Patent Application
20240093530
This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the disclosure. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Welded wire mesh is often used for high security fencing. Commonly, the wire mesh is connected to adjacent posts by fasteners such as bolts, rivets, and clamps that are inexpensive and easy to secure to the wire mesh and posts. The posts, in particular in high security installations, may be I-beams providing additional structural support as well as structure to bolt with the wire mesh. Rails may be connected to upper and lower edges of the wire mesh and secured to the adjacent posts. The rails may provide tension to the wire mesh. Again, the wire mesh is commonly connected to the rails with bolts, rivets, and clamps.
An exemplary wire mesh fence panel includes a first post spaced laterally from a second post, a wire mesh comprising a perimeter, a top longitudinal portion of the perimeter disposed inside of a top rail, the top rail connected at a first top end to the first post and at a second top end to the second post, a bottom longitudinal portion of the perimeter disposed inside of a bottom rail, the bottom rail connected at a first bottom end to the first post and at a second bottom end to the second post, a first vertical portion of the perimeter disposed inside of the first post, a second vertical portion of the perimeter disposed inside of the second post, a first top rail link connecting the first top end to the first post and a second top rail link connecting the second top end to the second post, and a first bottom rail link connecting the first bottom end to the first post and a second bottom rail link connecting the second bottom end to the second post.
Another exemplar wire mesh fence panel includes a top longitudinal portion of a wire mesh disposed inside of a top rail that is connected to a first post and a second post, a bottom longitudinal portion of the wire mesh that is disposed inside of a bottom rail that is connected to the first and second post, a first vertical portion of the wire mesh disposed inside of the first post, a second vertical portion of the wire mesh disposed inside of the second post, top rail links connecting the top rail to the first and second posts, and bottom rail links connecting the bottom rail to the first and second posts.
An exemplary method of erecting a wire mesh fence includes positioning a first post and a second post to receive and support a wire mesh, where the wire mesh comprises a perimeter and interstices formed by vertical wires intersected by horizontal wires, the first post has a first internal bore and a first vertical slot into the first internal bore, and the second post has a second internal bore and a second vertical slot into the second internal bore, attaching the wire mesh to the first post and the second post, the wire mesh having a top longitudinal portion disposed inside of a top rail and a bottom longitudinal portion disposed inside of a bottom rail, where the attaching includes disposing a first vertical portion of the perimeter through the first vertical slot into the first internal bore, disposing a second vertical portion of the perimeter through the first vertical slot into the first internal bore, attaching the top rail to the first post with a first top rail link having a first rectangular end disposed in the top rail with the top longitudinal portion extending into a first slot in the first rectangular end and a post end with a first cross-hole disposed inside the first post, positioning a first pin in the first cross-hole and an aperture with the first post, attaching the top rail to the second post with a second top rail link having a second rectangular end disposed in the top rail with the top longitudinal portion extending into a second slot in the second rectangular end and a post end with a second cross-hole disposed inside the second post, positioning a second pin in the second cross-hole and an aperture with the second post, connecting the bottom rail to the first post with a first bottom rail link, and connecting the bottom rail to the second post with a second bottom rail link.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of claimed subject matter.
The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. As will be understood by those skilled in the art with the benefit of this disclosure, elements and arrangements of the various figures can be used together and in configurations not specifically illustrated without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various illustrative embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, a figure may illustrate an exemplary embodiment with multiple features or combinations of features that are not required in one or more other embodiments and thus a figure may disclose one or more embodiments that have fewer features or a different combination of features than the illustrated embodiment. Embodiments may include some but not all the features illustrated in a figure and some embodiments may combine features illustrated in one figure with features illustrated in another figure. Therefore, combinations of features disclosed in the following detailed description may not be necessary to practice the teachings in the broadest sense and are instead merely to describe particularly representative examples. In addition, the disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
This disclosure is directed to wire mesh fencing that may be used for example as a security fence and/or anti-climb fence depending in-part on the construction of the wire mesh. The disclosed wire mesh is welded wire mesh, however, aspects of the disclosure and connection with the top and bottom rails and the adjacent posts may be achieved with other wire mesh, such as but not limited to, chicken wire, woven rectangular mesh referred to as chain link and knotted mesh, which may use a third wire wrapped around two wires of the intersecting horizontal and vertical mesh wires to hold the intersections together.
Welded wire mesh has been used for security fences to provide a cut resistant and climb resistant panel. Such security fences are made by welding intersecting first wires and second wires forming small interstices that make it difficult to get a foothold on the fence and difficult to use a cutting implement to sever the welded heavy steel wire, e.g., galvanized wire. For example, “prison mesh,” is a 358 high security anti-climbing and anti-cutting welded wire fence with 3-inch by 0.5-inch mesh openings and 8-gauge wire. Again, aspects of the disclosure are not limited to high security fences. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the wire mesh, e.g., welded wire mesh, may have different materials and sizes. For example, and without limitation, the mesh may have 12-gauge to 4-gauge wire connected with 3″×0.5″ interstices, 1″×1″ interstices, 2″×2″ interstices, and 2″×6″ interstices.
The figures disclose exemplary wire mesh fence panels and wire mesh fence sections. Aspects of the disclosure include apparatus and methods for securing perimeter portions of the wire mesh to steel members. The attachment of the wire mesh perimeter with the steel members provides both an aesthetically clean and pleasing connection and covert connections to deter unauthorized disassembly of the fencing. According to aspects of the disclosure, fasteners do not fully extend through the steel members or around the steel members as in conventional fencing. For example, fasteners may be fully located inside of the steel members or only accessible through an opening through the steel member.
Exemplary wire mesh fence panels, generally denoted by the number 10, are now described with reference to
With reference to all the figures, wire mesh 16 is constructed of interstices 20 of intersecting wires, generally denoted with the numeral 22. With reference in particular to
Posts 12, 14 are tubular members having an internal bore 34 (
Top rail links 44 connect the first end 40a of top rail 40 to first post 12 and the second end 40b to second post 14. Bottom rail links 46 connect the first end 42a of bottom rail 42 to first post 12 and the second end 42b to second post 14.
In an exemplary embodiment, such as illustrated in
An exemplary top rail link 44 is illustrated in
An exemplary bottom rail link 46 is illustrated in
Top longitudinal portion 26 of the wire mesh is disposed inside of a top rail 40 and the bottom longitudinal portion 28 is disposed inside of a bottom rail 42. A rail fastener 72 is used to secure the wire mesh to the top and bottom rails by wedging the wire mesh in the slots of the rails. An exemplary rail fastener 72 is illustrated in
In accordance with methods and systems disclosed herein, a wire mesh fence panel has not exposed fasteners and is tamper proof. Installation does not require drill holes or tapping screws and all the connections are internal to the fence posts. Installation of the wire mesh to the posts can be completed in five minutes or less.
Although relative terms such as “outer,” “inner,” “upper,” “lower,” and similar terms have been used herein to describe a spatial relationship of one element to another, it is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the various elements and components in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “connect,” “connection,” “connected,” “in connection with,” and “connecting” may be used to mean in direct connection with or in connection with via one or more elements. Similarly, the terms “couple,” “coupling,” and “coupled” may be used to mean directly coupled or coupled via one or more elements. The terms “substantially,” “approximately,” “generally,” and “about” are defined as largely but not necessarily wholly what is specified (and includes what is specified; e.g., substantially 90 degrees includes 90 degrees and substantially parallel includes parallel), as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. The extent to which the description may vary will depend on how great a change can be instituted and still have a person of ordinary skill in the art recognized the modified feature as still having the required characteristics and capabilities of the unmodified feature.
The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The scope of the invention should be determined only by the language of the claims that follow. The term “comprising” within the claims is intended to mean “including at least” such that the recited listing of elements in a claim are an open group. The terms “a,” “an” and other singular terms are intended to include the plural forms thereof unless specifically excluded.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63319743 | Mar 2022 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 18121232 | Mar 2023 | US |
| Child | 18521828 | US | |
| Parent | 29885724 | Feb 2023 | US |
| Child | 18121232 | US |
