Technical Field

The invention pertains to fixtures for wire fences and more particularly to removable fixtures for wire fences which may be used to hang clothing articles, sporting goods, refreshments and the like, for example, at a tennis court.

Background of the Invention

Outdoor racquet courts and other sporting facilities such as outdoor public tennis courts and swimming pools are surrounded by wire fences. It would be convenient to be able to hang clothing articles or sport bags so that these articles do not have to be left on the ground. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a peg which could be easily attached to and removed from wire mesh fences, especially the conventional CYCLONE ^® style or wire fencing which surrounds many such facilities.

Object of the Invention

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a removable attachment means to be used in conjunction with wire mesh, especially with wire mesh fences.

Disclosure of the Invention

In a first form, the invention provides a removable peg for a wire mesh, such as a fence comprising a backing plate having a projecting peg portion attached to or integrally formed with a front surface thereof and a hanging bracket attached to or integrally formed with the other surface thereof. The plate stabilises the device when attached to a wire mesh fence.

In a preferred embodiment of the first form, the hanging bracket comprises a tongue which is spaced from the backing plate by a shelf-like projection. The tongue assists in locating the peg through an aperture in the mesh. The projection includes two notches offset with respect to one another to allow the device to engage adjacent wires in a wire mesh such as a CYCLONE ^® fence. The notches are preferably angled to follow the contour of the wire or wires to form a more secure engagement with the fence.

In a second form, the invention provides removable attachment means for a wire mesh comprising a solid or hollow bar having at least two attachment means comprising notches in said bar adapted to engage adjacent wires in said mesh so as to releasably locate said bar substantially perpendicular to the plane of said mesh and, and when said notches do not abut at their intersection, a further notch located to enable the cross-section of said bar to overlay the intersection of said adjacent wires and a continuation of said adjacent wires beyond said intersection opposite the points of contact between said wires and said at least two notches. In this form, it is preferred that at least a portion of said

bar has such dimension to allow said portion to pass directly through openings in said mesh.

In a third form of the invention, there is provided removable attachment means for a wire mesh comprising: (1) a load bearing plate adapted to abut one surface of said mesh; (2) at least one projection from within one face of said plate, said projection including at least two attachment means placed so as to engage adjacent wires of said mesh so as to releasably locate said plate substantially parallel to the plane of said mesh. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the plate has a planar dimension unable to pass directly through openings in said mesh. In some forms of the invention, the attachment means may comprise a shelf-like projection which includes at least two notches offset with respect to one another to allow the device to engage said adjacent wires. The notches may be angled to follow the contour of the wire or wires to form a more secure engagement with the mesh. To aid stability, the projection may have a tongue which is spaced from the plate by the shelf-like projection.

The attachment means of the invention can be adapted to locate any object on a wire mesh element such as a fence. In its simplest embodiment, the bar of the second form of the invention constitutes a peg for hanging clothing or sports bags. Where the third form of the invention has only the attachment means and the plate, it can contain, eg. printed matter and will find use as a sign or scoreboard.

Any embodiment of the invention may include a locating element attached to or integrally formed with the plate or the bar. The locating element may be, eg. a projecting peg, a platform, a clip, a hook, a ring, a plate or the like, or a combination thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a removable peg according to the teachings of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the device depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 3a is a side elevation of the device depicted in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 3b is a side elevation of an alternative device comprising an upwardly angled peg portion.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device depicted in Figures 1-3.

Figure 5 is a cross section of the peg portion of the device depicted in Figures 1-4.

Figure 6 is a schematic isometric view of an alternative device formed from hollow tube.

Best Mode or Modes of Carrying out the Invention

The attachment means of the invention can be employed to attach various objects to wire mesh fences. Specific adaptations may be made for specific sports. For example, a ring or clip may be provided of a size suitable to hold a tennis racquet.

For general applications, the attachment means of the invention can provide platforms or shelves which may be provided with apertures, clips etc. to hold items such as cups. Such platforms or shelves may include covering or shading elements. For improved stability, items such as shelves or notice boards may be attached by two or more attachment means and may be formed integrally with the attachment means or may include parts to interlock with corresponding parts on one or more attachment means.

In garden applications, the attachment means of the invention can be adapted to hold hoses, garden tools, pot plants and the like. A pot plant holder might include a relatively large backing plate having a ring of sufficient diameter to hold a pot. The attachment means of the invention can also be employed in garages or workshops where cages or walls are constructed of wire mesh. Here, the means can be adapted to hold tools, fittings, containers for parts and the like.

In some applications, it may be desirable to include a locking device. For example, to achieve this one or more holes could be provided in the plate or bar so that the attachment means could be padlocked to the wire mesh. In embodiments of the invention which include a shelf-like projection and tongue, the tongue could include a clip or other locking means.

The attachment means of the invention can be adapted for various applications to mount items such as hose reels, light fittings and basketball backboards for use near wire mesh fences.

As shown in Figure 1, a removable peg according to the teachings of the present invention comprises a backing plate 11. The backing plate stabilises the device when it is affixed to a fence. Ideally, the plate prevents the device from rotating through the holes in the fence. The front surface 12 of the backing plate 11 supports a peg portion 13. In this example, the peg portion 13 is integrally formed with the backing plate 11 and further comprises an arched intermediate portion 14 and a front plate 15. The front plate 15 may be used as a display surface for advertising. The arched intermediate portion extends across a diameter of the backing plate 11 and front plate 15. The intermediate portion 14 of the peg in this example is also characterised by longitudinal ribs 16. As shown in Figure 3a, the peg portion 13 extends essentially normal to the backing plate 11. As an alternative however, and as shown in Figure 3b, the peg portion 13 may be slightly upwardly inclined with respect to the backing plate 11. As yet a further alternative, the peg portion 13 may slope downwardly away from the backing plate 11. The obverse of the backing plate 11 supports a hanging bracket 17. In this example, the hanging bracket portion 17 of the device comprises a tongue 18 which is spaced from the backing plate 11 by a shelf-like projection 19. Two stiffening ribs 20 extend from the projection 19 to the backing plate 11. Two notches 21 are formed along opposite lateral or side edges of the shelf-like projection 19. As shown best in Figure 4, these notches are offset with respect to one another. The offset notches 21 allow the device 10 to engage adjacent wires in a wire mesh fence such as a CYCLONE ^® fence. It will be noted that some adjacent wires

in a fence of this type are not in the same vertical plane. The spacing between the notches 21, when measured perpendicular to the backing plate 11 corresponds to this spacing. The spacing may vary according to the types of fences which prevail in the area where the article is sold or used. In an alternate embodiment, four notches which together constitute a pair of offset notches may be provided. This enables the peg to be used on any wire mesh fence whether the mesh has been erected vertically or horizontally from the rolls of mesh. Such an embodiment would allow the attachment means to be used with a square mesh or where overlapping wires were not offset.

As shown in Figure 5, the underside 22 of the arched portion 14 may also include stiffening ribs 23 to provide extra strength and rigidity.

For use in conjunction with mesh erected with wires horizontal and vertical, the shelf like projection 19 should be wider than the distance between the vertical wires and the insides of the notches 21 spaced apart by about that distance. In such a case, the backing plate 11 should be larger than the openings in the mesh. As shown in Figure 6, an alternative removable peg 60 is fabricated from hollow tubing. The tubing may be plastics pipe, steel, copper or any other substantially rigid material. The peg 60 comprises a proximal end 61 to be located at one side of a wire fence, and a distal end 62 to project away from the other side of the wire fence. Between the proximal and distal ends 61 and 62, a pair of adjoining slots 63 and 64 are provided. Slots 63 and 64 formed in a steel pipe section might be ground or otherwise machined therein. In a plastics moulding for example the slots 63 and 64 might be moulded into the finished article.

The first slot 63 terminates with ends 65 and 66 which are substantially diametrically opposed. Similarly, the second slot 64 terminates with ends 67 and 68 which are also substantially diametrically opposed. The ends 65, 68, 66 and 67 are spaced substantially evenly at 90° from one another about the major longitudinal central axis (not shown) of the peg 60. If slots 63 and 64 are formed into the pipe at a longitudinal spacing material remaining intermediate the slots should be removed to allow the peg 60 to be placed on to a wire mesh. In use, the proximal end of peg 60 is passed through one of the diamond shaped apertures of a wire fence. When the slots 63 and 64 are aligned with the vertical plane of the wire fence, it may be transferred downwardly such that the wires pass through the slots. When a wire mesh such as a CYCLONE ^® fence is viewed in elevation, the wire segments defining the inclined 45° sides of the diamond shaped apertures appear to intersect. The point of intersection of the wire is to substantially coincide with the central longitudinal axis of the peg 60. That is, the portions of wire radiating at 90° from the point of intersection pass through the slots 63 and 64 so as to abut or at least substantially align with the ends 65, 66, 67 and 68 of the slots 63 and 64.

In an alternative embodiment not depicted, the peg 60 may be fabricated as a substantially solid cylindrical rod. In this instance, slots 63 and 64 might be machined

into the solid material in a similar manner to the forming of slots 63 and 64 in the tubular embodiment depicted. Alternatively, a moulded solid peg may have the slots integrally formed therein as part of the moulding process.

To the distal end 62 of peg 60, a plate portion 69 similar to that depicted in Figure 1 ε may be attached or integrally formed. Alternatively, a groove or grooves may be formed in the upper surface of the distal end portion 30 to receive the strap of a bag for example.

While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to particular details of construction, these should be understood as having been provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope or spirit of the invention. In particular, it will be noted that o the size and location of strengthening elements depends largely on the materials of construction.

Industrial Applicability

The fixtures of the invention allow various objects to be removably attached to wire mesh such as wire mesh fences. These include hanging pegs for clothes and sports bags, s signs, scoreboards, shelves, containers, eg., plant containers and other items.