Patent Publication Number: US-2011073823-A1

Title: Panel and kit for constructing fence

Description:
PRIOR APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority on basis of previously filed Canadian Patent Application No. 2,680,727 filed Sep. 25, 2009. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to fences, barriers, panels for constructing fences and barriers, kits for constructing a fence panel or barrier, and connecting devices for connecting fence panels to posts. 
     A variety of fence constructions and barrier constructions are known in the fencing art including picket-type fences that include fence posts, horizontal rails extending between the posts and a series of vertical pickets or bars that are mounted on the rails. Picket-type fences are often used for security or ornamental purposes. A variety of materials have been used to construct picket-type fences including wood, steel, iron and aluminum. The assembly of such fences often requires several tools, some of these tools being used to install various fastening devices that couple the pickets, rails and posts. In the case of a metal fence, particularly a fence made of steel or iron, the components can be welded to one another. However these known methods of fence construction can often lead to premature rusting. Indeed the known fasteners for fences and welds can rust before other fence components. Furthermore welded joints generally provided little, if any flexibility in the fence construction. 
     Custom fabricated fences made of iron and steel are well known and have been used for many years. However with such welded fences, there are known difficulties including those already mentioned. It can be difficult for the metal components to be fitted together due to the problem of making field measurements and the metal components have no built-in adjustability feature. It can also be difficult to fully grind and polish the welds in order to provide a pleasing, finished appearance. Furthermore, the heavy, relatively large components used to construct many metal fences can be costly to transport because of their bulk and weight. 
     Aluminum fence constructions are also known in the fencing art, but it can be hard to construct an aluminum fence by welding the components together. Because of these difficulties, aluminum fences often employ components that are mechanically fastened together but the use of such fasteners can result in fences that do not have a pleasing appearance because the fasteners are often visible. Such modern fence systems can also cause problems if the fence line is not straight or the fences need to be installed on a slope or uneven terrain. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,548 issued Oct. 3, 1995 to R. S. Moore describes a fence construction wherein tubular members are joined at right angles to form a fence or barrier. A series of poles or bars having a square cross section are inserted through pre-punched holes formed along horizontally extending fence rails. Both the pickets and rails can be hollow tubes made of iron or aluminum. The ends of the horizontal rails can be supported by means of brackets which secure the rails to either posts or walls. Elongate coupling bars can be used to secure the vertical poles or pickets in the rail openings through which they extend. 
     More recent U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,335 issued Apr. 11, 2006 to A. Q. Zhu describes a modular picket fence wherein horizontal rails are connected to vertical posts by means of U-shaped brackets. The rails are formed with a series of spaced apart apertures through which the vertical pickets extend. A locking member is assembled inside each end portion of each picket and this member has spring biased stoppers that extend through transverse apertures in an end section of the picket and also extend into the adjacent horizontal rail when the end portion of the picket is inserted into the rail. 
     In view of the known difficulties with existing fence constructions, there is a need for an improved fence or barrier panel, an improved kit for constructing a fence panel or a barrier panel, and improved connecting devices for connecting fence panels to fence posts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a kit for constructing a fence panel or barrier panel includes a lower rail and an upper rail with these rails being formed with bar-connecting holes distributed along their lengths. These rails are adapted to extend horizontally in an assembled fence with the lower rail extending parallel to the upper rail. The kit further includes first bar sections for mounting between and connecting the upper and lower rails so as to form a fence panel. Each bar section in use extends between an aligned pair of the holes in the upper and lower rails. There are also provided second bar sections each connectable to a respective one of the first bar sections to form a bar and mountable on the upper rail so as to extend upwardly from a respective one of the bar connecting holes in the upper rail. Also upper connecting devices are provided for joining upper ends of the first bar sections to the upper rail and to the second bar sections. Lower connecting devices are provided to join lower ends of the first bar sections to the lower rail by means of bar connecting holes formed therein. When the fence or barrier panel is constructed, the first and second bar sections extend substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower rails. 
     In an exemplary version of this kit, each of the upper connecting devices includes a threaded axial passage in an upper end section of its respective first bar section and a threaded end section of the second bar section connectable to its respective first bar section by being threaded into the axial passage. 
     According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a kit for constructing and mounting a fence panel for a fence having a plurality of posts includes elongate rails adapted for mounting horizontally between adjacent posts so that upper and lower rails can extend substantially from one post to an adjacent post when the fence is erected. The kit includes a plurality of bars adapted for mounting between and joining the upper and lower rails in order to construct the fence panel. The bars in each panel include two end bars located at opposite ends of the fence panel. A plurality of connectors for attaching the end bars to adjacent posts of the fence are provided. Each connector includes a collar section with a bar-receiving hole whereby when one of the end bars is inserted through the bar-receiving hole of the respective connector, the connector is at least initially free to pivot about and along the one end bar for connecting and adjustment purposes. Each connector further includes an end section spaced from the collar section and adapted for fixedly joining the connector to an adjacent post. 
     In an exemplary version of this kit, each kit comprises an assembly that includes a collar pin, a separate elongate sleeve member having an axial passageway formed therein, and a threaded adapter providing the end section which can be joined to the post. The collar pin provides an elongate shaft section adapted for insertion in the axial passageway. The collar section is connected to one end of this shaft section. 
     According to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, a fence panel for constructing a fence includes an elongate upper fence rail and an elongate lower fence rail extending substantially parallel to the upper fence rail. These two rails have a number of bar-connecting holes formed therein and distributed along their lengths. First bar sections extend between and connect the upper and lower fence rails with each first bar section extending from one of the holes in the lower fence rail to one of the holes in the upper fence rail. Separate second bar sections are each connected to a respective one of the first bar sections to form an elongate bar. Each second bar section extends upwardly from a respective one of the holes in the upper fence rail. The second bar sections are mounted on the upper fence rail. The panel also includes means for connecting bottom ends of the first bar sections to the lower fence rail using the bar-connecting holes in this rail. 
     According to an exemplary form of this panel, each of the first and second bar sections has a threaded end section and each first bar section is threadably connected to its respective second bar section by means of their threaded end sections at the upper rail. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, a connecting device for connecting a fence panel to a post is provided. The panel has a series of picket members and horizontal rails connecting the picket members together. The connecting device comprises a collar pin having an elongate shaft section and a collar section secured to an end of the shaft section. The collar section has an aperture for receiving snuggly one of the picket members. The connecting device further includes an elongate connecting member formed with a central passageway and adapted to receive the shaft section in the passageway. This connecting member has a first thread mechanism for securing the shaft section in the central passageway. There is also an adapter for securing one end of the connecting member to a fence post, this adapter having a second thread mechanism for securing the connecting member to the adapter. 
     In an exemplary form of this connecting device the first thread mechanism comprises a screw member and a threaded screw hole in a side of the connecting member for receiving the screw member. 
     These and other aspects of the disclosed fence kits, fence panels and fence connectors will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will more readily understand how to make and use the subject invention, exemplary embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation of a section of fence constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a detail sectional view taken along the line II-II of  FIG. 1  showing one bar or picket and how it is attached to upper and lower rails; 
         FIG. 2   b  is a cross sectional detail view of a lower rail showing in detail how a lower end of a fence bar can be connected thereto; 
         FIG. 3   a  is a detail elevational view showing how one solid bar section can be joined to another solid bar section and a rail; 
         FIG. 3   b  is a detail vertical cross-section showing how a hollow bar section can be joined to another hollow bar section and a tubular rail; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of a connecting device for connecting a fence panel to a post which is shown in horizontal cross section with one half of the connecting device being shown in axial horizontal cross section for purposes of illustration; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view, partly in horizontal cross section, of a collar pin for use in the connecting device of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a collar pin of  FIG. 5 , this view showing the end connectable to the picket or bar; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of an elongate connecting member which forms another portion of the connecting device of  FIG. 4 , this view showing one half of the connecting member in axial cross section; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the connecting member of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of one form of an adapter which is a third component of the connecting device of  FIG. 4 , one half of the adapter being shown in axial cross section; 
         FIG. 10  is an end view of the adapter of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of another embodiment of the picket connecting device with the connecting sleeve shown in axial cross-section; 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded view of a further embodiment of the picket connecting device with the connecting sleeve shown in axial cross-section; 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevation showing an alternate method of joining the connecting device to a post and to a bar or picket; 
         FIG. 14  is a cross sectional elevation of another embodiment of fence picket or fence bar which is shown attached to upper and lower rails shown in transverse cross section; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of one of the clips used in the picket of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a front view of two fence sections wherein the posts and the two fence panels are mounted at different heights; 
         FIG. 17  is a plan view showing four panel sections connected to three fence posts with each panel section extending at an obtuse angle in a horizontal plane to the adjacent panel or panels; 
         FIG. 18  is a plan view of two fence panels constructed in accordance with the invention attached to a single post with the panels extending in the same vertical plane which is offset from the post; 
         FIG. 19  is another plan view showing four fence panel sections and four fence posts with adjacent panel sections extending perpendicular to one another; and 
         FIG. 20  is a schematic top view of a gate employing a fence panel constructed in accordance with the present disclosure and a post to which the panel is pivotally attached. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a section of a fence  10  with two vertical posts  12  which are mounted in the usual manner in the ground  14 . The posts can be made of a variety of known materials and can be solid or hollow. In an exemplary version of the fence, the posts can be made of the same material as the other major components of the fence which include a plurality of fence bars or pickets  16  and horizontal upper and lower rails  18  and  20 . The assembled bars and upper and lower rails together form a fence panel indicated generally by reference  22 . If the posts are made of metal, they are preferably hollow tubes in order to reduce the weight of the post and reduce their cost. In a manner known per se, the top of each post can be covered with a suitable decorative top  24 , if desired. It will be understood that the length and height of the fence can vary depending upon the particular requirements of the site. The number of posts and fence panels can vary widely from just a few to a large number. 
     An exemplary material for the construction of the main fence components, including the post, the rails and the bars is aluminum or aluminum alloy but it is also possible to construct these components of steel, stainless steel or iron, if desired. 
     A fence in accordance with the present disclosure can be constructed from a kit of the various fence components. Although such a kit can include the posts  12 , it is also possible for the posts to be purchased or obtained separately. Kits according to the invention can be in various forms and can, for example, comprise the components required to construct one or more of the fence panels  22 . In addition to the fence panel components, the kit can also include connecting devices  26  for connecting the fence panel to an adjacent post. A kit for constructing a fence panel can include a plurality of the lower rails  20  and a plurality of the upper rails  18  which may or may not be identical in their construction. By making the upper and lower rails identical one is able to manufacture these rails using the same equipment including, for example, an extrusion die when these rails are made of aluminum or aluminum alloy. The rails can be substantially rectangular in transverse cross section as illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b ,  3   a  and  3   b  and they can be either substantially solid except for bar-connecting holes distributed along their length or hollow. 
     With respect to the rails shown in  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  3   a , the illustrated upper and lower rails are of identical construction in this embodiment. Each of these rails has two relatively short vertical sides  28  and  30 , a bottom  32  and a top  34 . The bottom and the top can be substantially flat except for bar-receiving holes  36 . The length of the rails can vary depending on the fence requirements but usually they will be provided in standard lengths. 
     In a first embodiment of the bar or picket  16  for the fence, each bar or picket includes a first bar section  42  and a second bar section  44  each of which is connectable to a respective one of the first bar sections. In the bar  16  illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  3   a , these sections are made of solid metal such as solid aluminum alloy but it is also possible to make these sections from hollow metal tubes as shown by  FIG. 3   b , particularly a bar with a larger transverse cross section. Each first bar section  42  is sized and constructed for mounting between and connecting the upper and lower rails of its respective panel. Thus the attachment of a series of parallel first bar sections to upper and lower rails effectively forms a fence panel having a substantially rectangular shape. Each first bar section when assembled to its rails extends between an aligned pair of the holes  36  in the upper and lower rails so that the bar sections can be connected to the rails in the manner described below. When connected to the rails they are parallel and properly spaced. 
     When each second bar section  44  is attached to its respective first bar section, they effectively form a bar or picket. In some versions of the fence an additional bar section can also be added to each bar or picket below the lower rail. Each second bar section is mountable on a respective one of the upper rails so as to extend upwardly from a respective one of the bar connecting holes  36  in the upper rail. 
     A fence panel kit can also include upper connecting devices for connecting upper ends of the first bar sections to their respective upper rails and to the second bar sections as well as lower connecting devices for joining the lower ends of the first bar sections to their respective rails by means of the bar connecting holes formed therein. In the bar or picket of  FIGS. 2   a  and  3   a , the upper connecting devices each include a threaded axial passage  52  in an upper end section of its respective first bar section and a threaded integral end section  54  of the second bar section. Thus the second bar section can be connected to its respective first bar section by threading the end section  54  into the axial passage  52 . 
     Each bar or picket  16  can also include a third bar section  60 , if desired. Thus the kit for constructing a fence panel can include a plurality of third bar sections for mounting to the lower rail or rails  20  with the third bar sections extending downwardly from the bar connecting holes  36  in their lower rail. When the third bar sections, which can again be solid or hollow, are used, the aforementioned lower connecting devices can comprise threaded integral end sections  62  of the third bar sections together with threaded axial passages  64  formed in lower end sections of the first bar sections. As shown in  FIG. 2   a , the threaded end section of a third bar section can be threaded into a respective one of the threaded axial passages  64  to mount the respective third bar section to its lower rail. 
     As indicated, it is possible to construct a fence panel with a kit according to the present invention without the use of third bar sections. In this alternative version, the lower connecting devices are bolts  70  where each bolt  70  extends through one of the bar connecting holes  36  in the lower rail. Thus, when the fence or barrier panel is assembled, each bolt extends into the threaded axial passage  64  in the lower end section of a respective one of the first bar sections. If desired the head of the bolt  70  can fit wholly or partially into an annular recess  72  formed around the bottom end of its respective hole  36 . In this way the bolts are less visible particularly when viewing the fence from normal eye level. 
     If desired the upper end of the second bar section can be tapered to form a point at  75 . This is a well known feature of picket fences and makes it more difficult for a possible intruder to climb over the fence. If desired, a decorative annular disk  76  can be mounted on the second bar section, for example near the centre of its length. 
       FIG. 3   b  illustrates an alternate construction for the threaded connectors that can be used to connect the first bar section to the second bar section and the third bar section to the first bar section. In this embodiment only the adjacent end sections of two bar sections are shown and it will be seen that the bar sections are made of hollow metal tubes  43 ,  45 . The open end of the tube  45  has mounted therein a female insert  47  in which is formed a threaded passage  49 . The female insert can be pressure fitted, welded or otherwise attached in the end of the tube. Similarly inserted into the upper end of the tube  43  is a further female insert  51 . This insert is formed with an axial passage  53  which is threaded. The two female inserts can be connected together by means of a screw  55  which can have a slot or recess formed in one end to allow a tool to thread the screw into one of the female inserts. Although the hollow bar sections can be attached to a solid rail, such as the rail  18  shown in  FIG. 3   a , it is also possible for the rail to be a hollow rail  57  with bar-connecting holes distributed along its length. In an exemplary illustrated embodiment, there is a smaller bar connecting hole  59  formed in the top side of the rail and a substantially larger hole  61  formed in the opposite side of the rail. The hole  61  can have a diameter just slightly larger than the diameter of the tube  43  so that the upper end of the tube can be inserted into the rail. The diameter of the upper hole  59  can be slightly larger than the diameter of the screw  55  so that the screw can pass through this smaller hole. Thus when the two tubes  43 ,  45  are connected by the screw  55 , the bottom end  63  of the tube  45  will rest on the top of the rail  57 . 
       FIG. 14  illustrates an alternate form of bar or picket construction for use in a picket fence panel. This version of picket is indicated generally at  80 . In this fence bar or picket the sections that make up the bar are hollow or substantially hollow but, for purposes of this disclosure such pickets are still considered bars of a fence panel. Each bar has a first bar section  42 ′ which can have a generally uniform external diameter indicated at D. Each first bar section extends between and is connected to a hollow upper rail  82  and a similar hollow lower rail  84 . Although these two rails can be of identical construction they are oriented differently as will be explained hereinafter. The rails in an exemplary embodiment are constructed of extruded aluminum or aluminum alloy and they have two opposing short sides at  85  and  86 , a top side  88  and a bottom side  90 . Again each of these rails is formed with a series of spaced apart bar-connecting holes but the holes  92  on one side have a slightly larger diameter than holes  94  on the opposite side of the rail. The wider holes  92  are positioned on the bottom of the upper rail when the fence is erected while the wider holes  92  are on the top of the lower rail  84 . The diameter of the holes  92  is only slightly greater than the diameter D of the first bar sections  42 . Thus end sections of the first bar sections can be inserted into both the upper and lower rails as shown in  FIG. 14 . The second bar sections  44 ′ are similar to the second bar sections  44  shown in  FIG. 2   a  except for the differences noted herein. In particular at least a substantial portion, for example the lower half of each second bar section is hollow, thus forming an axial passage  98 . A central section  100  of the second bar section  44 ′ can have an external diameter equal to D, that is, the same as the external diameter of the first bar section. However a bottom end section  102  has a slightly reduced external diameter corresponding closely to the internal diameter of the first bar section. Thus this bottom end section is insertable into the top end of the first bar section as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     Prior to mounting the second bar section on the upper rail a flexible clip  104  is inserted into the axial passage  98 . The clip as illustrated is in the form of an elongate U-shaped member made of a suitably flexible metal or plastic. When the second bar section is upright with the clip therein, two parallel legs  106  of the clip extend downwardly and near each of their bottom ends is an engagement member or bump  108 . Although there are two engagement members shown, the clip can have only one engagement member or the clip could be formed with several legs and several engagement members. The engagement members project into respective side apertures  110  formed in the bottom end section  102  and thus hold the clip in its working position. In order to insert the second bar section into its respective first bar section it is first necessary to push inwardly on the engagement members so that they will not interfere with the insertion of the bottom portion of the second bar section into the hole  94  and into the upper end of the first bar section. Additional side apertures  112  are formed in the upper end section of the first bar section and when the second bar section is fully inserted into the hole in the upper rail the two engagement members  108  will extend outwardly into these apertures, thereby holding the two bar sections in locking engagement. It may be necessary to rotate the second bar section about its central axis in order to position the engagement members so that they are aligned with the apertures  112 . 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is equally possible to arrange the clip  104  in the passage  114  formed in the first bar section and then have the legs of a clip extend upwardly to the two engagement members  108  which will then project through the side apertures of the bar sections when the second bar section is fully inserted. To facilitate this bar construction, the external diameter of the first bar section can be less than the diameter of the second bar section or at least the bottom portion of the second bar section. 
     In a similar manner a third bar section  60 ′ can be connected to the bottom end of the first bar section using a further flexible clip  115 . Thus in this embodiment the clip  115  provides a lower connecting device for joining the lower end of the first bar section  42 ′ to the lower rail  84  by means of the bar-connecting holes  92 ,  94  formed in the lower rail. The third bar section  60 ′ can be hollow so as to form an axial through passage  118  in which the clip can be inserted prior to mounting the third bar section. A main, lower portion of the third bar section can have a diameter equal to the diameter D of the first bar section. However an upper end section  120  has a reduced diameter to permit this upper end section to be inserted into the bottom end of the first bar section. Engagement members  108  formed on the clip  115  will project through side apertures  122  and  124  formed in the third bar section and in the first bar section respectively. Not only does the clip  115  attach the third bar section to the first bar section so that they are in locking engagement but it also acts to secure these two bar sections to the lower rail. 
     The reduced diameter end sections of the first and third bar sections can be readily formed using a known swaging process. The side apertures such as apertures  110 ,  112  for the clip engagement members need not necessarily be located within the upper or the lower rail. Although this location is desirable if access to the engagement members after assembly of the fence panel is not desired, for example to prevent theft or vandalism, it is equally possible to locate the side apertures so that they are outside the rail after assembly of each bar or picket and their connection to the rail. Thus for example the side apertures could be located at positions  130  and  132  indicated in  FIG. 14  if access and easy disassembly is desirable for the fence. 
     Turning now to the connecting devices  26  that can be used to attach each fence panel to its respective posts, one form of connecting device  26  is illustrated by  FIGS. 4 to 10 . This connecting device includes a collar pin  134  shown separately in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and an elongate connecting member or sleeve  136  shown separately in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The collar pin has an elongate shaft section  138  and a collar section  140  at one end of the shaft section. If desired the collar pin can be formed or machined from a single metal piece. The shaft section has a circular cross section and a central axis indicated at A. The width of the collar section can be wider than the diameter of the shaft section or it can be the same diameter (see  FIGS. 11 and 12 ). Extending through the collar section is a circular aperture  142  for receiving snuggly one of the pickets or bar  16 ,  80 . Formed in one side of or in the end of the collar section is a threaded hole  144  sized to receive a suitable socket screw or set screw which can be of standard construction and well known in the fastening art. The set screw is used to fixedly secure the connector to the end picket or end bar after the fence panel has been properly positioned relative to its fence post. 
     Turning now to the construction of the connecting member or connecting sleeve  136 , this member has a central axial passageway  146  extending its entire length. By means of this passageway, the connecting member is adapted to receive the shaft section  138  which can extend into a first portion  148  of the connecting member. Only an end portion  150  of the passageway is threaded in one exemplary embodiment with the remaining portion  148  being unthreaded. The diameter of the passageway  148  is slightly greater than the diameter of the shaft section  138 . An exemplary embodiment of the connecting member is formed with two threaded screw holes  152 ,  154 , each of these being provided near a respective end of the connecting member. Each of these screw holes is provided to accommodate a socket screw or set screw  155  used to secure in place either the collar pin  134  or an adapter. The screw  155  extending into the unthreaded portion  148  fixedly secures the collar pin in position when the fence panel has been mounted between its post and is in its proper position. An adapter  160  secures one end of the connecting member  136  to a fence post  12 . The adapter has external threads, referred to herein as second thread means  162 , for securing the connecting member  136  to the adapter. In other words the internal threads of the connecting member  136  engage the external threads  162  of the second thread means. The adapter has an axial passage  164  that extends through the adapter. The adapter has a first portion  166  which is wider than a second portion  168 , on which the second thread means  162  are formed. The illustrated adapter has a wider end  170  which has a curved contour matching that of the post  12  to which the adapter is to be attached. If a threaded fastener is to be used to connect the adapter to the post the axial passage  164  is threaded. 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate two possible variations of the connecting device for connecting a fence panel to a post. Both the connector assemblies of these figures are shown in exploded views with the three main components separated. The connector of  FIG. 11  is indicated generally by reference  170  and the portion of the post to which the connector is being attached is indicated at  172 . This connecting device has a collar pin  174  which includes an elongate shaft section  176  and a collar section  178 , these two sections being integrally connected together in the exemplary embodiment. A substantial portion of the shaft section  176  is not threaded and has a cylindrical exterior  180 . The remaining portion of the shaft section has threads  182 . Like the embodiment of  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the collar section has an aperture  183  for receiving snuggly one of the picket members. The connecting device further includes an elongate connecting member or sleeve  184  which again is formed with a central passageway  186  which is adapted to receive the shaft section  176 . A major portion of the passageway has suitable threads  188  which can co-operate with the threads  182  in order to adjustably secure the shaft section in the passageway  186 . Thus it will be seen that the overall length of the connector  170  can be adjusted by threading the collar pin further into the member  184  or threading it in the reverse direction to project the collar pin further out of the member  184 . Once the collar pin has been properly adjusted in its position relative to the connecting member  184 , it can be secured in this position by means of a set screw or socket screw  190 . This screw is threaded into a threaded hole  192  formed near one end of the member  184 . The set screw can engage the unthreaded portion of shaft section  176  and thereby can prevent rotation of the collar pin about its longitudinal axis. 
     The connecting device also has an adapter  194  for securing one end of the connecting member to the post  172 . The adapter has thread means  196  for securing the connecting member  184  to the adapter, these threads being sized to engage the threads  188 . The adapter  194  also has an axial passage extending the length of the adapter, this passage having a relatively wide section  198 , and a relatively narrow section  200  with a tapered shoulder being formed between these two sections. The adapter can be connected to the post by means of a rivet nut  202  which itself is of standard construction and a suitable bolt  204  with its tapered head located in the passageway of the adapter. A hole is formed in the side of the post to receive the rivet nut. An exemplary form of the collar pin  174  is provided with a set screw  206  which can be used to secure the collar pin in its correct position on the fence bar or picket. The illustrated set screw extends through a small axial passage formed in the end of the collar pin. This passage can also be formed in one side of the collar pin so long as it opens into the aperture  183 . 
     The variation shown in  FIG. 12  is a connecting device  210  that includes a non-threaded collar pin  212  which can be similar in its construction to the collar pin  134  of  FIG. 5  except that its collar section  214  has the same diameter as its shaft section  216 . This connecting device  210  has a non-threaded connecting member or sleeve  218  with two threaded screw holes  220 ,  222 . Engaged in these screw holes are two set screws  224  and  226 . The set screw  226  can be used to secure the collar pin in the non threaded axial passage  230 . Again the position of the collar pin is adjustable in the axial direction relative to the connecting sleeve. This connecting device  210  also has an adapter  232  which is relatively inexpensive to make as it is formed with no threads. The axial passageway formed in this adapter is similar to that in the adapter  194  and this adapter can be attached by a rivet nut  202  and bolt  204 . The adapter has first and second portions with the first portion  234  being wider than a second portion  236  in a radial direction relative to the axial passage. Extending about the circumference of the second portion and midway along its length is a groove  240  which is adapted to receive the end of the set screw  224  when the portion  236  is inserted into the passage  230 . Thus the set screw is used to connect the adapter to the sleeve member. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates an alternate method of connecting a connecting device  260  to a post and also illustrates how this type of connecting device can be used to attach a gate so that it can pivot about a vertical axis. Shown in the figure are a fence post  172  and a gate picket or bar  262 , only a portion of which is shown. This connecting device has a collar pin  174  which can be the same in its construction as that shown in  FIG. 11 . The gate bar  262  extends through the aperture  183  formed in the collar pin. However the gate bar is free to rotate in the aperture in order to permit the gate to swing about a vertical axis which is defined by the bar  262 . In order to support the gate in the vertical direction on the collar pin there is provided a stopper sleeve  264  which engages the top of the collar pin as shown. The sleeve is held in its position on the bar by means of a set screw  266 . The connector  260  also has a connecting member or sleeve  184  which can be constructed as shown in  FIG. 11  with threads which engage the threads on the collar pin  174 . The connecting device also has an adapter  270  which has features in common with the adapter  194  but which is not identical. The adapter  270  has external threads  196  that can engage the threads within the connecting member  184  in order to attach same to the adapter. However the adapter  270  has an axial passage  272  which is threaded. The adapter is connected to the post by means of a standard bolt  274  which extends through the post and is threaded into the adapter. In the exemplary construction shown, the bolt  274  also connects a further adapter  276  to the post. Thus a single bolt can be used to connect two adapters on opposite sides of the post  172 . The adapter  276  can be used to connect a fence panel (not shown) by means of a picket or bar at the adjacent end of the fence panel. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates the capability of the fence constructed with the kit and connectors described herein to extend over uneven ground. It will be appreciated that the height position of each fence panel  22  is adjustable with respect to its respective post  12 . The figure illustrates three posts  12  mounted on uneven ground  280 . Because the panels  22  are movable initially because of the adjustability of their connecting devices  26  it is possible for the installer to lift each panel to a desired height. When the panel is in its correct position, the aforementioned set screws  206  can then be used to secure each of the collar pins  174  to their respective end pickets. Thus panel height adjustment is easy to carry out and the construction of the pickets or bars together with that of the connectors allows some flexibility of the fence even on sloped terrain. 
       FIGS. 17 to 19  illustrate how fences constructed with the kits and connectors described herein can be erected in various plan configurations. In the fence construction of  FIG. 17  there are three posts  12  and located on opposite sides of each post are two fence panels  22 . In this fence layout adjacent panels extend at a large obtuse angle to one another. As shown the connectors for the panels simply extend outwardly from opposite sides of each post. It will be seen that the angle between adjacent panels (as seen in plan view) can readily be varied depending on the requirements for the particular fence. 
       FIG. 18  illustrates another advantage of the present fence construction. This figure shows two fence panels  22  connected to a single post  12 . The two panels are aligned with one another in a straight line. However, the post  12  to which they are mounted can be offset from the aligned panels as shown. This can be advantageous in some fence constructions, particularly where the desired line of the fence differs from the line along which the posts can be installed in the ground or other supporting surface. Such fence constructions are possible because the collar pins of the connectors can initially be rotated about their respective pickets or bars and because the adapters, such as the adapter  194  shown in  FIG. 11 , can be attached to their respective posts at the job site at any position about the circumference of the posts. 
       FIG. 19  illustrates another possible fence configuration wherein the fence panels  22  extend perpendicular to the adjacent panels. Again there are two panels  22  connected to three of the illustrated posts  12 . The four panels are individually identified as panels  22   a  to  22   d . The panels  22   b  and  22   c  are connected to each other by a post and connectors  26  that extend at an angle of 135° to their respective panels and that extend from opposite sides of the post. However in the case of the connectors that join the panels  22   a  and  22   b  to their common post  12 , the connectors extend at right angles to one another. In the case of the connectors that join the panels  22   c  and  22   d  together, the connectors  26 ′ extend from opposite sides of the post  12  and lie in the same plane, a plane defined by the panel  22   d.    
       FIG. 20  illustrates how a gate can be provided in a fence made with the fence kits and connectors described herein. The fence gate is indicated generally at  290  and it is attached to a single post  12  mounted in the ground. The gate is attached by means of two or more connectors  26 . In order to allow pivotal movement of the gate, no set screws are used to secure the collar pins  174  to the picket or bar that extends through these collar pins. The gate can be prevented from moving upwardly or downwardly relative to its connecting devices  26  by means of fixed sleeves  264  attached to the bar that forms the pivot axis (see one of these sleeves illustrated in  FIG. 13 ). Because the gate can assert a significant force pulling away from the post to which it is attached (as compared to a regular fence panel which is secured at each of its ends), an exemplary form of gate connector has an externally threaded collar pin (such as a collar pin  174  of  FIG. 11 ), the use of which eliminates any longitudinal movement of the pin relative to its connecting member  184 . 
     While the present invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in various exemplary embodiments, e.g. embodiments having particularly utility in the construction of fences, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the details shown herein, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the disclosed kits, connectors and fences and their operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, those of ordinary skill in this art will readily adapt the present disclosure to various other applications without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.