Abstract:
A fence panel that includes a self-contained connector system which can be used to interconnect, in assembling an animal enclosure, up to four of the panels quickly and easily without the need for additional posts, connectors, or other apparatus.

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/434,928, filed Dec. 19, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to the general field of connecting multiple cattle/horse panels together safely and, more particularly, to such panels that include an apparatus for connecting up to four cattle/horse panels together safely without using a separate special connector or post. 
   2. Background of the Art 
   Farm and ranching animals, such as cattle and horses, are often contained in an area by gates or panels that may be either temporary or semi-permanent in style and function. The panels are typically rectangular in structure and have a plurality of horizontal cross bars. The individual panels may be supported by a base member located on the bottom of a vertical post of the panels, allowing the base member to function as a brace to hold the panels upright. The rectangular structure of the panels having the horizontal cross bars for barring animal movement and the base members used for additional stability allow multiple panels to be positioned together and connected so as to form an enclosure to contain cattle or horses. 
   There are several types of connectors known in that art that have been used to connect the panels together in order to form a barrier for cattle or horses. One technique uses a flexible chain that may be attached by either using a hooking mechanism or welding one end of the chain to one of the panels; the opposite end of the chain is then attached by a hooking mechanism to the other panel(s) in order to hold the panels together. This method often proves difficult for one person to use while attaching panels alone and further may be difficult to use when trying to attach more than two panels to each other. The use of a chain is also problematic due to the extra movement allowed between the panels. When a chain is used as a method of connection the panels may slide around and shift due to the ability of the connector to hold them in position, thus creating a pen that is not able to withstand the forces exerted by the cattle and horses and thus may potentially cause a hoof or leg of an animal to become caught or trapped between shifting panels. 
   Other connectors use a pin-chain combination in which the chain fastens to a drop pin thus allowing the pin to be easily inserted and removed while not risking dropping or fumbling of the pin. Another connecting mechanisms currently uses a pin system. Both the pin-chain combination and the pin system are impossible to connect three or four panels together by using the connector that is attached to the panel. The user is forced to buy an adapter, use bailing wire, or buy an extra post to allow for the extra connections. 
   Another form of connecting mechanism claims the ability to connect the panels together on virtually any terrain however, the standard connection only allows hooking one or two male connectors to one female connector and it is foreseeable that varying terrains would make a female-male connection difficult due to the potential uneven surfaces or angles the panels might adjust to. Three-way and four-way corral adapters are available for hooking two female connectors to one male or two female connectors to two male. The use of connectors using a female-male connecting system is again more difficult for one person to use and the necessity of having a special adapter creates connecting problems when the need for a three-way or four-way connection is not anticipated prior to use. 
   In this way it is desirable that the panels be easily connected, including potentially being connected in multiple connections as well as forming connections on uneven ground, and that the connected panels be strong enough to withstand the pressure and force exerted by the contained animals. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention consists of a fence panel that includes a connector apparatus that can be used to simply and easily connect two, three, or four panels together without the use of any additional posts, connectors, or other apparatus. The fence panels have first end portion on which is mounted one or more pin connector units and a second end portion on which is mounted, in corresponding number and position, one or more connector loops. Two panels may be interconnected first end portion to second end portion by interconnecting the pin connector unit to a corresponding connector loop. A first end portion of a third panel can be interconnected to the first two by interconnecting the pin connector units of the first and third panel. A second end portion of a fourth panel can be interconnected to the other three by interconnection of the pin connector unit of the third panel with the connector loop of the fourth panel. 
   On object of the present invention is to provide apparatus forming a part of a fence panel by which two, three, or four of the panels may be interconnected without requiring the use of a supplemental post, separate connector or adaptor, or other such apparatus. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for safely, quickly, and easily interconnecting up to four panels to each other. 
   These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following specification, drawings, and claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a fence panel of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of two panels interconnected by apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of three panels interconnected by apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of four panels interconnected by apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 5   a–d  are enlarged top, side, front and perspective views of a pin connector unit of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   There is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , generally at  10 , a fence panel of the present invention. The generally rectangular panel  10  includes a top rail  12 , a bottom rail  14 , a first end rail  16 , and a second end rail  18 . A plurality of parallel, spaced-apart, horizontal rails  20  are attached at opposite end portions to the end rails  16  and  18 , and a vertical rail  22  is attached at opposite end portions centrally of the top rail  12  and the bottom rail  14  and is also secured to each of the horizontal rails  20 . In a preferred embodiment, the end rails  16  and  18  extend below the bottom rail  14  and curve upwardly to form feet  24  and  26  which support the panel  10  on the ground and ease movement of the panels  10  by a user by providing a pivot point when the opposite end of the panel  10  is elevated. 
   The panel  10  includes one or more corresponding pairs of connection systems, including a pin connector unit  28  mounted on the first end rail  16  and a connector loop  30  mounted at a corresponding position on the second end rail  18 . In the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , there are two pair of the connector systems, one mounted near the top rail  12  and the other mounted near the bottom rail  14 . 
   A pin connector unit  28  is illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 5   a–d . The pin connector unit  28  includes a U-shaped bracket  32  and a releasable closing member or pin  34 . The U-shaped bracket  32  has a pair of aligned pin openings  36   a  and  36   b , one each in the end portion of each arm of the U-shaped bracket  32 , as well as a pair of aligned elongated openings  38   a  and  38   b , one each in each arm of the U-shaped bracket  32  interiorly of the aligned pin openings  36 . The pin  34  has a shaft  40  and an enlarged head  42  and the shaft  40  is received in the openings  36  in the arms of the bracket  32  with the enlarged head  42  being larger than the openings  36  so that it supports the pin  34  across the arms of the bracket  32 . 
   A connector loop  30  is best illustrated in  FIG. 2 . It is made of a piece of rod that has been bent to form a U-shaped loop  44  and a pair of downwardly extended support arms  46  that are secured to the second end rail  18  by weldments or the like. A pin connector unit  128  is secured to the first end rail  116  of a second panel  110  by weldments or the like. As illustrated, the two panels  10  and  110  are releasably interconnected to each other by removing the pin  34  from the bracket  132 , orienting the panels  10  and  110  so that the opening of the loop  44  is aligned with the pin openings  136  of the bracket  132  and then dropping the pin  134  into the aligned openings and loop thereby capturing the connector loop  30  inside the bracket  132 . While only the top connector system is shown, it is to be understood that a user typically will also capture the lower connector loop inside the corresponding lower pin connector unit. Additionally, while the panels  10  and  110  are shown in substantial linear alignment, it is to be understood that the panels can be pivoted relative to each other through a wide angle until the end rail  18  of panel  10  comes into contact with the bracket  132  of the panel  110 . 
   A third panel  210  can be interconnected to the two panels  10  and  110 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The pin  234  of the third panel  210  is removed from the bracket  232  and the panel  210  is oriented to align the pin openings of the bracket  232  with the elongated openings of the bracket  132 . The pin  234  is then dropped into the two pairs of aligned openings to capture the bracket  232  inside the bracket  132 . Again, it is expected that typically the user will also similarly interconnect the pin connector units of the two panels  110  and  210  at the lower portions of the two panels. Note also that while the third panel  210  is shown substantially perpendicular to the first two panels  10  and  110 , all three may be pivoted relative to each other to a wide range of positions within the limits imposed by the connector systems. 
   A fourth panel  310  can be interconnected to the three panels  10 ,  110  and  210 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The pin  234  of the third panel  210  is removed from the bracket  232  and the panel  310  is oriented to align the opening in the loop  344  with the elongated openings of the bracket  132  and the pin openings of the bracket  232 . The pin  234  is then dropped into the three pairs of aligned openings to capture the bracket loop  344  inside the brackets  132  and  232 . Again, it is expected that typically the user will also similarly interconnect the pin connector units of the three panels  110 ,  210  and  310  at the lower portions of the panels. Note also that while the fourth panel  310  is shown substantially perpendicular to the other three panels, all four may be pivoted relative to each other to a wide range of positions within the limits imposed by the connector systems. 
   The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments of the present inventions. The foregoing embodiments and the methods described herein may vary based on the ability, experience, and preference of those skilled in the art. Merely listing the steps of the method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of the method. The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the claims are so limited. Those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.