SUPPORTING A WIRE NET FENCING

The present invention relates to a set of elements for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, in particular for setting in the ground supporting posts having a circular or ring-shaped cross-sections, especially metal posts, preferably in form of straight pipe sections, as well as to a method of setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing. The posts, especially supporting posts being set in the ground by means of a set of elements according to the invention, are preferably vertical supporting elements of the wire net fencing. The posts being set in the ground by means of a set of elements according to the invention can also constitute masts for pennants, banners and flags, or else posts for mounting road signs and/or information or warning boards.

Traditionally, posts - especially supporting posts for attaching and securing the wire net fencing, are being set in a the ground while surrounded by a hardening mass, in particular one that binds hydraulically such as concrete, which mass is poured in a semi-liquid state into a pit in the ground or a formwork placed in the ground such as one for forming a fence foundation, and nowadays - into post blocks or post-and-masonry blocks, where the supporting post is placed.

So far, metal anchors - as well as plastic anchors, consisting of a spike hammered into the ground and a can attached thereto - remaining above the surface after the anchor is set in the ground, the can being adjusted in shape and size to the dimensions of the post, were used for setting in the ground wooden posts, especially massive wooden pillars, which are load-bearing elements for small wooden architecture, such as pergolas, arbors and fences - including fences made of wooden spans, without exposing wood to direct contact with the ground and moisture carried by the ground and causing rotting and moldering of bottom parts of such posts. The position of wooden supporting pillars or posts for such structures in the anchor cans is stabilized by nails or bolts joining the cans with the posts.

However, neither the above-described metal anchors nor plastic anchors have been used thus far for setting in the ground posts, especially posts supporting wire net fencing, mainly due to the ineffectiveness of stabilizing a position of each supporting post against the anchor itself by the existing technical means.

It is therefore the aim of the present invention to provide a set of elements for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, in particular for setting in the ground supporting posts having a circular or ring-shaped cross-sections, especially metal posts, preferably in form of straight pipe sections, ensuring on one hand stabilization of the supporting post position and on the other hand - durability of its position.

It has surprisingly been found that the aim of the present invention has been achieved by providing the present solution in the form of a set of elements for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, as well as of a method of setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, as defined in the appended claims. A set of elements for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises an element to be hammered into the ground, having a sharp spike at one end and an inner socket having a variable cross-section of a circular shape finished with a flat flange on the opposite end and having at its entire height at least two vertical side fins parallel to the longitudinal axis of the element, and also an annular clamping element made of at least two segments, each one in form of a section of a ring with a flange everting outwardly and with an inner cylindrical through hole, connected with each other at the bottom edge and separated at the top, wherein each of the segments additionally has at least one vertical recess at the bottom edge and/or at least one vertical recess on the side of the inner cylindrical through hole of the element.

Preferably, the vertical side fins extend from the upper flat flange to the sharp spike of the element to be hammered into the ground. The outer surfaces of the vertical side fins are optionally step-shaped, with their outer edges extending towards the sharp spike of the element to be hammered into the ground, being serrated - saw-like shaped, in their parts adjacent to the flat upper flange of the element.

According to the invention the socket of the element to be hammered into the ground has the shape of an inverted cone, the slant height of which forms a variable angle with the vertical axis of the socket, and the lateral surface of the annular clamping element has the shape of an inverted truncated cone with variable angle between its slant height and its vertical axis, the angle being compatible with the corresponding angle formed by the slant height of the socket and its vertical axis, on the side adjacent to the top opening of the socket.

Preferably, the socket of the element to be hammered into the ground has at least one drain hole for draining water, in particular rainwater.

Advantageously, the element to be hammered into the ground is made of rigid plastic material having the required strength, and the annular clamping element is made of plastic material having adequate elasticity, preferably the same or greater than the elasticity of the construction material of the element to be hammered into the ground.

The present invention encompasses also a method for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, making use of the above described set of elements for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, according to the invention is characterized in that into the ground there is hammered the element having the socket size adjusted to the diameter of the post, in particular the fence supporting post, next the annular clamping element is put flange upwards on the post, so that it is pushed away from the bottom edge of the post and then the post is inserted as far as it will go, into the socket of the element being already hammered into the ground, and afterwards the gap between the socket and the post is filled-in by pressing in it the annular clamping element previously put on the post.

The solution according to the invention ensures a possibility of efficient and reliable setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing. A particular advantage of the solution according to the invention is the possibility of stable mounting of the post in the ground, without the need of using screws (or nails). In addition, the element of the set according to the invention being hammered into the ground, easily penetrates the ground and maintains vertical orientation of its inner socket due to the presence of vertical side fins arranged on its outer circumference. Stabilization in a relatively loose ground is additionally ensured by serrated and stepped shape of the side fin parts adjacent to the flat upper flange, as such a shape increases the fins surface contact with the ground.

The invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, where:

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of one element of the set according to the invention for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, i.e. the element to be hammered into the ground, shown in a section along its vertical axis and in cross- sections perpendicular to the vertical axis along the A-A, B-B, C-C, D-D and E-E lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an annular clamping element being a part of the set of elements according to the invention for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the elements of the set according to the invention for setting in the ground a post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, together with the bottom part of the post to be set therein;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a post supporting a wire net fencing, being set in a the ground by means of the set of elements according to the invention; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a connection between the supporting post and a set of elements according to the invention, shown in Fig. 4, in a section along a vertical axis.

In the drawing the same reference numerals correspond to the same elements.

Detail description of the invention

In the following description and in the claims, the terms used in the singular refer also to the plural and vice versa, unless the context of their use unequivocally shows otherwise.

The post, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing, is known and usually has the form of a straight section of a metal pipe. However, it can also be a wooden or composite post, or a section of a ceramic or rigid plastic tube - according to the user's needs. The supporting function of the post, especially the post supporting a wire net fencing, requires its permanent setting in the ground, the setting resistant to excessive pressure exerted by, for example, the wind.

The set of elements for setting a post, especially a supporting post in the ground, is available in various embodiments, adjusted to the type of the ground and the size of the post.

The term "rigid plastic material of a required strength" is typically meant to denote a hot- formed plastic material with reinforcing fibers, optionally with an addition of a dye or pigment in a color consistent with the recipient's order. Preferably, the plastic material is based on the recycled materials such as PET.

The term "socket" means an open at the top structural component of the element to be hammered into the ground of the set according to the invention, the size of which is adapted to the diameter of the available post, especially the post supporting a wire net fencing.

The term "side fin" refers to a structural component of the element to be hammered into the ground of the set according to the invention, which component increases its contact surface with the ground and maintains the direction in which it is hammered into the ground. The outer edge of each side fin extending from the edge of the flat top flange to the spike end of the element to be hammered into the ground can be smooth or serrated like a saw. The element to be hammered into the ground has at least two side fins, and preferably has four side fins, the outer edges of which are arranged along two diameters of the socket of the element that intersect at a right angle.

The annular clamping element in the set of elements according to the invention is made of at least two segments in the form of a section of a ring with a flange everting (extending) outwards and an inner cylindrical through hole. These segments are connected with each other at the bottom edge and separated at the top. Each of the segments has at least one vertical recess at the bottom side, preferably extending from the bottom edge, towards the everting flange. Each segment of the annular clamping element may also have at least one vertical recess on the inner side of the inner cylindrical through hole. The depth of this vertical recess is smaller than the thickness of the side wall of the annular clamping element. Above the bottom edge of the segmented annular clamping element, a clamp may be provided to limit a possibility of reaching an undesired, too deep position by the post, in particular the fence supporting post, within the socket of the element to be hammered into the ground.

The presence of gaps between the individual segments and the recesses in the side wall of the annular clamping element makes it possible to fit the ring between the inner surface of the socket of the element to be hammered into the ground and the outer surface of the post, especially the fence supporting post set therein. An additional factor enabling the stabilization of the fence supporting post in the socket of the element to be hammered into the ground is the elasticity of the material from which the annular clamping element is made.

The socket of the element to be hammered into the ground is shaped in form of an inverted cone, the slant height of which forms a variable angle (half of the apex angle) with the vertical axis of the socket, and the lateral surface of the annular clamping element has the shape of an inverted truncated cone with variable angle between its slant height and its vertical axis, the angle being compatible with the corresponding angle formed by the slant height of the socket and its vertical axis, on the side adjacent to the top opening of the socket.

In the accompanying drawing Figs. 1-2, a set of elements according to the invention for setting in the ground a post, especially a fence supporting post, is presented in an embodiment, in which the element to be hammered into the ground has four side fins. A different number of the side fins - for example three, is also possible. The side fins in the attached drawings have smooth outer edges, however serrated (saw-like) edges are also possible, if required. Figs. 3-5 illustrate the implementation of the method according to the invention using the set shown in the drawing Fig. 1-2.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the set of elements according to the invention consists of an element 1 (Fig. 1) to be hammered into the ground and an annular clamping element 2 (Fig. 2).

The element 1 to be hammered into the ground has at the top a flat flange 3 and an inner socket 4, and at the opposite end a sharp spike 5. Between the flange 3 and the sharp spike 5, there extend vertical side fins 6, being parallel to the vertical axis of the element 1 and evenly spaced one from the other by 90° around the inner socket 4. The socket 4 has a drain hole 7 for draining water, in particular rainwater.

The annular clamping element 2 is composed of segments 8 in form of ring sections with a flange 9 everting (extending) outwards and an inner cylindrical through hole. The segments 8 are connected to each other at the bottom edge and separated from each other at the top by slots 10. Each segment 8 has at least one vertical recess 11 on the side of the bottom edge and/or at least one vertical recess 12 on the side of the inner cylindrical through hole of the ring.

A clamp 13 may be used above the bottom edge of the segments 8 of the annular clamping element 2.

The post 14 to be set in the ground passes through the inner cylindrical through hole of the annular clamping element 2 and enters the socket 4 of the element 1, as illustrated in the attached drawing Fig. 3.

When implementing the method of setting in the ground a post 14, especially a post supporting a wire net fencing 15 (Fig. 4), by means of the above-described set of elements 1 and 2 according to the invention, the element 1 of the set - having the size of the socket 4 selected such as to match the diameter of the post 14 and the size the annular clamping element 2, is hammered into the surface P of the ground and then on the post 14 to be set the annular clamping element 2 is put flange upwards so that it is pushed away from the bottom edge of the post 14. The post 14 together with the clamping element 2 is inserted into the socket 4 of the element 1 already being hammered into the ground such that its flat flange 3 is above the surface P of the ground.

Then, the gap between the socket 4 and the post 14 is filled-in by the annular clamping element 2 previously applied to this post 14, being pressed into the gap, thereby stabilizing the position of the post 14 in relation to the ground. In the final position, the outwardly everting flange of the annular clamping element 2 abuts the flat flange 3 of the element 1 of the set according to the invention.

A fence net 15 is attached to the post 14, in particular the fence supporting post set in the ground by the method according to the invention.

The post 14 set in the ground in accordance with the invention may constitute a support element for any object such as a traffic sign, an information or warning board, a signpost and the like.

As already mentioned, the set of elements according to the invention is made of fiber- reinforced plastic having the required strength - according to the purpose of the post being set in the ground. The material used allows for the hot forming of the set of elements of the invention. During forming, the suitably shaped mold interacts with the core, shaping the socket 4 and the drain holes 7.