5. "Star" steel posts are well known for use in primary industry and domestic fencing applications. Such posts are star shaped in cross section and are provided with holes spaced along the length thereof and through which fencing wire may be passed. Once set into the ground, they may be threaded 10. with three, four or five strands of wire as required. Spacers may be provided in the fence between star posts at appropriate intervals to ensure correct spacing of the strands of wire along the length of the fence line. Such spacers are not set into the ground.

15. A disadvantage of the "Star" post system is the weight of the posts and the lack of flexibility in the positioning of the wire in relation thereto. Further, such wire strands, except the uppermost, must be threaded through the post. This system is costly as the posts themselves are expensive,

20. and the construction techniques that are dictated thereby are relatively inefficient.

A further disadvantage of the prior art is that barbed wire cannot be threaded through the holes provided as the barbs obstruct passage of the wire through the hole.

25. It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fence post which, having been set in the ground, may have fencing wire, mesh or the like secured to it at any desired height, said wire or mesh being adjustable for height as desired after erection.

30. It is a further object of our invention to provide a fencing system in which barbed wire, mesh and the like may be fixed to the post at any height.

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It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fence post which is stronger, lighter and cheaper than previo known fence posts. Yet a further object of the present inventi is to provide a steel fence post which may be installed in 5. the field using compressed air tools commonly found affixed to vehicles used for agricultural purposes.

A further object of our invention is to provide a fencing system which includes "droppers" of the same design but of lighter construction spaced in between the said fence posts.

10. In accordance with the present invention therefore there is provided a fence post having longitudinal gripping means for the attachment of fencing wire, mesh or the like at any point along the length of said post, the cross-sectional shape of said post being of a substantially closed U-section, the

15. two edges being flared outwardly and forming two opposed lips running substantially along the length of the post and spaced apart such that on penetration, of fastening means therebetween, said lips are forced apart and become biased towards one and other to form said gripping means.

20. Hence the invention provides a combination of a fastening and a fence post as described herein to form a fence post having novel gripping means.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the invention includes a fence constructed with posts as described 25. herein. Lightweight spacers or droppers made according to the same principle may be included in such a fence construction Such droppers do not enter the ground and are fixed to the wire by use of shorter fastening means.

The invention also provides, in a further preferred 30. embodiment, the use of a staple or hook driven by compressed air as the fastening means.

The invention also provides that the post is steel or of other appropriate material.

OMPI

One preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a section of

A the post to which a strand of barbed wire has 5. been affixed;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of said post; Figure 3 is a sectional view; Figure 4 is another front elevation; and Figure 5 is a side sectional elevation.

10. With reference to the drawings, there is provided a steel post 10 formed by hot rolling steel sheet into a shape shown most clearly in figure 3. The post is provided with a sharpene tip 11 by folding and guillotining, or other appropriate means. The substantially closed U-shape thus formed includes two

15. lips 12,13 slightly spaced apart but which when forced further apart by the insertion of a staple 14 or other fastening means, are biased towards each other and grip the staple firmly. The staple is placed over a loose strand of wire 15 and then driven home, thus locking the wire to the post. The grip

20. of the staple on the wire may be varied to provide for subseque straining of the fence and slight movement of wire through the staple.

It is envisaged that the staple will be fired from an appropriate staple gun driven by a compressor mounted on a 25. tractor or other vehicle adjacent the fence line. It is furthe envisaged that other post profiles will be used to suit varying conditions. The post may be constructed in a number of differe lengths.

As shown in figure 3 and figure 5, in this preferred 30. embodiment the staple does not tightly clamp the wire to the post. This allows the wire to be strained tight through such posts between appropriate straining posts. Once the wire has been strained, lightweight droppers of the same general construction may be hung on the wires intermediate on said 35. posts and secured to said wire by the use of short staples

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which do not abut the innerface of the rear side of the post section. Such droppers serve to ensure the wires of the fence line are correctly spaced intermediate the posts.

The invention enables the rapid erection of a fence in which a range of wire types may be used at any desired height above the ground. The invention is equally suitable for use with netting or other mesh. It has been found that there is a 50 to 60% time saving in the erection of fences employing the system, and, coupled with the low cost of the fence post construction method employed, substantial material and labour cost savings are available.

Two variations of the invention (not shown) are also envisaged. Firstly, the neck of the post in the area of the lips 12, 13 may be extended in cross section to form an extended parallel section between the "U" shape to assist in gripping a staple forced therebetween. Secondly, the fasteners themselves may be provided with unidirectional serrations to assist them in gripping the lips 12, 13 or the neck described above.

It is to be appreciated that whilst we have described a preferred form of our invention in respect of a steel post having the configuration shown, other variations of the concept of longitudinal gripping means operating in association with fastening means are quite possible without departing from the spirit of our invention.

OMPI