Post bracket

• US 8,458,966 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): WENDELL, MARK R
• Application Number:
  US13/027,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20110197542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 527/411.4, 248/219.4, 248/534, 248/530
• US Class Current: 52/146
• 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 able to be located at the post; and

at least one primary projection extending out from the body, each primary projection comprising a strip of material that defines an aperture between the body and the material that is able to receive therethrough and retain thereat a ground securing pin; and

at least one secondary projection extending out from the body, each secondary projection comprising a strip of material that defines an aperture between the body and the material, the strip of material further comprising a slot cut partway thereinto that is able to receive and retain an end of a tensioning rod therein, whereby the slot is located in a portion of the strip of material that is directly adjacent to the aperture defined between the strip of material and the body.

2. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 that comprises at least two primary projections extending out from the body,

whereby, when a centreline is taken through the aperture of each primary projection, the centrelines of adjacent apertures extend at an angle to each other.

3. The bracket as claimed in claim 2 wherein the adjacent centrelines of adjacent apertures 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.

5. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot of each secondary projection is defined in the strip of material intermediate its ends.

6. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 that comprises at least two primary projections and at least two secondary projections extending out from the body, wherein each primary or secondary projection extends out from the body at a location that is approximately 90°

offset to the location 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 for each primary projection the strip of material is oriented such that, when the bracket is mounted to an elongate post, a centreline through the aperture extends downwardly and at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the post, and for each secondary projection, the strip of material is oriented such that, when the bracket is mounted to an elongate post, a centreline through the aperture extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the post.

13. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein, for each primary projection, when viewed from its opening, the aperture defined by the strip of material, is generally triangular-shaped or trapezoidal-shaped.

14. The bracket as claimed in claim 13 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.

15. The bracket as claimed in claim 14 wherein the bar having a Y- or T-profile is itself a discrete length of fence post.

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

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a post arranged 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 be inserted into the ground, and whereby the tensioning rod can be retained at the bracket.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the bracket is able to retain at least two ground securing pins, each at a respective primary projection of the bracket, and is able to retain 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.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18 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.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19 wherein, for each primary projection, the strip of material 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 strip of material is oriented such that a centreline through the aperture extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the post.

21. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the or each ground securing pin is defined by a discrete length of fence post having a Y-shaped or T-shaped profile.

22. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot extends in the same direction as a longitudinal axis of the body.

23. The bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the primary projection is spaced from the secondary projection along the body such that the primary projection is positioned adjacent to a lower end of the body and the secondary projection is positioned adjacent to an upper end of the body, in use.

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 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 primary projection and is driven into the ground, and an end of the or each tensioning rod is inserted into the slot defined in a respective secondary projection.

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

a body able to be located at the post; and

at least one primary projection extending out from said body, each primary projection comprising a strip of material that defines an aperture therethrough between said body and the material that is able to receive therethrough and retain thereat a ground securing pin; and

at least one secondary projection extending out from said body, each secondary projection comprising a strip of material that defines an aperture therethrough between said body and the material that is able to receive an end of a tensioning rod therein, wherein the primary projection is spaced from the secondary projection along the said body, such that the primary projection is positioned adjacent to a lower end of said body and the secondary projection is positioned adjacent to an upper end of said body, in use.

28. A bracket as claimed in claim 27, wherein an axis through the primary projection aperture is skewed to a longitudinal axis of said body, and an axis through the secondary projection aperture is parallel with the longitudinal axis of said body.

29. A bracket as claimed in claim 27, wherein the secondary projection further comprises a slot cut partway into the strip of material such that the slot extends in the same direction as a longitudinal axis of said body.

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

a body able to be located at the post; and

at least one projection extending out from the body, each projection comprising a strip of material that defines an aperture between the body and the material able to receive therethrough and retain thereat a ground securing pin, the strip of material further comprising a slot cut partway thereinto that is able to receive and retain an end of a tensioning rod therein, whereby the slot is located in a portion of the strip of material that is directly adjacent to the aperture defined between the strip of material and the body.

31. The bracket as claimed in claim 30 wherein an axis through the projection aperture is skewed to a longitudinal axis of the body, and the slot extends in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the body.