The present invention relates to a method for connecting a fence section to a fence pole according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a fence section carrier for use0 in the method. Furthermore, the invention relates to a combination of a fence section carrier with at least one of a fence section and a fence pole.

It is known in the art to connect fence sections to fence poles, primarily for demarcating a territory, for example a yard. To that end, two fence poles are positioned in the ground after which a fence section is connected thereto, in between said fence poles. Subsequently, a third fence pole is positioned in the ground such that a second fence section is connected to said second and third fence pole, in between said second and third fence0 pole, and so on. Finally, a fence is obtained, comprised of a series of fence poles, a fence section being connected in between each two subsequently positioned fence poles. So as to be able to establish a fence according to this method, at least two persons are required, each keeping an end of a fence section upright and in a correct position with respect to a fence pole, and connecting same to a fence pole.

Such method requires a lot of manpower, with a subsequent disadvantage that correctly positioning the fence sections with respect to the fence pole is inaccurate. An increased accuracy can0 only be obtained when both said persons keep the fence section in an exact required position and a third person connects the fence section to a fence pole. An accurate connection of said fence section to a fence pole therefore even requires still more manpower.

Reference is made to DE 20210111U. This publication describes a device for on the one hand coupling a fence section. On the oth ^¬ er hand, the device is connected to a fence pole. Suspension of the fence section is obtained near a highest position of the fence section .

The term "highest position" of a fence section relates to a part of the fence section that is directed away from the ground, whereas the term "lowest position" of a fence section relates to a position of a fence section that is positioned nearest to the ground .

In the art, there is no solution for accurately connecting a fence section to a fence pole while using less manpower.

The invention aims at providing an improved method of the kind mentioned in the preamble.

The invention especially aims at providing a method as men ^¬ tioned in the preamble allowing one to accurately connect a fence section to a fence pole.

The invention also aims at providing an improved method for establishing a fence in a short time.

The invention especially aims at providing a method that allows a single person to accurately and in a short time establish a fence .

So as to obtain at least one of the afore mentioned goals, according to a first embodiment the invention provides a method comprising the features of claim 1. This method has the advantage that a single person may accurately connect a fence section be ^¬ tween two fence poles, at a well-defined height with respect to the fence poles, such that a neat and orderly fence is obtained. Since a single person does not have to carry fence section him ^¬ self, the work is made much easier, not only improving the accuracy but also considerably increasing the speed of the work with re ^¬ spect to the method according to the state of the art.

The method according to the present invention can also be performed by two people, each person connecting an end of a fence section to a fence pole. This increases the speed with respect to the known method even further. Optionally, one of said persons may position the fence poles in the ground whereas the other person may connect the fence sections. This yields a further increase in the speed of the work.

Both if a single person and if two persons perform the method according to the present invention, work fulfils the occupational health and safety legislation standards. The physical strain on a person is very low, such that the work can be performed for an extended period of time, whereas the physical strain is even lower than when establishing a fence with the method according to the state of the art.

It is especially preferred that the method according to the present invention comprises the step of removing said fence sec ^¬ tion carrier from said fence pole. As a consequence, the same fence section carrier can be used for connecting a large number of fence sections to fence poles. The user then does not have to use a new fence section carrier for each fence section. In addition to that, since the fence section has been connected to said fence pole, the fence section carrier is no longer required for holding the fence section to the fence pole.

An advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that the fence section carrier may carry the fence section at a lowest position of said fence section. As a consequence, a very stable carrying of said fence section is obtained, yielding an accurate positioning of said fence section with respect to the fence pole. Therefore, a method is preferred wherein the fence section carrier carries the fence section near a lowest position thereof.

It is especially preferred that the method comprises the step of hanging on a top side of said fence pole said fence section carrier. Such provides a quick positioning of said fence section carrier, without any additional devices or tools being for placing the fence section carrier. In an alternative way, a nail or a screw may be connected to the fence pole to which the fence sec ^¬ tion carrier may be suspended. Due to additional method steps for applying the nail or screw into the fence pole such optional meth- od is not preferred.

The terms "suspending" and "hanging" have an analogous meaning and indicate that the fence section carrier is carried by the fence pole and hangs therefrom.

The invention also relates to a method comprising the steps of: - positioning at mutual distance two fence poles in the ground, and - hanging on both fence poles a fence section carrier, such that said carrying surfaces for carrying said fence section are positioned near facing surfaces of said fence poles. By providing two fence section carriers at two fence poles to which a fence section is to be connected, said fence section can be positioned exactly, providing an accurate connection thereof.

So as to enable the fence section carrier for connecting fence sections at any required height, calculated on the basis of the distance from a top side of a fence pole, the method prefera ^¬ bly comprises the step of providing a fence section carrier com ^¬ prising a length adjustable body for adjusting the distance from the suspension member to the carrying surface.

It is especially preferred that the method comprises the step of providing a fence section carrier with an infinitely adjustable body for adjusting the distance from the suspension member to said carrying surface. Such yields an even more accurate connection.

According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a fence section carrier for use in a method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a suspension member for hanging said fence section carrier on said fence pole and a carrying surface for carrying said fence section. This enables one to perform the method according to the present invention and to obtain the advantages as mentioned before.

A fence section carrier that is especially preferred compris ^¬ es a longitudinal body, wherein: - near a first end of said body a suspension member for hanging said fence section carrier on a fence pole is provided, said suspension member being positioned substantially perpendicularly with respect to said longitudinal direction, and - near a second end of said body a carrying member comprising a carrying surface for carrying a fence section is provided, said carrying member being positioned substantially perpen- dicularly with respect to said longitudinal direction and substan tially perpendicularly with respect to said suspension member. The carrying member may easily be suspended from a top side of the fence pole, such that the fence section carrier hangs from the fence pole, and wherein the carrying member is at a lowest posi- tion, such that the fence section can be positioned on said carry ^¬ ing member. As a consequence, the fence section is kept at a se ^¬ cure position with respect to the top side of said fence pole. The fence section carrier according to the present invention comprises a body with a first part that is operably connected with said suspension member and a second part that is operably connected to said carrying member, and wherein both said parts are con- nectable in at least two different positions, such that in a first position the distance between suspension member and carrying member is smaller than in a second position. This provides the result that the distance between the carrying member and the suspension member, and for example with respect to the top side of the fence pole in case said suspension member is suspended from the top side of said fence pole, can be set as desired. For example, such is required when the bottom side (the lowest part) of a fence section does not require positioning at a standard height with respect to the top side of the fence pole.

Both said parts may for example be connectable at different positions by means of a pin-hole connection or by means of a slide-clamp connection. To that end, a first part may comprise a pin that can be inserted into a hole that is provided in said second part; the second part may comprise a number of holes at mutual distances from each other, such that the distance between the carrying member and the suspension member may be set as desired. A slide-clamp connection may be comprised of a protruding pin with external thread at a first part and a longitudinally extending slot in said second part, wherein said parts may be clamped to- gether by means of a bolt screwed onto said pin.

The fence section carrier according to the present invention may be manufactured from a material or a combination of materials that yield a product that is able to carry a fence section and that enables one to perform the method according to the present invention. For example, the fence section carrier may be manufac tured from a metal, a plastic or a combination thereof.

The complete fence section carrier may be manufactured from a metal or another rigid material. However, so as to enable a user to easily stack and store the fence section carrier according to the invention, it is preferred that the suspension member and carrying member are connected through a flexible material, preferably a rollable material. Preferably, said flexible material is a non- stretch material. For example, a woven or other kind of strip manufactured from a plastic material may be used as such longitudinal body. Such material may be easily rolled up or folded up so as to obtain a small and easy to handle package. A non-stretch or sub- stantially non-stretch material will yield an accurate positioning of the fence section. Anyway, positioning and connecting a fence section to a fence pole will be obtained easily and quickly.

The invention also relates to a combination of at least one fence section carrier according to the present invention and a fence section.

The invention also relates to a combination of at least one fence section carrier according to the present invention and at least one fence pole.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a combination of at least one fence section carrier according to the present invention, at least one fence section and at least one fence pole.

The above mentioned combinations allow one to easily perform the method according to the present invention so as to obtain the advantages as indicated above.

These and other advantages will become apparent to a skilled person after reading this description and the claims and after taking into consideration of the figures .

Hereafter, the invention will be further described with reference to a drawing. The drawing shows in:

Fig. 1 a schematic perspective view of a fence section carri ^¬ er according to the invention in a first step of the method,

Fig. 2 a view according to Fig. 1 in a second step of the method,

Fig. 3 a view according to Fig. 1 in a third step of the method,

Fig. 4 a view according to Fig. 1 in a fourth step of the method,

Fig. 5 an alternative embodiment of the fence section carrier according to the invention, and

Fig. 6 a sectional view of part of the fence section carrier according to Fig. 5.

In the figures the same parts are denoted by the same refer- ence numerals. However, for sake of clarity, not all parts that are required for a practical embodiment are shown in the figures.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a fence section carrier 1 according to the invention. The fence section carrier 1 comprises a suspension member 2 for suspending the fence section carrier 1 to a fence pole 3. The fence pole 3 is a commonly used fence pole for connecting fence sections. Usually, it is a hard wood or impregnated wooden fence pole that is placed into the ground. The fence section carrier 1 as shown in Fig. 1 comprises a body 10 that extends in a longitudinal direction -B. At a first end 4 of said fence section carrier 1 a suspension member 2 is provided. During use, the suspension member 2 is positioned at a highest position. At a second end 5 a carrying member 6 is provided for carrying a fence section (not shown in Fig. 1). To that end, the carrying member 6 comprises a carrying surface 7, the fence sec ^¬ tion can be carried on. During use, the carrying member 6 is at a lowest position.

The fence pole 3 comprises a front side 8 and an oppositely positioned back side (not visible in the figures) . The fence pole 3 further comprises a right side 9 and an oppositely positioned left side (not visible) . The body 10 of said fence section carrier

I is positioned at a front side 8 of said fence pole 3. The suspension member extends in the embodiment shown across the top side

II and the back side of fence pole 3.

The carrying member 6 extends from a front side 8 of said fence pole 3 towards a position at least partly past the right side 9. The carrying member 6 further extends towards a position in front of the right side 9 of fence pole 3. As a consequence, a carrying surface 7 is created in front of the right side 9 of fence pole 3, such that a fence section can be carried thereon.

Fig. 2 shows another step that is required for establishing a fence. At fence pole 3 two connection profiles 12, 13 have been provided, to which a fence section can be connected. Such connec tion profiles are known in the art.

In Fig. 3 a further step of the method is shown, wherein a fence section 14 is positioned and carried on said carrying sur 1 is embodied such that the distance between the suspension member

2 and the carrying surface 7 is substantially identical to the height H of said fence section 14. The top side 15 of said fence section 14 is in line with the top side 11 of fence pole 3. As a matter of fact, the said distance may be different in case the height H changes or in case it is not desired to have the top side 15 in line with the top side 11 of said fence pole 3.

Finally, Fig. 4 shows an end situation wherein fence section 14 is connected to two fence poles 3, 3'. At a right side fence pole 3 and at a left side of fence pole 3' connection profiles have been provided for connecting fence section 14. Also, a fence section carrier was suspended from fence pole 3' (not shown in Fig. 4) for carrying fence section 14 and keeping same positioned accurately while connecting said fence section 14 to fence poles 3, 3'. After said fence section 14 was connected to fence pole 3', said fence section carrier was removed so as to use same for connecting a fence section to another fence pole. Fence section carrier 1 will also be removed for using same for connecting another fence section to another fence pole, after connecting fence sec- tion 14 to fence pole 3.

In cae another length is desired than is standardly obtained when using fence section carrier 1 according to Fig. 1 - 4, a length adjustability may be provided. One possible embodiment is shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Said fence section carrier 1 is manu- factured from two main parts 16, 17.

The upper part 16 comprises at a first end 4 said suspension member 2. At another end 4' of part 16 a projection 18 is provided, as shown in Fig. 6. The lower part 17 comprises at a lower end 5 said carrying surface 7 and at another end 5' a number of ori- fices 19 each being able to receive said projection 18, as shown in Fig. 6. By inserting said projection 18 in a bottom opening 19' the distance between the carrying surface 7 and the suspension member 2 will be smallest. On the contrary, by inserting projection 18 in a top opening 19" the distance between the carrying surface 7 and the suspension member 2 will be largest.

The number of openings 19 may be varied widely so as to able to choose the said distance as desired. Also, a clamping system may be used, for example by providing the said projection 18 with external thread and by providing a longitudinal slot instead of a number of orifices. A bolt (not shown) will clamp part 17 against part 16 when the bolt is screwed on said thread against part 17. This provides an infinite adjustment of the said distance.

The carrying member 6 may be shaped differently than is shown in the figures. For example, the carrying surface 7 may be posi ^¬ tioned at an oblique angle instead of at an right angle. Also, a larger carrying surface 7' may be provided, as shown in Fig. 5. Then, the carrying surface 1' can be positioned against fence pole 3 such that same cannot slide into the direction of the fence pole 3 and a more stable positioning of said fence section 14 on said fence section carrier 1 is obtained.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments as described above and as shown in the drawing. The invention is limited only by the accompanying claims.

The invention also comprises all combinations of features and steps that have been described independently of each other.