AU707685B2 - Combination strainer and stay and thrust member - Google Patents

Description

COMBINATION STRAINER AND STAY AND THRUST MEMBER FIELD OF THE INVENTION: This invention relates to a combination strainer and stay and thrust member for use in fencing (hereinafter called "strainer/stay combination").

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: Posts at the end of a run of fencing, particularly posts located on either side of a gate, are placed under considerable strain once the fencing wire is tensioned. Apart from using heavy timber buried well into the ground, a known method for use in such applications is to use a prop placed at an angle to the ground. One end of this prop, usually of wood, is attached to the post. However, the fastening of such props and their attachment is labour-intensive and farmers look more and more to the reduction of labour costs.

Australian patent specification no. 517705 Manning relates to a stay for a post comprising a rigid supporting member, running at an angle from the post to the ground, and an adjusting member running from the post to the remote end of the supporting member. Preferably the remote end of the supporting member is provided with a horizontally located plate portion which engages the ground.

The plate portion also interacts with the adjusting member. Manning's adjusting member uses an internally threaded sleeve member which engages first and 20 second bar members to provide adjustability.

One major difference between the present invention and Manning is that the corresponding thrust member is shaped to position the prop with respect to an adjustable tensioning member. A second difference is that the adjustable S• tensioning member, in the present invention does not use an internally threaded 25 sleeve member but makes use of a nut and bolt means on an end of the adjustable tensioning member projecting through the post.

eee e oo* In Australian patent specification no. 87082/82 O'Brien and Keeping, a bracing arrangement for a post is disclosed which comprises a strut member which is pivotably connected at one end of an upper portion of the post and is supported by the ground at its other end. The strut member comprises two strut elements which may be moved axially with respect to each other by means of a jacking device. In one embodiment a lower member is provided fashioned with an end hook to engage the distal end of the strut member holding it in tension with the lower portion of the post.

The present invention does not require the relatively complex strut member of O'Brien and Keeping, and the corresponding jacking device. In addition, O'Brien and Keeping do not disclose a thrust member of the type disclosed by the present invention.

The present invention provides a pre-fabiicated post combination stay which can be attached .oo° easily and quickly to an end or gate-post and a thrust member which can be used for such a 4 post combination stay.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: This invention provides a strainer/stay combination for use in fencing which comprises: a. a strainer (hereinafter called a "post") adapted to be inserted into the ground; b. a prop member connected to the post and to a c. a thrust member located on or in the ground; and d. an adjustable tensioning member for connecting the thrust member to the post, 4 wherein the prop member is located at an acute angle with the tensioning member and wherein the prop member may be held in compression against the post preventing lateral movement of the post under the influence of a lateral strain, and wherein the thrust member is constructed from a water and weather resistant material fashioned to have a broad base and an upper surface incorporating an elongated hollow adapted to enable the tensioning member to interlock with the prop member.

The thrust member for use with a strainer/stay combination for use in fencing which comprises a relatively flat body having an upper surface and a lower surface and adapted to lie in close proximity with a ground surface upon which it is placed, the upper surface being provided with an elongated hollow adapted to position a tensioning member with respect to a prop member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: In the accompanying drawings, which show one embodiment of the invention: Figure 1 is a side view of a first strainer/stay combination with the strainer 0: made from wood with parts normally hidden from view indicated by dotted lines; 0oo• Figure 2 is a side view of a prop member alongside a tensioning member; 20 Figure 3 is across-sectional view from above of a portion of a thrust member; Figure 4 is an isometric view of a one corner of the thrust member of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a plan view from above of the thrust member of figures 3 and Oleo 25 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective top view of a further embodiment of the thrust member.

Figure 7 is a plan view from above the thrust member of figure 6.

""o.•DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: The strainer/stay combination may be of metal, for example, galvanised steel, or may be partly of metal and partly of wood. Thus, for example, the post may be of some suitable resistant timber.

IFFI The prop member is conveniently a pipe or rod, for example, a pipe of galvanised steel. The prop means is preferably positioned so as to form an included, acute angle of (say) from 200 to 250 between the prop means and the tensioning means. If the pipe is of relatively thin material, one end may be strengthened by an insert such as an internal, circumferential insert and the other end may be closed and be provided with a longitudinal, circumferential rod adapted to engage the strainer.

The thrust member is preferably a flat block of a water and weather resistant material such as a plastics material, for example, recycled plastics material comprising a UV stabiliser, or a metal such as galvanised steel. The elongated hollow preferably comprises a channel to guide the tensioning member, preferably slightly downwardly, towards the mid-portion of the trust member so that the tensioning member engages one end of the prop.

The tensioning means may be, for example, a rod or pipe, preferably of metal, preferably threaded at one or both ends, and adapted to penetrate the o post and engage the thrust means. In one preferred embodiment, the tensioning means has a hook at that end which engage the prop member. The tensioning means may also be additionally shaped for extra engagement with the thrust means. Tensioning may be achieved by use of a threaded nut or nuts.

20 The tensioning means may be located close to ground level, where the ground is relatively dry, or it may be spaced from, and generally parallel to, ground level, where the ground is relatively damp or wet, in order to reduce the possibility of rust.

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@550 9 The thrust member is an important part of this invention. Thus it is desirable that the elongated hollow provides an elongated guide for the tensioning member and also an angled guide for the prop member. In this way the prop member and the tensioning member may be brought together with the result that a relatively sharp corner is obtained and an acute, included angle formed between the prop member and the tensioning member. The stability of the strainer/stay combination is considerably increased by the formation of such a triangle.

The strainer/stay combination according to the invention is suitable for strainers of 3.7 m i:f: for emu, ostrich and deer); 3.1 rn (10' for vineyards); and 2.5 m for gravel areas). The length of penetration into the ground is selected to suit the type of ground, whether dry or wet etc.

Turning to the drawings, particularly Figure 1, numeral 100 indicates a wooden strainer/stay combination as a whole and numeral 1001 the ground. Thus a strainer 101 is supported by a prop member 102 and the triangle completed by an adjustable tensioning member 103.

Numeral 104 relates to a thrust-member or pad positioned on the ground and 105 to a nut for adjusting tensioning member 103. Numeral 106 is an end-cap connector provided with a o:oeo longitudinal, projecting rod 1061 near the circumference of the connector for attaching prop member 102 via a corresponding hole to strainer 101. Numeral 107 indicates a hook at the end of tensioning member 103 for interlocking with prop member 102.

Referring to Figure 2, numeral 300 relates to a prop member and numeral 301 to an adjustable tensioning member. Numeral 302 refers to a pipe and 303 to an end cap connector provided with circumferential, longitudinal projecting rod 3031. Numeral 304 refers to a circumferential strengthening ring arranged inside an open mouth at the other end of pipe 302. Numeral 305 refers to a rod and 306 to a threaded portion near one end. Numeral 307 refers to a hook at the other end of rod 305. Numeral 308 refers to an internally directed kink in tensioning member 301 arranged within the space partially bounded by hook 307.

Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5, a thrust member 500 is provided with a substantially rectangular plan and has sloping edges 501, 5011 and 5012. The thrust member has an upper surface 502 and a lower surface 503. Leading into the mid-portion of body 500 is a wide upper groove 504 overlying a narrow lower groove 505. Groove 505 is provided with a meander 5051 adapted to cooperate with kink 308 in tensioning member 301. These grooves lead to a wide, curved hollow 506, terminating in a vertical hole 507, which acts as a drainhole.

The lower groove 505 and meander 5051 position the adjustable tensioning member (preventing movement) and the upper groove 504 and hollow 506 position the prop member, the hook on the end of the tensioning member being held by the prop member.

Thus prop 300 and tensioning member 301 when assembled in the strainer/stay combination come together in what is in essence a point, these integers being located and held together by pad 500.

Meander 5051 serves to prevent longitudinal movement of tensioning member 301.

Referring to Figure 6, a further embodiment of the thrust member suitable for use in the strainer/stay combination of the present invention is provided. The thrust member 600 has an upper surface 602 and a lower surface 603 of t rectangular plan. Leading into the body of the thrust member is an elongate 25 hollow 605 adapted to position a tensioning member received in the recess 606.

Referring to Figure 7, this view clearly shows the rectangular shape of the °o lower surface and the sloping faces 601, 607, 608, 609 of the upper surface.

The elongate hollow 605 and recess 606 can also be clearly seen.

@••0o o* THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A strainer/stay combination for use in fencing which comprises: a. a post adapted to be inserted in the ground; b. a prop member connected to the post; c. a thrust member connected to the prop member and located on or in the ground; and d. an adjustable tensioning member for connecting the thrust member to the post.

wherein the prop member is located at an acute angle with the tensioning means and wherein the prop member is held in compression against the post S° preventing lateral movement of the post under the influence of a lateral strain, and wherein the thrust member is constructed from a water and weather resistant material fashioned to have a broad base and an upper surface •°;incorporating an elongated hollow adapted to position the tensioning member with respect to the prop member, the elongated hollow of the thrust member providing an elongated guide for the tensioning member and an angled guide for the prop member, thus forming a triangle comprising part of the post, the prop member and the tensioning member.

•t 2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the prop member is p positioned so as to form an included angle of from 200 to 250.

3. A combination as claimed in any one of claims 1 or claim 2, wherein the thrust member is a generally flat block of a water and weather resistant material such as a plastics material or a metal such as galvanised steel.

4. A combination as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tensioning means is a rod or pipe adapted to penetrate the post and the thrust member.

Claims (3)

1. 6. A combination as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tensioning member interlocks with the prop member.
2. 7. A combination as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rod or pipe is supplied with a hook at one end.
3. 8. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated guide comprises restraint means to restrain the tensioning member from longitudinal movement. l-T. A combination as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with :i reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 27th day of April 1999 0: 0, TREVOR KRAUSE and ANTHONY JOHN BAILLIEU WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA CLR:VH/res DOC 25 AU4565596.WPC ABSTRACT A strainer/stay combination for use in fencing which comprises: a. a post (10) adapted to be inserted into the ground (11); b. prop member (12) connected to the post; c. thrust member (19,20) located on or in the ground; and ?p d. adjustable tensioning means (14) for connecting the thrust member to the t: post, wherein the prop member is located at an included, acute angle with the tensioning means and wherein the prop member may be held in tension against the post preventing lateral movement of the post under the influence of a lateral strain, and for use with a strainer/stay S combination for use in fencing which comprises a relatively flat body having an upper surface and a lower surface and adapted to lie in close proximity with a ground surface upon which it is placed, the upper surface being provided with an elongated hollow adapted to S. position a tensioning member with respect to a prop member.