Adcock, Robin Noel (9-11 Tatura Avenue Gosford, NSW 2250, AU)
| 1. | A post including: a hollow base portion having a lower wall, an upper wall that is spaced from said lower wall and a side wall extending between and connected to said upper and lower walls; a hollow upright portion having a transverse cross sectional area that is smaller than the transverse cross sectional area of said base portion, said upright portion extending upwardly from said base portion and being in fluid communication with said base portion. |
| 2. | A post as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a recess formed in said upper wall. |
| 3. | A post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims claim, wherein said base portion includes an inlet through which ballast may pass and be retained within said base portion. |
| 4. | A post as claimed in claim 3 wherein said inlet is in fluid communication with the hollow upright portion. |
| 5. | A post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said upright portion includes one or more mountings for the attachment thereto of other articles. |
| 6. | a post, including: a base portion that is adapted to be buried, said base portion having a lower wall, an upper wall that is spaced from said lower wall and a side wall extending between and connected to said upper and lower walls ; an upright portion having a transverse crosssection that is smaller than the transverse crosssection of said base portion, said upright portion extending upwardly from the base portion, characterised in that said upper wall defines a recess between said upright portion and said side wall in which soil may be retained. |
| 7. | A post as claimed in claim 6, wherein both the base portion and the upright portion are hollow and wherein the upright portion is in fluid communication with the base portion. |
| 8. | A post as claimed in claim 7, wherein said base portion includes an inlet through which ballast may pass and be retained within said base portion. |
| 9. | A post as claimed in claim 8 wherein said inlet is in fluid communication with the hollow upright portion. |
| 10. | A post as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein said upright portion includes one or more mountings for the attachment thereto of other articles. |
| 11. | A post substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. |
This invention has particular, but not exclusive application, to a post which may be used in the construction of temporary or permanent fencing and wherein reference will be made to same. However it will be appreciated that the post may also be used in the construction of sign posts, barriers, trellises, obstacles over which horses may jump, and other structures.
Due to soil movement and/or the effects of erosion many fence posts are loosely retained in the surrounding soil and as a consequence may exhibit a lean. Furthermore, because the leaning fence posts are loosely retained in the surrounding soil animals are more likely to be able to dislodge, or leap over, sections of the fence that are supported by the aforementioned fence posts.
It has also been observed that the ability of the soil to firmly retain a fence post in the ground can be greatly impaired if the post is struck transversely, such as may occur if a vehicle inadvertently is backed into the post. Again, a leaning fence post that is loosely retained in the ground can reduce the overall effectiveness of the fence as a means of controlling the movement of animals and such like.
For the reasons outlined above, graziers spend considerable time and money maintaining fences.
It has also been noted that often the hole surrounding an upstanding fence post is filled with a cementitious mixture,
such as concrete. If the upper surface of the cementitious mixture is not dome shaped, or otherwise shaped such that water deposited thereon may be freely and readily dispersed away from the base of the post, water may seep between the post and said cementitious mixture. As a consequence posts made of wood tend to rot ; posts made of steel tend to rust, and the corrosion of reinforcing used in the construction of concrete posts may cause fractures in the surrounding concrete. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the replacement of damaged posts is both time consuming and expensive.
Temporary fences are often used to surround construction sites and such like. The fences typically consist of mesh panels that are supported at opposite ends by respective posts. The posts are supported in an upright position by respective concrete supports each having a hole formed therein that is adapted to receive a lower end of the post. A disadvantage of this system is that the mesh panels may be easily removed from the concrete supports by a would be intruder.
This invention aims to provide a post which overcomes at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art.
With the foregoing in view this invention in one aspect relates to a post, said post including: a hollow base portion having a lower wall, an upper wall that is spaced from said lower wall and a side wall extending
between and connected to said upper and lower walls; a hollow upright portion having a transverse cross- sectional area that is smaller than the transverse cross- sectional area of said base portion, said upright portion extending upwardly from said base portion and being in fluid communication with said base portion. Preferably the hollow upright extends upwardly from a central portion of the base portion.
The base portion may be any suitable shape. For example the base portion may be generally elongate and in one embodiment the base portion may be substantially rectangular in shape. Alternatively, the base portion may be substantially square shaped, or it may be generally circular in shape.
In one embodiment the upper wall may define a recess, situated between the upright portion and the side wall, in which soil, sand or other substances may be retained.
Preferably the recess is symmetrical about a line of symmetry that coincides with a longitudinal or vertical axis of the upstanding portion.
In other embodiments the upper wall may define a plurality of recesses that are located intermediate the upright portion and the side wall and wherein said recesses are adapted to retain soil, sand or other substances therein.
Preferably the arrangement of the recesses when filled with soil provide a base which is balanced about an axis that
coincides with a longitudinal or vertical axis of the upstanding portion. For example, the base portion may include an even number of recesses located on opposite sides of said base and wherein the base itself is generally symmetrical.
Preferably the base portion includes an inlet through which ballast, whether it be a liquid, suitable particulate matter or a cementitious mixture, may pass and be retained within said base portion. Preferably the inlet is in fluid communication with the hollow upright portion. For example, the inlet may be formed in the upper wall of the base portion.
In one embodiment the base portion and the upright portion may be formed integrally. Alternatively they may be permanently attached to one another.
In other embodiments, the base portion may include a mounting portion that is adapted to releasably engage with a lower portion of the upright portion. For example, the mounting portion may include a socket that is adapted to receive the lower end of the upright portion. Alternatively, the mounting portion may-include an upstanding plug that is locatable within the lower end of the upright portion. In either embodiment, the mounting portion and the lower end of the upright portion may be threadably interconnected.
Furthermore, the mounting portion may be designed so as to not interfere with fluid communication between the upright portion and the hollow base portion. For example, the mounting portion may include a passageway formed therein which
fluidly communicates with the base portion.
The upright portion may be any suitable shape. For example, the upright portion may have a transverse cross- section that is round, square or polygonal.
The upright portion may include a passageway formed therein that extends between an inlet and an outlet.
Preferably the inlet and the outlet are located at opposite ends of the upright portion. For example, the upright portion may be of generally tubular construction.
The upright portion may further include one or more mountings formed therein for the attachment thereto of other articles. For example, the mountings may include eyelets that may be used to support fencing wire and/or railings, including flexible railings made from a plastics material. In one embodiment, the eyelets may include a threaded stem that is adapted to threadably engage a threaded socket formed in the upright portion. Alternatively, the mountings may be permanently attached to the upstanding portion and/or integrally formed therewith.
In other embodiments there may be provided apertures formed in the wall or walls of the upright portion through which fencing wire or the like may extend. In some instances, aligned apertures formed in the upright portion may be joined together by a tubular portion that extends there between.
It will be appreciated that the base portion and the upstanding portion may be constructed from a variety of
materials. However, it is preferred that the base portion and the upstanding portion are constructed from a suitable plastics material.
In another aspect this invention relates to a post, said post including: a base portion that is adapted to be buried, said base portion having a lower wall, an upper wall that is spaced from said lower wall and a side wall extending between and connected to said upper and lower walls ; an upright portion having a transverse cross-section that is smaller than the transverse cross-section of said base portion, said upright portion extending upwardly from the base portion, characterised in that said upper wall defines a recess between said upright portion and said side wall in which soil may be retained.
The base portion may be any suitable shape. For example the base portion may be generally elongate and in one embodiment the base portion may be substantially rectangular in shape. Alternatively, the base portion may be substantially square shaped, or it may be generally circular in shape.
In one embodiment, the recess may be substantially symmetrical about a line of symmetry that coincides with a longitudinal or vertical axis of the upstanding portion.
In other embodiments there may be provided more than one recess. The recesses may, when filled with soil, provide a
base which is balanced about an axis that coincides with a longitudinal or vertical axis of the upstanding portion. For example, the base portion may include an even number of recesses located on opposite sides of said base and wherein the base itself is generally symmetrical.
Preferably the base portion is hollow and includes an inlet through which ballast, whether it be a liquid, suitable particulate matter or a cementitious mixture, may pass and be retained within said base portion. Preferably the inlet is in fluid communication with the hollow upright portion. For example, the inlet may be formed in the upper wall of the base portion.
In one embodiment the base portion and the upright portion may be formed integrally. Alternatively they may be permanently attached to one another.
In other embodiments, the base portion may include a mounting portion that is adapted to releasably engage with a lower portion of the upright portion. For example, the mounting portion may include a socket that is adapted to receive the lower end of the upright portion. Alternatively, the mounting portion may include an upstanding plug that is locatable within the lower end of the upright portion. In either embodiment, the mounting portion and the lower end of the upright portion may be threadably interconnected.
Furthermore, the mounting portion may be designed so as to not interfere with fluid communication between the upright
portion and the hollow base portion. For example, the mounting portion may include a passageway formed therein which fluidly communicates with the base portion.
The upright portion may be any suitable shape. For example, the upright portion may have a transverse cross- section that is round, square or polygonal.
The upright portion may include a passageway formed therein that extends between an inlet and an outlet.
Preferably the inlet and the outlet are located at opposite ends of the upright portion. For example, the upright portion may be of generally tubular construction.
The upright portion may further include one or more mountings formed therein for the attachment thereto of other articles. For example, the mountings may include eyelets that may be used to support fencing wire and/or railings, including flexible railings made from a plastics material. In one embodiment, the eyelets may include a threaded stem that is adapted to threadably engage a threaded socket formed in the upright portion. Alternatively, the mountings may be permanently attached to the upstanding portion and/or integrally formed therewith.
In other embodiments there may be provided apertures formed in the wall or walls of the upright portion through which fencing wire or the like may extend. In some instances, aligned apertures formed in the upright portion may be joined together by a tubular portion that extends there between.
It will be appreciated that the base portion and the upstanding portion may be constructed from a variety of materials. However, it is preferred that the base portion and the upstanding portion are constructed from a suitable plastics material.
In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: FIG. 1 is a side view of a post that is constructed in accordance with the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the post illustrated in figure 1.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a post 10 that is manufactured from a plastics material preferably using a rotational molding process. The post 10 includes an upright portion 11 that is integrally connected to a base portion 12.
The elongate base portion 12 is hollow. The base portion 12 is in the shape of a substantially rectangular box and includes a lower wall 13, an upper wall 14 which is spaced from said lower wall 12 and a plurality of side walls 15 that extend between and connect said upper and lower walls.
The upper wall 14 includes a centrally located aperture or inlet 16 that is surrounded by the side wall 17 of the tubular upright portion 11.
The shape of the upper wall 14 located between the side
wall 17 and each end wall 15a defines a recesses 18.
The lower wall 13 includes a centrally located depression 19. However it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the lower wall 13 may be substantially flat and may be adapted to rest at the base of a hole in the ground.
The side wall 17 of the upright portion 11 includes pairs of diametrically opposed apertures 20 formed therein which are evenly spaced along the length of the upright portion. The upright portion 11 also includes a plurality of threaded apertures 21 formed in the side wall 17 which are adapted to threadably receive the threaded stem 22 of an eyelet 23. The eyelets 23 may be used to support fencing wire including electrically charged fencing wire.
The upper free end of each upstanding portion 11 may include a depression or recess formed therein which in use may support, like a cradle, a railing or similar member.
In use, a plurality of posts 10 may be used to construct a fence. The base portion 12 of each post is preferably buried in a respective whole in the ground, as illustrated in figure 1. Then lengths of wire may be extended between adjacent posts 10 by threading said wire through selected pairs of apertures 20. Alternatively, the wire strands may be threaded through selected eyelets 23.
In the event of heavy rains and/or soil erosion, it will be appreciated that the weight of soil retained in the recesses 18 will assist in maintaining the post 10 in a
preferred upstanding attitude. Furthermore, if desired, the weight of the post 10 may be selectively increased by filling the base portion 12 and the upright portion 11 with ballast, such as water. This will also have the effect of shifting the centre of gravity of the post closer to the base thereby making the post more difficult to displace.
Should the post 10 be damaged, the post 10 may be filled with concrete thereby overcoming the need to replace the post 10.
The post 10 may also be used to construct temporary fencing and/or barricades, by resting the base portion on a suitable foundation, such as the ground. In order to minimise the likelihood that the posts might be displaced, the weight of each post 10 may be selectively increased by filling the base portion 12 and the upright portion 11, if so desired, with ballast, such as water.
It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the present invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein described in the appended claims.