The present invention relates to a method of sealing radially sawn drop segments of timber to facilitate their use for sound attenuation fencing or insulated walling or panelling.

Radially sawn drop segments are produced by sawing a log from the outside to the centre to produce elongated wedges of timber. These wedges of timber comprise two radial faces formed by the saw cuts and a face which was the outside ofthe tree or closest or basically tangential to the outside ofthe tree. A rebate is machined in the "tangential" face to accept the apex of the two radial faces of a similar wedge of timber. These radial drop segments are described in Australian Patent Application No.

In the previously described invention it is not possible or practical to provide efficient sealing between adjoining panels of drop segments. For the purpose of this invention a panel of drop segments refers to two or more drop segments connected together in their usual way ofthe inserting previously mentioned apex into the previously mentioned rebate. When drop segments are inserted into slotted posts, it is very difficult to seal around the ends ofthe segments to stop noise or air travelling around the ends ofthe segments. Drop segments usually "float" in the grooved posts to allow for initial shrinkage and seasonal movement caused by expansion and contraction ofthe timber sections as moisture content changes in the timber. This ability to move up and down in the groove means that good sealing between individual segments is maintained which is very important for stopping sound or air movement. It is very difficult to insert sealing compounds during or after the construction phase and these sealing compounds, which generally adhere in some way to the segments or the walls ofthe grooves, stop the movement ofthe sections and do not allow for efficient sealing.

The present invention allows for the easy and effective sealing of at least two adjoining panels of drop segments by connecting adjoining panels directly to one another by means of a joining compound.

For the purpose of this invention the joining compound could comprise: 1. a section or sections of fully flexible or partly flexible material that may or may not remain flexible.

2. a fluid or semi fluid compound that may remain fluid or semi fluid or set to a required or anticipated consistency.

3. a packing compound of granulated, shredded or particulated material. 4. suitable compressible material.

For the purpose of this invention the said joining compound could be placed in the space between the ends of at least two consecutive panels or in the space formed by two adjoining panels which are effectively side by side. For the purpose of this invention the drop segment panels are supported by suitable posts or structures that allow the panels to be joined at the ends or the sides by the joining compound.

In one preferred embodiment ofthe invention, panels are connected end to end with a material such as bitumenised foam placed between the ends to effect the seal between the panels. The panels are supported by two posts with the required gap between them to support the panels. These posts can be connected at ground level and at the top to share loads caused by factors such as wind on the structure, but would generally not have intermediate connections which would impair the effectiveness ofthe seal and not allow for the required timber movement. In this embodiment the adjoining panels which have similar shrinkage and movement characteristics can move similarly and actually facilitate the even settling and movement of adjacent panels.

Another preferred embodiment has for its object the construction of an efficient sealing method for two panels of drop segments placed side by side. In this application a post such as a H-section universal column or similar is

used as a post with the ends of two panels placed into the C section being one side of the H-section A suitable joining compound is placed in the space formed by the two panels which effectively forms the seal between the panels and the H-section posts Consecutive assemblies such as these will form a continuous sealed structure Joining compounds in this instance could be soil, stone, grave sawdust or the like, depending on the insulating or strength properties required

For particular applications where mass or strength are required, liquid concrete could be poured into the space and allowed to set A material such as this would effectively seal the panel and remove the need to allow for settling or movement ofthe panel as the compound would effectively improve the seal between the individual drop sections of timber The method can be used for the cost-effective establishment of sound attenuation structures incoφorating different matenals at different levels Where strength and mass is required near ground level for maximising impact and noise absoφtion, concrete may be used for infill As the bamer gets higher, more noise tends to travel over the top ofthe bamer so a lighter matenal may be just as effective higher in the structure This may have a beneficial effect on footings and post loadings leading to more efficient use of materials At the top of a structure it may be economical to revert to a single layer of panelling while still maintaining effective noise attenuation The use of sawdust as a joining compound would provide an effective sealing and insulating material while virtually removing all waste from the production ofthe drop segments In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows a number of radially sawn drop segments connected together to form a section of a typical panel Figure 2 shows a plan view of panels (1) connected by bitumenised foam (n), between posts (in) which are shown rectangular but which could be any other suitable shape

90 Figure 3 shows a side elevation of panels (iv) during erection with compressed joining compound (v) between. Figure 3 shows a preferred method of erection ofthe panels which involves the erection of a completed panel, the suspension ofthe sealing compound at the end ofthe installed panel, and the subsequent placement ofthe adjoining panel. 95 Figure 4 shows the plan view of two universal type section beams (vi) with two panels (vii) separated by joining compound which is represented by the hatched area (viii).

Curved walls can be constructed while still maintaining a similar construction by angling the panels in relation to the post. 100 Figure 5 shows an end section view of two panels of segments connection by joining compounds with the darker hatched area (ix) representing the use of a dense material at the base and lighter hatched area (x) representing less dense material at the top ofthe structure.

Figure 5 (xi) shows a capping device which could be placed over the top of 105 posts to enhance the appearance ofthe structure and prevent water and weather penetration, and allow for settling ofthe panels ofthe structure.

Figure 6 shows an example of how posts for single panels could be constructed for right angle joins with a similar wide spaced system suitable for double panels. 110

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