Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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sACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an improved
fence or railin~ to be made on an industrial basis.
Where it serves as a fence, the latter restricts en-try
into a piece of land or separates one piece of land
from another. The invention may also serve as a
railing fixed to a balcony or the like.
Description of the prior art
Fences or railings of the type with which
the invention is concerned are both functional and
ornamental; their elements being made of extruded
plastic material. A fence or railing comprises two
major components: the posts and the area-separation
or guard sections; each section being essentially
formed of a top and of a bottom rail separated by
vertical struts; the ends of the rails being connected
to two posts. A post, on the other end~ may be an end
post with only one area-separation section attached to
it; a line post with two sections in alignment; a
corner post with two and up to four sections successively
at right angles and a plain post with no section attached
and serving to hinge a gate, making a total of six
different types of posts to meet all situations.
An industrial problem involved with present day
fence or railing constructions, apart from the large
number of di~ferent posts required, is broadly that
specialized machinery must be used to prepare at least
the major components: the posts and the horizontal
top and bottom rails. Also, when prepared for one
particular installation, the components cannot be
changed or altered to meet the requirements of another
installation. This condition leads to high costs in
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manufacturing, in repair work and in inventory.
In the case of the posts, for instance, holes
are to be made through their sides at precise locations
to receive the ends of the rails of the area-separating
sections. A post cannot therefore be changed to fit
another situation where the rails are distanced
differently and/or are provided on different numbers
of sides of the posts. It will be remembered, in
this latter regard, that six different types of posts
must presently be stored to meet all requirements, as
mentioned above.
Additionally, pos-ts now used are essentially
plain square plastic hollow tubes which have to be
reinforced by pouring concrete into them at least up
to a certain height embedding, by the same token, the
ends of the bottom rails, so that if changes have to
be made to the fence or railing, involving displacement
of the rails, the fence or railing has to be completely
dismantled and the posts and rails irreperably damaged.
As to the rails of the area-separating
sections or guard sections, two different types are
used.
In one case, where they are es.sentially plain
square plastic hollow tubes, as the posts, holes have
likewise to be made into them, using specialized
machinery, and the vertical struts slid directly into
them. This construction provides the struts with a
high degree of solidity as they are securely held, by
their ends, inside the hollow rails. However, the
method prevents easy modification of the strut arrange-
ment when the assembly is completed.
To avoid this drawback, channels have been
secured to one face of the rectangular rails; the
struts fitting into these channels and being kept
apart by spacing inserts slidably fitting into guiding
slots pre-formed along the legs of the channels. This
method of construction permits easy modification of the
strut arrangement but the lat-ter is substantially
weaker than in the above case because if a sufficiently
strong lateral pressure is applied to the struts, they
will bend out, twist the rails and even pop out of
the channels.
In both cases, strengthening of the rails
has been attempted by inserting metal channels into
them. But being unprotected from rain water, the
rails tend to crack during winter as the plastic and
metal expand and contract at different rates due to
freezing and thawing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A general object of the present invention
therefore lies in providing a fence or railing capable of
alleviating the difficulties mentioned above, parti-
cularly facilitating modification or expansion and also
easing assembly.
Another important object is to reduce the
number of the different posts, mentioned above, to a
single universal post, thus lowering manufacturing and
inventory costs. By its particular strong construction,
as will be seen hereinafter, this new universal post
makes it possible to eliminate reinforcing steel rods and
concrete that are now used.
Another object still is that, with the new
universal post, modifications or changes in the top
and bottom rails can be achieved with a minimum of
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labor and without damage to the post or to the rails
Furthermore, these objects are attained without
effecting the decorative appearance of the fence where
the posts, in particular, retain a smooth outer finish.
More specifically, the invention broadly
resides in a fence or railing which essentially com-
prises a generally square vertical post formed, along
each outer wall, with a U-shaped channel running its full
length; the sidewalls of the channels defining two
guide slots and the post further having a non-circular
central open-ended bore. This central bore slidably
and snugly receives, at its lower end, a pedestal which
is fixed to a base plate. Mounted on the post is one
end of an area-separation section made up of a top and
a bottom horizontal rail interconnected by spaced
vertical struts. The ends of the rails are inserted
into one of the post channels and kept apart by flat
spacer elements of identical constant cross-sections
and lateral wings slid in the guide slots OL the post
channel. One spacer element keeps the bottom rail
away from the base plate while a second spacer element
separates the two rails from one another. The spacer
elements have an outer face which is flush with the
outer wall of the post having the channel into which
the rail ends are inserted.
According to a particular aspect of the
invention where the pos-t carries only one area-
separation section; further spacer elements are provided
that are slid in the guide slots of the remaining
channels, these further elements extending the full
length of the channels to act as masking elements.
Where further area-separating sections are mounted on
the post, in the same manner as described above, other
masking elements are provided to hide the remaining
non-used channels, if any are left.
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Preferably, for each area-separation section,
a further spacer element rests on and above the top rail
the post then having a cap removably mounted at its top.
A search of the prior art has been made which
has revealed: U.S. patent No. 4.586.697 of 1986;
Canadian patents Nos. 878.854 of 1971; 886.862 of lg71
and 1.017.183 of 1977. These patents indicate that
the problems mentioned above are known and they propose
solutions for solving them. None of these however
propose a structural arrangement as effective and
cost conscious as the arrangement disclosed herein,
particularly the use of a universal post apt to be
used with all kinds of fence or railing structures.
The description of a preferred embodiment
now follows that will provide further features and
advantages of the invention; the description referring
to the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE D~AWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of
one end of a fence or railing incorporating the
improvements of the invention;
Figure 2 if a view similar to that of
Fig. 1 but showing the fence or railing in assembled
condition;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional
view taken at mid-height of the fence or railingi
Figllre 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view
of a post;
Figures 5 to 8 are cross-sectional views
respectively of the bottom rail; the top rail; a
spacer element and a distance-piece.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMB~DIME~JT
Referring -to the drawings, the post 1 is a
one-piece elongated body made of extruded plastic
material and having an essentially rectangular,
preferably square, constant cross-section throughout
its length. It is formed with inwardly directed
U-shaped open-ended channels 3 along the full length
of its outer walls 5. Each channel has sidewalls 7
defining two guide slots 9 facing one another and
extending the full length of the post outer walls 5.
The post also has a non-circular, preferably square,
central bore 11.
Post l is mounted on a support base 13
comprising a flat plate 15 and a pedestal 17 fixed
to the plate and upstanding from it. The pedestal 17
has a non-circular cross-sectional shape like that of
the central bore 11 so that it snugly fits into the
post lower end without rotation; the post being fixed
to the pedestal by self-tapping screws through the
tube defining the central bore 11 at the bottom of the
channel 3. The base plate 15 is pierced with a set of
holes 19 around the stem 17 through which holes may
extend the threaded ends of bolts (not shown) of which
the other ends are sunk in the concrete of a foundation
block ~not shown). In this manner, tne base 13 may
solidly be secured to the ground to keep the post l
upright.
In the case of a veranda railing or the like,
the bolts may extend through the veranda floor.
For sturdier support of the post, the base
plate 15 and the pedestal 17 may be made of metal,
such as aluminum. For a similar reason of strength, the
central tubular part 12 of the post that defines the
bore 11 should be reinforced by inwardly directed
arcuate ribs 21 also running the full length of the bore.
As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the post 1 outsiae
the bore 11 and outside the channel 3 forms four like
corner members 23 which may be hollowed out without
impairing the strength of the post but making it lighter.
As seen, these hollow corner members 23 radiate from the
corners of the square central tubular part 12 and
define the post outer walls 5. The latter may have
chamfered corners for decorative purposes.
The width of the channels 3 should be about at
least one third that of the outer walls 5 of the post.
With a somewhat cellular post construction of
uniform generally outwardly square cross-section, as
described above, it has been found that no concrete need
be poured in its bore 11; the pos~ being much stronger
by its particular configuration than the standard post
of plain rectangular cross-section.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 show only one end of one
area-separation or guard section 25 secured to the
post 1. It will be appreciated however that mounting of
the other end of the section 25 to another post like
post 1 is obtained in identical manner. The mounting
is by insertion of the other ends of the top and bottom
rails 27, 29, into one of the channels 3 of the other
post.
Again, it will be appreciated that further
identical guard sections 25 (not shown) can, in the
same manner, be mounted in the other channels 3.
The ~wo rails 27, 2~, are interconnected by
vertical struts 31, as said before.
As is readily apparent, the post 1 may
accommodate up to four area-separation sections 25.
Because of its uniform cross-section, it may be
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manufactured in indefinite lengths and cut down to the
required lengths at the factory or on the site without
the use of specialized machinery. This considerably
reduces inventory as well as highly facilitating
adaptation of the posts to various uses.
The two rails 27, 29, of the section 25 are
held in the desired spatial relationship along the
post 1 by means of essentially flat spacer elements
33, 33', 33" , identical in cross-sections, which
cross-section is shown in Figure 7. As illustrated,
a spacer element comprises a hollow rectangular body
35 and lateral wings 37 that outwardly extend in the
plane of one side only of the body 35 These wings 37
are slidably inserted in the guide slots 9. As shown,
the spacer element 33 is comprised between the base 15
and the bottom rail 29, supporting it and resting on
the base plate 15; the spacer element 33' is comprised
between the two rails, resting on the bottom rail 29
and supporting the top rail 27, and the spacer element
33" resting on and above the top rail 27.
The thickness of the spacer elements is
selected such that their outer faces fall flush with
the post outer wall 5 having the channel 3 into which
the rails are slid so that the spacer elements serve
to mask the said channel 3 between the rails, as shown
in Figure 2.
Where the post 1 is an end post with only one
area-separation or guard section 25 attached to it,
the remaining three unused channels 3 are closed or
masked by three further spacer elements 33"' slid into
the groove slots 9 of the unused channels, extending
the full length of the post, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
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Similarly, if more than one and less than
four sections 25 are attached, the unused channel or
channels 3 are masked by a spacer element or elements
33"'.
In the end post installation of Fig. 2, the
post 1 is topped by a removably mounted cap 39 secured
to it by self-tapping screws through the cap's skirt
and through the post outer walls 5O
The horizontal top rail 27, as shown in
Figs. 1 and 6, is a downwardly turned U-shaped member
of uniform c~oss-section throughout its length,
having inner side flanges 41 provided with guide slots
43 facing one another and extending the full length of
the rail. It is also double-T~alled thereby defining
a channel-shaped housing 43 into which is lodged an
inverted steel reinforcement channel 47 (Fig. 1)
covering the full distance between the two posts
holding the guard section 25.
The bottom rail 29 (Figs. 1 and 5), on the
other hand, has an upright U-shaped portion 48 of
constant cross-section throughout its length with
reinforcing double-walled side flanges of which the
upper ends o~ the inner flanges 49 are formed with
guide slots Slo
Depending from the portion 48 is a closing
framework 50 defining a reinforcement housing 52
extending along the full length of the bottom rail 29.
At mid-height of the housing, are two upturned
brackets 57 receiving the flanges of an inverted
reinforcing metal channel 5g (Fig. 1) covering the
full distance between the two posts holding the
guard section 25.
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The open end of the chamber 53 o~ the top
rail 27 and the open end of the chamber 55 of ~he bottom
rail 48 face one another so that the aforementioned
struts 31 may be slidably received into the said
chambers 53, 55.
The struts 31 are held apart in the rails
27, 29, by essentially flat distance-pieces 61, 61',
all having the same cross-section which is shown in E'ig.
8. The distance-pieces are U-shaped with a central
web 63 and lateral flanges 65 provided at their free
ends with outwardly turned wings 67.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, it is seen
that the struts 31 are of identical cross-configuration,
having the shape of hollow isosceles trapezia with
inclined sides extending across the chambers 53, 55, of
the rails 27, 29, respectively. Reinforcing ribs 69
are provided in the hollow struts, spanning their full
length. The sides of the struts 31 are preferably
inclined at 45. It will be noted that consecutive
struts 31 are inverted with respect to the inclined
sides so that inclined sides of successive struts are
parallel and, by properly sizing the length of the
distance-pieces 61, 61', the struts overlap.
As shown in ~ig. 1, the distance-piece
sections 61a, 61b and 61c; 61a', 61b' and 61c' are
cut acr~ss at appropriate angles to fit between
successive struts 31 and between the end struts and
the posts 1. The same requirement prevails for both
the distance-pieces of which the wings 67 are slid in
the guide slots 51 of the bottom rail 29 and the
distance-pieces of which the wing 67 are slid in the
guide slots 43 of the top rail 27.
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It may be pointed out that, similarl~ to
the post l and spacer elements 33 to 33111, the rails
27, 29, the struts 31 and the distance-pieces 61 ma~
advantageously be manufactured in indeinite lengths
and cut down to the required lengths, and trans~ersely
cut in the case of the distance-piece sections, at
the factory or at the construction site. This is
because the post l, the spacer elements 33 to 33"',
the rails 27, 29, the struts 31 and the distance-
pieces 61 are of constant cross-section throughout
their length.
The assembly may be resumed as follows, taking
as an example the end post installation shown in
Figs. l and ~.
After the support base 13 has been solidly
anchored to the concrete support or to the floor of
a balcony, the post l is slid over the pedestal 17 and
the two secured together by self-tapping screws. The
spacer element 33 is then slid along the guide slots 9
of one channel 3 right down to the base plate 15.
One end of the bottom rail 29 is simply entered into
the same channel 3 until it reaches its bottom, resting
on the top of the spacer element 33. Similarly to the
spacer element 33, the space element 33' is slid along the
post l in the same guide slots 9 until it seats on ~he
bottom rail 29. The ends of the struts 31 are there-
after inserted into the chambers 53 and 55 of the rails
27 and 29 with appropriate introduction of the distance-
pieces 61, 61', between them; the end of the top rail
27 being simultaneously shifted inside the channel 3. Then
ollows the insertion, along the guide slots 9 of the
channel 3, of the spacer elements 33" . After the
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remaining unused channels 3 have been masked by the
longer spacer elements 33"', the cap 39 is placed over
the top of the post 1 and screwed to it by self-
tapping screws. The same operations simultaneously take
place with respect to the other post to which the other
end of the guard section 25 is moun-ted.
It will be realized that~ with this
construction, any repair, replacement or other changes
that are desired may easily be carried out simply by
removing the cap and sliding the fence or railing
components out one by one since none of the pieces
are fixed. It will be noted also, particularly from
Fig. 2, that the construction does not impair in any
way the decorative aspect of the fence or railing,
especially the post.
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