Abstract:
A fence post assembly, as well as a fencing system and related method utilizing the fence post assembly, for forming a temporary enclosure, such as a horse corral for restraining horses. The fence post assembly is provided with an extensible and retractable fence strand, such as polytape or wire, as well as a ground anchor at one end of the post to enable the post to be anchored into the ground. The extendable and retractable fence strand is selectively positionable along the length of the post between the first and second opposite ends thereof. In addition, the fence strand can be electrically conductive to permit the enclosure to be electrified. Provision is made to maintain electrical continuity between fence strands.

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a fence post assembly for use in a portable fencing system and related method. The fence post assembly of the invention is particularly suited for use in forming a variety of animal enclosures, such as a portable horse corral and the like. However, the fence post assembly, fencing system and method also have utility in forming other types of enclosures or in defining other bounded areas. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Often times it is necessary to define a temporary enclosure or bounded area in a location that does not have an existing enclosure(s) or in which one or more additional enclosures are necessary. One example of a situation in which such a need arises is when one or more horses are brought to a location not having existing enclosures or where the existing enclosures are inadequate and must be supplemented by temporary enclosures. Rodeos, horse shows, and temporary training and/or grazing sites are examples of locations at which a temporary enclosure(s) may be necessary. 
     Previously, when a temporary enclosure was needed, such as for one or more horses, metallic fencing sections were generally hauled to the appropriate site and assembled to form an enclosure or horse corral. Typically, the fencing sections are heavy and difficult to assemble into a complete enclosure, as well as being hard to transport due to their weight and size. In addition, an enclosure made from metallic fencing can often be considered excessive when it is realized that an enclosure made from simpler components can adequately perform the intended function. 
     Therefore a need exists for an improved fencing system for use in forming a temporary enclosure or bounded area. 
     SUMMARY 
     The general purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved fence post assembly, as well as a fencing system and related method utilizing the improved fence post assembly, for forming a temporary enclosure, such as a horse corral for restraining horses. The fence post assembly is provided with an extensible and retractable fence strand, such as polytape or wire, as well as a ground anchor at one end of the fence post to enable the fence post to be anchored into the ground. 
     According to one aspect of the invention as defined in the claims, a fence post assembly is provided that comprises a fence post having first and second opposite ends, a ground anchor connected to the fence post adjacent the first end for anchoring the fence post, and a fence strand assembly connected to the fence post. The fence strand assembly includes an extendable and retractable fence strand, and the extendable and retractable fence strand is selectively positionable along the length of the fence post between the first and second opposite ends thereof. 
     According to another aspect of the invention as defined in the claims, a portable fencing system for forming an enclosure is provided that comprises at least one fence post assembly, with the at least one fence post assembly including: a fence post having first and second opposite ends, a ground anchor connected to the fence post adjacent the first end for anchoring the post; and a fence strand assembly connected to the post. The fence strand assembly includes an extendable and retractable fence strand, and the extendable and retractable fence strand is selectively positionable along the length of the fence post between the first and second opposite ends thereof. 
     In yet another aspect of the invention as defined in the claims, a method of forming an enclosure comprises providing a first fence post assembly having a fence post with first and second opposite ends, a ground anchor connected to the fence post adjacent the first end for anchoring the post; and a fence strand assembly connected to the post. The fence strand assembly includes an extendable and retractable fence strand, and the extendable and retractable fence strand is selectively positionable along the length of the post between the first and second opposite ends thereof. The method further includes anchoring the fence post to the ground, extending the fence strand a sufficient amount to at least partially form an enclosure; and positioning the fence strand along the length of the fence post to achieve the desired fence strand height. 
     In still another aspect of the invention, as defined in the claims, a fence strand assembly for a fence post is provided. The fence strand assembly includes a housing that includes a clamp assembly configured for releasable engagement with the fence post whereby the housing can be connected to and selectively positioned along the fence post. In addition, a fence strand material is at least partially disposed within the housing, with the fence strand material being extendable and retractable relative to the housing. 
     Another aspect of the invention, as defined in the claims, provides a fencing kit that comprises a plurality of fence post assemblies. Each fence post assembly includes a fence post, a ground anchor for anchoring the post, and a fence strand assembly. The fence strand assembly includes an extendable and retractable fence strand, and means for selectively positioning the fence strand along the length of the post. 
     These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages and objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying description, in which there is described a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several views: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a fence post assembly in accordance with the principles of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the components of the fence post assembly. 
     FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the fence strand assembly used on the fence post assembly. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the fence strand assembly. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the spindle used in the fence strand assembly. 
     FIGS. 6 a  and  6   b  are perspective views of the lock lever associated with the fence strand assembly. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the hook disposed at the end of the extensible/retractable fence strand. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the handle that is connected to the extensible/retractable fence strand. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a plurality of the fence post assemblies forming an enclosure. 
     FIGS. 10A-C illustrate perspective, top and bottom views of the ground anchor. 
     FIG. 11 illustrates a fence strand assembly for use in an electric fence system. 
     FIG. 12 illustrates a gate handle that is used to connect a bi-polar tape to an adjacent fence strand assembly. 
     FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate the two primary parts of the gate handle of FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 14 schematically illustrates the power supply and control used in the electric fence system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a fence post assembly  10  in accordance with the principles of the present invention is illustrated. The fence post assembly  10  generally includes a fence post  12 , a fence strand assembly  14  connected to the post  12  and adjustable along the length thereof, and a ground anchor  16  at one end of the post  12  to enable the post  12  to be anchored into the ground. 
     It is to be realized that although FIG. 1 illustrates the fence post assembly  10  as having a single fence strand assembly  14 , multiple fence strand assemblies  14  can be connected to the post  12  to permit a multi-strand fence. In addition, multiple fence post assemblies  10  can be stacked together to provide a multi-strand fence. For instance, a second post  12  of a second fence post assembly  10  could be designed for securement to the end of a first post  12 , such as by using removable fasteners such as screws, whereby the second post  12  is stacked on the first post  12  to increase the height of the resulting enclosure. The second fence post assembly  10  can include one or more fence strand assemblies  14 , that cooperate with the one or more fence strand assemblies on the first post in defining the enclosure. 
     With continued reference to FIG. 1, as well as to FIG. 2, the post  12  has a generally elongated, hollow, rectangular shape with a first end  18  and a second end  20 . The post  12  is made from suitable material, such as metal, plastic or fiberglass. The post  12  can have a cross-sectional shape other than rectangular, such as triangular or round, if desired. Further, it is also contemplated that the post  12  could be made solid rather than hollow. 
     Connected adjacent to the first end  18  of the post  12  is the ground anchor  16 . The ground anchor  16  is preferably made of metal, although plastic could be used as well. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 10A, the ground anchor  16  includes a sleeve  22  that fits over the post  12  adjacent the first end  18 . A pin, bolt, rivet or other suitable fastener (not shown) preferably extends through holes  24  provided in the sleeve  22  and through the post  12  in order to secure the ground anchor  16  to the post  12 . Extending from the bottom of the sleeve  22  is a shaft  26  with an auger  28  disposed at the bottom end of the shaft  26 . The auger  28  permits the post  12  to be screwed into the ground, thereby anchoring the fence post  10  into the ground. The ground anchor  16  could also be designed to fit within the end  18  of the post  12 , rather than over the end  18  of the post  12 . In one implementation, a shaft  26  having a length of about 8 to about 12 inches has been found to be effective. Other shaft lengths could be used if desired. 
     The details of an exemplary design of the ground anchor  16  are illustrated in FIGS. 10A-C. Between the bottom of the sleeve  22  and the shaft  26  is a plate  21 . The plate  21  is designed to engage the ground when the anchor  16  is screwed into the ground, thereby providing stability to the post  12 . As is evident from FIG. 10A, the plate  21  is preferably a square with sides having dimension d 2  so that the plate extends beyond the sides of the sleeve  22  a certain distance d 1  to provide the stabilizing effect. In one implementation, it has been found that a plate  21  having a dimension d 2  equalling about 3 inches, and a distance d 1  equalling about 0.5 inches, provides adequate stability. However, it is to be realized that other plate dimensions could be used as well. 
     To permit drainage of any moisture that may enter the post  12  or the sleeve  22 , at least one, and preferably two or more, weep holes  23  are provided in the plate  21  as best seen in FIG.  10 B. In addition, the auger  28  is designed to facilitate insertion into the ground. If the auger is too wide, it is difficult to screw the anchor into the ground. Therefore, the dimensions of the auger  28  are selected to facilitate insertion into the ground. By way of example, the auger  28  can have the following dimensions: 
     d 3 —about 2.5 inches 
     d 4 —about 0.5 inches 
     d 5 —about 0.5 inches 
     d 6 —about 0.25 inches 
     R—about 1.0 inch 
     about 0.666 threads per inch. 
     It is to be realized that the auger  28  can have other dimensions as well, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     One embodiment of the fence strand assembly  14 , best seen in FIG. 2, includes a housing  30  that is slidably connected to the post  12  to permit adjustment of the housing  30  along the length of the post  12 . The housing  30  is preferably formed from injection molded plastis, such as polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or other engineering grade plastics. However, in certain constructions such as a non-electric version, the housing or portions thereof could be formed from a metal material if desired. 
     Disposed within the housing  30  in a cup-shaped depression  32  thereof (best seen in FIG. 4) is a roll of fence strand material  34 . The fence strand material  34  is illustrated in the figures as being a tape, such as polytape. However, it is to be recognized that other fence strand materials, such as wire or rope, could be used as well. In addition, as will be described in more detail later in the description, the fence strand material  34  can be electrified to provide an electric fence system. 
     One end of the fence strand material  34  extends through a slot  36  formed in the side of the housing  30 , while the opposite end of the fence strand material  34  is secured to a spindle  38 . The spindle  38 , best seen in FIG. 5, includes a plurality of slots  40  therein through which the end of the fence strand material  34  extends such that rotation of the spindle in the appropriate direction causes the fence strand material  34  to be wound onto the spindle. The bottom end of the spindle  38  forms a pivot  42  which fits through a hole provided in the bottom of the cup-shaped depression  32  (see FIG.  4 ), with the spindle secured in place by a locking clip  44  engaging with a slot  46  in the pivot  42 . 
     A spool  48  is rotatably received at the top of the housing  30  and closes off the cup-shaped depression  32  so that the roll of fence strand material  34  is enclosed within the housing. The spool  48  and housing  30  prevent ingress of water, dirt and other contaminants to the roll of fence strand material  34  thereby increasing the reliability and operational life of the fence strand assembly  14 . The spool  48  includes a hole therein that receives a correspondingly shaped head  50  on the spindle  38 . As illustrated in the figures, the hole and head  50  are rectangular in shape, although it is to be realized that other shapes, such as triangular, pentagonal or the like, could be used. 
     As best seen in FIG. 3, a crank handle  52  is disposed on, formed on, or otherwise connected to the top surface of the spool  48 . The crank handle  52  is sized and shaped so as to permit manual or mechanical rotation of the spool  48 . Rotation of the spool  48  causes rotation of the spindle  38 , due to the fit of the head  50  into the spool hole. Thus, the spool  48  can be rotated via the crank handle  52 , thereby rotating the spindle  38 , to either pay-out (i.e. extend) the fence strand material  34  or wind-up (i.e. retract) the fence strand material  34 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 3,  4 ,  6   a  and  6   b , a locking mechanism is preferably provided in order to lock the fence strand material  34  and prevent further retraction/extension of the fence strand material  34 . The lock mechanism includes a lock lever  54  that is pivotally secured on the housing  30  adjacent the slot  36  to control ingress/egress of the fence strand material  34  through the slot  36 . The lock lever  54  includes a pair of pivot pins  56  that snap fit into suitably provided holes in the housing  30 . A clamp bar  58  formed on the lock lever  54  forcibly clamps the fence strand material  34  against a wire finger  60  (see FIG. 4) and against the housing  30 , when the lock lever  54  is in the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and prevents further ingress/egress of the fence strand material  34  through the slot  36 . A scalloped depression  62  is formed on the lock lever  54  to permit a persons finger(s) to get behind the lever to facilitate pivoting of the lever to an unlock position where the lever  54  projects from the outline of the housing  30 . 
     The wire finger  60  discussed above forms one end of a wire  64  that extends beneath the cup-shaped depression  32  as best seen in FIG.  4 . The opposite end of the wire  64  extends through a slot  66  in the housing  30  and forms a loop  68 . The loop  68  permits connection of fence strand material  34  to the housing  30 . 
     With reference now to FIGS. 1,  2  and  7 , a strand connector  70  is connected to the end of the fence strand material  34 . The strand connector  70  is preferably formed from a metal, such as stainless steel, or from a suitable plastic material. The connector  70  includes a buckle end  72  provided with a series of slots  74  through which the end of the fence strand material  34  is woven like a buckle so that the end of the fence strand material and the connector  70  are securely fastened. The opposite end of the connector  70  is formed into a hook  76  which is intended to engage the loop  68  to connect the end of the fence strand material  34  to the housing  30 . The construction of the connector  70  is particularly suited for use with a tape, such as polytape, as the fence strand strand material. If the fence strand material  34  is slender, such as wire or rope, an alternate connector that is more suited for connection to a slender fence strand member, but also is able to connect to the housing, could be used. 
     In certain electric fencing systems, the connector  70  is preferably formed from metal so that electrical current is transferred from the fence strand material of one housing, through the connector  70  which connects to the loop  68  and into the wire  64  of an adjacent housing which carries the current across the adjacent housing to the finger  60  which in turn is in electrical contact with the fence strand material of the adjacent housing as a result of the clamping action provided by the lock lever  54 . In this manner, electrical continuity can be maintained. When the fence is not electrified, the connector  70  can be either metal or plastic, and connects to the housing in the manner described or in any other suitable manner. 
     An optional gate handle  78  can be provided to facilitate handling of the end of the fence strand material  34 . When used, the gate handle  78  is preferably formed of extruded polyvinylchloride (PVC) or other suitable plastic, and includes a channel  80  formed therethrough. The fence strand material  34  slides through the channel  80  and the buckle end  72  of the connector  70  wedges tightly into the channel  80 . Thus, when used, the gate handle  78  provides a convenient handle by which a user can grasp and hold the end of the fence strand material  34 . 
     As mentioned, the fence strand assembly  14  is adjustable along the length of the post  12 . To accomplish the adjustment, the housing  30  is provided with a clamp assembly  82  that defines a shape, corresponding to the shape of the post  12 , to permit clamping engagement of the housing  30  with the post  12 . The clamp assembly  82  includes a bolt  84 , a washer  86  and a knob  88  that cooperate in a manner known in the art to tighten and loosen the clamp assembly  82 . Through appropriate rotation of the knob  88 , the clamp assembly  82  is loosened and the fence strand assembly  14  can be adjusted along the length of the post  12  to the desired height. Rotation of the knob  88  in the opposite direction tightens the clamp assembly  82  and locks the fence strand assembly  14  in position. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cap  90  fits into and closes off the second end  20  of the post  12 . The cap could also fit over the second end of the post. 
     Although a clamp assembly  82  has been described herein as permitting adjustment of the housing  30 , other means permitting adjustment of the housing  30  could be utilized as well. For instance, an indexing system including a plurality of indexing holes along the length of the post  12  and an indexing pin inserted through a portion of the housing  30  and into a selected one of the indexing holes could be used. 
     As described previously, the fence post assembly  10  can be used to form an electric fence or enclosure. In an electric fence version, the fence strand material  34  must be constructed so as to permit conduction of electricity. When the fence strand material  34  is a tape, as illustrated in the figures, the type of tape used can be a bi-polar tape. Bi-polar tapes, which are generally known in the art, include a hot wire(s) and a ground wire extending along the length thereof. 
     A conducting wire, rather than tape, can be used as the fence strand material  34  if desired. A suitable type of wire is polywire. The use of wire permits a longer length of fence strand material  34  to be used on the spool  48 , as compared to using tape. By way of example, for the same size spool, it has been found that the length of the wire can be up to about four time greater than the length of the tape. 
     As discussed above, in an electric fence version, electrical continuity is required between a fence strand that connects to the housing  30  and the fence strand that exits the housing  30 . As discussed for FIGS. 1-8, the wire  64  is used to transfer electricity between fence strands. In this regard, the wire  64 , which is made of metal or other conducting material, provides the necessary electrical path through the housing  30  which in this version is made from a non-conducting material such as plastic. 
     FIGS. 11-13 illustrate a construction that is designed for use when the fence strand material  34  is a bi-polar tape. Because bi-polar tape has ground and hot wires, the wire  64 ′ is constructed differently than the wire  64 , in that the loop  68 ′ of the wire  64 ′ is provided with a plastic or other non-conducting piece  69  that divides the loop  68 ′ into separate wires  68   a ,  68   b . One wire, for example bottom wire  68   a , is designed to electrically connect to the hot wire(s) in the bi-polar tape, and runs under the cup shaped depression as shown in FIG.  4 . The other wire, for example top wire  68   b , is designed to electrically connect to the ground wire(s) in the bi-polar tape, and runs through the housing, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 11, without interfering with the rotation of the roll of bi-polar tape disposed in the housing. Likewise, the finger  60 ′ is also provided with a non-conducting piece  61  that divides the finger  60 ′ into separate wires  60   a ,  60   b . The wire  60   a  is connected to the wire  68   a  via the portion that runs under the cup shaped depression, and the wire  60   b  is connected to the wire  68   b  as shown by the dashed lines in FIG.  11 . Therefore, the wires  60   a ,  68   a  form a first electrical path through the housing while the wires  60   b ,  68   b  form a second electrical path. The non-conducting pieces  61 ,  69  separate the first and second electrical paths from each other. 
     As further illustrated in FIG. 11, the clamp bar  58  on the lock lever  54  is provided with serrated teeth  59 . When the lock lever  54  is pivoted to the clamping position, the serrated teeth  59  press the bi-polar tape against the wires  60   a ,  60   b . The serrated teeth  59  provide an improved electrical connection between the hot and ground wires in the tape exiting the housing and the wires  60   a ,  60   b.    
     FIGS. 12,  13 A and  13 B illustrate a gate handle  110  that is used to connect the bi-polar tape to the housing  30  while maintaining electrical continuity across the housing, The gate handle  110  replaces the connector  70  and gate handle  78  arrangement described in FIGS. 1-8. A first clamping plate  112 , shown in FIG. 13A, of the gate handle  110  cooperates with a second clamping plate  114 , shown in FIG. 13B, to clamp the bi-polar tape  34  therebetween whereby the gate handle  110  is securely attached to the end of the tape  34 , as well as providing for an electrical connection between the hot and ground wires of the bi-polar tape  34  and the hook  68 ′ on the housing. Each clamping plate  112 ,  114  is formed from a non-conducting plastic material. The tape  34  is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 13A to illustrate its position relative to the plate  112 . 
     With reference to FIG. 13A, the first clamping plate  112  includes a first end  116  adjacent which there is provided a pair of spaced holes  118   a ,  118   b . Projecting from the interior surface of the plate  112  are two pairs of tapered ribs  120   a ,  120   b . The ribs  120   a ,  120   b  generally increase in height as they extend from the first end  116  toward a second, connecting end  122  of the plate  112 , with each rib including a relatively sharp, pointed tip  124 . Between each pair of ribs  120   a ,  120   b , a metal contact strip  126   a ,  126   b  extends. The contact strips  126   a ,  126   b  extend from adjacent the first end  116  of the plate  112 , where the ends of the strips engage stops  128  projecting from the interior surface, through a pair of channels  130   a ,  130   b  formed in a trough  132 , and toward the connecting end  122  where the opposite ends of the strips  126   a ,  126   b  contact stops  134 . In addition, an internally threaded boss  136  projects from the interior surface of the plate  112  between the trough  132  and the connecting end  122  and between the stops  134 . 
     With reference to FIG. 12 and 13A, the trough  132  forms a channel  138  that opens toward the exterior surface of the plate  112 . The portion of each strip  126   a ,  126   b  that extends through the respective channels  130   a ,  130   b  is thus disposed within the channel  138  and is accessible from outside the gate handle  110 . It is the portions of the strips  126   a ,  126   b  disposed within the channel  138  that are to contact the wires  68   a ,  68   b  when the gate handle  110  is connected to the housing. 
     With reference to FIG. 13B, the interior surface of the clamping plate  114  that in use faces the interior surface of the clamping plate  112  is visible. A pair of connecting legs  140   a ,  140   b  project from the interior surface of the plate  114  adjacent a first end  142  thereof. The legs  140   a ,  140   b  are sized to fit within the holes  118   a ,  118   b , respectively, whereby the ends  116 ,  142  of the plates  112 ,  114  are engaged with each other. 
     In addition, a boss  144  having a through hole  146  projects from the interior surface of the plate  114  at a location that corresponds to the location of the boss  136  on the plate  112  when the two plates  112 ,  114  are secured together. The boss&#39;s  136 ,  144  cooperate with each other to form a means, along with the legs  140   a ,  140   b  and holes  118   a ,  118   b , whereby the two plates  112 ,  114  are securely fastened together in a releasable manner. Preferably, a threaded screw (not illustrated) is used to secure the two plates, with the screw extending through the through hole  146  of the boss  144  and into threaded engagement with the boss  136 . The screw is preferably inserted through the exterior side of the plate  114 , and the boss  144  is preferably countersunk on the exterior side thereof so that the head of the screw is recessed into the gate handle  110 . 
     Two pairs of ribs  148   a ,  148   b  project from the interior surface of the plate  114 . The ribs  148   a ,  148   b  have a shape that is similar to the ribs  120   a ,  120   b , and each rib also includes a relatively sharp, pointed tip  152 . The positioning, size and spacing of the ribs  148   a ,  148   b  are such that when the plates  112 ,  114  are secured together, the ribs  148   a  are located between the two ribs  120   a , and the ribs  148   b  are located between the two ribs  120   b . When this occurs, the tape  34  is firmly pushed against the contact strips  126   a ,  126   b , which in turn are pressed against the interior surface of the plate  112 , thereby ensuring that electrial contact occurs between the tape&#39;s hot and ground wires and the contact strips. As an example, if the hot wire h and ground wire g of the tape are located as shown in FIG. 13A, the hot wire h will be pressed against the contact strip  126   a  by the ribs  148   a , while the ground wire g will be pressed against the contact strip  126   b  by the ribs  148   b . Further, the pointed tips  124 ,  152  engage with the tape  34  and prevent the tape  34  from being pulled from the gate handle  110 . 
     The plate  114  further includes a flange  154  adjacent an end thereof opposite the end  142 . The flange  154  cooperates with and is positioned closely adjacent to a wall  156  on the plate  112  when the plates  112 ,  114  are connected together in order to substantially close off the interior of the gate handle  110  from the exterior thereof. 
     Returning to FIG. 13A, it is seen that the plate  112  includes a lip  158  at the connecting end  122 . In use, the interior surface of the lip  158  rests on one surface of the housing  30 , while the surface formed by the flange  154  and wall  156  rest on another surface. 
     After the tape  34  is placed between the two plates  112 ,  114  and the plates are fastened together, the gate handle  110  is connected to the housing  30  in the following manner. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the connecting end  122  is inserted through the loop  68 ′. The gate handle  110  is then rotated so that the connecting end  122  engages with the corner of the housing  30 . In particular, the interior surface of the lip  158  rests on one corner surface, while the surface formed by the flange  154  and wall  156  rest on another corner surface, thereby achieving a secure connection of the gate handle to the housing. 
     Further, rotation of the gate handle  110  disposes the loop  68 ′ and the wires  68   a ,  68   b  thereof within the channel  138  of the trough  132 , where the wires  68   a ,  68   b  contact the portions of the strips  126   a ,  126   b  disposed within the channel  138 . Thus, because the hot and ground wires of the tape are in electrical contact with the contact strips  126   a ,  126   b , the wires  68   a ,  68   b  of the loop  68 ′ are in contact with the contact strips, the wires  60   a ,  60   b  are connected to the wires  68   a ,  68   b , and the wires  60   a ,  60   b  are in electrical contact with the tape that exits the opposite side of the housing  30 , electrical continuity is maintained between the tape and the tape that exits. Disconnection is achieved by rotating the gate handle  110  to an extent that permits the connection end  122  to be removed from the loop  68 ′. 
     With reference to FIG. 14, in the electric fence version, electricity can be provided by the use of one or more solar panels  150 , either mounted on the fence post assembly  10  or provided as a stand alone structure. Alternatively, one or more batteries  160  provided on or in the fence post assembly  10  can be used to provide electrical power. Preferably, the batteries are used in combination with the solar panels, with the solar panels being used to recharge the batteries. A fence controller  170  is provided for controlling operation of the fence post assembly  10 . The controller  170  can be mounted in a variety of locations, for example within the fence post  12  or on the exterior thereof, or it can be provided as a stand-alone unit. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates four fence post assemblies  10 A-D (each of which is identical to fence post assembly  10 ) that are arranged to form an enclosure  100 . An exemplary assembly procedure to form the enclosure  100  is as follows: the four fence post assemblies  10 A-D are located at the corners of the enclosure that is to be formed. The anchors  16  are screwed into the ground, and the posts  12  are then attached to the anchors  16 . The fence strand material  34  is then unwound from the roll of fence post assembly  10 A by pulling on the end of the fence strand material and/or by rotating the spool  48  in the appropriate direction. The end of the fence strand material  34  is then connected to the housing on the fence post assembly  10 B. A similar procedure is repeated for fence post assemblies  10 B-D, with fence post assembly  10 B connecting to fence post assembly  10 C, fence post assembly  10 C connecting to fence post assembly  10 D, and fence post assembly  10 D connecting to fence post assembly  10 A. The housings are adjusted up or down along the posts as needed to provide the desired fence strand height. Although an exemplary procedure for forming the enclosure  100  has been described, other assembly procedures could be used as well. 
     It should be realized that when the enclosure shown in FIG. 9 is to be electrified, the electrical continuity between the fence strand material of one fence post assembly and the fence strand material of another fence post assembly is maintained, in one embodiment, by using the gate handle  110  illustrated in FIGS. 12,  13 A, and  13 B. 
     Instead of using four identical fence post assemblies  10 A-D, a larger or smaller number of fence post assemblies could be used to form the enclosure. For instance, if sufficient quantity of fence strand material  34  is available on the roll, the enclosure could be formed by running the material  34  from the housing of one fence post assembly  10 , around man-made objects such as fence posts that do not have fence strand material rolls and housings as described herein, or around natural objects such as trees, and back to the original fence post assembly where it would connect to the housing. This type of enclosure using a fence post assembly with a single housing is particularly useful when the fence strand material that is used is wire, as the length of wire that can be used on a spool is much greater than the length of tape that can be used on the spool. 
     In addition, one or more of the fence post assemblies could be used in combination with existing structure(s) to form the enclosure. For instance, one or more fence post assemblies  10  could be used in combination with a side wall of a building or vehicle structure to form the enclosure. Moreover, the end of the fence strand material  34  could be connected to the structure, rather than to an adjacent fence post assembly. 
     Each fence post assembly can be provided individually or as part of a kit along with one or more additional fence post assemblies. Moreover, the components of the fence post assembly  10 , including the fence strand assembly  14 , the fence post  12  and the ground anchor  16 , can be provided as separate elements, thereby permitting replacement of one of the components in the event that a component should break, fail or otherwise need replacement. 
     To provide added stability to the fence post assembly  10 , a guy wire  200  can extend from a portion of the fence post assembly  10  with the opposite end of the guy wire  200  anchored to the ground. As an example, as shown in FIG. 1, the guy wire  200  can connect to the clamp assembly  82 . 
     It is to be understood that while certain embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, the invention is not limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown. Rather, the invention is defined by the following claims.