Patent Application
20170248269
Steel fence posts are types of fence posts or pickets that are easy to place into the ground, and include t-posts, y-posts, star posts, and so on. The posts include studs or nubs that extend along the spine of the posts and facilitate the attachment of mesh or barbed wire to the posts, such as when the posts are utilized to fence in an area or location or provide a boundary along a periphery of a location.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which:
Various brackets for attaching (e.g., removably or fixedly) a panel, board, sign, fence, or other long, flat object to a t-post, are described.
In some embodiments, a bracket includes a t-post attachment portion, the t-post attachment portion including a face plate and two opposing side plates, the face plate extending between the two opposing side plates and fixed to front edges of the two opposing side plates, and a panel attachment portion, the panel attachment portion including a flat plate, the flat plate fixed to back edges of the two opposing side plates.
In some embodiments, a bracket may facilitate attaching a panel to a t-post by positioning the t-post within an opening of an attachment bracket, the opening formed by two opposing side plates, a face plate extending between the two opposing side plates and fixed to front edges of the two opposing side plates, and a flat plate fixed to back edges of the two opposing side plates, removably securing the attachment bracket to the t-post by positioning the face plate on a nub of the t-post such that the flat plate contacts a back of the t-post, and fastening the panel to the flat plate of the attachment bracket.
In some embodiments, a bracket may include a flat center plate having a hole, the hole configured to receive a nub of the t-post such that the bracket rests on the nub of the t-post when the bracket is attached to the t-post, and one or more bendable wing plates located on sides of the flat center plate, the bendable wing plates configured to fix the panel to the t-post.
Thus, in some embodiments, the brackets described herein enable a quick and efficient way to attach a panel, fence, board, or other flat object to a t-post or other steel fence posts.
The bracket 100 includes a t-post attachment portion 120. The t-post attachment portion 120 includes a face plate 122 and two opposing side plates 124a and 124b. The face 122 plate extends between the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b, and is fixed to front edges 126a and 126b of the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b. In some embodiments, the face plate 122 extends between the two opposing side 124a, 124b plates at upper portions of the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b.
The t-post attachment portion 120 may be configured in a variety of different sizes, shapes, and/or geometries, such as the rectangular shapes depicted in the Figures. For example, the front plate 122 may have a height size that facilitates the front plate 122 fitting between consecutive nubs on the t-post 110, and may have a width that facilitates receiving the t-post in a opening formed by the front plate 122 and the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b. Similarly, the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b may have a height and/or length that facilitates receiving the t-post in a opening formed by the front plate 122 and the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b, as well as allows the attachment portion 120 to snugly attach to the t-post 110. Thus, the sizes and/or shapes of the various components of the attachment portion 120 enable the bracket 100 to be secured and removed from a t-post 110, while restricting movement of the bracket 100 when the bracket 100 is removably or fixedly attached to the t-post 110.
In some embodiments, the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b include bendable tabs 138a and 138b at lower portions of the front edges 126a, 126b of the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b. When the bracket 100 is positioned to attach to the t-post 110, the bendable tabs 138a, 138b may be bent inwardly (e.g., towards the t-post 110) to contact the t-post, which fixedly attaches the bracket 100 to the t-post 110. Further, the bracket 100 may include pins or other structures located on inner surfaces of the lower portions of the two opposing side plates, which may assist in preventing the bracket 100 from moving (e.g., slightly rotating or twisting) when removably attached or otherwise fixed to the t-post 110.
The bracket also includes a panel attachment portion 130. The panel attachment portion 130 may include a face plate 132 and fastener holes or attachment points 134. The flat plate 132 may be fixed (e.g., welded or otherwise secured) to back edges 136a and 136b of the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b.
The bracket 100 may include one or more fasteners (not shown) that secure the flat plate 132 of the bracket 100 to the panel, such as via the holes 134 provided within the flat plate 132.
The flat plate 132 may be configured in a variety of different sizes, shapes, and/or geometries, such as a rectangular shape depicted in the Figures. The flat plate 132 may have a surface area that is larger than a surface area of the face plate 122, and may extend outwardly from the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b (as depicted in the Figures) to provide suitable attachment surface for attaching a panel to the flat plate 132. For example, the flat plate 132 may extend from one to seven and a half (7½) inches from the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b, and may have a height that is one to six inches. Thus, the sizes and/or shapes of the various components of the panel attachment portion 130 are configured to securely fix the bracket 100 to variously different shaped panels, fences, board, signs, and so on.
Thus, as shown in
First, the t-post 110 is positioned within an opening of the attachment bracket 100, such as the opening formed by the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b, the face plate 122, which extends between the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b and is fixed to the front edges 126a, 126b of the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b, and a flat plate 132 fixed to the back edges 136a, 136b of the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b.
Next, the attachment bracket 100 is removably attached or secured to the t-post 110 by positioning the face plate 122 on the nub 115 of the t-post 110, such that the flat plate 132 contacts a back of the t-post 110.
Then, a panel is fastened or otherwise fixed or secured to the flat plate 132 of the attachment bracket 100, such as via screws or other fasteners that fix the panel to the flat plate 132 at the attachment points 134.
In some embodiments, the tabs 138a, 138b may be bent inwardly (e.g., they may be hammered or otherwise forced to an inward position) to contact the t-post 110, which causes the bracket 100 to be fixedly attached to the t-post 110.
As described herein, the bracket 100, the t-post attachment portion 110, and/or the panel attachment portion 120 may be configured to attach to a t-post 110 and join the ends of two different panels or other boards, such as to form corners with the two different panels, to connect one structure to another structure (e.g., a fence or section of a corral to another fence or section of a corral), and so on.
Thus, in some embodiments, the panel attachment portion 120, or a section thereof, may be placed or located on one of the opposing side plates 124a, 124b, and/or may be bent or shaped to provide a variety of panel joining surfaces (2D or 3D) that facilitate the joining of one panel to another in space.
The bracket also includes a panel attachment portion 330 that is bent, shaped, or otherwise configured to join two panels, such as panel 312 and panel 315, at various joining angles. For example, the panel attachment portion 330 includes a first plate or attachment wing 340 that is fixed to the back edges 136a and 136b of the two opposing side plates 124a, 124b, and a second plate or attachment wing 345 that is fixed or runs parallel to the opposing side plate 124b.
For example, the panel attachment portion 330 includes a flat plate having a first attachment wing 340 positioned at an angle (e.g., at a right angle or other attachment angles) with respect to the second attachment wing 345. Using such a bracket 300, the panel 312 is joined to the panel 315 at an angle, which forms a right turn in a fence or other similar structure. Thus, the first attachment wing 340 is configured to position a first panel 312 proximate to the t-post 110, and the second attachment wing 345 is configured to position a second panel 315 proximate to the t-post 110, such that the second panel 315 is joined to the first panel 312 at a right angle.
Of course, the bracket 300 may be configured to join panels in other joining configurations, such as to form left turns, to connect corrals or other structures (e.g., two- or four-corral configurations), and so on.
As shown in
The attachment bracket 400 also includes one or more panel attachment portions 420, such as bendable wing plates 420a and 420b, located on sides of the flat center plate 412, where the bendable wing plates 420a, 420b are configured to fix a panel to the t-post 110.
In some embodiments, when the bracket 400 is positioned on a t-post 110, a wing plate 420a or 420b may be bent to be perpendicular to the center plate 412 (
As described herein, the bracket 400 may include one or more fasteners that fix the panel to a wing plate 420a, 420b, such as at attachment points 422 located on the wing plates 420a, 420b. Further, the bracket 400 may include post securement wings 430a, 430b, which, when bent and fastened together to wrap around the t-post 110, securely fix the bracket 400 to the t-post 110 (
Thus, in some embodiments, the brackets described herein provide a simple system for attaching boards/panels to t-posts, at various adjustable heights along the t-posts, and/or enable panels to be joined together at various angles and configurations. The brackets facilitate the placement of signs, fences, panels, boards, and other large flat objects, at locations where using t-post would be desirable over other posts or securing devices (e.g., locations where digging is non reasonable or possible) and/or enable a quick, simple, and low cost process for erecting temporary signs, fences, panels, boards, and so on.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variant thereof, means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling of connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The word “or,” in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.
The above detailed description of embodiments of the apparatus is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the apparatus to the precise form disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the apparatus are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the apparatus, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize.
This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/679,454 filed Apr. 6, 2015, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14679454 | Apr 2015 | US |
| Child | 15458861 | US |
