
         [0012]    Several fence wires extend horizontally and connect adjacent x-shaped posts along the length of the fence. The fence wires are attached to the posts with a combination of traditional electrical insulators and with non-conductive wire fasteners so that the fence wires can be connected to an appropriate electrical source to convert the fence into an electric fence. The horizontal members can be used as a conduit or structure for watering systems, network cabling conduits, lighting systems, cameras, radio frequency identification systems, solar panels, or security systems with only slight modifications to the tubing from which the horizontal members are constructed. And the x-shaped posts can be employed to support a water hose in the upwardly extending valley of the posts by simply laying a water hose on top of the posts. 
         [0013]    The horizontal members are attached to the posts by means of universal joints in the form of couplings that allow for both vertical and horizontal adjustment thereby allowing the fence to be arranged in straight, irregular, or curved arrangements when viewed from above and can be used on hilly, swampy, sandy, or rough outdoor or indoor terrain where it would be difficult to install traditional fence posts in the ground. 
         [0014]    The freestanding fence is constructed of easily assembled pieces which require only the use of a couple of wrenches to assemble. This allows an owner to easily transport the materials needed to construct the fence in the back of a pickup truck. And because the fence is constructed in pieces, it can be disassembled, moved, and then reassembled as often as needed. 
         [0015]    An alternate embodiment of the present invention employs alternate welded x-shaped posts instead of the x-shaped posts made with x-shaped connectors. The two tubes forming the alternate x-shaped posts or x-posts are welded or otherwise secured together at approximately a 55 degree angle. This angle provides maximum stability although the angle can be varied somewhat. The legs of the alternate x-shaped posts are provided with adjustable feet, and receivers for receiving wires therein are secured, preferably by welding, along the length of each tube. Also, a pair of ears is secured to the sides of each tube, preferably by welding and to which the universal joints secure as a means of securing the horizontal members to the alternate x-shaped posts, as previously described. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a freestanding fence constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is an end view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged side view of a vertical support member shown within the circled area associated with numeral  4  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an end view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged side view of the coupling shown within the circled area associated with numeral  7  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged end view of the post foot shown within the circled area associated with numeral  9  in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the post foot taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged end view of a non-conductive wire fastener shown within the circled area associated with numeral  11  in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is an exploded top plan view taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a side view taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is an end view of the non-conductive sleeve of the wire fastener taken along line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  is a top view of a freestanding fence constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating that the fence can be constructed with odd angles and curves. 
           [0031]      FIG. 16  is an end view similar to  FIG. 2  showing an alternate embodiment x-shaped post that may be used with the invention instead of the x-shaped post illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 17  is side view of the alternate x-shaped post of  FIG. 16  taken along line  17 - 17 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0033]    Referring now to drawings and initially to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a freestanding fence  10  constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The fence  10  is generally constructed of pieces of square tubing  12 ,  14 ,  15 , and  16  connected together by means of two types of connectors  18 ,  20 , one type of coupling  21 , and one type of fastener  22  to form vertically oriented x-shaped posts  24  and support members  26  that are connected together by horizontal members  28  and fence wire  30 , as will be more fully described hereafter. 
         [0034]    As best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each x-shaped post  24  is constructed of two pieces of square tubing  12  and  14  that are held together in a criss-cross orientation by a hollow x-shaped connector  18  so that the two pieces of square tubing  12  and  14  form the two legs  29  and  31  of the x-shaped posts  24 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , each x-shaped connector  18  is provided with a pair of hollow sleeves  32  and  34  for receiving the two pieces of square tubing  12  and  14 . A threaded bolt  35  extends through the wall of each sleeve  32  and  34  of the connector  18  to engage its associated piece of square tubing  12  or  14  as a means of securing the square tubing  12  or  14  within the x-shaped connector  18  and thus securing the two legs  29  and  31  of the x-shaped post  24  together. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 9 , each leg  29  and  31  of an x-shaped post  24  has a post foot  36  secured on its lower end. Each post foot  36  is provided with a hollow sleeve  38  and the lower end of the leg  29  or  31  is received within the hollow sleeve  38  and secured therein by means of another threaded bolt  35  that extends through the wall of the sleeve  38  to engage its associated leg  29  or  31 . The posts  24  rest on their post feet  36  upon the top of the ground. As shown in the  FIGS. 2 and 9 , the post feet  36  on the x-shaped posts  24  are at an acute angle  42  relative to the legs  29  and  31  of the posts  24  so that the post feet  36  will lay flat on the ground. This is necessary since the legs  29  and  31  of the x-shaped posts  24  are oriented at an acute angle  42  to the ground in the completed fence  10 . 
         [0036]    As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the x-shaped connector  18  is provided with a pair of ears  44 A and  44 B on either end of the connector  18 . The ears  44 A and  44 B of each pair are provided with bolt openings  46 A and  46 B therethrough which align vertically with a first bolt opening  47  provided in a first portion  21 ′ of the coupling  21  and receive a threaded bolt  35  therethrough as a means of securing a first portion  21 ′ of a coupling  21  to the x-shaped posts  24 . The bolt  35  is held in place by washers  51  and a nut  53 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the first portion  21 ′ of the coupling  21  attaches on an opposite end to another pair of ears  48 A and  48 B provided on a second portion  21 ″ of the coupling  21  that are oriented at 90 degrees from the pair of ears  44 A and  44 B provided on the x-shaped connector  18 . The second pair of ears  48 A and  48 B are also provided with a pair of bolt openings  49 A and  49 B therethrough which align horizontally with a second bolt opening  55  provided in the first portion  21 ′ of the coupling  21  and receive a threaded bolt  35  therethrough as a means of securing the first and second portions  21 ′ and  21 ″ of the coupling  21  together. The threaded bolt  35  is held in place with washers  51  and a nut  53 . 
         [0037]    By the ears  44 A and  44 B being oriented 90 degrees from the ears  48 A and  48 B, the coupling  21  allows for both vertical and horizontal adjustment of the angle of attachment of the horizontal members  28  to the x-shaped posts  24 . An opposite end of the second portion  21 ″ of the coupling  21  is provided with a hollow sleeve  50  designed to receive therein one end of the piece of square tubing  15  that forms the horizontal member  28 . The square tubing  15  of the horizontal member  28  is secured within the hollow sleeve  50  of the second portion  21 ″ of the coupling  21  by means of a threaded bolt  35  that extends through the wall of the second portion  21 ″ of the coupling  21  to engage the square tubing  15  of the horizontal member  28 . Additional horizontal members  28  extend between adjacent x-shaped posts  24  and are likewise secured on their opposite ends to the x-shaped posts  24  by additional couplings  21  and x-shaped connectors  18 . 
         [0038]    Because the couplings  21  that connect the horizontal members  28  to the posts  24  allow for horizontal adjustment, this enables the fence  10  to be arranged in straight, irregular, or curved arrangements when viewed from above, as illustrated in  FIG. 15 . And because the couplings  21  that connect the horizontal members  28  to the posts  24  also allow for vertical adjustment, this enables the fence  10  to be used on hilly, rocky, swampy, sandy, or rough outdoor or indoor terrain where it would be difficult to install traditional fence posts in the ground. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6 , a vertical support member  26  can be installed on each horizontal member  28  approximately midway between the adjacent x-shaped posts  24  to provide additional support. The vertical support member  26  has a top connector  20  that has a first hollow sleeve  52  for receiving therethrough the piece of square tubing  15  that forms the horizontal member  28 . The top connector  20  is also provided with a second hollow sleeve  54  at approximately a 90 degree angle from the first sleeve  52  for receiving the piece of square tubing  16  that forms the vertical support member  26 . The square tubing  16  is secured within the second sleeve  54  by means of a threaded bolt  35  that extends through the wall of the second sleeve  54  to engage the square tubing  16  of the vertical support member  26 . 
         [0040]    Each vertical support member  26  has a member foot  56  on its lower end on which the vertical support member  26  rests upon the top of the ground. Each member foot  56  has a hollow sleeve  58  for receiving the lower end of the square tubing  16  that forms the vertical support member  26 , and the square tubing  16  is secured within the sleeve  58  of its associated member foot  56  by means of a threaded bolt  35  that extends through the wall of the member foot&#39;s sleeve  58  and engages the square tubing  16 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , the member  56  provided on the vertical support members  26  are preferably at approximately a 90 degree angle relative to their associated vertical support members  26  so that the member feet  56  rest on the ground and hold the vertical support members  26  vertically above the ground. 
         [0041]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , several fence wires  30  extend horizontally and connect to adjacent x-shaped posts  24  along the length of the fence  10 . The fence wires  30  are attached to the fence posts  24  by a combination of traditional electrical insulators  60  and with non-conductive fasteners  22  so that the fence wires  30  can be connected to an appropriate electrical source (not illustrated) to convert the fence  10  into an electric fence. 
         [0042]    The non-conductive fasteners  22  are shown in detail in  FIGS. 11-14 . Each of these non-conductive fasteners  22  is provided with a hollow sleeve  62  with a threaded bolt  35  for securing the fastener  22  to a leg  29  or  31  of the x-shaped posts  24  by first inserting the leg  29  or  31  through the hollow sleeve  62  and then causing the threaded bolt  35  to engage the leg  29  or  31  to hold the fastener  22  on the leg  29  or  31 . Each non-conductive fastener  22  is provided with a pair of ears  64 A and  64 B that have horizontally aligned slots  66 A and  66 B for receiving a hollow non-conductive sleeve  68 . Each non-conductive sleeve  68  is provided with a longitudinal slit  70  therein so that the non-conductive sleeve  68  can be slipped over a fence wire  30  and then inserted into the aligned slots  66 A and  66 B in the pair of ears  64 A and  64 B provided on the fastener  22 . The longitudinal slit  70  is preferably inserted into the slots  66 A and  66 B first so that the wire  30  is captured within the slots  66 A and  66 B and held inside the hollow non-conductive sleeve  68 . 
         [0043]    As described and illustrated, the freestanding fence  10  is constructed of easily assembled pieces of tubing  12 ,  14 ,  15 , and  16  and post feet  36  and member feet  56  secured together with connectors  18  and  20 , couplings  21 , fasteners  22 , and fence wire  30  which require only the use of a couple of wrenches to assemble. This allows an owner to easily transport the materials needed to construct the fence  10  in the back of a pickup truck. And because the fence  10  is constructed in pieces, it can be disassembled, moved, and then reassembled as often as needed. 
         [0044]    Although not illustrated, the feet  36  and  56  can be pretreated with an electrically non-conductive coating to make the fence  10  even less likely to serve as an electrical ground for lightening strikes, making the fenced area safer for livestock that generally tend to congregate at the fence when a storm approaches. 
         [0045]    Further, although not specifically illustrated, by making only slight modifications to the horizontal members  28 , such as sealing both ends of the hollow pieces of square tubing  15  forming the horizontal members  28  and adding water nozzles at both ends, the horizontal members  28  of the present fence  10  can be used as a conduit for water. By also adding sprinkler heads, the fence  10  can additionally be used as a lawn sprinkler system. And with similar minor modifications, the horizontal members  28  can be used as conduit for lighting, security system wiring, cameras, fiber optics, network cabling, electrical wiring, radio frequency identification devices, solar panels, etc. 
         [0046]    And as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  the upper portion of each x-shaped connector  18  and posts  24  form a valley  72  that opens upward. Without any modifications to the fence  10 , these valleys  72  can be employed to support a water hose (not illustrated) or other similar items off of the ground by laying the items on top of the x-shaped connector  18 . 
         [0047]    Referring now to  FIGS. 16 and 17 , there is illustrated an alternate embodiment x-shaped post  100  that is used in association with the invention  10  instead of the x-shaped posts  24 . The two tubes  102  and  104  form the legs of the alternate x-shaped post  100 . The two legs  102  and  104  are welded or otherwise secured together at approximately a 55 degree angle (Angle Q). Each of the alternate x-shaped post&#39;s legs  102  and  104  is provided with an adjustable length foot  36 . 
         [0048]    Each of the alternate x-shaped post legs  102  and  104  is provided with a plurality of c-shaped receivers  106  secured along the length of the tubes  102  and  104 . The c-shaped receivers  106  are preferably welded to the tubes  102  and  104 . The c-shaped receivers  106  are designed for receiving the non-conductive hollow sleeve  68  and fence wire  30  therein, as previously described for the fasteners  22 . 
         [0049]    Also, a pair of ears  108 A and  108 B are secured to the each tube, preferably by welding. Each ear  108 A and  108 B is provided with a bolt opening  110 A and  110 B therethrough so that the bolt openings  110 A and  110 B provided in each pair of ears  108 A and  108 B are aligned and serve to replace the ears  44 A and  44 B as a means of attaching the coupler  21  to the alternate x-shaped post legs  102  and  104 . Together the ears  108 A and  108 B of the alternate x-shaped post  100 , the bolt  35  that movably attaches the coupler  21  to the ears  108 A and  108 B, and the coupler  21  collectively form a universal joint. The universal joints then secure the horizontal members  28  between adjacent alternate x-shaped posts  100 , in a manner similar to that previously described and illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  7 , and  8  in association with the x-shaped posts  24 . 
         [0050]    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 the 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.