Prior Art Fencing material is commonly fixed to fence posts using clamping means in the form of bent metal wire ends, which are pinched round the post by means of pincers. The bent metal wire ends can however not be used several times, as a metal wire end breaks after having been bent a number of times. Further- more, it is rather time-consuming to work with such wire ends. Also, these wire ends are sharp and may consequently inflict bodily harm to people or animals if they get caught on such pinched metal wire ends. One may also get injured taking off the clamped metal wire ends in order to remove the fencing.

EP-0 367 313 discloses clamping means in the form of an elastically de- formable cylindrical body with a longitudinal slot-shaped recess for gripping around a bulge of the fencing post. The clamping means comprises at least a horizontal wire recess for taking up and clamping at least a horizontal wire of the fencing material to the fence post. As this clamping means is elastically deformable, it can be fitted and removed many times and when properly carried out it cannot inflict bodily harm. In order to ensure good fixing conditions, the clamping means must exert quite a strong pressure on the bulge of the post when fitted. Special crimping tools are hence necessary for opening the longitudinal slot-shaped recess of the clamping means far enough so that it fits over the bulge of the fence post. The removal of the clamping means from the fencing post is particularly difficult, even with the help of tools, as the access to the longitudinal slot-shaped recess is restricted.

Object of the invention The object of the present invention is hence to provide an improved sys- tem for fixing fencing material to a fence post, wherein the fencing material is easy to mount and dismount.

General description of the invention In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems, the present inven- tion provides a system for fixing fencing material to a fence post comprising a fence post with an axial groove aligned along an outer wall thereof. The axial groove has an inner cavity and a neck portion leading from the outer wall to the inner cavity, wherein the inner cavity is wider than the neck portion, so that the axial groove comprises a recess where inner cavity and neck portion meet. The system further comprises at least one fixing device comprising a head, a shaft and a fixing means. When in use, the head engages behind the recess in the axial groove of the fence post. The shaft has first and second ends, the first end being connected to the head and the second end extending into the axial groove when the fixing device is received in the axial groove. The shaft further has a longitudinal slot therethrough for receiving a wire of the fencing material.

The longitudinal slot extends from the second end of the shaft to an area where the wire received in the longitudinal slot is in the vicinity of an opening formed in the fence post by the axial groove when the fixing device is received in the axial groove. The fixing means is received on the second end of the shaft for clamp- ing the wire received in the longitudinal slot between the fence post and the fixing means. The fixing device is introduced into the axial groove through an opening at the top end of the fence post. The head of the fixing device engages behind the recess in the axial groove but is able to axially slide along the axial groove. The shaft protrudes out of the axial groove, so that the second end of the shaft is available from the outside of the fence post for receiving a wire of the fencing material. A wire of the fencing material can be introduced into the longitudinal slot arranged in the shaft. Once the wire is in place, the fixing means is used to clamp the wire between the fence post and the fixing means.

The fixing device allows for an easy and secure fixing of fencing material to a fence post. Furthermore, by simply rotating the fixing means in the axial groove, it is possible to adjust the alignment of the longitudinal slot arranged in the shaft. This is e. g. of great advantage in case the fence is to be erected on sloped terrain. A slot for receiving a horizontal wire of the fencing material can then be aligned so as to be parallel to the terrain on which the fence is being erected, thereby causing the fence to follow the slope of the terrain.

According to a preferred embodiment, the shaft has a first and a second longitudinal slot therethrough for receiving a first and a second wire of said fencing material. The first and second longitudinal slots extend from the second end of the shaft to an area where the wire received in the longitudinal slot is in the vicinity of an opening formed in the fence post by the axial groove when the fixing device is received in the axial groove. The first and second longitudinal slots are preferably at an angle which substantially corresponds to the angle between the first and second wires. The fixing device can now be used to fix a cross-over point of two wires of the fencing material to the fence post. A horizontal and a vertical wire can e. g. be received in the first resp. second slot so that once the fencing material is fixed to the fence post, it cannot slide in any direction. The fixing device with two slots is particularly advantageous for fixing an end of the fencing material to a first fence post.

The shaft advantageously comprises a thread at least on its part protrud- ing from the axial groove when the fixing device is received in the axial groove, and the fixing means is then preferably a nut. Once the wires are placed in the slots of the shaft, the nut can be screwed onto the threaded end of the shaft and clamp the wires between the fence post and the nut. The fixing device allows for an easy and secure fixing of fencing material to a fence post. The nut can e. g. be simply tightened by means of a conventional wrench. The removal of the fencing material is just as easy, the wires can simply be pulled out of the slots once the nut has been loosened and removed. It will be appreciated that this fixing device can be used over and over again.

The neck portion of the axial groove can be tapered towards the inner cavity, and the fixing device can comprise a preferably bevelled washer be- tween the wire (s) and the nut. As the nut is tightened, the bevelled washer pushes the wire (s) slightly into the axial groove, thereby providing tighter clamping of the wire (s).

It will be appreciated that an alternative method of using the above- mentioned fixing device can be considered. Instead of the head of the fixing device, the fixing means of the fixing device can engage behind the recess in the axial groove of said fence post. The first end of the shaft is connected to the head and the second end of the shaft extends into the axial groove when the fixing device is received in the axial groove and is engaged in the fixing means.

The shaft has a longitudinal slot therethrough for receiving a wire of the fencing material. The longitudinal slot now preferably extends from the first end of the shaft to the second end of the shaft. The fixing means of the fixing device is introduced into the axial groove through an opening at the top end of the fence post. The fixing means of the fixing device engages in the axial groove but is able to axially slide along the axial groove. The shaft extends into the axial groove, so that the second end of the shaft can engage in the fixing means arranged in the axial groove of the fence post. A wire of the fencing material can be introduced into the longitudinal slot arranged in the shaft. By rotating the head of the fixing device, the shaft engages further into the fixing means and clamps the wire between the fence post and the head. At the same time, the wire is wound onto the shaft and is thereby also maintained in place. Further- more, as the wire of the fencing material is wound onto the shaft, the wire is tensioned. The fixing device can hence be used as a tension device for ten- sioning a wire of the fencing material, thereby making a separate tension device redundant.

In a preferred embodiment, the shaft comprises a thread, and the fixing means is a nut. Once the wire is in place, the head can be rotated so as to further engage the second end of the shaft in the nut. Furthermore, the head of the fixing device is preferably designed in such a way that a tool can engage the head for rotating the shaft. The head can e. g. be a square head, hexagonal

head, octagonal head, etc. The head can then e. g. be simply rotated by means of a conventional wrench, which allows for an easy and secure fixing of fencing material to the fence post.

The neck portion of the axial groove can be tapered towards the inner cavity, and the fixing device can comprise a preferably bevelled washer be- tween the wire and the fence post.

The fixing device preferably comprises a supplementary nut between the washer and the head. This supplementary nut can be used for securely fixing the fixing device to the fence post.

The fence post preferably has circular cross-section and can be flattened in the vicinity of the opening created in the outer wall by the axial groove. This allows for the fencing material to-be fixed-to the fence posts in a straight line.

Indeed, as the fencing material is fixed to the fence posts, it is not bent at its fixing point. In particular, if the fence post is used as a corner post, the fencing material can be smoothly curved around the corner, so that there is no sudden kink.

The fixing device is advantageously made of metal or suitable plastic ma- terial.

Detailed description with respect to the figures The present invention will be more apparent from the following description of a not limiting embodiment with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Fig. 1: shows a section view through a fence post; Fig. 2: shows a front and top view of a fixing device for fixing fencing material to a fence post; Fig. 3: shows the fixing device of Fig. 2 fixed to a fence post; and Fig. 4: shows the fixing device of Fig. 2 fixed to a fence post and used as a tension device.

Fig. 1 shows a cylindrical fence post 10 having an outer wall 12 with one flattened region 14. An axial groove 16 is arranged in the fence post 10 on the flattened region 14 thereof. The axial groove 16 comprises an inner cavity 18 and a neck portion 20 leading from the flattened region 14 of the fence post 10 to the inner cavity 18. The neck portion 20 is tapered towards the inner cavity 18, and at the point where neck portion 20 and inner cavity 18 meet, the neck portion 20 is narrower than the inner cavity 18 so that the axial groove 16 comprises a recess 22 therein. Reference number 24 designates a fold of the fence post.

Fig. 2 shows in a) a side view of a fixing device for fixing fencing material to a fence post and in b) a top view of the same device. Fig. 3 shows the device of Fig. 2 fixed to a fence post.

The fixing device 26 shown in Fig. 2 and 3 comprises a hexagonal head 28 and a threaded shaft 30. A first slot 32 for receiving a first wire 34 of the fencing material is arranged in the threaded shaft 30. The first slot 32 extends over the whole length of the threaded shaft 30. A second slot 36 for receiving a second wire 38 of the fencing material is arranged in the threaded shaft 30 of the fixing device 26. The second slot 36 extends over the whole length of the threaded shaft 30.

The head 28 of the fixing device 26 is introduced into the axial groove 16 through an open top end of the fence post 10. While the threaded shaft 30 of the fixing device 26 protrudes from the axial groove 16, the head 28 of the fixing device 26 slides down the axial groove 16. The head 28 is maintained in the axial groove 16 by the recess 22 formed in the axial groove 16. Once the fixing device 26 is in its desired position, the first and second wires 34,38 of the fencing material are received in the first and second longitudinal slots 32,36 respectively. A washer 40 and a conventional nut 42, e. g. a hexagonal nut, are then introduced over the end of shaft 30 protruding from said axial groove 16 in order to maintain the first and second wires 34,38 in the longitudinal slots 32, 36. As the nut 42 is tightened, the washer 40, which has a bevelled portion 44, pushes the first and second wires 34,38 of the fencing material partially into the

axial groove 16 of the fence post 10. The nut 42 also pulls the head 28 tightly against the recess 22 arranged in the axial groove 16, thereby securely blocking the fixing device 26 in the axial groove 16 of the fence post 10.

Fig. 4 shows how the fixing device 26 of Fig. 2 and 3 can also be used as a tension device for tensing a wire 34 of the fencing material.

The fixing device 26 as described above is then mounted in the axial groove 16 in a different way. Indeed, the nut 42 is introduced into the axial groove 16 through the open top end of the fence post 10. The head 28 is then located on the outside and the shaft 30 extends into the axial groove so as to be engaged in the nut 42. A wire 34 of the fencing material is then received in the longitudinal slot 32. As the head 28 of the fixing device 26 is rotated, the shaft 30 further engages in the nut 42 and the wire 34 is wound onto the shaft 30, thereby tensing the wire 34. The washer 40 and a further nut 46 enable to securely fix the fixing device 26 to the fence post 10 once the wire 34 has been tensioned. By tightening the further nut 46, the head 28 and shaft 30 are securely fixed, whereby the wire 34 remains in its tensioned state.