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US 2012/0267593 A1Published application
Fence Post Connection
AssigneeSimpson Strong-Tie Company, Inc.
InventorDaniel M. Gray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fence-frame-to-post connector comprises two separate members joined by one or more fasteners separate from the members. One member is attached to the fence frame with additional fasteners separate from those used to join the two members and also separate from the connector. One of the fasteners that joins the two members of the connector can be a hinge that is preferably made by a key tab and key slot combination in which the key pivots in the keyhole.
Claims28
A fence-frame-to-post connection (1) comprising:
- a, an elongated fence post member (2);
- b. a fence frame member (3) disposed closely adjacent to said elongated post member (2);
- c. a fence-frame-to-post connector (4) for attaching said frame member (3) and said post member (2), said connector (4) including:
- i. an interface member (5) including:
- 1. a central portion (6), said central portion (6) partially encompassing said post member (2), said central portion (6) having first and second ends (7) laterally spaced from one another;
- 2. first and second laterally-spaced fastening portions (8) attached to said first and second ends (7) of said central portion (6), said first and second fastening portions (8) being substantially planar and having first and second outer edges (9), respectively, said first and second outer edges (9) being laterally spaced away from said first and second ends (7), respectively, of said central portion (6);
- and
- 3. first and second interface portions (10) adjoining and being fastened to said fence frame member (3);
- ii. a retention member (11) including:
- 1. a middle portion (12), said middle portion (12) partially encompassing said post member (2), said middle portion (12) having third and fourth ends (13) laterally spaced from one another;
- 2. third and fourth laterally-spaced fastening portions (14) attached to said third and fourth ends (13) of said middle portion (12), said third and fourth fastening portions (14) being substantially planar and having fifth and sixth ends (15) laterally spaced away from said third and fourth ends (13) of said middle portion (12), said third and fourth fastening portions (14) being fastened to said first and second fastening portions (8) of said interface member (5);
- and
- 3. first and second tabs (16) angularly attached to said fifth and sixth ends (15) of said third and fourth fastening portions (14) along first and second bend lines (55), respectively, said first and second bend lines (55) being aligned with at least a portion of said first and second outer edges (9), respectively, of said first and second laterally-spaced fastening portions (8) of said interface member (5);
- wherein:
- d. a first plurality of fasteners (19), separate from said connector (4), fastens said first and second interface portions (10) of said interface member (5) to said fence frame member (3);
- e. a second plurality of fasteners (28), separate from said first plurality of fasteners (19), fastens said third and fourth fastening portions (14) of the retention member (11) to the first and second fastening portions (8) of the interface member (5), respectively;
- wherein
- f. said first and second interface portions (10) are connected to said first and second fastener-receiving portions (8) by intervening first and second connection portions (23) that are attached to said first and second outer edges (9) of said fastening portions (8) and are angularly related to both said interface portions (10) and said fastening portions (8),
- g. at least one fastener (28) of said second plurality of fasteners (28) has a tip oriented toward said fence frame member (3),
- h. said third and fourth fastening portions (14) and said first and second connection portions (23) are substantially wider than said tip of said at least one fastener (28),
- i. and one of said first and second connection portions (23) and one side of said central portion (6) bracket said ti of said at least one fastener (28) and said fence frame member (3) is disposed opposite said tip of said fastener (28), all being in close enough proximity to shield said tip of said at least one fastener (28).
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A method of forming a fence-frame-to-post connection (1) comprising:
- a. providing an elongated fence post member (2), the majority of which is a cylinder having a radius dimension and a circumference dimension;
- b. disposing a fence frame member (3) closely adjacent to said elongated post member (2);
- c. providing a fence-frame-to-post connector (4) for attaching said frame member (3) and said post member (2), said connector (4) including:
- i. an interface member (5) including:
- 1. a central portion (6), said central portion (6) partially encompassing said post member (2), said central portion (6) having first and second ends (7) laterally spaced from one another;
- 2. first and second laterally-spaced fastening portions (8) attached to said first and second ends (7) of said central portion (6), said first and second fastening portions (8) being substantially planar and having first and second outer edges (9), respectively, said first and second outer edges (9) being laterally spaced away from said first and second ends (7), respectively, of said central portion (6);
- and
- 3. first and second interface portions (10) adjoining and being fastened to said fence frame member (3);
- ii. a retention member (11) including:
- 1. a middle portion (12), said middle portion (12) partially encompassing said post member (2), said middle portion (12) having third and fourth ends (13) laterally spaced from one another;
- 2. third and fourth laterally-spaced fastening portions (14) attached to said third and fourth ends (13) of said middle portion (12), said third and fourth fastening portions (14) being substantially planar and having fifth and sixth ends (15) laterally spaced away from said third and fourth ends (13) of said middle portion (12), said third and fourth fastening portions (14) being fastened to said first and second fastening portions (8) of said interface member (5);
- and
- 3. first and second tabs (16) angularly attached to said fifth and sixth ends (15) of said third and fourth fastening portions (14) along first and second bend lines (55), respectively, said first and second bend lines (55) being aligned with at least a portion of said first and second outer edges (9), respectively, of said first and second laterally-spaced fastening portions (8) of said interface member (5);
- d. snapping said post member (2) into said central portion (6) of said interface member (5);
- e. fastening said third fastening portion (14) of said retention member (11) to said first fastening portion (8) of said interface member (5) with at least one fastener (28);
- and
- f. fastening said fourth fastening portion (14) of said retention member (11) to said second fastening portion (8) of said interface member (5) with at least one fastener (28);
- wherein
- g. said first and second interface portions (10) are connected to said first and second fastener-receiving portions (8) by intervening first and second connection portions (23) that are attached to said first and second outer edges (9) of said fastening portions (8) and are angularly related to both said interface portions (10) and said fastening portions (8),
- h. at least one fastener (28) of said second plurality of fasteners (28) has a tip oriented toward said fence frame member (3),
- i. said third and fourth fastening portions (14) and said first and second connection portions (23) are substantiall wider than said ti of said at least one fastener (28),
- j. and one of said first and second connection portions (23) and one side of said central portion (6) bracket said tip of said at least one fastener (28) and said fence frame member (3) is disposed opposite said tip of said fastener (28), all being in close enough proximity to shield said tip of said at least one fastener (28).
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A fence-frame-to-post connection (1) comprising:
- a. an elongated fence post member (2);
- b. a fence frame member (3) disposed closely adjacent to said elongated post member (2);
- c. a fence-frame-to-post connector (4) for attaching said frame member (3) and said post member (2), said connector (4) including:
- i. an interface member (5) including:
- 1. a central portion (6), said central portion (6) partially encompassing said post member (2), said central portion (6) having first and second ends (7) laterally spaced from one another;
- 2. first and second laterally-spaced fastening portions (8) attached to said first and second ends (7) of said central portion (6), said first and second fastening portions (8) being substantially planar and having first and second outer edges (9), respectively, said first and second outer edges (9) being laterally spaced away from said first and second ends (7), respectively, of said central portion (6);
- and
- 3. first and second interface portions (10) adjoining and being fastened to said fence frame member (3);
- ii. a retention member (11) including:
- 1. a middle portion (12), said middle portion (12) partially encompassing said post member (2), said middle portion (12) having third and fourth ends (13) laterally spaced from one another;
- 2. third and fourth laterally-spaced fastening portions (14) attached to said third and fourth ends (13) of said middle portion (12), said third and fourth fastening portions (14) being substantially planar and having fifth and sixth ends (15) laterally spaced away from said third and fourth ends (13) of said middle portion (12), said third and fourth fastening portions (14) being fastened to said first and second fastening portions (8) of said interface member (5);
- and
- 3. first and second tabs (16) angularly attached to said fifth and sixth ends (15) of said third and fourth fastening portions (14) along first and second bend lines (55), respectively, said first and second bend lines (55) being aligned with at least a portion of said first and second outer edges (9), respectively, of said first and second laterally-spaced fastening portions (8) of said interface member (5);
- wherein:
- d. a first plurality of fasteners (19), separate from said connector (4), fastens said first and second interface portions (10) of said interface member (5) to said fence frame member (3);
- e. a second plurality of fasteners (28), separate from said first plurality of fasteners (19), fastens said third and fourth fastening portions (14) of the retention member (11) to the first and second fastening portions (8) of the interface member (5), respectively;
- wherein
- f. said first and second tabs (16) extend toward said fence frame member (3),
- g. at least one fastener (28) of said second plurality of fasteners (28) has a tip oriented toward said fence frame member (3),
- h. said first and second tabs and said third and fourth laterally-spaced fastening portions (14) are substantially wider than said tip of said at least one fastener (28),
- i. and one of said first and second tabs (16) and one side of said central portion (6) bracket said pointed tip (48) of said at least one fastener (28) and said fence frame member (3) is disposed opposite said tip of said fastener (28), all being in close enough proximity to shield said tip of said at least one fastener (28).
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.