U.S. patent application number 09/790463 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-22 for internal wire supports for re-inforced vinyl extrusions.
Invention is credited to Retterer, John M..
Application Number | 20020113960 09/790463 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25150758 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020113960 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Retterer, John M. |
August 22, 2002 |
Internal wire supports for re-inforced vinyl extrusions
Abstract
A plastic support which holds a wire throughout its length which
may be inserted into a hollow plastic member such as a fence rail
with the wire positioned where it may prevent deflection of the
plastic fence or like member.
Inventors: |
Retterer, John M.;
(Caledonia, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John L. Gray, Esq.
Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter, LPA
Suite 1800
65 E. State St.
Columbus
OH
43215-4294
US
|
Family ID: |
25150758 |
Appl. No.: |
09/790463 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
356/246 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04C 3/29 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
356/246 |
International
Class: |
E04C 003/30 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A plastic support whose length is greater than its width and
having two ends and comprising at least two oppositely disposed
openings extending the length of said support, each of said
openings adapted to contain wire therein extending there
through.
2. The plastic support of claim 1 which is H-shaped in cross
section.
3. The plastic support of claim 1 which is X-shaped in cross
section.
4. The plastic support of claim 1 which is I-shaped in cross
section.
5. The plastic support of claim 2 wherein openings are provided at
the extremities of each of the vertical portions of the H-shape in
cross section extending the length of said support.
6. The plastic support of claim 3 wherein openings are provided at
the ends of the legs of said support extending the length of said
support.
7. The plastic support of claim 4 wherein openings are provided at
each end of the vertical portion of the I-shaped cross section
extending the length of said support.
8. The plastic support of claim 5 wherein said openings are
U-shaped in cross section.
9. The plastic support of claim 6 wherein said openings are
U-shaped in cross section.
10. The plastic support of claim 7 wherein said openings are
U-shaped in cross section.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] In applicant's co-pending patent application Ser. No.
09/671,852 entitled REINFORCED VINYL EXTRUSIONS, an invention is
disclosed and claimed which utilizes wires in hollow vinyl
extrusions to prevent their deflection, especially those used as
fence rails. While this invention works very effectively, there is
a problem in inserting the wires through the length of the
extrusions.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The purpose of this invention is to provide a mechanism
whereby the wires which are to be placed under tension inside of
the hollow extruded member may be readily introduced into the
hollow extruded member by means of plastic supports which have a
length approximately the same as the hollow extruded plastic member
and which in turn carry the wires in the appropriate position
inside of the hollow extruded member.
[0003] Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a
plastic member which will carry suitable interior wire
reinforcement which may be inserted into a hollow plastic extrusion
and thus, prevent unnecessary deflection in use.
[0004] This, together with other objects of the invention, will
become apparent from the following detailed description of the
invention and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section showing a
plastic support, H-shaped in cross section, fitted within a
rectangular extruded plastic member such as a fence rail.
[0006] FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1 showing the end which is not
shown in FIG. 1.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a side view of the opposite end of the combination
shown in FIG. 1
[0008] FIG. 4 is a section in the plane 4-4 of FIG. 3.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but shows an alternative
type of plastic support member which is X-shaped in cross
section.
[0010] FIG. 6 is a section at the end of FIG. 5 showing the support
wire extending out into the rear of the plastic extruded
member.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a section through FIG. 5 in the plane 7-7.
[0012] FIG. 8 is a section similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 showing an
I-shaped plastic support member which has only a single wire going
through the hollow extruded plastic member.
[0013] FIG. 9 is a section of FIG. 8 in the plane 9-9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] This invention will be described with respect to an extruded
vinyl fence rail which is rectangular in cross section; however, it
should be understood that it is applicable to other vinyl
extrusions which may be circular in cross section as is disclosed
in applicant's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/671,852.
[0015] Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1,
typical fence rail 10 is provided with end cap 11 which has a
comparable end cap 12 at the opposite end. (See FIG. 2.) The
plastic support member 13 is shown in section and is provided with
four openings 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d extending through its length
through which the two pairs of wires 15a and 15b pass. These
openings may be better seen in FIG. 4 with the wires 15a and 15b
extending therethrough.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a view of the end cap 12 showing the wires 15a and
15b extending outward through openings 12a and 12b and then inward
through openings 12c and 12d of the cover 12. As shown in FIG. 1,
the wires are clipped together with clips 16a and 16b where they
extend outward through openings 11a, b, c and d of end cap 11.
[0017] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 7, an alternate plastic support
17 is shown which is X-shaped in cross section and provided with
openings 18a, 18b, 18c and 18d, comparable to the openings and the
location of the openings shown in FIG. 4 of the H-shaped cross
section member 13. Wires 15a and 15b are located in these openings
similar to the manner which has been described in connection with
FIG. 1 where wires 15a and 15b extend through openings 11a, b, c
and d and are clipped together at the outside of the end cap
11.
[0018] It should be noted that while round openings 14 a, b, c, d
and 18a, b, c and d are shown, these openings can as well be
U-shaped in cross section with the open portion of the U extending
from the member itself. In other words the U portions which would
be comparable to openings 14b and 14c would extend upwardly and the
U portions that would replace openings 14a and 14d would extend
downwardly, thus, effectively holding the wires 15a and 15b in
place in both places.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a section of FIG. 5 in the plane 6-6 showing the
wire 15b extending through the end of the end cap 12.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a third example of a plastic support 19 in the
shape of an I-beam in cross section. This is designed for use where
there is only a need for a single wire 20 such as where the width
of the extruded vinyl member 10 is much less than the height of the
member 10.
[0021] The member 10 shown in FIG. 8 is provided with end caps 21
and 22 similar to those previously described and the wire 20
extends through openings 22a and b of end cap 22 and is clipped
together by a clip 24. In this case the openings 23-23 are at the
opposite ends of the center section of the I-beam 19 as best shown
in FIG. 9 and may be circular in cross section or U-shaped as
previously described.
[0022] When utilizing the plastic support, the wires are placed
therein temporarily fastened together at one end without the use of
an end cap and at the opposite end, the wires extend through the
end cap such as end caps 12 or 21. The entire assembly is then
inserted inside of the extruded plastic fence rail 10 until the end
cap 12 or 21 fits snugly against the end of the plastic rail 10 and
then the wires are poked through the openings in the opposite end
cap 11 or 22 and fastened with the appropriate fasteners 16a and
16b or 21. This provides an easy way in which to insert the wires
through the length of the fence rail and to ensure that they are
positioned in the best possible location to provide maximum
strength and prevent the deflection of the fence rail or other
plastic extrusion.
[0023] While this invention has been shown and described with
respect to a detailed embodiment thereof, it will be understood by
those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail
thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the claims
of the invention.
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