Fence assembly with swivel bracket

A fence post and rail system comprising:

• a plurality of fence posts adapted to be secured to a support surface;
• a plurality of fence rails secured to the fence posts with each rail extending transversely to and extending between two of the posts, each rail having two ends mounted at a desired angular position, respectively, to a pair of said fence posts, and each fence rail being adjustable to various angular positions along both horizontal and vertical axes relative the posts before being mounted to the posts, said adjustable mounting between the fence rails and the fence posts being facilitated by a plurality of swivel brackets each of which secures an end of a fence rail to a fence post at a desired position;
• each of said swivel brackets including a base member secured to a fence post and having a rounded, concave depression which opens outwardly away from the fence post, and a body member configured to receive a fence rail, the body member having a rounded exterior which is positioned in the rounded, concave depression of said base member, and an open-sided hollow chamber in which the end of the rail is completely received to attach the rail to the bracket;
• wherein the rounded exterior of the body member engages the rounded, concave depression of the base member with the position of the body member being adjustable in various directions relative the base member to adjust and then fix the body member therein;
• whereby the fence rails can be secured to the fence posts at a desired angular orientation to accommodate variations in the positioning of the plurality of the fence posts on the support surface.

An open-top swivel bracket for attaching an end of a fence rail to a vertical fence post, the open-top swivel bracket comprising:

• a base member configured to be fixedly secured to the fence post;
• a body member having a first end for being adjustably received in the base member with said first end pivotably mounted therein to permit adjustment of the position of the body member before attaching the base and body members together, the body having a chamber including an open top providing an entry into the interior of the body member, the chamber having a plurality of wall portions for receiving and surrounding the end of a fence rail when inserted through said open top into the interior of the body member;
• a fastener for securing the base member to the bracket body member;
• and
• a cap member for being lockingly attached to the body member and closing off the open top of said chamber to capture the end of the fence rail within the interior of said body member when inserted therein.

A fence assembly comprising:

• at least one fence post having an outer surface;
• at least one fence rail secured to the fence post, the fence rail including two ends with one of the two ends attached to the outer surface of the fence post after being adjusted along either of horizontal and vertical pivot axes;
• a swivel bracket attached to the outer surface of the fence post and to the one end of the fence rail for facilitating pivotal adjustment of the fence rail relative to the fence post along either of said two pivot axes and for securing the fence rail to the fence post, the swivel bracket including:
• a base member having a first end secured to the outer surface of the fence post and a second end including a rounded depression;
• a pivotable body member including a rounded exterior portion received in the depression of the base member to permit adjustment of the body member relative to the base member;
• wherein the pivotable body member includes a plurality of generally flat side walls that form a hollow chamber which receives and supports the one end of the fence rail;
• and
• wherein at least one of the flat side walls of the hollow chamber includes at least one opening aligned with at least one opening formed in the end of the fence rail and a fastener passes through the openings to secure the fence rail to and within the chamber of the pivotable body member;
• and
• wherein the first end of the base member of the swivel bracket is secured to the outer surface of the fence post and the rounded end of the pivotable body member is disposed in the depression of the base member at a desired angular position.