Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ORNAMENTAL FENCING SYSTEM AND
METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING THE SAME
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to fences, and more particularly
relates to
ornamental fences.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ornamental fences are often used as protective enclosures around swimming
pools and
gardens or for delimiting backyards and entryways. They are generally made of
galvanized steel and include vertical posts, horizontal rails, pickets and
decorative parts.
A problem with existing ornamental fences is that they are made of welded pre-
assembled sections which are difficult to transport and store due to their
size, typically 5
feet x 8 feet. In addition, shipping fees for sending pre-assembled sections
are also
prohibitive due to their size, limiting the market of ornamental fences to
areas close to
where the sections are manufactured.
Moreover, the assembly process of ornamental fences requires welding skills
and
specialized tools, making it difficult for regular home-owners to install the
fences by
themselves. Ornamental fence buyers must typically rely on skilled fence
installers for
assembling the fences, contributing to the high cost of existing fencing
systems.
In order to overcome some of the above mentioned problems, non-welded fencing
systems have been designed. However, such prior art fencing systems require
many
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small parts to be assembled and screwed. Another disadvantage of proposed
fencing
systems that do not require pickets to be welded to horizontal rails is that
their assembly
parts cannot be used with existing pickets devised for welded fencing systems.
Manufacturers must then design, manufacture and hold in stock different types
of
pickets for different types of fences, rather than using type of pickets.
The prior art in the field includes are U.S. 7,025,335 (ZHU); U.S. 6,431,764
(CONNER);
U.S. 4,991,823 (STANISH); U.S. 6,752,386 (BUNDY); U.S. 6,804,921 (NEYLON);
U.S.
2005/0045863 (MACKAY); U.S. 2005/0285091 (KO); U.S. 2006/0001015 (FORBIS et
al.); U.S. 2007/0080332 (ALLEN); U.S. 2008/0179581 (MULGREW) and U.S.
2008/0250749 (WELDON et al.).
U.S. 7,025,355 (ZHU) discloses a modular picket fence. In the first embodiment
described, the pickets are provided with locking slotted apertures and locking
clips
inserted in said apertures, the clips engaging against a surface of the rails
of the fence,
hence retaining the pickets in the rails. In the other embodiment described, a
spring clip
is inserted in a transverse aperture of the picket, the spring clip retaining
the picket in
the rails of the fence. While this fence system offers a modular solution,
several parts
need to be assembled, and the overall assembly process requires a lot of
steps. Pickets
traditionally used in welded fence system can not be used without or with few
modifications since apertures must be made in the pickets. The pickets are
also affixed
to both rails of the fence, for ensuring proper rigidity and stability to the
fence.
U.S. 2005/0045863 (MACKEY) discloses a modular metal fence panel assembly
wherein the pickets are affixed to inverted U-shape rails with elongated-
locking bars
inserted in the rails. The locking bars are provided with regularly spaced
tabs which
engage in recesses made in the pickets. Collars are inserted on the top ends
of the
pickets for positioning the picket recesses in register with the locking bar
tabs. While this
invention involves fewer parts than ZHU, pickets traditionally used in welded
metal fence
cannot be used without modifications.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a fence
having at
least one fence section which extends between a pair of posts. Each of the
fence
section includes an upper horizontal rail and a lower horizontal rail
extending between
the posts and connected to them. A plurality of channels extends transversally
through
the rails. A plurality of pickets are vertically inserted through the channels
of the upper
and lower rails, each picket having its top extremity projecting upwardly of
the upper rail.
A plurality of picket caps are each associated with a corresponding one of the
pickets.
Each picket cap has a body portion rigidly affixed to the top extremity of its
corresponding picket, the picket also having a first arm and a second arm
projecting on
opposite sides of the body portion and extending along the upper rail of the
fence
section. The first arm of each picket cap is attached to the second arm of the
picket cap
affixed to an adjacent picket with attaching means.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a kit for
use in a fence as described above, the kit including a plurality of picket
caps and
attaching means. Each picket cap has a body portion rigidly affixable to a top
extremity
of a corresponding picket, a first arm and a second arm projecting on opposite
sides of
the body portion. The attaching means are for attaching togetherthe respective
first arm
and second arm of pairs of picket caps when affixed to adjacent pickets.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided a
method for building a fence section. The method includes the steps of:
a) erecting and fixing a pair of posts to a rigid surface;
b) connecting ends of an upper horizontal rail and a lower horizontal rail to
each one
of the pair of posts, the rails extending substantially orthogonally to the
posts and
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such that the channels of the upper rail are aligned with the channels of the
lower
rail;
c) affixing each of a plurality of picket caps to a top end of a corresponding
one of a
plurality of pickets. Each picket cap has a body portion rigidly affixable to
the top
extremity of the corresponding picket, each picket cap further having a first
arm
and a second arm projecting on opposite sides of the body portion;
d) inserting each one of the pickets of step c) into a corresponding pair of
channels
of the rails such that the top extremity of each of the pickets projects
upwardly of
the upper rail and such that the first and second arms of each of the picket
caps
extend along said upper rail; and
e) attaching the first arm of each picket cap to the second arm of one of the
picket
caps affixed to an adjacent one of the pickets with attaching means.
Further advantages and features of the present invention will become more
apparent
upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of preferred
embodiments
thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only, with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. I is a front view of a fence according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention.
5
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of part of a section of an upper horizontal rail,
a picket being
inserted in one channel of the rail, according to an embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a picket cap, according to a first embodiment
of the
picket cap of the present invention. FIGs. 3A and 3B are respectively a first
and a
second side view of the cap of FIG. 3C, and FIG. 3C and 3D are respectively a
bottom
and a top view of the cap.
FIG. 4 is a front view showing the cap of FIG. 3 having both arms attached to
similar
adjacent picket caps.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a picket cap, according to a second preferred
embodiment of the picket cap of the present invention. FIGs. 5A and 5B are
respectively
a first and a second side view of the cap of FIG. 5, and FIG. 5C and 5D are
respectively
a bottom and a top view of the cap.
FIG. 6 is a front view showing the cap of FIG. 5 having both arms attached to
similar
adjacent picket caps.
While the invention will be described in conjunction with example embodiments,
it will be
understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to such
embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives,
modifications and
equivalents as may be included as defined by the present description.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The ornamental fence
The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference
to the
accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements
throughout.
Referring to FIG. 1, a fence 10 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of
the
present invention. The fence 10 is made of several fence sections 12, each
section 12
extending between a pair of posts 14. Of course, in other embodiments, a fence
10 may
also be made of only one fence section 12 or may include any desired number of
sections. It will also be understood that different sections of a given fence
10 may vary
and design and that any fence including at least one section 12 as defined
herein is
understood to be within the scope of the present invention. A fence section 12
is made
of rails 16,17; pickets 18; picket caps 20 and attaching means 22 for
attaching the
pickets 18 to the rails 16.
The posts 14 are typically substantially orthogonal to the ground surface, and
solidly
affixed to it. For example they may be fixed in a concrete base or inserted
sufficiently
deep in the ground. The posts 14 have an elongated shape, which is preferably
a
square or a cylindrical tubular shape, but they may have any other cross-
section shape.
For each of the fence sections 12, an upper horizontal rail 16 and a lower
horizontal rail
17 extend between the posts 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper 16
and lower
17 rails are similar, having an elongated and hollow shape, with a C-shape
cross
section. The rails 16, 17 may have other shapes - for example, they may be
hollow with
a U-shaped or square-shaped cross-section, and they also could be hollow or
full
elongated cylinders, although they preferably have a flat upper surface. They
also are
preferably made of metal, such as galvanized steel. The rails 16, 17 are
connected
transversally to the posts 14, preferably with brackets 26, but other
connecting means
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can also be used, such as weld joints. Advantageously, a third rail may also
extend and
be connected between upper sections of the posts 14. Other configurations, and
a
different number of rails, could also be considered within the scope of the
invention.
As more clearly shown in FIG. 2, the upper rail 16 is provided with a
plurality of channels
28, which extend transversally through the rail 16. The channels 28 are
devised to allow
the insertion of the pickets 18. The cross section area of a channel 28 is
preferably
slightly larger than the cross-section area of a picket 18, the pickets 18
being described
in more detail below. The channels 28 are preferably equidistant from one
another. The
lower rail 17 is similar to the upper rail 16, or may have a different shape
or appearance.
Still referring to FIG. 2, a channel 28 is formed by an aperture 30 made on
the upper
surface 24 of the rail 16; by an inside cavity 31 of the C-shaped rail 16; and
by the
opening 34 located underneath the rail 16. The term "channel" is used in the
sense of a
passage allowing the insertion of a picket 18 through it. The channels 28 of
the upper
horizontal rail 16 of a section 12 are in vertical alignment with the channels
28 of the
lower rail 17 of the same section 12. Of course, fence sections 12 may -
include more
than two rails 16, 17, for example a middle rail may be located underneath the
upper rail
16, in which case the middle rail will also include channels or other means of
allowing
the pickets therethrough.
The picket fence 10 may be provided with annular gaskets 36, preferably made
of
plastic or rubber, each gasket 36 being placed around a top extremity 38 of
the picket
18. The gaskets 36 rest over the channel 28 of the upper rail 16 into which
the
corresponding picket 18 is inserted, and may prevent scores or scratches, and
eventually corrosion on the upper rail 16, the scores and scratches due to the
arms 40,
41 of the picket caps 20 resting over the rail 16.
Turning back to FIG. 1, the pickets 18 are vertically inserted through the
channels 28 of
the upper 16 and lower 17 rails, each picket 18 having its top extremity 38
projecting
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upwardly of the upper rail 16. Preferably, the number of pickets 18
corresponds to the
number of channels 28 made through each of the rails 16,17. The pickets 18 are
preferably of tubular shape and made of metal. They are long enough to be slid
through
one of the channels 28 of the upper rail 16 and through the aligned channels
28 of the
lower rail 17 and of any additional rail in between.
As illustrated in FIGs. 1 and 2, a picket cap 20, or a finial, is associated
with each of the
pickets 18. Each picket cap 20 has a body portion 42 rigidly affixed to the
top extremity
38 of a corresponding picket 18. The picket cap 20 has a first arm 40 and a
second 41
arm projecting on opposite sides of its body portion 42 and extending along
the upper
rail 16. In this preferred embodiment, the body portion 42 of each of the
picket caps 20
has a cavity 32, the top extremity 38 of the corresponding picket 18 being
snugly fitted
into said cavity 32. Of course, otherways of affixing the picket cap 20 to the
extremity of
the pickets 18 may be considered. For example, the body portion 42 of a picket
18 can
be a prism with a cross-section slightly smaller than the hollow inside cross-
section of
the picket 18, so that the picket cap 20 is snugly fitted inside the top
extremity 38 of the
picket 18. The picket cap 20 could also be screwed to the picket 18 or glued
or welded
to it, or any combination thereof.
Referring to FIG. 1 and also to FIGs. 4 and 6, the extended arms 40, 41 of the
cap 20
affixed to a particular picket 18 are attached to the extended arms 40, 41 of
the caps 20
affixed to the pickets 18 adjacent to this particular picket 18. Of course,
the picket cap
20 affixed to the pickets 18 adjacent to the posts are only attached to the
arm, either 40
or 41, of one neighbour cap 20, since they only have one picket cap 20
neighbour.
Preferably, unattached arms 40, 41 adjacent to the posts 14 are cut out.
Picket caps 20
are preferably made of metal and their arms preferably rest over the upper
rail 16.
Arms 40, 41 of adjacent picket caps are attached or secured to one another
with
attaching means 22. For example, attaching means 22 may be nails, glue,
screws,
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connectors or, in other words, any elements that can link, maintain or secure
one arm 40
or 41 of a cap to the arm 41 or 40 of a neighbouring cap 20.
In the preferred embodiments shown on FIGs. 4 and 6, the attaching means 22
are
screws 44 and pins 46 respectively. It could also be considered that the
attaching
means 22 are part of the arms 40, 41 of the picket caps 20, for example with
male and
female joints that can be snapped or clipped to one another. In this case,
each cap 20
would have a first arm 40 ending with a female part and a second arm 41 ending
with a
male part, the female part of the first arm being connectable to the male part
of the arm
of a neighbouring cap 20, and the male part of the second arm being
connectable to the
female part of the arm of the other neighbouring cap 20.
Now referring to FIGs. 3 to 3D and also to FIG. 4, there is shown a first
preferred
embodiment of the picket cap 20 of the invention, presenting an inverted T-
shape with a
body portion 42 and two arms 40, 41 diametrically opposed to one another. The
body
portion 42 of the picket cap 20 is provided with walls 50 defining a cavity 32
or a hollow
prism having a cross-section area similar to the cross-section area of the top
extremity
38 of the picket 18, ensuring that once the picket 18 is inserted into the
cavity 32, it
remains tightly in place. Alternatively or additionally, the body portion 48
of the cap 20
could be affixed to the corresponding picket 18 through a screwing
arrangement, orwith
the help of any appropriate securing means such as an adhesive, nails, screws
or the
like. As shown, the body portion 48 of the picket cap 20 is preferably may be
provided
with an ornamental section 52 serving aesthetic purposes only.
In this embodiment, both arms 40, 41 of the illustrated picket cap 20 define
flat flanges
54. The distal end 56 of the flange 54 of the first arm 40 is folded into a
riser section 58
and a step section 60 while the distal end 56 of the flange 54 of the second
arm 41 is
unfolded. Each of the distal ends 56 being provided with a hole 62, for
receiving an
attaching means 22. The step section 60 of the distal end 56 of the first arm
40 is
devised such that it can overlap the distal end 56 of the second arm 41 of the
picket cap
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affixed to the adjacent picket 18. It will be understood that the designations
of "first"
and "second" arms are for ease of reference only, and do not denote of any
preferential
status or direction of each arm.
5 When affixed to a picket 18 and in use in the fence 10, the hole 62 of the
distal end 56
of the first arm 40 is to be directly aligned with the hole 62 of the distal
end 56 of the
second arm 41 of the picket cap 20 of the adjacent picket 18. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the holes 62 of opposite arms 40, 41 of the picket cap 20 are
located at an
equal distance from the end of the arms 40, 41. Preferably, the holes 62 in
the arms 40,
10 41 are threaded, and attaching means 22 is a screw 44 inserted through the
threaded
hole 62 of the distal end 56 of the first arm 40 of the picket cap 18 and
through the
aligned threaded hole 62 of the distal end 56 of the second arm 41 of the
picket cap 20
of the adjacent picket 18. Optionally, the screw 44 can also secure the two
arms 40, 41
of the caps 20 and the upper horizontal rail 16, where the rail 16 would be
perforated at
15 the inserting location of the screws 44.
In accordance with this embodiment, an ornamental element 64 is preferably
connected
on the outside of each arm 40, 41 of the cap 20, and positioned in such way as
to be
facing the complementary element 64 of the neighbouring caps 20. Once the caps
20
20 are in position in the fence 10, the ornamental elements 64 advantageously
hide from
view the attaching means 22. In FIGs. 3 to 3D, this ornamental element 64 is a
disc but
of course other types and shapes of elements could be used.
Referring to FIG. 5 to 5D and also to FIG.6 another preferred embodiment of
the picket
cap 20 is shown. This embodiment still presents an inverted T-shape having a
body
portion 48 and two arms 40, 41 diametrically opposed to one another, the body
portion
48 being similar to the one described previously.
As for the arms 40, 41, both of them have their distal ends 56 upwardly
curved. In use,
the ends 56 are upwardly curved above the upper rail 16, each end 56 being
provided
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with a ring 66 having an axis substantially orthogonal to the upper rail 16
and also
substantially orthogonal to the picket 18 associated with the picket cap 20,
the axis of
the ring 66 of the first arm 40 corresponding to the axis of a complementary
ring 66 of
the second arm 41 of the picket cap 20 of the adjacent picket 18. In other
words, each
ring 66 is connected in such way that the axis passing though the center of
the ring 66 is
substantially orthogonal to the direction of the arms 40, 41 of the caps 20.
Preferably,
the depth of the ring 66 is half the depth of the arms 40, 41, as shown on
FIGs.5 and
5C.
In this embodiment, the attaching means 22 is a pin 46 fitted through the ring
66 of the
first arm 40 of the picket cap 20 and through the complementary ring 66 of the
second
arm 41 of the picket cap 18 of the adjacent picket 18, to secure two
neighbouring caps
together.
15 As with the previous embodiment, an ornamental element 64 is also
preferably
connectedto the outside of each one of the arms 40, 41, as described in the
paragraph
above, the difference being that in this embodiment, the disc is preferably
perforated in
its center to allow passage for the pins 46 connecting the complementary rings
66 of
neighbouring caps 20.
As will be clearly understood by one skilled in the art, fence sections 12 as
described
above may advantageously be brought to the location at which it is to be
installed in the
form of a kit, the kit including an appropriate number of rails, pickets, caps
and attaching
means as described above. The picket caps 20 can come separately from the
pickets
18 or be pre-affixed to the pickets.
Another kit may only include the picket caps 20 and their appropriate
attaching means
22. Other kits may also include upper and lower rails 16,17, picket caps 20
and
attaching means 22, without the pickets 18.
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Transport is therefore greatly facilitated with comparison to pre-welded fence
sections
as known in the prior art.
The method for building a fence section
Installation of such a fence 10 is also facilitated. In accordance with
another aspect of
the invention, there is provided a method for building a fence section 12,
including
components as described above.
In accordance with this method, and referring to FIGs. 1 to 4, a pair of posts
14 are
erected and fixed to a rigid surface. Ends of the upper 16 and the lower 17
horizontal
rails are then operatively connected to the steady posts 14, substantially
orthogonally to
the posts 14 and such that the channels 28 of the upper rail 16 are aligned
with the
channels 28 of the lower 17 rail. The lower 17 rail is connected between the
lower
sections of the posts 14, while the upper rail 16 is connected between the
upper
sections of the posts 14. The two rails 16,17 are placed in such way as to be
substantially parallel to one another. A third rail can also be connected
between the
upper sections of the posts 14, substantially parallel to the uppermost rail
16.
Picket caps 20 are then each affixed to the top ends 38 of corresponding
pickets 18.
Each picket cap 20 has its body portion 42 rigidly affixed to the top
extremity 38 of its
corresponding picket 18, the picket cap 20 having its first arm 40 and second
41 arm
projecting on opposite sides of its body portion 42.
The operation of affixing the caps 20 to the pickets 18 can be done before
delivery of
the fence components to the installation site, for example with a manual or
automatic
press, or on site at the time of installation. The picket caps 20 and pickets
18 are
secured together in any appropriate manner, as described above, preferably by
snapping the picket 18 into the cavity 32 of the picket cap 20. At this stage,
gaskets 36
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may be slipped over the pickets 18, or they may be placed around the apertures
30 of
the channels 28 of the upper rail 16.
Once provided with their caps 20, the pickets 18 are inserted into a
corresponding pair
of channels 28 of the rails (one channel of the upper rail 16, and the other
corresponding channel on the lower rail 17, aligned with the upper channel)
such that
the top extremity 38 of each of the pickets 18 projects upwardly of the upper
rail 16 and
such that the first 40 and second 41 arms of each of the picket caps 20 extend
along
said upper rail 16.
More specifically, a first picket 18 is inserted through a channel 28 of the
upper rail 16; is
slipped through the channel 28; and then is inserted through the corresponding
channel
28 of the lower rail 17. Would there be more than two rails 40, 41, the same
procedure
would be conducted so that the picket 18 passes through all of the rails. The
procedure
is repeated for the second and all subsequent pickets 18 to be installed in
the fence
section 12. The cap 20 affixed to the top extremity 38 of each picket 18
preferably rests
on the upper rail 16 and is supported thereby, maintaining the picket 18 at
the proper
position.
The first arm 40 of each picket cap 20 is then attached to the second arm 41
of the
picket caps 20 affixed to the adjacent pickets 18 with attaching means 22. In
other
words, the arms 40, 41 of neighbouring picket caps 20 are secured to one
another.
More specifically, according to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the picket
caps 20
are sized and shaped and the pickets 18 are spaced so that when in position,
the step
section 60 of the distal end 56 of the first arm 40 of the caps 20 overlap the
complementary unfolded end 56 of the second arm 41 the immediately adjacent
cap 20.
Ends 56 of the arms 40, 41 are secured to one another, preferably using a
screw 44
screwed through the threaded holes 62, securing the caps 20 together.
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According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, depicted in FIGs.
5 to 5D
and to FIG.6, the rings 66 of the curved distal ends 56 of the arms 40, 41
face the
complementary rings 66 of the neighbour cap 20. The distal ends 56 of the arms
40, 41
are secured to one another, preferably using connecting pins 46 that are
passed through
the center of the rings 66.
As being now better appreciated, the present invention is an improvement and
presents
several advantages over the other related devices and/or methods known in the
prior
art. Indeed, the fence can be sold in kits, its components are easy to
assemble and the
attachment of the components minimizes the use of welding. Furthermore, the
attachment system of pickets to rails using caps requires no modification to
pickets
devised to be welded.
Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the embodiments above
without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
