FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a clip (which term is intended to include any mechanical fastening means) for attaching, either directly or indirectly, a generally transverse wire, in particular a trellis wire, to a supporting post or other upright collectively referred to herein as a post for simplicity of description. The invention also relates to the combination of a clip and a cantilever style support for said purpose as well as to installations of such clips and cantilever supports, where present, on cooperating posts.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Numerous different clips have been used for attaching wires to fence or trellis support posts, depending, to large extent, on the nature, and particularly the cross-sectional configuration, of the post.

In the case of traditional wooden posts, the most common form of clip is a simple arch shaped nail that is percussively driven into the wooden post with its two limbs straddling the wire. This arrangement is inexpensive and operates to a reasonably effectively. However, such nails tend to become loose over a period of time and thus ineffective, thereby leading to maintenance being necessary.

Wooden posts are becoming increasingly expensive, prone to rotting and are sometimes in short supply. As a result, other materials of construction for use as fence and, in particular, trellis posts are gaining in popularity and cost effectiveness. Metal posts that may be tubular in construction, but more typically assume the form of a rolled section, are of particular significance in

CONFIRMATION COPY

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this regard. However, accompanying the use of such metal posts is the question of clips to be used to attach wire strands to the posts at the required positions up the height thereof. Numerous different clips have therefore been proposed for this purpose.

Most relevant to the present invention are the clips described in United States patents numbers 1 ,214,749 and 5,547,322.

In the case of the former US patent there is described a clip made from a bent piece of wire so as to have two divergent feet from which protrude a pair of oppositely directed hook shaped portions located generally in a plane at right angles to the feet for cooperating with a wire. The feet form an elongate composite attachment formation that passes through a vertically orientated elongate aperture in a post of angle iron in a generally vertical orientation and is held captive in this position by rotating it through 90 degrees so that the feet extend transverse to the elongate aperture. In the latter position the two hook formations form a composite eye having a generally horizontal axis for holding a transverse wire captive relative to the post.

A clip of this nature is difficult, and accordingly costly, to form, and the resultant clip is operatively in fairly loose association with the post. The result is that movement and consequent abrasion may be occasioned by the wind, particularly in the case of trellis wires where wind resistance of the plant attached to the wires is significant. Also, with the wire, post and clip generally all being made of different metals, the likelihood of electrolytic corrosion is considerable.

In the case of US patent 5,547,322, a plastics injection moulding is provided with two feet that have catch formations for engaging behind two opposite edges of an elongate aperture in a vertical post. The difficulty with this arrangement is that the tolerances are crucial to the effective latching of the catch formations behind edges of the aperture with the attachment of the clip

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to the post being loose if the thickness of the metal post is rather thin relative to the location of the catch formation. On the other hand, if the thickness of the metal post is rather thick relative to the location of the catch formation, it will fail to properly clip behind the edge of the aperture. In any event, applicant believes that such a clip will have a tendency to pull out of the aperture under many different conditions.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a clip that can be used effectively on a metal or like post to support a transverse strand of wire relative thereto, either directly or indirectly. It is another object of the invention to provide an optional cantilever style support for cooperation with clips of the invention. It is a further object of the invention to provide a combination of metal posts and such clips and, where appropriate, cantilever style supports.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of this invention there is provided a clip for attaching a wire to a post having elongate apertures formed through a wall thereof, the clip being injection moulded from a suitable plastics material and comprising a body having one or more holding formations associated with it for holding, directly or indirectly, a wire extending transversely to a post, and retaining formations whereby the clip may be held captive in an elongate aperture in the post, the clip being characterized in that the retaining formations include a generally elongate foot attached to the body by means of an integral connecting neck wherein the neck defines, with the body and foot, the inner ends of each of a deeper and a generally coplanar shallower groove with the two grooves being oppositely directed away from each other and wherein the deeper groove is configured to accommodate a first end edge of an aperture in a post when the end of the foot associated with the

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deeper groove is passed through such an aperture to enable the opposite end of the foot (that is the end associated with the shallower groove) to be passed through the aperture so as to enable the second and opposite end edge of the aperture to be engaged in the shallower groove whilst said first end edge of the aperture is still located within the deeper groove to thereby hold the clip captive relative to the post.

Further features of the invention provides for the deeper groove to be of generally narrow, preferably somewhat curved, Vee-shape in side view to enable the clip to be rotated around the said first end edge of the aperture to enable, in turn, passage of the opposite end of the foot past the said second end edge of the aperture; and for the shallower groove to have at least one integral ridge arranged to be deformed by the thickness of a post wall introduced therein to result in tight engagement and corresponding locking of the clip to the post.

In a first variation of the invention said one or more holding formations is a slot open at an end or a side of the clip and passing through the clip at generally right angles to the plane containing the grooves between the body and foot for receiving a transverse cantilever support, typically a cantilever wire support, passing through the clip and post for supporting transverse trellis wires at the free ends thereof that are operatively spaced outwards of the post itself. In this variation the cantilever support, typically a cantilever wire support, would operatively pass through the post to support transverse trellis wires at the free ends thereof. In such an instance a second clip would, in use, be arranged opposite a first clip on an opposite side of a post so that a single composite cantilever support operatively extends through two spaced clips and the entire cross-sectional dimension of the post to project outwards at each end and provide a pair of outwardly spaced supports for two trellis wires, one on each of two opposite sides of the post.

P0402PCT 2000/02/06

In a second variation of the invention the said one or more holding formations is a pair of integral retaining hooks directed inwardly towards each other and terminating short of each other to define an entrance slot between their spaced free edges. Preferably each of the hooks is configured so that one of them is on each of two opposite ends of the clip and the free end of each hook is shaped such that a wire will snap past it into a cavity provided by that hook.

In a third variation of the invention the said one or more holding formations is a pair of oppositely and inwardly directed hooks typically moulded integral with the body and that overlap each other in side view but are laterally spaced in elevation to enable a wire that is to be supported thereby to be introduced between them followed by rotation of the clip relative to the wire to locate both hooks over the wire from opposite directions and hold it captive. In this instance the hooks are preferably configured to snap firmly onto the wire to hold it relative to the clip. This variation, it is envisaged, when made of a suitably electrically conductive material, may be particularly useful in supporting electric fence wires of an electric fence.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a cantilever support for use in combination with clips as defined above and wherein the cantilever support is configured with a generally elongate central portion configured to pass through an open ended slot through a clip and thus through an aperture in a post in the installed condition and wherein the cantilever support has, at each of its free ends, support formations for cooperation with a transverse trellis wire to be supported thereby.

Further features of this aspect of the invention provide for the cantilever support to be made from a bent length of wire in which case it is herein termed a cantilever wire support or simply a cantilever wire; for the support formations at each end of the cantilever wire to be formed into eyes through which trellis wires can be passed; for each eye to assume the form of a

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helical loop of wire configured to enable transverse introduction of a trellis wire into the resultant eye; and for the length of wire between the free ends to be divided into a central straight section corresponding in length to approximately the transverse dimension of a post with which it is to be used and an end section extending at an incline to the central straight section and terminating in said support formations.

The invention also provides the combination of a plurality of clips as defined above and a. fence or trellis post formed of a rolled or otherwise formed metal section.

In order that the above and other features of the invention may be more fully understood one presently preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is an isometric exploded view of a part of a vine trellis post with the web foremost and showing clips and a cantilever wire of the first variation of the invention in exploded relationship relative thereto;

Figure 2 is an isometric view similar to Figure 1 with the web rearmost and the clips and cantilever wire in the assembled positions;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the first variation of clip according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a front perspective thereof;

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Figure 5 is an elevation thereof;

Figure 6 is a side view thereof;

Figure 7 is a detailed section taken along line Xl to Xl in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional side view thereof;

Figure 9 is an elevation of a cantilever wire support;

Figure 10 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 11 is a side elevation illustrating the application of the invention to one alternative form of said one or more formations of a clip according to the invention that does not use a cantilever support;

Figure 12 is a front view of an embodiment of the third variation of the invention;

Figure 13 is a side view thereof (direction of arrow "A" in Figure 12); and,

Figure 14 is a plan view thereof (direction of arrow "B" in Figure 13).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

In order that the various features of the clips and other components provided by the invention may be more fully understood applicant considers it appropriate to firstly briefly describe a preferred form of post in relation to which the clips and cantilever supports are to be employed.

P0402PCT 2006/02/06

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, a post, generally indicated by numeral (1) is of channel section and has a web composed of a central flat section (2) interconnecting a pair of arcuate corner sections (3) that form part of, and connect with, a flat section (4) of each flange. The free edge of each flange is formed into an arcuate inwardly directed lip (5).

The flat section (4) of each flange is provided with a series of spaced longitudinally elongate apertures (6) for cooperation with clips for holding, in this case, transverse cantilever support wires and trellis wires supported by them relative to the post.

Clearly the spacing of the elongate apertures is selected for the particular application and, in this case, the spacing is appropriate to supporting grape vine trellis wires.

The preferred embodiment of the first variation of clip according to the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 3 to 8 of the drawings.

The clip, generally indicated by numeral (7), comprises a plastics injection moulding of a plastic material selected to provide desirable durability and physical properties. The plastic material at present preferred is a suitable grade of nylon but plastics technology may well provide superior or more desirable alternatives, at least from one or another point of view.

The clip comprises a body (8) having an integral neck (9) and an integral foot (10). The integral neck forms, together with the body and foot, the inner end (11) of a deeper groove (12) and the inner end (13) of a shallower groove (14). The two grooves are generally coplanar and directed in opposite directions away from the neck and in the direction of the length of the body. The deeper groove (12) is formed to a slightly curved, narrow Vee-shape in

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side view (see particularly Figures 6 and 8), the purpose of this shaping being as follows.

In order to install a clip operatively in an aperture in a post of the type described, the end of the foot associated with the deeper groove is firstly passed through an aperture whilst simultaneously moving the body so that the associated end edge, the first end edge of the aperture referred to above, substantially enters the deeper groove fully. At this stage the opposite end of the foot that is associated with the shallower groove is able to pass through the aperture and past the opposite end edge, the second end edge referred to above, of the aperture. This movement involves a generally rotational movement with respect to the first end edge of the aperture and it is for this reason that the deeper groove is shaped to the curved narrow Vee-shape indicated above. The clip can then be slid in the plane of the portion of the post surrounding the elongate aperture to engage the second end edge of the aperture in the shallower groove, as illustrated in Figure 8. Because of the difference in depth of the two grooves, the first end edge of the aperture remains within the confines of the deeper groove and the clip is held captive relative to the post.

In order to ensure that the second edge of the aperture is firmly located within the shallower groove, the one face defining the shallower groove has, as illustrated in Figure 7, a central ridge (14a) that extends towards the inner end of the groove. This ridge is arranged such that its height is reduced by a shearing action of the generally sharp edge of the elongate aperture thereby resulting in a tight fit of the edge in a shallower groove irrespective of variations occasioned by, for example, tolerances.

The body, neck and foot all have a common, deep, open-ended slot (15) extending inwardly from one end (16) of the body and at generally right angles to the plane containing the two grooves. This slot is configured to receive a transverse cantilever wire support (16) passing operatively through

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the body, and thus, in use, through an associated post, for supporting transverse trellis wires (17) at the free ends (18) thereof that are operatively spaced outwards of the post itself, as shown in Figure 2.

The free, outer ends (18) of the cantilever wire support are each bent to form an open helix so that trellis wires can be introduced laterally into what are effectively eyes formed at the ends of the cantilever wire support. These helical formations are configured so that they can pass through an elongate aperture in the support post described above.

The clips are generally associated with the cantilever wire by introducing the cantilever wire into the inner end of the slot (15), in the case of each clip, preparatory to installing that clip on a post by passing its foot through an elongate aperture and manipulating the body as described above. It will be understood that one clip would, in the operative condition, be arranged opposite another clip on an opposite side of the post so that a single composite wire cantilever support operatively extends through two spaced clips and the entire cross-sectional dimension of the post to project outwards at each end.

In order to assist in the positioning and orientation of the cantilever wire supports with respect to the post, it is preferred that the cantilever wire be provided with two corresponding bends (19) that change the direction in which the wire extends by about 20 degrees, as shown in Figure 9. In the operative orientation, each of the cantilever wire supports therefore has a central section passing generally horizontally through the post and two end sections indicated by numeral (20) that are inclined slightly downwards to communicate with the ends (18). This configuration will automatically, by virtue of the action of gravity, result in the cantilever wire supports assuming the desired orientation and position relative to an associated post.

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Whilst it is preferred, at the present time, to employ cantilever supports of the general type described, is within the scope of this invention to use other formations for holding a trellis wire relative to the clip. Two other possibilities have been referred to above and are further described as follows.

In the case of the clip illustrated in Figure 11 the clip has a foot (21) that may be substantially as described above, but the body has an integral pair of retaining hooks (22) directed outwards away from the foot and inwardly towards each other. The two hooks terminate short of each other to define an entrance slot (23) between their spaced free edges (24). The free end of each hook is shaped such that a wire will snap past it into a cavity (25) provided by that hook.

In the case of the clip illustrated in Figures 12 to 14, a pair of oppositely directed hooks (26) are configured differently and overlap each other in elevational view whilst being laterally spaced to enable a wire (27) to be introduced through a gap (28) between them. After introduction of a wire, typically a trellis wire, the clip may be rotated relative to the wire to locate the hooks over the wire from opposite directions and hold it captive. The clip can then be installed in an elongate aperture as described above.

In this variation both hooks are configured to snap firmly onto the wire to hold it positively relative to the clip. This variation, it is envisaged, may be particularly suitable in application to electrically conductive wires of an electric fence. In such an application, of course, the post could be replaced by a support that is quite different. Such a support could typically be a simple angle iron support mounted on top of a wall or fence post.

It will be quite apparent that, in use, clips as described above can be installed in a series of spaced apertures up the height of a suitable post, and wires can be introduced into the clips or cantilever supports to hold them captive and support them on the post.

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Clearly, numerous variations can be made to the embodiments of the invention described above without departing from the scope hereof.

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