Post Bracket

• US 20110197542A1
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infrabuild Wire Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Onesteel Wire Pty Limited (A.C.N. 004 410 833 Ltd.)
• Inventors: O'Toole, Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/741.14
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 17/22 Anchoring means therefor, e.g. specially-shaped parts entering the ground; Struts or the like

Abstract

A bracket for a post comprises a body adapted for being located at the post and at least one projection extending out from the body. The projection is adapted for retaining thereat at least one of a ground securing pin and an end of a tensioning rod. A post securement system comprises the bracket and at least one of the ground securing pin and tensioning rod. A method employing the bracket locates the post in ground, locates the bracket along the post and positions at least one of the ground securing pin and tensioning rod to be retained at the bracket.

Claims

1. A bracket for a post, the bracket comprising:

a body adapted for being located at the post; and

at least one projection extending out from the body, the at least one projection being adapted for retaining at least one of a ground securing pin and an end of a tensioning rod thereat.

2. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 that comprises at least two primary projections extending out from the body, each primary projection being adapted for receiving therethrough and retaining thereat a respective ground securing pin;

whereby, when the bracket is secured at the post and a pin is received and retained in each primary projection, and when the post is viewed in end profile, adjacent pins in adjacent primary projections extend at an angle to each other.

3. The bracket as claimed in claim 2 wherein the adjacent pins extend generally at right angles to each other.

4. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 that comprises up to four secondary projections extending out from the body, each for receiving and retaining a tensioning rod end therein.

5. The bracket as claimed in claim 4 wherein each secondary projection comprises a slot defined in the projection intermediate its ends for receiving and retaining the end of the tensioning rod therein.

6. The bracket as claimed in claim 4 wherein each primary or secondary projection extends out from the body in a direction that is approximately 90°

offset to the direction of an adjacent respective primary or secondary projection.

7. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body is able to be slid along and then secured against movement with respect to the post.

8. The bracket as claimed in claim 7 wherein the body is a collar having an aperture therethrough that is sized to snugly receive the post therein and such that the collar can be slid along and secured to the post at a given position.

9. The bracket as claimed in claim 8 wherein the collar is a split collar.

10. The bracket as claimed in claim 8 wherein the collar is circular, having a circular aperture therethrough to enable it to be slidably positioned along a circular post.

11. The bracket as claimed in claim 8 wherein the collar comprises one or more locator holes, each for receiving a securing screw therethrough to enable the collar to be secured against sliding movement with respect to the post.

12. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one projection comprises a strip of material that defines a loop, the loop defining an aperture for receipt therethrough of the ground securing pin, or for the receipt thereat of the tensioning rod end.

13. The bracket as claimed in claim 12 wherein the loop is oriented such that, when the bracket is mounted to an elongate post, a centreline through the loop aperture extends downwardly and at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the post.

14. The bracket as claimed in claim 12 wherein, when viewed from its opening, the loop defines a generally triangular-shaped or trapezoidal-shaped aperture.

15. The bracket as claimed in claim 14 wherein the general triangular-shape extends right through the projection and is adapted to receive a pin therethrough in the form of a bar having a Y-profile or a T-profile.

16. The bracket as claimed in claim 15 wherein the bar having a Y- or T-profile is itself a discrete length of fence post.

17. A post securement system, the system comprising at least one bracket as defined in claim 1, and at least one of a ground securing pin and tensioning rod for retention at the bracket.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a post that is adapted such that, when the post is located in ground, the bracket is able to be located at the post adjacent to or in the ground, whereby the at least one ground securing pin can be retained at the bracket and also inserted into the ground and/or whereby the tensioning rod can be retained at the bracket.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the bracket is adapted for retaining at least two ground securing pins, each at a respective primary projection of the bracket, and is adapted for retaining one tensioning rod at a respective secondary projection of the bracket whereby, when the bracket is located along the post adjacent to or in the ground, each ground securing pin and tensioning rod end is able to be retained at the bracket and the pins are also able to be inserted into the ground.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the primary projections are arranged on the bracket whereby, when the bracket is positioned on the post adjacent to the ground, and the at least two pins have been retained at the bracket and also inserted into the ground, adjacent pins in adjacent primary projections generally project at right angles to each other, when the post is viewed in end profile.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the primary and secondary projections each comprise a strip of material that defines a loop, the loop defining an aperture for receipt of the ground securing pin therethrough or the tensioning rod end therein.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21 wherein, for each primary projection, the loop is oriented such that a centreline through the aperture extends downwardly and at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the post, whereby in use an elongate axis of each pin extends downwardly and at an angle with respect to the post longitudinal axis, and for each secondary projection, the loop is oriented such that a centreline through the aperture extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the post.

23. The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the or each ground securing pin is defined by a discrete length of fence post having a Y-shaped or T-shaped profile.

24. A method of securing a post in ground, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) locating the post in the ground;

(ii) locating a bracket as defined in claim 1 along the post adjacent to or in the ground;

(iii) positioning at least one ground securing pin to be retained at the bracket and also to be inserted into the ground, and/or positioning at least one tensioning rod to be retained at the bracket.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein in step (ii) the bracket body is inserted over a top end of the post, with the post being received though an aperture of the body, and then the bracket is slid along the post until it sits adjacent to or at least partially in the ground, whereupon the bracket is secured to the post against sliding.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein in step (iii) the or each ground securing pin is inserted through a respective primarys projection and is driven into the ground, and an end of the or each tensioning rod is inserted into a slot defined in a respective secondary projection.