FENCING SYSTEM AND METHOD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally related to connector stations.

Description of the Related Art

Conventional methods for providing construction safety barriers for water structures such as swimming pools, other pools, and other water features include a method involving use of orange plastic safety fence held upright with the use of #3 rebar cut in lengths of four and a half feet to five feet; they are hammered in and around pool approximately ten feet apart. The orange safety fence is typically held in place by interweaving the #3 rebar through the hole pattern of the fence. This method adds labor and materials cost to pool construction cost and reliability of the finished barriers may be questionable. For instance, the #3 rebar used may have no safety caps thereby creating another hazard.

To compound the problem, the conventional fence is generally removed many times by pool contractor's employees. Each time the fence is reinstalled, its integrity can be further compromised. This problem is yet again compounded when the pools being built are for a new home contractor. The large number of different subcontractors and trades personnel involved can often remove the conventional barriers and may not replace them. This results in emergency calls from the homebuilder's superintendent requiring the pool sub-contractor to quickly reinstall the barriers. Various costs are incurred in maintaining the barrier that involves materials, labor, trucking, and fuel. Other factors involve possible hazardous conditions and awkwardness of implementation of conventional barriers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) Figure 1 s a perspective view of multiple stanchion brackets of a fencing system interlocking into a rebar grid of an unfinished wall.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the multiple stanchion brackets of Figure 1 protruding from a finished wall, and securing a fencing assembly.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the multiple stanchion brackets protruding from the finished wall of Figure 2, and securing a fencing assembly that utilizes one of the stanchions to secure a roll of the fencing assembly.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the multiple stanchion brackets protruding from the finished wall of Figure 2, and securing a fencing assembly that utilizes one of the stanchions to secure an alternate method of maintaining a roll of fencing.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a first stanchion bracket implementation of the fencing system. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the first stanchion bracket implementation shown in Figure 5, with the front vertical channel and both horizontal channels interlocked with rebar.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the first stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 6 showing wall construction details. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the first stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 5 with rear vertical channel and both horizontal channels interlocked with rebar.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the first stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 8 showing wall construction details. Figure 10 is a perspective view of a second stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a third stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the third stanchion bracket implementation showing wall construction details.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a fourth stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 14 is a side elevational view of the fourth stanchion bracket implementation showing wall construction details. Figure 15 is a perspective view of a fifth stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a sixth stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a seventh stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 18 is a side elevational view of the seventh stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 17. Figure 19 is a cross sectional view of the seventh stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 17.

Figure 20 is a perspective view of an eighth stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 21 is a perspective view of a ninth stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 22 is a perspective view of a tenth stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 23 is a side elevational view of the tenth stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 22 showing wall construction details. Figure 24 is a perspective view of an eleventh stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 25 is a perspective view of a twelfth stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 26 is a side elevational view of the eleventh stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 24 showing wall construction details.

Figure 27 is a side elevational view of the twelfth stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 25 showing wall construction details.

Figure 28 is a perspective view of a thirteenth stanchion bracket implementation. Figure 29 is a side elevational view of the thirteenth stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 28 showing wall construction details.

Figure 30 is a perspective view of a fourteenth stanchion bracket implementation.

Figure 31 is a side elevational view of the fourteenth stanchion bracket implementation of Figure 30 showing wall construction details.

Figure 32 is a side elevational view of a second stanchion implementation.

Figure 33 is a side elevational view of a third stanchion implementation.

Figure 34 is a side elevational view of a fourth stanchion implementation.

Figure 35 is an elevation view of the adjustable portion, which interfaces the adjusting portion of the stanchion assembly shown in Figure 34.

Figure 36 is a flowchart depicting a first method of the fencing system.

Figure 37 is a flowchart depicting a second method of the fencing system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As discussed herein, implementations of a fencing system and method use stanchion brackets that couple with an exposed rebar grid work of a water structure such as a swimming pool, other pool, or other water feature being constructed before concrete for the pool shell has been poured. In other implementations stanchion brackets are coupled directly with concrete of a water structure such as walls, floor, or other structural elements of a swimming pool, other pool, or other water feature. The stanchion brackets support stanchions that are used to support fencing material that is erected around the perimeter of the pool or other water feature especially during its construction to reduce the likelihood of accidental falls by construction workers and others. Visqueen solid fence, latticework, netting, or other fencing material can be used as the fence portion of the fencing system.

At some point after most portions of the pool are constructed according to relevant safety codes, the brackets or other portions of the fencing system can be cut flush with the shell and mudded over or may be removed and remaining holes can be patched. As discussed further below, in some implementations, the fencing material of the fencing system can be furnished with a snap on roll out system in lengths of twenty to fifty feet.

As shown in Figure 1 , an implementation 100 of the fencing system is used with a pool construction 10. The implementation 100 includes a plurality of first stanchion bracket implementations 102 coupled to at least horizontal rebar 12 and in some implementations also vertical rebar 14 of the pool construction 10.

As depicted in Figure 2, concrete has been poured to form a pool wall 16 having an inner surface 18 and a coping 20. The pool wall 16 retains earth 22. A stanchion 104 is coupled to each of the plurality of first stanchion bracket implementations 102. Each of the stanchions 104 includes a lower portion 106, a mid- portion 108, and an upper portion 110. The lower portion 106 couples with the first stanchion bracket implementation 102. The mid-portion 108 is shaped to better position the upper portion 110. The upper portion 110 supports fencing material 112

that is positioned along and proximate to the coping 20. In the implementation depicted in Figure 2, the fencing material 112 has openings 114 bounded by a horizontal portions 116 and vertical portions 118. The upper portion 110 is interwoven through the openings 114 to couple the stanchions 104 with the fencing material 112. An alternative implementation of coupling the stanchions 104 with the fencing material 112 is shown in Figure 3 to include a roll 120 of the fencing material supported by and coupled to one of the stanchions. Another alternative implementation is shown in Figure 4 as having a canister 122 of the fencing material 112 with couplers 124 engaged with one of the stanchions 104 to support the canister. The first stanchion bracket implementation 102 is depicted in Figure 5 as having a structure-coupling member 126 with an upper end portion 128 and a lower end portion 130. Located at the upper end portion 128 and the lower end portion 130 are channels 132 each having an entry slot 134 and a rebar retaining portion 136. Each of the channels 132 is used to secure the structure-coupling member 126 to one of the horizontal rebar 12. In coupling the structure-coupling member 126 to the horizontal rebar 12, the horizontal rebar is forced through the entry slot 134 to be retained by the rebar retaining portion 136. The structure-coupling member 126 of the first stanchion bracket implementation 102 further includes a forward vertical rebar channel 138 and a rearward vertical rebar channel 140 used to engage with one of the vertical rebar 14. The first stanchion bracket implementation 102 further includes a stanchion-coupling member 142 having an opening 144 to receive the lower portion 106 of the stanchion 104. The stanchion-coupling member 142 further includes an opening 146 to receive a pin 148 that engages with one of a plurality of holes 152 (shown in Figure 6) located on the lower portion 106 of the stanchion 104 to fix vertical position of the stanchion. A spanning-portion 150 extends between the structure- coupling member 126 and the stanchion-coupling member 142. Figure 6 depicts a situation where the foreword vertical rebar channel 138 is engaged with one of the vertical rebar 14 and the channels 132 of the upper end 126 and of the lower end 130 are each engaged with a different one of the horizontal rebar 12. As shown in Figure 7, the mid-portion 108 of the stanchions 104 helps to position the upper portion 110 of the stanchions to position the fencing material 112 in toward the earth 22. Alternatively, Figures 8 and 9 depict a different situation where the rearward vertical rebar channel 140 is engaged with one of the vertical rebar 14 and the channels 132 of the upper end

126 and of the lower end 130 are each engaged with a different one of the horizontal rebar 12.

A second stanchion bracket implementation 154 is shown in Figure 10 with a square version of the lower portion 106 of the stanchion 104 and a corresponding square version of the opening 144 for the stanchion-coupling member 142. A third stanchion bracket implementation 156 is shown in Figure 11 and Figure 12 with a version of the structure-coupling member 126 having key holes 158 near the upper end 128 and the lower end 130. Each of the key holes 158 has a receiving hole 160 to allow a head of a bolt, nail, screw, pin, or other fastening member 164 (shown in Figure 12) to pass through and a slot 162 to secure such fastening member to the third stanchion bracket implementation. The fastening members 164 are coupled to the pool wall 16 at some stage during or after the pool wall has cured with conventional approaches such as by alone or in combination of drilling, hammering, shooting (by construction gun), or other. A fourth stanchion bracket implementation 166 is shown in Figure 13 and

Figure 14 having a version of the structure-coupling member 126, which is affixed to the pool wall with an adhesive 168. A fifth stanchion bracket implementation 170 is shown in Figure 15 as being similar to the first stanchion bracket implementation 102 without having the foreword vertical rebar channel 138 and without having the rearward vertical rebar channel 140. A sixth stanchion bracket implementation 172 is shown in Figure 16 as having the spanning member 150 positioned near the upper end 128 of the structure-coupling member 126.

A seventh stanchion bracket implementation 174 is shown in Figure 17 - 19 having a structure-coupling member 175 with openings 176 to receive the fastening members 164. A spanning member 178 is coupled to the structure-coupling member 175. The spanning member includes a key portion 180. The seventh stanchion bracket implementation 174 further includes a version of the stanchion-coupling member 142 that includes a spanning engagement member 182 that has a key opening 183 complimentary to the key portion 180 such that the key portion fits into the key opening to engage the spanning engagement member with the spanning member 178. The stanchion-coupling member 142 further includes threads 184 that engage with a locking nut 185 to couple the stanchion-coupling member with the lower portion 106 of the stanchion 104 with or without use of the pin 148.

An eighth stanchion bracket implementation 186 and a ninth stanchion bracket implementation 188 are shown in Figure 20 and Figure 21, respectively, having the structure-coupling member 175 with the stanchion-coupling member 142 and the spanning member 150 similar to the first stanchion bracket implementation 102. The eighth stanchion bracket implementation 186 and the ninth stanchion bracket implementation 188 generally differ as to size of the structure-coupling member 175 and number of holes 176 for the fastening members 164.

A tenth stanchion bracket implementation 190 is shown in Figure 22 and Figure 23 as having two anchors 192 affixed to the structure-coupling member 175 opposite the spanning member 150. The anchors 192 have tapered ends 194 to assist in penetrating the pool wall 16 when the concrete of the pool wall is in a semi-cured condition. Although the structure-coupling member 175 is shown with the holes 176, in some versions of the tenth stanchion bracket implementation 190, the fastening members 164 are not needed since the anchors 192 are sufficient to couple the structure-coupling member 175 to the pool wall 16.

An eleventh stanchion bracket implementation 196 is shown in Figure 24 as having the stanchion-coupling member 142 directly affixed to a structure-coupling member 198. The structure-coupling member 198 has the holes 176 to receive the fastening members 164. A twelfth stanchion bracket implementation 200 is shown in Figure 25 as having a different shaped version of the structure-coupling member 198 and with the stanchion-coupling member 142 also directly coupled to the structure- coupling member. The eleventh stanchion bracket implementation 196 and the twelfth stanchion bracket implementation 200 are shown in Figure 26 and Figure 27, respectively, coupled to a step 24 wherein the structure-coupling member 198 is coupled to a horizontal surface 26 of the step. Other applications of the eleventh stanchion bracket implementation 196 and the twelfth stanchion bracket implementation 200 can couple to other horizontal surfaces such as a pool floor (not shown) or the coping 20.

A thirteenth stanchion bracket implementation 202 is shown in Figure 28 as having the anchor 192 directly coupled to a version of the spanning member 150 having a bottom surface 204. As shown in Figure 29, the anchor 192 of the thirteenth stanchion bracket implementation can penetrate into a vertical surface 28 of a step 24 wherein the bottom surface 204 of the spanning member 150 rests on top of the horizontal surface 26 of another lower step 24.

A fourteenth stanchion bracket implementation 208 is shown in Figure 30 as having the anchor 192 directly coupled to a bottom surface 210 of the stanchion- coupling member 142. As shown in Figure 31 , the anchor 192 can penetrate into the step 24 with the bottom surface 210 adjacent the horizontal surface 26. A second stanchion version, a third stanchion version, and a fourth stanchion version of the stanchion 104 are shown in Figure 32, Figure 33, and Figure 34, respectively, as having an angularly shaped mid-portion 108. The second stanchion version has holes 212 in and the third stanchion version has eyelets 214 attached to the upper portion 110 of the stanchion 104 to help secure the fencing material 112. The fourth stanchion version has the upper portion 110 as a separate member 218, as shown in Figure 35, engagable with a coupling bracket 220 allowing for vertical adjustment of the upper portion.

A method 230 is shown in Figure 36 as including erecting a rebar grid (step 232), affixing stanchion brackets to the rebar grid (step 234), and attaching stanchions to the stanchion brackets (step 236). The method 230 further includes attaching fencing material to the stanchion brackets (step 238), erecting a poolside portion of a concrete form (step 240), Pouring and letting set concrete (step 242), removing the poolside portion of the concrete forms (step 244), and severing exposed stanchion brackets (step 246). A method 250 is shown in Figure 37 as including erecting a rebar grid

(step 252), erecting a poolside portion of concrete forms (step 254), pouring and letting set concrete (step 256), and removing the poolside portion of the concrete forms (step 258). The method 250 further includes affixing stanchion brackets to the concrete (step 260), attaching stanchions to the stanchion brackets (step 262), and attaching fencing material to the stanchions (step 264).

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.