Star picket

Abstract

 An improved star picket 10 having a core 12 and at least three radially extending substantially equally spaced apart webs 14, 16, 18. The picket 10 has at least one attachment means 20 provided on one or more of the webs 14, 16, 18. The attachment means 20 is in the form of at least one slot 22, 24 extending from an outer edge 29 of the web 16 and a hole 26 positioned near the slot 22, 24 and extending through the web 16. Preferably the attachment means 20 has two slots 22, 24 spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the web 16 with the hole 26 being intermediate the two slots 22, 24. The picket 10 may be provided with a pin 27 in the hole 26 of the attachment means 20, the pin 27 extending laterally to either side of the web 16. A number of attachment means 20 may be provided at spaced locations along the same web 16. Further, the picket 10 and pin 27 are preferably formed of plastics material.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved star picket which is provided with a novel arrangement for the attachment of wires and the like from one star picket to another. In particular, the present invention is directed to star pickets made of plastics material which include this novel attachment means.

Background Art

[0002] Star pickets are well known in the field. They are typically constructed from steel and have proved to be a convenient, effective and relative inexpensive product for use in a number of applications, and in particular, fencing. As is well known the commonly available star picket consists of a core and three radially extending, substantially equally spaced webs. Typically, at least one of the webs is provided with number of holes through which fencing wire is passed or attached to the picket in the formation of a fence.

[0003] One of the difficulties experienced with presently available star pickets is the need to thread the fencing wire through the holes provided in the star picket. Other disadvantages presently encountered with steel star pickets is they corrode and, if the fence is to be electrified, either the picket or the fencing wire must be insulated.

[0004] The present inventor has developed a star picket which includes a novel mean of attaching fencing wire (or any other flexible or deformable strip material) to the picket.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention consists in an elongate star picket comprising a core and at least three radially extending substantially equally spaced apart webs, wherein one ore more of the webs is provided with at least one attachment means, the attachment means comprising at least one slot extending from an outer edge of the web and a hole positioned near the slot and extending through the web.

[0006] Preferably, the attachment means has two slots spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the web, and wherein the hole is intermediate the two slots.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a pin is provided in the hole, the pin extending on either side of the web.

[0008] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the slots are enlarged at one end digital from the edge of the web, the enlargement being on a side of each slot which is closest to the hole.

[0009] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the improved star picket includes a plurality of the attachment means, each being provided at spaced locations along the same web.

[0010] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the improved star picket and the pin are formed of a plastics material. Any plastics material may be used, however, it is presently preferred that the plastics material is recycled PET.

[0011] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention a plurality of cavities are provided in the webs along an end portion of the star picket which is to be driven to the ground. These cavities are of particular use where the star picket is formed of plastics material and is to be set in concrete as there is very little bonding of concrete to plastic. The cavities cause the picket to be interlocked with the concrete.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] In order that the nature of the present invention may be more clearly understood a preferred form thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the star picket of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of the improved star picket of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a top plan view of the star picket of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a front plan view of the star picket of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 shows a slide plan view of the star picket of Figure 1.

Best Mode of Carrying out the Invention

[0013] As is clearly shown in Figure 1, the star picket 10 consists of a core portion 12 and three radially extending webs 14, 16 and 18. Web 16 is provided with attachment means generally shown as 20.

[0014] The attachment means 20 consists of two generally L-shaped slots 22 and 24 and hole 26 in which is provided pin 28.

[0015] More particularly, the slots 22, 24 extend from the outside edge 29 of the web 16 towards the core portion 12 and are spaced apart a short distance along the length of the web 16. The hole 26 is provided intermediate the slots 22, 24. The ends 30, 31 of the slots 22, 24 are enlarged in the direction towards the hole 26. Further, the enlarged ends 30, 31 are generally aligned with the hole 26.

[0016] As is shown in Figure 1, fencing wire 28 can be readily attached to the star picket 10 without the need to thread the wire 28 through a hole provided in the star picket 10. As is schematically shown in Figure 1, in order to attach wire 28 to star picket 10 the wire is passed through slot 24, around pin 27 over the edge 29 of web 16 around pin 27 once again and then through slot 22.

[0017] As would be readily appreciated by those used to installing fencing, attachment of wire to the star picket of the present invention is much simpler than attachment of wire to presently available star pickets. That is, the attachment means 20 provides an easy and effective means of securely attaching a wire or other flexible filament to the picket 10.

[0018] In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the attachment means consists of a single slot and a hole which is provided with a pin. The slot is similar to either of slots 22 or 24 described above and the hole and pin are essentially the same as the hole 26 and pin 27 described above. In use, fencing wire can be attached to the star picket by passing the wire from one side of the web 16 through the slot to the other side of the web 16, around the pin, over the edge 29 of the web 16, around the pin once again, and then back through the slot to the other side of the web 16. It will be appreciated that this alternative embodiment, whilst providing an effective means of attaching fencing wire to the star picket without the need to thread the wire through a hole in the star picket, is less convenient to use than the arrangement described in relation to the drawings.

[0019] As will also be readily apparent to those skilled in this field, the star picket of the present invention when forms of plastics material is ideally suited for electrified fencing where the gauge of wire used is less than in other applications. This small gauge wire makes it even easier to pass the wire through this attachment means provided on the picket.

[0020] The picket 10 is also provided with a number of cavities 32 along an end portion 33 of the picket 10 which is to be driven into the ground. The cavities 32 enable the picket 10 to be securely located in a concrete footing (not shown) in that the concrete is caused to extend through the cavities 32. The picket 10 is thereby interlocked with the concrete footing.

[0021] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. An elongate star picket (10) comprising a core (12) and at least three radially extending substantially equally spaced apart webs (14,16,18), wherein one or more of the webs is provided with at least one attachment means (20), the attachment means (20) being characterised by:
   at least one slot (22,24) extending from an outer edge (29) of the web (14,16,18) and a hole (26) positioned near the slot (22,24) and extending through the web (14,16,18).

2. The picket of claim 1 wherein the attachment means (20) has two slots (22,24) spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the web (16), and wherein the hole (26) is intermediate the two slots (22,24).

3. The picket of claims 1 or 2 wherein a pin (27) is provided in the hole (26), and wherein the pin (27) extends laterally to either side of the web (16).

4. The picket of claim 2 wherein the slots (22,24) are enlarged at one end (30,31) distal from the edge (29) of the web (16), the enlargement (30,31) being on a side of the slot (22,24) which is closest to the hole (26).

5. The picket of any one of claims 1-4 including a plurality of attachment means (20), each attachment means (20) being provided at spaced locations along the same web (16).

6. The picket of claim 3 being formed of a plastics material, and wherein the pin (27) is also of a plastics

7. The picket of any one of claims 1-6 further comprising a plurality of cavities (32) provided in one or more of the webs (14,16,18) along an end portion of the picket which is to be driven into the ground.

Drawing