Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to fences, especially those used in agriculture and in relation to livestock. The present invention covers both an apparatus and a method relating to fences.

Background to the Invention Fences are often necessary to enclose livestock within certain areas, usually fields, paddocks or the like. Such fences may be constructed primarily from wire and timber, and may often be electrified to mitigate animal escape. Fields for livestock may often be located on floodplains. Should flooding occur, standard fences that surround such fields will often be swept away, either by the force of the water itself, or by the action of debris picked up by the flood-water .

Replacement of the fence leads to an increase in costs, downtime when a field may be unusable until it is fixed and may lead to further environmental damage as the ripped up fence may lead to undesirable effects wherever it is

eventually deposited. For example, it may come to rest in a river and block it, leading to problems with the endemic fish population of the river, further flooding by trapping debris and damming the river, and so forth. Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a fence for mounting on a piece of ground,

comprising one or more fence posts, wherein said fence posts are mounted such that they are movable from a first position, where they are substantially perpendicular and project outwardly from and away from ground upon which the fence is mounted, to a second position, wherein they are substantially parallel with and adjacent said ground upon its surface.

The fence post(s) may comprise a ground engaging plate member and an elongate stanchion.

The elongate stanchion may be connected to the ground

engaging plate member via a hinge.

The hinge may comprise two lugs projecting from the plate member with a pin engaging the two lugs and a lower aperture on the stanchion.

The stanchion may have a hinge bracket deployed at the lower end i.e. the end of the stanchion adjacent the plate member.

The hinge bracket may comprise a pin-receiving sleeve with a mounting plate projecting from the sleeve.

The stanchion may be attached to and extend upwardly from the mounting plate.

The stanchion may be spring-loaded to the mounting plate. The stanchion may include a spring mounting pin located adjacent the lower end, above the hinge axis of the hinge mechanism. The mounting plate may include a spring mounting pin.

A spring may be mounted between the spring mounting pins on the mounting plate and the stanchion. The spring may bias the stanchion into the upright or first position .

There may be a locking pin attached to the plate member, allowing the stanchion to be locked in either the upright (or first) position or the folded (or second) position.

The locking pin may extend over and trap the hinge mounting plate . The fence may further comprise one or more rails spanning successive fence posts.

The rails may comprise flexible wire, and said wire may be drawn taut between successive fence posts.

The rails may comprise wire netting, and said wire netting may be drawn taut between successive fence posts.

The rails or wire or wire netting may be electrified.

There may be provided a rail bracket, attachable to said stanchion, and enabling attachment of the rails/wires/etc. There may be provided one or more vertical bracing members disposed between successive fence posts.

The vertical bracing members may comprise a metal or wooden spar with one or more rail(s) or wire(s) fixing attachments to receive the one or more rail(s) or wire(s) on the spar perpendicular to a greater axis of the spar.

One or more guide member (s) may be provided.

Said guide member (s) may be attachable to one or more fence anchors .

The fence anchor (s) may be disposed adjacent said fence post ( s ) .

The guide member (s) may be located adjacent or abutting the stanchion ( s ) . The guide member (s) may be located between the stanchion (s) and the rail member (s) .

The one or more guide members may be positioned substantially normal to the general plane of the fence.

The guide members may be provided at an angle to the ground upon which the fence is mounted.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a fence post, comprising a mounting plate and a stanchion, the stanchion being hingedly connected to the mounting plate and the stanchion being movable from a first or upright position to a second or folded position. The elongate stanchion may be connected to the ground

engaging plate member via a hinge. The hinge may comprise two lugs projecting from the plate member with a pin engaging the two lugs and a lower aperture on the stanchion.

The stanchion may have a hinge bracket deployed at the lower end i.e. the end of the stanchion adjacent the plate member.

The hinge bracket may comprise a pin-receiving sleeve with a mounting plate projecting from the sleeve. The stanchion may be attached to and extend upwardly from the mounting plate.

The stanchion may be spring-loaded to the mounting plate. The stanchion may include a spring mounting pin located adjacent the lower end, above the hinge axis of the hinge mechanism.

The mounting plate may include a spring mounting pin.

A spring may be mounted between the spring mounting pins on the mounting plate and the stanchion.

The spring may bias the stanchion into the upright or first position.

There may be a locking pin attached to the plate member, allowing the stanchion to be locked in either the upright (or first) position or the folded (or second) position.

The locking pin may extend over and trap the hinge mounting plate .

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of erecting a fence, comprising:

- mounting two or more fence posts according to the

second aspect of the present invention at a distance from one another;

- spanning said two or more fence posts with one or

more railings;

- mounting one or more guide members adjacent one or more of said fence posts at an angle to the

stanchion (s) of the fence post(s) .

The method may further comprise mounting fence anchors and attaching said guide members to said fence anchors.

Said guide member (s) may be attachable to one or more fence anchors .

The fence anchor (s) may be disposed adjacent said fence post ( s ) .

The guide member (s) may be located adjacent or abutting the stanchion ( s ) . The guide member (s) may be located between the stanchion (s) and the rail member (s) . Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fence according to the first aspect of the present invention and a first embodiment fence post according to the second aspect of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the fence post of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of the mounting plate and hinge mechanism of the fence post of Figs 1 and 2 ;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of two fence posts and guide members of the fence of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 5 is a further perspective view of the fence posts of Fig. 4 showing detail of the attachment of the guide members ;

Figs. 6 and 7 are further perspective views of the fence of Fig. 1 being collapsed into a folded or retracted position;

Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of a second

embodiment fence post according to the second aspect of the present invention. Referring to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1, there is provided a fence 10 mounted on a piece of ground G,

comprising one or more fence posts 12, wherein said fence posts 12 are mounted such that they are movable from a first position (shown in Fig. 1), where they are substantially perpendicular and project outwardly from and away from ground G upon which the fence is mounted, to a second position, wherein they are substantially parallel with and adjacent said ground G upon its surface.

The fence posts 12 comprise a generally rectangular ground engaging plate member 14 and an elongate stanchion 16. The ground engaging plate member 14 includes three ground

engaging apertures 14a, 14b, 14c; the first 14a located at the approximate centre of the plate member 14 and the second 14b and third 14c located adjacent two corners of the plate member 14.

The elongate stanchion 16 is connected to the ground engaging plate member 14 via a hinge 18. The elongate stanchion 16 has an L-shaped profile to increase rigidity and resist bending and torsion.

The hinge 18 comprises two lugs 20 projecting from the plate member 14 with a pin 22 engaging the two lugs 20 and a lower aperture 24 on the stanchion 16.

The stanchion 16 has a hinge bracket 26 deployed at the lower end 16a i.e. the end of the stanchion 16 adjacent the plate member 14.

The hinge bracket 26 comprises a pin-receiving sleeve 28 with a mounting plate 30 projecting from the sleeve 28. The sleeve 28 defines the lower aperture 24.

An additional wire bracket 17 is attached to the stanchion 16. The wire bracket 17 is an elongate metal member bolted at a short distance from the stanchion 16. Wire receiving apertures 17a are disposed on the wire bracket 17

The stanchion 16 is attached to and extends upwardly from the mounting plate 14.

The stanchion 16 is spring-loaded on the mounting plate 14.

The stanchion 16 includes a spring mounting pin 32 located adjacent the lower end 16a, above the hinge axis H-H of the hinge mechanism 27, which comprises the various components of the hinge .

The mounting plate 14 includes a spring mounting pin 34. A spring 36 is mounted between the spring mounting pins 32,34 on the mounting plate 14 and the stanchion 16. The spring 36 is a coil spring, specifically a tension coil spring.

The spring 36 biases the stanchion 16 into the upright or first position.

A locking pin 38 is attached to the plate member 14, allowing the stanchion 16 to be locked in either the upright (or first) position or the folded (or second) position.

The locking pin 38 extends over and traps the hinge mounting plate 30. A locking pin chain 40 keeps the locking pin 38 secured to the plate member 14. A locking pin bracket 42 is located on the plate member 14 adjacent the hinge mounting plate 30. The locking pin 38 may be extended through the locking pin bracket 42 and engaging and trapping the upper surface of the hinge mounting plate 30.

The various components of the fence post 12 are, in the main, simply welded together, but the skilled addressee will appreciate that alternative construction methods or viable and may be appropriate.

The fence 10 includes one or more rails 44 spanning

successive fence posts 12. The rails 44 are in this case wires 46 held under tension by tensioners 48. wire bracket 17 are attached to the stanchions 16 by bolts 52 at a discrete distance of approximately 50mm from the

stanchions 16. The wire brackets 17 are similar L-shaped sections to the stanchions 16, and may be formed from the same material and section.

Wire apertures 17a are provided on the rail brackets 50 to receive wires 46. Tensioners 48 are used to retain wires 46 to the wire brackets 17. These allow for periodic re- tensioning of wires 46.

It will be appreciated by the skilled addressee that

alternatives to wire are possible, such as wire netting, mesh, chicken wire, rigid spars and so forth. Moreover, the wire(s) or mesh or the like may be electrified to discourage animals to engage with fence 10.

Bracing members 51 are provided at discrete distances along fence 10, and therefore at discrete distances along wires 46. The bracing members 51 are simple timber sections with attachment clips (not shown) to receive the various

individual strands of wire 46 and maintain proper spacing and support. The bracing members 51 may be free from the ground G or sunk into the ground with a spike, peg, or similar, as in the present embodiment.

Two fence anchors 56, 58 are sunk into ground G to enable mounting and support of fence posts 12. Both anchors 56, 58 in this embodiment are sections of timber pole.

Large fence anchor 56 stands proud of ground G by

approximately the same or (as in the present embodiment) a somewhat greater height than stanchion 16. Small fence anchor 58 projects a much shorter distance, approximately l/8 ^th of the height of the large fence anchor 56. This mitigates the potential tripping hazard.

A stanchion guide 60 is attached at is first and second ends to the upper portions 56a, 58a of the large and small fence anchors 56,58. The stanchion guide 60 is therefore provided at an angle to ground G.

It will be noted that fence 10 is provided substantially within a vertical plane perpendicular to the general plane of the ground G. It will be further noted that the stanchion guide as well as being at an acute angle to ground G, is also projecting out of and substantially normal to the plane of the fence 10. Fence 10 and guide 60 form a substantial right angle when viewed from above.

Stanchion guide 60 is formed from the same general section as both the stanchions 16 and the rail brackets 50. Stanchion guide spacing bolt 62 attaches the stanchion guide 60 to the large fence anchor 56. As can be seen from Figs 4 & 5, once constructed stanchion guide 60 is disposed between stanchion 16 and rail bracket 50, with stanchion 16 being located adjacent the large fence anchor 56. The bolts 62 space the stanchion guides 60 approximately 100mm from the large fence anchor 60. The method of constructing the fence comprises the general steps of:

- mounting two or more fence posts 12 as described

above at a distance from one another;

- spanning said two or more fence posts 12 with one or more rails or wire; and

- mounting one or more stanchion guide members 60

adjacent one or more of said fence posts 12 at an angle to the stanchion (s) 16 of the fence post(s) 12.

More specifically, the large and small fence anchors 56,58 are sunk into ground G at appropriate locations, and in a plane generally perpendicular to the envisage plane of fence 10.

Stanchion guides 60 may then be attached as per the above between the large and small fence anchors 56,58, at an appropriate angle. The angle will depend on a number of factors, but ,may be generally within the region of 40-60° to the ground G.

Fence posts 12 are attached to ground G by suitable fixing means, such as pegs or nails (not shown) , via the three ground engaging apertures 14a, 14b, 14c. Fence posts 12 are located between the fence anchors 56,58, adjacent large fence anchor 56, and the stanchion guides 60.

The wire bracket 17 may then be attached to the stanchions 16 by bolts 52 and strands of wire 46 attached to the rail brackets with tensioners 48. Wires 46 span the distance between successive fence posts 12 with a suitable number of bracing members 51 used to support the wires 46 in the spaces in between.

Wires 46 are then suitably tensioned with tensioners 48 to form a sound construction of fence 10 in a first or upright position (as shown in Fig. 1) .

Collapsing of fence 10 (or moving it from a first or upright position to a second or collapsed position) is achieved by first removing locking pin(s) 38 from engagement with hinge mounting plate (s) 30 on all fence posts of the appropriate section of fence 10. This enables stanchions 16 to rotate via the hinge mechanisms of the fence posts 12. Stanchions 16 may then be manually moved from the upright to collapsed positions. It is even possible to move only one stanchion 16 and the combination of properly tensioned wires 46 enable this movement to be translated along fence 10 and force passive movement of a stanchion 16 on the far end of fence 10. The locking pin(s) 38 may be reinserted to abut the other side hinge mounting plate (s) 30 and maintain the fence 10 in a collapsed arrangement. The stanchion guides 60 mitigate misalignment of movement of the stanchions 16 from the upright to collapsed positions.

Fence 10 may be positively collapsed by a user if there is imminent flooding danger.

This process may be reversed in order to re-erect the fence 10. Modifications and improvements are envisaged to the presently described embodiments which do not depart from the scope of the invention.

Figs 8 and 9 show a second embodiment fence post generally referred to as 112. This is largely similar to the first embodiment fence post 12 and uses a similar numbering scheme as above, with analogous integers having the same number albeit prefixed with a "1". The main difference in the second embodiment fence post 112 is that locking pin 122 extends through an aperture 123 in one of the hinge lugs 120 and selectively traps the mounting plate 130 and therefore the stanchion 116 in the upright position .