BACKGROUND ART In the building industry, as described and illustrated, for example, in the Applicant's Patent <BR> Application EP-A-1080279, walls or other prefabricated constructions are built using a modular structure comprising a number of finish panels of concrete or other material placed contacting one another or in two or more parallel rows to define cavities into which concrete is poured. Once the concrete hardens, the panels form the outer surface of the finished construction.

Alternatively, prefabricated constructions are built using substantially"box-shaped"formwork comprising a number of panels of wood or metal placed, as before, in two or more rows to define more or less complex-shaped cavities in which concrete is poured. Once the concrete hardens, the formwork is dismantled.

In both cases, to prevent the pressure of the

concrete, as it is being poured, from parting the panels and so collapsing the modular structure or formwork, the panels are normally connected by restraints, such as anchoring devices, ties, or bars.

When building fence walls, the panels are arranged in two parallel rows and connected to one another by such restraints; and, once the concrete poured between the rows of panels hardens, i. e. once the wall is completed, the fence is fixed to the wall. This is a relatively long, painstaking job, which involves forming seats or holes in the top of the wall, in which to fix respective fence supporting members.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a prefabricated building module for building fence walls, designed to permit fast, troublefree fence attachment.

According to the present invention, there is provided a prefabricated building module for building fence walls, as described in Claim 1.

The present invention also relates to a connecting device for connecting at least two facing vertical panels of a prefabricated building module for building fence walls, as described in Claim 9.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a partial view in perspective of two

prefabricated building modules, in accordance with the present invention, placed adjacent to each other and connected to form a wall to which to attach a fence.

Figure 2 shows a larger-scale view in perspective of a detail of the Figure 1 modules; Figure 3 shows a larger-scale view in perspective of a vertical connecting member of the Figure 1 modules; Figure 4 shows a view in perspective of a variation of the vertical connecting member in Figure 3.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows, partly, two prefabricated building modules 1, in accordance with the present invention, placed adjacent to each other and connected to form a cavity 2 in which to pour concrete forming, when hardened, a wall to which to attach a fence 3.

Each module 1 comprises two vertical rectangular panels 4 made, for example, of concrete, positioned facing each other, defining part of pour cavity 2, and connected to each other by vertical and horizontal connecting devices 5,6 preferably made of metal or rigid plastic.

Each panel 4 is bounded by opposite straight vertical lateral edges 7, and by opposite straight horizontal lateral edges 8 longer than edges 7 and extending between respective ends of edges 7.

Vertical and horizontal edges 7,8 of each panel 4 have respective longitudinal grooves 9,10 (Figure 2) extending the full length of edges 7, 8 and joined at the

corners of panel 4.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, each vertical connecting device 5 is defined by a vertical guide, in turn defined by two parallel connecting bars 11 connected by cross members 12 and engaging respective grooves 9 of contiguous vertical edges 7 of panels 4 of adjacent modules 1.

An important characteristic of the present invention lies in each connecting device 5 being fitted integrally with a fastening bar 15 extending parallel to panels 4 and to connecting bars 11, and defining, with an end portion 16 projecting upwards with respect to panels 4, an attachment by which to attach a relative supporting member 17 of fence 3.

More specifically, fastening bar 15 is connected integrally to cross members 12 of connecting device 5, in an intermediate position between connecting bars 11.

As shown in Figure 3, fastening bar 15 is flat, and, at end portion 16, has holes 18 by which to fasten relative supporting member 17 of fence 3.

Alternatively, as shown in the Figure 4 variation, as opposed to a flat fastening bar 15, connecting device 5 may comprise a cylindrical fastening bar 15', the projecting end portion 16'of which is pointed and at least partly threaded externally to screw on a cylindrical supporting member 17'of fence 3, having a threaded hole 19 for receiving end portion 16'.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, horizontal

connecting devices 6 are defined by a number of anchoring bars extending between panels 4 of each module 1, and each connecting a relative horizontal groove 10 of one panel 4 to a corresponding horizontal groove 10 of the opposite panel 4.

More specifically, each connecting device 6 is flat, is elongated perpendicularly to the panels 4 connected by it, and has opposite ends bent 90° to engage respective grooves 10 of panels 4.

The top horizontal groove 10 of each panel 4 (Figure 2) is advantageously defined by opposite sides 20, 21, of which the one (20) facing the other panel 4 of module 1 is lower down to enable concrete to be poured right up to the top of panels 4, or to fit on covers closing the top of modules 1.

In actual use, once the concrete poured inside cavity 2 between the two rows of panels 4 hardens, the resulting wall incorporates a number of fence 3 attachments defined by projecting end portions 16 or 16' of fastening bars 15 or 15' ; and fence 3 is attached by simply fixing supporting members 17 or 17'of fence 3 to respective end portions 16 or 16'of fastening bars 15 or 15'.

Fence 3 is thus attached extremely quickly and easily, by requiring, in particular, no drilling of the top of the wall.

Clearly, changes may be made to module 1 and connecting devices 5 as described herein without,

however, departing from the scope of the present invention.

In particular, fastening bar 15 may be formed in a number of pieces connected integrally, e. g. bolted or welded, to one another. More specifically, projecting end portion 16 may be defined by a separate member fixed to the rest of the fastening bar to adapt the size of the end portion of the fastening bar projecting from the wall to the height of the fence 3 to be attached.

Moreover, end portion 16 of fastening bar 15 may be fitted with supporting members of different cross sections, e. g. square tubular, annular, or T-shaped, or defining a complementary seat for fastening bar 15. If the supporting member has a square tubular or annular cross section, it is assembled as follows : after being fitted on to end portion 16 of fastening bar 15, the supporting member is moved to position one face, provided with holes, contacting the end portion, and is then fixed to the end portion by means of screws'or bolts.