Patent Publication Number: US-6217007-B1

Title: Fence system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to fence systems, and more particularly to a fencing system that allows horizontal fence slats to be mounted on the fence posts without fasteners. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Fence systems are usually constructed by placing post in the ground along the perimeter of the fence, and then horizontal members are secured between post on which vertical fence members are attached to complete the fence. Other systems may include fence posts and a plurality of horizontal fence members secured between post. Both types of fence construction require that both the vertical and horizontal fence members be secured to other fence members, including the posts, with nails or long screws. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,307, shows mounting devices for mounting preconstructed fence panels. The mounting devices are secured to the fence post and to one side of the fence panel to mount the panel between two post. The panels have to be preconstructed and consume a lot of time in being assembled. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,523, describers a fence system in which horizontal fence rails extend through the posts and are utilized to provide a double fence system where vertical fence member are on both sides of the fence. In order to eliminate the necessity of having to drill through the fence post to provide openings through which top and bottom rails extend, a connector is described having two c-shaped parts that provides a support for the upper fence rail. 
     In the above and other prior art fence systems, it is time consuming to assemble the fence members to form panels, or secure the vertical fence members to horizontal rails to assemble the fence. Even when preassembled panels are used, the panels have to be assembled prior to mounting them on fence rails and posts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a fence system in which fence posts or attachments to fence post have slots that hold a plurality of horizontal fence elements without the aid of screws or nails. A plurality of the horizontal fence elements are placed in individual slots, one above the other to form the fence between posts. The slots are positioned along the posts so that the horizontal fence elements overlap preventing one from looking through the fence between horizontal elements. The horizontal fence elements may be slightly incline to permit air to circulate through the fence. 
     The slots in which the horizontal fence elements are placed in an elongated attachment that is attached to a fence post, or may be included in the fence post. A top rail is positioned over the fence along its length and fastened at it ends to the fence post. Fascia boards may be attached to the top rail board. The top rail and fascia boards form an enclosed area along the top of the fence. Electric lighting and/or watering misting systems may be placed in the enclosed area along the top of the fence. Double faced fences may be constructed by mounting an elongated attachment to opposites sides of the fence post, and elongated attachments are on adjacent sides of a fence post at the corner of a fence. 
     Various other objects may be mounted on the fence using fingered mounts that hold the object on the fence. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a fence attachment device mounted on a fence post; 
     FIG. 1 a  shows a fence post with a single column attachment device; 
     FIG. 1 b  shows a stand-alone movable fence post; 
     FIG. 2 shows the connection of the top rail to the fence post; 
     FIG. 3 shows a fence attachment device attached to a square fence post; 
     FIG. 3 a  shows the to rail attachment device; 
     FIG. 4 shows a combination fence attachment device and fence post; 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the fence attachment device; 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of the fence attachment device; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the fence attachment device; 
     FIG. 7 a  is an enlarged view of a portion of the fence attachment device; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the fence attachment showing fence rails mounted in the mounting slots; 
     FIG. 9 is a front view of the front trim for the fence attachment device; 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of the front trim for the fence attachment device; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-section view of the device, shown in FIG. 2, for connecting the top rail to a post; 
     FIG. 12 is a top view of the device of FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 13 shows a container attached to the fence rails; 
     FIG. 14 is a side view of the container attached to the fence rai 1 s; 
     FIG. 15 shows a second embodiment of a holder attached to the fence; 
     FIG. 16 shows a universal attachment device for attaching objects to the fence; 
     FIG  17  shows a support clip for supporting the middle portions of the fence rails; 
     FIG. 18 shows the support clip mounted between fence rails; 
     FIG. 19 shows a second embodiment of a support clip; 
     FIGS. 20 and 21 show a single clip to be placed between two fence slats; and 
     FIG. 22 shows several sections of the fence system. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows a fence attachment device  10  mounted on a fence post  8  with U-bolts  7  extending though openings  18  positioned along the length of attachment  10  through sides  11  and  12 . Fence rails or slats  9  are mounted in a plurality of mounts  14  spaced along device  10 . Each end of fence slats  9  are placed in mounts  14  between adjacent fence poles. Each end of a fence slat  9  is placed against a surface  15  of each mount device  14 , resting on lip  16  and held between projections  17  and  19 , projection  17  being on the surface  15  against which the fence slat  9  is placed, and projection  19  is on the back of the mount immediately above the mount in which the slat is mounted. An extended member  13  separates two vertical rows of mount devices  14 . Slats  9  are mounted in each set of mount devices, and are separated by extended member  13 . A panel  20  is then attached to extension  13  to cover the end of the slats  9  and to hold slats  9  in position. Extension  13  is U-shaped with an opening  13   a  extending the length of extension  13  separating the two legs of the U-shape. This permits attachment device to be separated into two parts as illustrated in FIG. 1 a . Only one-half of attachment device  10  is use at the end of a fence or corner of a fence. FIG. 1 a  shows one-half of attachment  10  with a plurality of mounts  14   a , for example, that would be used on a post at the end of a fence. 
     FIG. 1 b  shows a stand-alone fence post mounted in a base  45 . Base  45  has an tube  48  with an opening  49  slightly larger than post  8 , and into which post  8  is placed. Base  45  has four braces  47  placed around tube  48  for support. Base  45  and post  8  would be used, for example, for movable fences that are placed around garbage cans, storage areas, and temporary fenced areas. 
     FIG. 2 shows a post cap  21  to which a top rail can be mounted along the fence. Cap  21  has a rectangular block  22  with a cylindrical insert  24  mounted on its underside. Insert  22  has openings  24   a  along it side extending from the bottom edge. Mounted below insert  33  is a conical wedge  26  mounted on screw  25  extending from the top of block  22  through the center of insert  24 . When cap  21  is mounted on post  8  with insert  24  and wedge  26  in the opening  8   a  of post  8 , and screw  25  is turned, wedge  26  is drawn up into insert  24  spreading the ends separated by openings  24   a  locking post cap  21  on the top of post  8 . Post cap  21  is further described in FIGS. 11 and 12, below. 
     The fence attachment is illustrated in FIG. 3 is attached to a square or rectangular post  30  by screws or bolts  28  extending through opens  18  along the length of attachment  10 . Since post  30  is not hollow, cap  31  (FIG. 3 a )is attached to the top of post  30  by, for example, by screws or nails (not illustrated). 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a combination fence post  40  that includes the post  41  and the mounting device  43 . Extension  42  divides the post into to sides with mounting devices  43  on each side. Post  30  may be formed with only one vertical column of mounting devices  43 , as illustrated in FIG. 1 a , or on adjacent sides of post  40  to be used as a corner post of a fence. 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of attachment device  10 , showing the mounting holes  18  located in three positions along the length of device  10 . There may me more or less mounting holes, depending upon the length of device  10 , and the mounting holes may be slotted as shown or may be simple openings. 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of device  10 , showing the U-shape of the device. Device  10  may be separated at  13   b  to provide two mounting devices such as would be used at the end of a fence, for example, side  11  would be at the left end of a fence, and side  12  would be at the right end of a fence. Each half may also be made separate as illustrated in FIG. 1 a.    
     FIG. 7 is a side view showing the inclined mounting devices  14  with the projections  17  and  19  which hold a slat in position. An enlarged view of projections  17  and  19  with a slat  9  positioned between them is shown in FIG. 7 a.    
     FIG. 8 is a side view showing the fence slats  9  in position in device  10 . Each slat  9  over laps the one below and above it to prevent seeing through the fence. In FIG. 8 a , only the slats  9  are shown. Even though one cannot see through the fence air can circulate through the fence as indicated by arrows A. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 show the panel  20  that is attached to part  13  of device  10  (FIG. 1) to hold the fence slats  9  in position. 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of post cap  21 , initially illustrated in FIG.  2 . Cap  21  has a rectangular block  22 , a stepped down section  22   a , and a cylindrical insert  24  extending from section  22   a . Insert  24  has a plurality of openings  24   a  (FIG. 2) along it side extending from the bottom edge. Mounted below insert  24  is a conical wedge  26  mounted on screw  25 , held in place by nut  27 , extending from the top of block  22  through the center of insert  24 . When cap  21  is mounted on post  8  with insert  24  and wedge  26  in the opening  8   a  of post  8  (FIG.  2 ), and screw  25  is turned, wedge  26  is drawn up into insert  24  spreading the ends of inserts  24 , separated by openings  24   a , locking post cap  21  on the top of post  8 . Pipe  28  extends through recess  23 . 
     FIG. 12 is a top view of cap  21  showing the block  22  and stepped down section  22   a . Insert  24  and wedge  26  are shown in post  8 . 
     Various accessories may be mounted on the fence system according to the present invention. FIGS. 13 and 14 show a container  50  that may be attached to fence slats  9  by projections  51  and  52  which may integral with the container, or may be a separate device as discussed below with reference to FIG.  16 . Projections  51  and  52  are inserted into the space between inclined fence slats  9 . Container  50  may be a flower box, or with the addition of a lid may be used to store garden tools and other objects. 
     An example of another accessory is illustrated in FIG.  15 . Accessory  60  has projections  61  and  62  similar to projections on container  50  which are placed in the space between fence slats  9 . Accessory  60  may have an opening  63  in the top which may a hold, for example, a flag pole or a pole supporting a bird house or bird feeder. 
     Each of FIGS. 14-15 illustrate an accessory device for attaching to the fence system. FIG. 6 shows a universal attachment device  65  that has projections  66  and  67  which are inserted into fence slats  9 . Device  65  has a face  68  to which an accessory may be attached by screws or any other means. 
     The accessories may be attached at any position of the fence, since the spacing of the slats  9  are uniform and the projections may be placed into any two openings between slats. 
     Depending upon the length of the slats between fence post, it may be necessary or desirable to support the middle portion of the slats midway between fence posts. Support is desired when accessories are attached to the middle portion of a fence span. FIGS. 17 and 18 show a support device that may be inserted up between slats to support the mid sections of the fence slats. In FIG. 17, device  70  has a plurality of fingers  71 - 13  that are inserted into the spaces between fence slats, with the slats in openings in  74 - 74  and resting on shoulders  76 - 78 . This is illustrated in FIG. 18 where slats  9  are secured to support  70  by screws  80  and  81 . The support device  70  has been illustrated supporting only three slats  9 , but support device may be as long as necessary, having as may fingers and shoulders necessary to support as many slats  9  as desired. 
     FIG. 19 shows a self-attaching support. Support  80  which has, for example, three fingers  81 - 83 . Each finger has an end,  81   a ,  82   a  and  83   a , extending 90 degrees from its respective finger. Fingers  81 - 83  are inserted between slats until the ends  81   a - 83   a  snaps over the top of the slat, locking the support into place. 
     FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate a brace  85  to be used between two fence slats. FIG. 20 is an isometric view in which brace  85  is U-shaped with a block end  86  separated by end  87  by a transition part  89 . The open part of the U-shape is show as  88 . A screw may be inserted into opening  86   a  in block end  86  so secure brace  85  to the slats  84   a  and  84   b  (FIG.  21 ). 
     In FIG. 21, brace  85  is positioned with block end  86  inserted between two fence slats  84   a  and  84   b , with transition part  89  over the top of fence slat  84   b  and end  87  extend at an angle of ninety degrees to transition part  89 . Slat  84  is in opening  88 . A screw S secures end  86  to fence slat  84   a    
     FIG. 22 illustrates an example of fence  90  using the novel features of the invention. Three post  91 ,  92 , and  93  are shown, post  93  being a corner post. Post  91  has a slat attachment device  94 , post  92  has an attachment device  95 , and post  93  has attachment devices on adjacent sides (not illustrated). Trim boards  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103  cover the attachment devices and hold the slats  96 ,  97  and  98  in place. 
     The top of fence  90  is trimmed with boards  104  and  105 , and the edges of the top trim is covered with boards  106  and  107 . A post cap  108  has a water line  109  extending through it and along the top of the fence. Misting nozzles  110  and  111  are attached to water lime  109  and provide moisture to any plants along the fence, including flower box  112 . A low voltage light  113  may also be mounted under the fence trim  104 , 106  to provide indirect lighting. 
     Various example have been given of the various fence system components, but there may be variations. The slat attachment device illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 have been shown to be double units, but single units or double units, one at an angle to the other may be made depending upon the fence configuration. The various shapes and sizes of the components depend, for example, on the size of the fence slats. Other variations may be made without varying from the scope and intent of the invention.