A FENCING ELEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a fencing element. In particular it relates to a fencing element for use as a batten or post.

BACKGROUND ART

Wire fences are used extensively both as boundary fences and to form enclosures, particularly for animals. A wire fence is constructed by extending a series of wires, usually under tension, between a number of posts set into or anchored in some manner to the ground.

The cost of the posts and of the labour to fix the posts into the ground is a major component of the cost of a fence. To reduce costs it is common to use as few posts as possible, which means that the posts are spaced as wide apart as possible.

However, as the distance between the posts increases so too does the distance that wires forming the fence can move, even when under tension. This is a particular problem with vertical movement of the wires as it may be possible to move adjacent wires apart in order to form a gap allowing access through the fence.

Battens are often attached to the fence wires in the region between the adjacent posts in order to overcome this problem. A batten, normally in the form of a length of wood, is attached to each wire of the fence, the battens typically being spaced approximately one metre apart. The use of battens in this manner provides additional integrity to the fence by making the wires more difficult to move apart.

A major problem with the use of battens is the difficulty and time involved in fixing the battens to the wires. In conventional methods the battens are nailed or stapled to each wire. This requires that the person erecting the fence (a, fencer) must brace the batten, typically against the fencer's leg, in order to provide the necessary resistance while nailing or stapling the wires to the batten. This not only requires skill, but is also difficult work, as the fencer must maintain the bracing as well as bending over the fence in order to nail or staple the wires onto the batten. This process makes the job difficult, laborious and slow.

One way to overcome this problem is to attach a separate mechanism to the batten, the mechanism being configured to attach to the wire, for example as clips, loops etc. A disadvantage with this approach is the added cost to the finished batten, brought about by the cost of the attachment mechanisms and the cost of attaching them to the batten.

For a long fence the number of battens used is likely to be substantial, so that any increase in the cost of each batten can rapidly amount to a significant increase in the cost of the fence.

Another rhethod used to attach a batten to a wire involves the use of slots in the batten, the slots being used to engage the wire. This generally involves replacing the square or rectangular cross-section wooden batten with a more complex shaped batten, typically formed from plastic or metalj in order to provide the necessary arrangement of slots to engage with the wire. A typical example of a batten formed by this method is disclosed in New Zealand Patent No. 272972.

There are a number of disadvantages in using slots to hold the batten against the wire. In general, a single slot is insufficient to provide the necessary retention of the wire, as the wire is always free to move back along the slot thus releasing it from attachment with the batten.

Consequently more complex arrangements are required, such as the use of a number of slots which are spatially separated in the direction of the wire. This generally involves developing a more complex shape for the batten, such as the M shape adopted by the batten of New Zealand Patent No. 272972. Obviously any increase in the complexity of the shape adds cost to the batten, both in the amount of material used and the added cost of forming the batten.

A further disadvantage with the type of batten disclosed in New Zealand Patent No. 272972 results from the increase in depth of the batten to accommodate the "M" shape. This can result in the batten extending away from the fence in at least one direction (ie, in the direction away from the slots engaging the wires): This can provide a surface for animals, such as sheep or cows, to push or rub against. This action can lead to the batten being pushed off of the fence by disengagement of the batten from the wires of the fence.

Moreover, both the edges of the slots and the end edges of the "M" shape can provide sharp edges against which an animal can rub. This can result in damage to the animal's hide (e.g. for cows and calves) which can reduce the value of the hide and can injure the animal, leading to increased costs in medical treatment.

Another disadvantage in the use of slots remains the ease with which a wire may be detached from the batten by moving it back along the slot.

One way in which this problem may be addressed is by configuring the slots such that the wire is held under considerable tension when attached to the batten. However, this approach can lead to added difficulty experienced by a fencer in engaging the batten to the fence wire. In some instances, this may be too difficult or laborious to do by hand, instead requiring a tool.

Indeed New Zealand patent No. 272972 discloses a tool for use with the "M"

shaped slotted batten disclosed in that patent. However, this approach has a number of disadvantages, including the requirement to provide a tool with the battens which adds additional cost.

Furthermore if thejool is mislaid, as may often occur when attaching battens over an extended fence line, it may not be possible to carry on until a replacement tool is found. This again adds cost to the attachment of the battens due to down time and the cost of purchasing extra tools.

There may also be difficulty in using the tool, in that it must first be engaged in slots in the batten in order to provide leverage following which it must be engaged with the wire and then lever it such that the wire enters the slots under tension. All of this takes time and effort by a fencer, adding to the overall cost of attaching the batten as well as potentially tiring the fencer.

Furthermore, additional slots are required in the batten in order to engage the tool. Provision of these additional slots requires additional machining which adds cost to the batten.

New Zealand Patent No. 512037 discloses a fence support for a security fence. As such it is intended to provide an electrified security fence for the top of a wall, for example a prison wall. The fence support is in the form of a sleeve which fits over an upright rigid support that is typically attached to the top of a wall, the sleeve having at least one web extending from the outer face of the fence support. The web includes slots which engage with a wire of a fence.

This fence support is not a batten and is not intended for use with conventional animal fences where strength is required to withstand the considerable forces that may be exerted by a large animal pushing against it.

Furthermore, the fence support is unsuitable for use as a batten as it requires an upright rigid support in the form of a post or rigid rod. In the advent that the fence support was used in a conventional fence, the additional upright support can add considerably to the cost of the fence, as well as increasing costs in erection of the fence due toihe labour cost of inserting a post into the ground prior to fitting the fence support over the post.

FR 2 570 575 discloses a post configured in a "U" shaped form, in which tangs are formed the two opposing external sides of the "U" shaped post. A wire can be attached to the post by slotting it into the gap between the side of the post and the tang extending from it.

EP 1 232 684 discloses another "U" shaped post, configured to include a ridge extending lengthwise down each of the side of the two opposing external sides of the post. The ridge includes an opening cut in two opposing sides of the ridge, and a slot in the outermost side, arranged such that a wire can be moved through the slot and into the opening behind the slot. The wire can then be moved down so that it is held in the open space in the side walls but held behind the outer side of the ridge below the slot. A protrusion on the surface of the post adjacent the window may be used to assist retention of the wire in the opening.

The posts of both FR 2 570 575 and EP 1 232 684 are intended for fences in which wires are attached to both of the opposing sides of the post. Such fences may be appropriate for use, for example, for supports for vines, or other plants where some lateral displacement of the wires of a fence may be an advantage.

However, in other fences, such as those around animal enclosures, the wires of the fence are all substantially in the same (vertical) plane. A batten or post for this type of fence has wires attached to one side of the batten or post only. Therefore

the posts disclosed in FR 2 570 575 and EP 1 232 684 are not suitable for use with this type of fence.

Furthermore, a key function of a batten or post for a fence of the type used for an animal enclosure is to hold the wires securely so as to limit movement of the wires relative to one another, for example as can be induced by an animal pushing against the fence. For this reason the wires of such a fence are usually tensioned prior to attachment to the posts.

A disadvantage of the way in which the wires are attached to the posts of either FR 2 570 575 or EP 1 232 684, is that the wires can be relatively easily moved. In the case of FR 2 570 575 the wire could be released from behind the tang relatively easily if the wire was pushed, for example by an animal pushing against the wires of the fence or directly against the post or batten.

While it would be more difficult with the post of EP 1 232 684, the wire could still readily be freed from the protuberance allowing the wire to move around inside the opening, and in some instances back through the slot, thus releasing the wire. Any freedom of mqyement of the wire is a significant disadvantage for a batten when used with a tensioned fence.

US 4,503,636 discloses a post for a plant or vine support. The post is configured to include a central U-shaped channel section and two side webs extending outwardly from the edges of the U-shaped channel. A set of three tangs are formed, one on each of the side webs and one on the base of the U-shaped channel, such that the two tangs on the side web are oriented in the opposite direction to the tang on the base.

A wire, typically in the form of a closed loop, includes a locking structure configured

to enable the loop the engage with the tangs on the side webs, and then rotated into engagement with the tang on the base, thus securing the loop to the post.

This arrangement is not suitable as a post or batten for use with conventional fence^ _j jt is not practical to form the necessary locking structure in the wire each time it is to be connected to a batten. Furthermore, even if this were done, the method of attachment disclosed in US 4,503,636, namely rotation (of the loop) would generally not be feasible on a linear fence; the rotational motion would involve twisting the length of wire with the consequence that, once released, it would immediately revolve in the opposite direction tending to undue the connection.

Furthermore it is not generally possible to bend by hand a wire of a gauge typically used for an animal enclosure fence, in the manner required to engage it with the tang arrangement of the post of US 4,503,636.

The situation would be further exacerbated by attempts to bend such a wire when the wire is already under tension (tensioned prior to attachment to two adjacent pos.ts, for example).

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems of conventional fence battens, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not

constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning - i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term 'comprised' or 'comprising' is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF [NVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a self-supporting fencing element, including

an elongate member, and

a plurality of protuberances extending from the plane of a front face of the elongate member and positioned across the front face of the elongate member,

characterised in that

the protuberances are formed integrally with the elongate member.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a fence constructed with fencing elements, as described above.

Reference to a fence throughout this specification should be understood to mean a barrier typically consisting of posts connected by wire.

Reference to a wire throughout this specification should be understood to mean a single long, thin length of some material.

Reference will be made throughout this specification to wires being made from metal. However, those skilled in the art will know that wires can be made from other materials such as nylon, cord, string, tape or ribbon, and in various forms, and that reference to metal wires only should not be seen as limiting.

A fence may be constructed by extending one or more wires between a number of posts. A series of wires, spaced apart as appropriate for the use to which the fence is put, are typically extended between adjacent posts, the posts arranged to enclose an area. The wires may be fixed to the posts, for example by clips, nails or staples, or may be held in guides, such as loops or staples which have not been fully driven in, so that the wires can move relative to the posts to allow tensioning of the wires.

Reference to a self-supporting fencing member throughout this specification should be understood to mean that the fencing member, when attached to the wires of a fence, is sufficiently robust to withstand the forces exerted on wires in a typical fencing environment, without requiring additional support.

In a preferred embodiment the fencing element may be a batten.

Reference to a batten throughout this specification should be understood to mean a self-supporting elongate section of material, used to strengthen something to which it is attached.

In fencing a batten may be used to strengthen a fence and to maintain the spacing of the wires. A batten may be attached to the wires of a fence, so that the batten is substantially at right angles to the line of the wires, in order to improve or maintain the integrity of the fence. In essence battens serve as pseudo-fence, posts, the main difference being that (in use) battens are normally not engaged with the ground.

In a typical fence a plurality of battens may be ^" attached to the wires extending between adjacent posts. The battens are oriented substantially at right angles to the line of the wire (which is generally horizontal or substantially parallel to the ground) and typically are spaced ~ 1 m apart along a fence line.

The main body of a batten is an elongate member, the length of which is sufficient to span a series of wires forming the fence.

The cross sectional shape of the elongate member may be configured to meet the requirements of the situation. In most instances this means the elongate member must be sufficiently rigid to not break or deform under the forces that may be applied to the wire/batten in use.

Other considerations which may influence the shape include the weight and cost of production. For example, an elongate member formed as a hollow section with, for example (without limitation), a rectangular, square or triangular cross section, may provide the required rigidity but use less material (and hence cost less) than a solid member.

A batten of the current invention includes an elongate member having a plurality of protuberances extending from the plane of the front face of the elongate member.

A protuberance is an extension of the fencing element that protrudes out from the plane of the front face of the elongate member.

The protuberances may be of any shape or forrrr configured to attach the fencing element to a wire of a fence.

Reference to the front face of the elongate member throughout this specification should be understood to refer to the face of the elongate member which, in use, is adjacent to the wires of a fence.

The plane of the front face should be understood to refer to a plane containing the front face, or some portion of it, and extending on either side of the front face.

In a simple embodiment the fencing element includes at least one protuberance for each wire of a fence. The spacing between adjacent protuberances along the length of the front face corresponds substantially to the separation of adjacent wires of a fence.

In this simplest arrangement a single protuberance is configured to engage with a wire of a fence. In this case the protuberance may be configured as a loop, hook, clip or other such device which engages with a wire. This embodiment may be used with simple fences where strength and integrity are relatively un-important, for example for a simple fence used to delineate an area.

However, this simple batten generally will not be appropriate where stronger fences are required, for example to contain or restrict the movement of animals such as sheep or cows. In such cases the fence must be able to withstand the considerable forces that may be applied by an animal pushing against the fence.

Battens used to strengthen such a fence and to maintain the required spacing between the wires must be attached sufficiently firmly to the wires so as not to come detached when the wires are subjected to the kinds of forces common in the particular application (e.g. for an animal enclosure where the animals may be large, such as cows or sheep).

In a preferred embodiment a plurality of protuberances are used to engage with a wire of a fence.

In a preferred embodiment three protuberances cooperate to engage with a wire of a fence.

Reference will be made throughout this specification to the use of three protuberances to engage with each wire. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other numbers of protuberances may be used, and that reference to three protuberances only engaging with a wire should not be considered limiting.

In this embodiment three protuberances may be configured so that a wire may be bent around the protuberances, the resulting tension in the wire being sufficient to hold the batten against the wire.

In any set of three protuberances positioned across the front face of the elongate member there will be a central protuberance and two corresponding outer protuberances (one on each side of the central protuberance).

In a preferred embodiment an outer protuberance is located near an edge of the front face.

Locating an outer protuberance near an edge of the front face allows the full width of the front face to be utilised, effectively maximising the separation of the outer protuberances for a given width of the front face.

An advantage of this arrangement is that the width of the front face in the section between adjacent sets of protuberances may be less than the width of the face at the protuberances. As a result less material may be required in forming the batten, thus lowering production costs.

In one embodiment the three protuberances may be spaced substantially in a line across the front face of the elongate member, the line being substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member.

In this embodiment the wire may be bent so as to engage with the upper surface (with respect to the bottom of the elongate member, being the part which in use is be closest to the ground) of the two outer protuberances and under the corresponding central protuberance. In this way the tension of the wire, which normally is held in tension between adjacent posts, will act to hold the batten firmly against the wire.

The use of three protuberances cooperating in the above manner to engage with the same wire of a fence has the advantage that the force on the two outer protuberances balances the force on the central protuberance. This arrangement reduces the tendency for the batten to twist, as may happen if an even number of protuberances was used to engage with the same wire.

Furthermore, the forces on the outer protuberances act to hold the wire securely against the central protuberance (and vice versa), thus reinforcing attachment of the batten to the wire (when fully engaged).

Alternatively, the wire may be bent under the two outer protuberances and over the corresponding central one, the net effect being the same as above.

The protuberances may be spaced apart across a batten as required to allow engagement with a wire. The required spacing depends on the gauge of the wire and the tension of wire between adjacent posts. Thin wires bend more easily than thick (higher gauge) wires, the latter requiring greater separation between the protuberances. Similarly, it is more difficult to bend wire when it is held under tension. Therefore, if a batten is to be used with a tensioned fence (as in most

farm applications) the spacing of the protuberances will be greater than if the wire is not under tension.

Conversely, the spacing of the protuberances should not be such as may result in insufficient tensioning to hold the batten against the wire.

In essence, the spacing apart of the protuberances across a batten may be chosen to meet the requirements of the fence, particularly regarding the gauge and tensioning of the wires of the fence when erected.

In alternative embodiments the central protuberance is offset along the longitudinal axis of the elongate member from the two corresponding outer protuberances. This offset could be above or below the position of the outer protuberances on the elongate member.

An offset along the longitudinal axis of the elongate member may be used to increase the tensioning of the wire to provide a firmer engagement between the wire and a batten.

In a preferred embodiment at least one protuberance includes an engagement portion configured to retain a wire.

Reference to an engagement portion of a protuberance throughout this specification should be understood to mean a part of the protuberance configured to engage and retain a wire when the batten is in use.

An engagement portion of a protuberance may be configured to include a lip and/or groove which, in use, may provide a seat for a wire. The lip and/or groove in an engagement portion of a protuberance may hinder movement of a wire away from the protuberance until physically disengaged by a fencer.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other shapes may be used for the engagement portion in order to retain the wire between the protuberance and a face of the elongate member, so as to hinder unintentional removal of the wire from the protuberance.

In a preferred embodiment at least one protuberance includes an access portion.

Reference to an access portion of a protuberance throughout this specification should be understood to refer to a portion of a protuberance configured to facilitate movement of a wire over the surface of the protuberance.

An access portion may be achieved by configuring the approach over the protuberance toward the engagement portion in the form of a ramp. A ramp may be considered as any shape which allows a wire to be moved relatively freely over it. A ramp generally involves a surface which is inclined with respect to the face from which it originates. A ramp is frequently planar, but need not be so as any inclined surface which facilitates movement of a wire from the face of the elongate member over the protuberance into the engagement portion will suffice to provide an access portion to a protuberance.

In a preferred embodiment the protuberance includes an access portion and an engagement portion.

The use of protuberances with appropriately configured access and engagement portions reduces the effort required to move a wire over a protuberance and into the engagement portion. Once engaged, the configuration of the engagement portion helps to retain the wire, thus strengthening the attachment and reducing the likelihood of accidental removal.

In a preferred embodiment an edge of the front face of the elongate member includes a recess in the vicinity of a protuberance.

In this embodiment a recess is formed, which may be in the form of a smooth depression, along an edge of the front face substantially below the engagement portion of an outer protuberance.

An advantage of the recess is that during attachment of the batten to a fence, a wire can be located in the engagement portion of a central protuberance and then bent around the edge of the front face into the recess below the engagement portion of an outer protuberance. This may assist in holding the wire against the central protuberance during engagement of the wire with the outer protuberances, and may allow easier access of the wire into the engagement portion of the outer protuberance.

It may also allow the engagement portion of the protuberance to be closer to the plane of the front face than would be possible without the recess in the front face. An advantage of this is that the overall height of the protuberance may be reduced, with a consequent reduction in materials used and hence production costs of a batten. Furthermore, any reduction in height of the protuberances may reduce the forces on the protuberances from an animal rubbing or pushing against them, which may result in fewer breakages and hence a longer lifetime (in use) for a batten.

In another embodiment a protuberance extends substantially the length of the elongate member, each such protuberance having a plurality of engagement portions.

In one example of this embodiment three protuberances, which may be in the form of ridges, are spaced across the front face of the elongate member and extend along the length of the elongate member from the plane of the front face of the elongate member. Each ridge may include a plurality of engagement portions

spatially distributed along the ridge, the engagement portions being positioned as to engage with a wire on a fence.

A ridge in this embodiment may also include access portions associated with the engagement portions in order to facilitate movement of a wire into the engagement portions.

In a preferred embodiment a protuberance near an end of a batten is configured as a hook.

A hook in the present context should be understood to refer to any shape which extends out from a face of a batten before bending back, leaving an opening through which a wire may freely pass.

In use a batten may be located on the top wire of a fence by the hook.

Having a batten already attached by the hook to the top wire means the fencer has both hands free to engage the remaining wires with the protuberances on the batten. If no hook was used the batten would have to be held while the first wire is engaged making the task more difficult.

Another advantage of a hook is that battens may be easily located on the top wire and spread out along the wire in preparation for attachment.

In a preferred embodiment the face of the batten from which the protuberances extend is substantially planar.

A planar face may be easier and cheaper to form than a more complex shape, as well as facilitating the attachment of the wire to the batten. A more complex shape may also require use of additional material with respect to a planar face, which may also add to the cost of the batten.

Another advantage of "a planar face is that it may provide a surface without any sharp features of edges which could cause injury to an animal or damage the hide or coat of the animal.

A planar face may also provide a surface which is easier for a fencer to work with when attaching a batten to a fence. For example a wire may be held against the planar surface prior to sliding it along the surface to engage with the protuberances.

Preferably the front and back faces of a batten may be planar. This may allow a batten of sufficient rigidity to be configured as a relatively thin rectangular slab having protuberances extending from the front face. Such a batten may have a narrower profile than may be possible with more complex shapes (eg an M-shaped batten) of similar strength. This may result in less of an obstacle for an animal to rub or push against, and hence less likelihood of the batten becoming disengaged.

However, it will be appreciated that other shaped faces may be used, such as a face having a curved cross section. Curving the wire around a face in order to engage with the protuberances may also increase the tensioning of the wire, enhancing the attachment of the wire to the batten.

The protuberances of the current invention are formed integrally with the elongate member.

In a preferred embodiment a batten is constructed from a plastics material.

Forming a batten from a plastics material enables the protuberances to be formed as an integral part of a batten.

Use of a plastics material has many advantages over other materials, including that it is readily formed into complex shapes, for example through injection moulding,

so that battens witlr integral protuberances on a face may be formed quickly and cheaply. This allows for a wide variety of shapes and configurations to be used for the protuberances, the only restriction being the ability to form them as an integral part of the fencing element.

Furthermore, the shape of the elongate member may also be moulded to provide a shape with the required strength from the least amount of material. An elongate member could be formed as a hollow tube, for example having triangular, rectangular or square cross section.

In a preferred embodiment the elongate member includes one or more reinforcing ribs. *

A rib should be understood to refer to a ridge or long raised piece, which may be of stronger or thicker material, across a surface or through a structure serving to support or strengthen it. A network or ribs may be used to provide the required strength and rigidity to the fencing member. Generally a rib or network of ribs will be formed on the surface opposite to the front face (ie, the back face). A network of ribs may be configured in a regular array, such as rectangular, triangular, hexagonal and such like, or in a random pattern.

The advantage of including reinforcing ribs to the fencing element is that they assist in providing a self-supporting batten. A suitable arrangement of ribs may provide similar strength and rigidity as a thick, solid elongate member, but use significantly less material, thus reducing the cost of the batten.

Plastics material may also be chosen to provide the necessary properties to withstand the environmental conditions to which the fence may be subjected. For example a plastics material may be used which has enhanced stability against UV radiation. A plastic material may generally be chosen to provide battens with a

long service life ^' in normal environments and, unlike metallic or wooden materials, plastics do not rust or rot.

Reference will be made throughout this specification to battens made from plastic. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that battens according to the current invention may be formed from other materials, for example metal, and that reference to battens formed from plastic only should not be seen as limiting.

In alternate embodiments a batten may be constructed from a metallic material.

The elongate member of a metal batten may be a rigid strip of metal. Alternatively, a metallic elongate member may be readily formed, using conventional techniques, into a wide range of shapes (similar to the plastic members discussed above) to provide the required strength and to minimise use of materials.

In one embodiment the protuberances on a metal batten may be formed by punching out tangs which extend from a face of the elongate member. The outer surface of the tang may form a ramp over which a wire may be moved (the access portion), while the underside of the tang may be used to engage and retain the wire (the engagement portion).

The protuberances, as tangs, may be arranged so that the open side of the tang (the engagement portion) of the central tang faces in the opposite direction (along the longitudinal axis of the elongate member) ^' to the open sides of the corresponding outer tangs.

A metal material may be chosen, or a suitable surface coating may be applied, so that the metallic batten may withstand the anticipated environmental conditions for use on a fence,

Use of a metallic strip with appropriately formed tangs may provide a simple and cost effective way of forming a batten, and may be a useful alternative to battens formed from plastic in some applications.

Metallic battens formed integrally with protuberances of various shapes may also be formed by other means, such as casting, and the above examples should not be seen as limiting.

The ability to manufacture fencing elements as a single piece, including protuberances for attachment to a wire, provides a major advantage in production cost in comparison with fencing elements that must be assembled from a number of parts, or which require the addition of other means to attach the wire, e.g., nails, staples, clips etc.

A major advantage is that a batten, in a single piece, may be attached directly to the wires of a fence without the requirement for other attachment means, such as nails, staples etc, as required with conventional battens. Attachment of a batten to a fence wire may be done by hand without the need for additional tools. Furthermore, the attachment process is relatively quick and does not require the batten to be braced while nailing or stapling the wire to a batten, as in conventional methods. This may provide considerable savings in labour and time, and therefore cost, required to place battens on a fence, as well as removing much of the difficulty currently involved in attaching battens by other means.

In a preferred embodiment the fencing element includes a base plate.

Reference to a base plate throughout this specification should be understood to refer to a substantially flat bottomed plate located at an end of a fencing element, the base plate extending in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member.

In normal use the fencing element is oriented such that the base plate may be located at the end of the fencing element which is closest to the ground.

An advantage of a batten including a base plate is that the base plate may be placed on the surface below the fence, thus providing support for the batten while the wires are engaged with the protuberances. This is a particular advantage when the wires are under tension, as is common practice in fencing of animal enclosures, as considerable force may be required in order to bend the wires to engage with the protuberances.

When the wire is to be bent down from a central protuberance in order to engage with the corresponding outer protuberances, the base plate resting on the surface may provide a stable platform to push against.

Alternatively where the wire is to be bent upwards from the central protuberance in order to engage with the engagement portion of the corresponding outer protuberances, the base plate may be configured so that the fencer may stand on the base plate in order to provide a stable platform to pull against.

In alternative embodiments the fencing element may be a post.

A post, in fencing, differs from a batten in that a post is normally fixed in the ground or otherwise held in a fixed position relative to the ground, so as to act as an anchor point for the fence.

In a preferred embodiment a fencing element for use as a post will further include a section of the elongate member configured to hold and locate the fencing element in the ground.

A fencing element for use as a post may have the same form as a batten described above, but with the end of the elongate member distal to the protuberances (the bottom end) extended so that it may be located in the ground.

While having the same form as a batten, a fencing element for use as a post will generally be a more substantial size than a batten as a post may be subjected to greater forces. For example, a post must have sufficient strength and rigidity to support the tensioning of wires attached to the post.

In use the bottom end of a post may be located in the ground by any of the normal methods for locating posts, and the wires of the fence attached to the protuberances as described above for attachment to a batten.

In a preferred embodiment a fencing element for use as a post may include a base plate.

An advantage of a base plate attached to a post is that the base plate may be located a distance from the bottom end of the elongate member, the distance corresponding to the desired depth of- the post into the ground. In this way all posts may be erected in a uniform manner so that the protuberances (for engagement with each wire) are at the required height above the surface without the need for measurement either of the depth of the post in the ground or of the height of the wires. This may save considerable labour and time in erecting a fence.

A significant advantage of fencing elements formed according to the current invention, whether as battens or posts, is that they may be attached to the wires of the fence without the need for any other tools or fixing means. All that is required is to bend the wires so that they engage with the protuberances on a face of the

fencing element, a task which, with appropriate placement and configuration of the protuberances, may be relatively easily achieved by hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1A shows a schematic front view of a fencing element according to one aspect of this invention; and

Figure 1 B shows ^" * a schematic side view of a fencing element according to one aspect of this invention, and

Figure 2A shows a schematic view of a protuberance according to one aspect of this invention, and

Figure 2B shows a schematic view of a protuberance according to one aspect of this invention, and

Figure 2C shows a schematic view of a protuberance according to one aspect of this invention, and

Figure 3A shows a perspective view from above of a section of a fencing element according to a preferred embodiment of this invention; and

Figure 3B shows a perspective view from below of a section of a fencing element according to a preferred embodiment of this invention; and

Figure 4A shows a schematic front view of a fencing element according to one aspect of this invention; and

Figure 4B shows a schematic side view of a fencing element according to one aspect of this invention, and

Figure 5 shows a schematic front view of a fencing element according to one aspect of this invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A fencing element according to one embodiment of the present invention in the form of a batten is generally indicated by (1 ) in Figure 1 (A and B). The batten includes an elongate member (2) and a plurality of protuberances (3) extending from a planar front face (4).

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 three protuberances are aligned substantially across the front face (4) of the elongate member (2), the three protuberances (3) being configured to engage with a wire (not shown) of a fence.

Central protuberances (17 and 18) are shown in Figure 1 offset below and above the corresponding outer protuberances respectively.

Sets of three protuberances (3) are spaced along the front face (4), the spacing between adjacent sets of protuberances (3) corresponding to the spacing of adjacent wires of a fence.

The separation between adjacent protuberances (3) of a set of protuberances (three in the example of Figure 1 ) used to engage with a single wire is that required to enable a fencer to engage a wire without the need for excessive force or use of a tool.

For example the distance between an outer protuberance (3), being one of the two protuberances (3) closest to an edge of the front face (4), and the corresponding central protuberance (3, 17, 18) (being the protuberance in between the two outer

protuberances) should be such that a wire of a fence may be bent by hand to engage with the three protuberances (3) of the set, but not so far apart that disengagement is likely under normal movement of the wires of the fence during use.

The number of protuberances (3) in each set, and their separation along the front face (4) of the batten (1) is varied depending on the requirements of the fence to be built.

A protrusion (3) having a wave-like cross-section is generally indicated by (14) in Figure 2A. The protrusion (14) includes an access portion (5) extending smoothly upwards from the front face (4) of the elongate member (2). The engagement portion of the protuberance (14), generally indicated by (6) in Figure 2A, includes a lip (7) which forms a partial closure over the groove (8).

The protuberance, generally indicated by (15) in Figure 2B, includes access portions (5) extending from the front face (4) of the elongate member (2), the access portions (5) leading to an engagement portion (10) including a groove (9) along the ridge of the protuberance (15). This form of protuberance will be referred tckas a grooved" mound protuberance.

Figure 2C shows an end of a batten (1) which includes a protuberance (16) in the form of a hook. The hook may be used to attach the batten (1 ) to the upper wire of the fence. This may be used for example when spacing out a number of battens prior to attachment, or to provide additional support for the batten prior to engagement of a wire with a set of protuberances (3, 14, 15, 17 or 18).

In a preferred embodiment of a batten (1), as shown (in part) in Figure 3, the two outer protuberances (20) of each set of three are located at the edges of the front face (4). The outer protuberances (20) are in the form of wave-like protuberances

similar to those indicated as (14) in Figure 2A. The central protuberance (21 ) is also in the form of a wave-like protuberance, in this instance including an access portion in the form of a ramp (22).

The position of the central protuberance (21 ) is offset along a longitudinal axis of the front face (4) from the position of the corresponding outer protuberances (20).

In the preferred embodiment the engagement portions of the central (21 ) and outer (22) protuberances are at the same height above the plane of the front face (4). With this arrangement the wire is bent around the protuberances in the plane of the fence only.

The engagement portion of the outer protuberance (20), and in particular the groove (8), is angled with respect to an imaginary transverse line across the front face (4) so that the groove (8) follows the angle of a wire (when engaged). This angle, typically around 5°, assists engagement of the wire in the groove (8).

In other embodiments (not shown) the height of the engagement portion of the central protuberance is different from the height of the engagement portions of the outer protuberances, so that the wire is also bent out of the plane of the fence. Such embodiments may be used when additional tensioning is required to hold the batten to the wires of the fence.

The edges of the front face (4) include a recess (23) located below the engagement portions (6) of the outer protuberances (20).

This arrangement of outer (20) and central (21) protuberances allows the batten (1 ) to be used with the engagement portions (6) of the outer protuberances (20) of each set either facing towards the top or bottom wire of a fence.

With this arrangement of protuberances a wire may be moved over the access portion into the engagement portion of the central protuberance (21) prior to bending both sides of the wire forward (or backward as required) in order to engage the wire with the engagement portion (6) of the outer two wave like protuberances (20), the wire ultimately held in the groove (8) behind the lip (7) of each outer protuberance (20).

The back face (24) of the elongate member (1) includes reinforcing ribs (25) in a rectangular arrangement, as shown in Figure 3 B.

In another embodiment (not shown) the two outer protuberances of each set of three1*protuberances are in the form of grooved mound protuberances (15). The central protuberance is in the form of a wave-like protuberance (14).

With this arrangement of protuberances a wire may be engaged in the groove (8) of the central wave-like protuberance (14) prior to bending both sides of the wire down (or up as required, depending on the relative positioning of the outer protuberances with respect to the central protuberance) in order to engage the wire with the engagement portion (6) of the outer two grooved mound protuberances (15)?the wire ultimately held in the groove (9) of each outer protuberance (15).

The access portions (5) of the grooved mound protuberance (15) are used to ease the wire up the mound and into the groove (9) in the engagement portion (10).

A fencing element in the form of a batten (1 ) including a base plate (11 ) is shown in Figure 4 (A and B). The length of the elongate member (2) of a batten with a base plate (11) is extended beyond the span of the wires of a fence so that the base plate (11) may rest on or be in close proximity to a surface (12) below the fence. When the base plate (11) is in contact with the surface (12), either as a result of the force exerted on the wire during bending downwards, or due to a fencer

standing on the base plate, the plate provides a stable platform for the batten (1 ) while a wire is being engaged with the protuberances (3).

A fencing element in the form of a post, generally indicated by (13) in Figure 5, includes a plurality of protuberances (3, 14, 15, 17 or 18) extending from a face (4) of the elongate member (2).

The configuration of protuberances (3, 14, 15, 17 or 18) and the method of attaching a wire to them on a post (13) are similar to those described above for a batten (1 ).

The overall form of a post (13) is similar to that of a batten (1 ), except that the length of the elongate member (2) is extended so that the end (14) distal to the protuberances (3) may be located in the surface (12).

The shape of the end (14) of the elongate member (2) is configured to aid locating the post (13) in the surface (12).

The post (13) shown in Figure 5 includes a base plate (11) which acts to limit the depth of the post (13) into the surface (12).

A fence may be constructed from a number of identical posts (13) (including base plates (11)) and a plurality of identical battens (1), in each instance where the protuberances (3) have the spacing required for the fence.

In the first step the posts (13) are located in the ground so that the base plate (11) is on the surface (12). This is done by any one of the conventional means for locating posts, e.g. by inserting the post into a hole and securing it in place by packing soil around the base of the post, or by cementing it in place.

The wire for each strand of the fence may then be attached to the appropriate protuberances (3, 14, 15, 17 or 18)) on a face of each post (13) using one of the

attachment methods outlined above or any other convenient method. A tensioning device is used to provide tensioning on each wire (if required).

When all the wires of the fence have been attached to adjacent posts (13) the battens (1 ) may be attached to the wires at the required spacing apart, again using the method of attachment outlined above or any other convenient method.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof of the appended claims.