Patent Abstract:
A fence according to the invention is erected by successively joining panels along the fence line. Each panel includes a panel wall ( 113 ) with side post members ( 110, 111 ) and upper and lower rails ( 112 ). One of the post members ( 110 ) of each panel is formed to receive a picket ( 116 ) which may be driven into the ground or otherwise supported, while the other side posts ( 111 ) are fixed to the side posts ( 110 ) of the adjoining panel.

Full Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not applicable.  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
         [0003]    Not applicable.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    This invention relates to fence panels and to methods of erecting fences from panels. Fence panels of the invention may be successively erected and attached to form a continuous fence.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Panels according to the present invention are characterized by including a first frame member formed to receive a supporting picket, and a second frame member formed so as to be engageable for support by the first frame member of a similar panel.  
           [0006]    The pole or picket is preferably adapted to be driven into the ground after being received by the first frame member.  
           [0007]    Preferably the panels are completed by top and bottom rails, and the panel wall may be profiled steel sheet such as roofing sheet.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In a particular form the invention provides a fencing panel which enables the rapid erection of fences which have many of the characteristics of a paling fence, particularly the repetitive pattern of the pales which make up the fence, with a minimum of tools or special equipment. This is achieved in a panel which includes a frame having rails which are provided with formations which locate and maintain the pales in a desired pattern. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to a presently contemplated embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 shows in side elevation a panel according to a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the panel of FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line  3 - 3  in FIG. 1.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary illustration of a first side post.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary illustration of a second side post.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary illustration of a picket.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a fence panel according to a second embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a section taken on the line  8 - 8  in FIG. 7.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a top or bottom rail.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a center rail.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]    The panel illustrated in FIGS.  1  to  3  consists of a frame comprising side post members  110  and  111 , upper and lower rails  112 , and a panel wall  113 . The wall  113 , which in this embodiment consists of a sheet of roll-formed coated steel profile but may be of any suitable material or combination of materials, is held in place between side flanges  114  of the rails  112 , which are in turn fixed to the post  110  by metal screws or other fixing devices  120  passing through flanges  115  which extend inwardly from the post  110  to embrace the edge of the wall  113 .  
         [0021]    The post members  111  are in the form of channels, having opposed edge flanges  117  which receive for fixing between them the ends of the rails  112 , and a body which is shaped to form a pocket  118 .  
         [0022]    The post members  110  and  111 , which may be formed from galvanized sheet by stamping and roll-forming, are shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively. It will be observed that the post  110  has formed in its face downwardly disposed tongues  121  which may be pressed outwardly so they are disposed outwardly and obliquely downwardly of the face of the post, while the post  111  has in its face correspondingly spaced apertures  122 .  
         [0023]    As shown in the drawings, each post member  111  is attached to the right hand end (as viewed in the drawings) of the panel by means of the flanges  117 , by means of screws or other fastening devices driven through the flanges  117  into the side flanges  114  of the rails.  
         [0024]    The pocket  118  formed by the post is dimensioned to receive a picket  116  (FIG.6) having four obliquely disposed flanges which locate the internal corners of the post. In this embodiment the picket is fabricated by a pair of channel sections  123  and  124  having outwardly oblique flanges  125 , the channel sections being fixed back to back, for example by welding. The pickets  116  may be formed in other ways, for example by extrusion as a single piece. Although not shown in the drawings, the pickets  116  may be tapered at their lower end to facilitate their being driven into the ground. Such pickets support the fence and enable its assembly by the methods described below.  
         [0025]    With the arrangement thus described, a fence may quickly and easily be erected by locating a first panel at the fence line and driving a picket  116  down through the pocket  118  of the post  111  to fix the panel in place. A second panel may then be engaged with the first as described above, by engaging the tongues  121  of the post  110  of the next panel with the apertures  122  of the post  111  of the first panel. A further picket  116  may then be driven down the pocket  118  of the second panel&#39;s post  111 . The length of the line of fence is completed by repeating this process. A fence may in this way quickly be erected without special tools, included with only a string line, spirit level and a picket driver.  
         [0026]    The pickets  116  are preferably driven fully into the posts  110 , whereupon if desired a cap (not shown) may be placed over the otherwise open upper end of each post.  
         [0027]    It will be understood that where the line of the fence extends across sloping ground, the slope may be accommodated by a providing a partial, rather than complete, vertical overlap of successive panels, by choosing the points of engagement of the respective tongues and apertures  121  and  122 .  
         [0028]    As mentioned above, the panel wall  113  may take any suitable form. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.  1  to  3 , the panel is in the form of a roll-formed steel sheet. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.  7 - 10  the panel is formed from overlapping wooden pales.  
         [0029]    The panel illustrated in FIGS.  7  to  10  comprises a metal frame having side posts  110  and  111  constructed in the same manner as described in relation to FIGS.  1  to  6 . In this case, however, the panel wall consists of a number of overlapped wooden pales  316 , and the panel is completed by a pair of top and bottom rails  312  and a pair of opposed center rails  314  and  315 .  
         [0030]    The pales  316  are held in place in the panel by the rails  312 ,  314  and  315 . The upper ends of the pales are located in a channel formed by the upper rail  312 , and lower ends are similarly located in a channel formed by the lower rail. The pales are furthermore held between the opposed center rails  314  and  315 . FIGS. 11 and 12 show in detail the relevant features of these rails. (It will be understood that while only the bottom rail  312  is illustrated here, the top rail can be identical to it). Each of the rails may be formed in galvanized sheet steel by stamping and roll-forming.  
         [0031]    The bottom rail  311  consists of a bottom web  319  with a pair of side flanges  320 . Each of the side flanges has an in-turned edge flange  321 , provided with spaced recesses  322  for the reception of a pale  316 . It will be observed that the recesses  322  of the opposed edge flanges  321  are staggered to accommodate, and indeed after, the regular overlapping pattern of the pales  316 .  
         [0032]    The center rails  314  and  315  have a vertical web  326  and upper and lower edge, flanges  327 , again provided with spaced recesses  328  for the reception of the Pales  316 . Only the center rail  314  is illustrated, as it will be understood that the rail  315  is similar, with a relatively staggered location of the recesses  328  so as to repeat the pattern of recesses established by the rails  310  and  311 .  
         [0033]    A fence is erected from panels of the kind illustrated in FIGS.  7  to  10  in the same manner as that described in relation to FIGS.  1  to  6 .  
         [0034]    The pattern of palings can of course be vaned from that shown. Other changes to the configuration of the elements of the panel, which has been illustrated by way of example only, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, panels having panel walls of different kinds, for example the steel and paling walls described above can be alternated in a continuous line of fence.  
         [0035]    It will also be understood that the invention may be embodied in ways other than that illustrated. For example, where a temporary fence is to be erected such as for event or safety fencing, free-standing poles may be employed instead of pickets driven into the ground, and alternative formations may be adopted for the inter-engagement of the successive panels.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4