U.S. patent application number 12/706812 was filed with the patent office on 2010-08-19 for fencing support base.
This patent application is currently assigned to STEELHOARD LIMITED. Invention is credited to Mark Bowman.
Application Number | 20100207088 12/706812 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40565408 |
Filed Date | 2010-08-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100207088 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bowman; Mark |
August 19, 2010 |
FENCING SUPPORT BASE
Abstract
This invention relates to a support base for a fencing panel,
comprising: a base portion 12 arranged to be located on the ground;
and at least one support portion 20, 30 coupled to the base portion
12 and arranged to be coupled to the fencing panel. The support
portion 20, 30 is moveable with respect to the base portion 12
between a stored position and a raised position in which it is
capable of being coupled to the fencing panel.
Inventors: |
Bowman; Mark; (West
Yorkshire, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GARDNER GROFF GREENWALD & VILLANUEVA. PC
2018 POWERS FERRY ROAD, SUITE 800
ATLANTA
GA
30339
US
|
Assignee: |
STEELHOARD LIMITED
Riccall
GB
|
Family ID: |
40565408 |
Appl. No.: |
12/706812 |
Filed: |
February 17, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
256/31 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 17/18 20130101;
E04H 12/2238 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
256/31 |
International
Class: |
E04H 17/22 20060101
E04H017/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 19, 2009 |
GB |
0902842.4 |
Claims
1. A support base for a fencing panel, comprising: a base portion
arranged to be located on the ground; and at least one support
portion coupled to the base portion and arranged to be coupled to
the fencing panel; wherein the support portion is moveable with
respect to the base portion between a stored position and a raised
position in which it is capable of being coupled to the fencing
panel.
2. A support base according to claim 1, wherein the base portion is
planar and in the stored position the support portion is located in
the plane of the base portion.
3. A support base according to claim 2, wherein the base portion is
located in a plane and in the raised position the support portion
is located substantially perpendicular to the said plane.
4. A support base according to claim 1, wherein the support portion
is pivotally attached to the base portion.
5. A support base according to claim 4, wherein the support portion
comprises a support member attached to an axial member which is
rotationally coupled to the base portion such that it can rotate
about its longitudinal axis.
6. A support base according to claim 5, wherein each end of the
axial member is located within a respective collar that is attached
to the base portion.
7. A support base according to claim 5, wherein each end of the
axial member is located within a respective hole in the base
portion.
8. A support base according to claim 5, wherein each end of the
axial member has a spigot that is located within a respective hole
in the base portion.
9. A support base according to claim 1, further comprising a stop
for limiting the movement of the support portion.
10. A support base according to claim 1, wherein the base portion
comprises a frame having an opening and in the stored position, the
support portion is located within the opening.
11. A support base according to claim 1, wherein the support
portion is arranged to be located within a hollow member of a
fencing panel.
12. A support base according to claim 1, wherein there are two
support portions.
13. A fence comprising a fencing panel coupled to the support base
according to claim 1.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of United Kingdom
Application GB 0902842.4 filed on Feb. 19, 2009, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all
purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a support base, in
particular, a support base for a fencing panel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Temporary fencing is widely used to cordon off areas
temporarily. Temporary fencing usually comprises a number of
fencing panels that are joined to one another to form a length of
fencing. Fencing panels include wood panels, hoarding panels and
mesh panels. Each panel usually comprises two uprights between
which an infill panel is held.
[0004] The fencing panels must be supported in order to keep them
upright. There are currently a number of known ways of doing
this.
[0005] In a first known example a reinforced concrete support base
is used which comprises a block of reinforced concrete having two
holes therein for receiving uprights of adjacent panels so as to
join the panels together. Each fencing panel is supported by two
concrete support bases by locating each upright in a hole in a
respective one of the support bases. Whilst this works
satisfactorily, the concrete support bases are very heavy and are
therefore difficult to manually move safely. They are also
expensive to transport because of their weight.
[0006] In a second known example a metal support base is used which
comprises a flat steel plate having two steel tubes extending from
the plate in a perpendicular direction. Each fencing panel is
supported by two metal support bases by locating each upright over
a steel tube of one of the support bases. This also works
satisfactorily and the metal support bases are lighter than the
concrete support bases. However, because of the protruding steel
tubes, the metal support bases do not stack well and therefore take
up a lot of space to both store and transport. This increases the
cost of both storage and transportation.
[0007] It is therefore desirable to provide a support base for a
fencing panel which addresses at least some of the above problems
to some extent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to the present invention there is provided a
support base for a fencing panel, comprising: a base portion
arranged to be located on the ground; and at least one support
portion coupled to the base portion and arranged to be coupled to
the fencing panel; wherein the support portion is moveable with
respect to the base portion between a stored position and a raised
position in which it is capable of being coupled to the fencing
panel. This means that the support base takes up less space when
not in use and therefore makes storing and transportation easier
and cheaper.
[0009] The base portion may be planar and in the stored position
the support portion may be located in the said plane of the base
portion and in the raised position the support portion may be
located substantially perpendicular to the said plane. This
provides a particularly compact arrangement.
[0010] The support portion may be pivotally attached to the base
portion. The support portion may comprise a support member attached
to an axial member which is rotationally coupled to the base
portion such that it can rotate about its axis. If the base portion
comprises a substantially rectangular frame having an opening, the
axial member may be located within the frame and extend between
opposite ends of the frame.
[0011] Each end of the axial member may be located within a collar
that is attached to the base portion. Alternatively, each end of
the axial member may be located within an opening in the base
portion. In a further alternative, each end of the axial member has
a spigot that is located within an opening in the base portion.
[0012] The support base may comprise a stop for limiting the
movement of the support portion. This can prevent the support
portion from moving out of position.
[0013] In one embodiment the base portion comprises a frame having
an opening and in the stored position, the support portion is
located within the opening.
[0014] The support portion may be arranged to be located within a
hollow member of a fencing panel.
[0015] Preferably there are two support portions per support base,
to allow two fencing panels to be joined together.
[0016] The invention is also concerned with a fence comprising a
fencing panel coupled to a support base according to any statement
herein.
[0017] The invention may comprise any combination of the features
and/or limitations referred to herein, except combinations of such
features as are mutually exclusive.
[0018] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the
invention will be understood with reference to the drawing figures
and detailed description herein, and will be realized by means of
the various elements and combinations particularly pointed out in
the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing
general description and the following brief description of the
drawings and detailed description of the invention are exemplary
and explanatory of preferred embodiments of the invention, and are
not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described,
by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0020] FIG. 1 schematically shows a plan view of a support base in
a stored position according to a first embodiment of the
invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 schematically shows the views A-A and B-B of FIG.
1;
[0022] FIG. 3 schematically shows a plan view of a support base in
a raised position according to a first embodiment of the
invention;
[0023] FIG. 4 schematically shows the views C-C and D-D of FIG.
3;
[0024] FIG. 5 schematically shows a two fencing panels supported by
a support base according to a first embodiment of the
invention;
[0025] FIG. 6 schematically shows a plan view of a support base in
a stored position according to a second embodiment of the
invention; and
[0026] FIG. 7 schematically shows a plan view of a support base in
a stored position according to a third embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0027] The present invention may be understood more readily by
reference to the following detailed description of the invention
taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which
form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this
invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods,
conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that
the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended
to be limiting of the claimed invention. Any and all patents and
other publications identified in this specification are
incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
[0028] Also, as used in the specification including the appended
claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include the plural,
and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least
that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates
otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" or
"approximately" one particular value and/or to "about" or
"approximately" another particular value. When such a range is
expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular
value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values
are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about,"
it will be understood that the particular value forms another
embodiment.
[0029] With reference now to the drawing figures, wherein like
reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout the
several views, FIG. 1 shows the support base 10 comprising a base
portion 12 and two support portions 20, 30. The base portion 12
comprises a planar rectangular tubular steel frame defining an
opening 14. The two support portions 20, 30 are identical and each
comprise a support member 22, 32 that attached substantially
perpendicularly to the mid-point of an axial member 24, 34. Each
support portion 20, 30 is located within the opening 14 of the base
frame 12 and is pivotally attached to the base portion 12. Each of
the ends of the axial members 24, 34 are located within a collar 50
which is fixedly attached to the base portion 12. This allows each
support portion 20, 30 to pivot about the axis of its respective
axial member 24, 34.
[0030] Each support portion 20, 30 is capable of pivoting about its
axial member 24, 34 between a stored position and a raised
position. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the stored position
the support member 22, 32 is located in the plane of the base
portion 12 and within the opening 14 of the base portion 12. With
reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, in the raised position the support
member 22, 32 is orientated substantially perpendicularly to the
plane of the base portion 12.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, when the support portions 20, 30 are
located in the stored position, the support base 10 is
substantially planar. This enables a number of support bases 10 to
be stacked efficiently which makes them easier and cheaper to store
and transport.
[0032] Referring now to FIG. 4, in use the base frame 12 is located
on the ground and the support portions 20, 30 are pivoted from the
stored position to the raised position. The support members 22, 32
are therefore substantially perpendicular to the base portion 12
(and hence the ground).
[0033] The support base 10 may comprise one or more stops 60. In
this embodiment the base portion 12 is provided with two stops 60.
These prevent the support portions 20, 30 from rotating from the
stored position in a direction away from the raised position.
[0034] In other embodiments the support base 12 may be provided
with locks to lock the support portions 20, 30 in a desired
position or with further stops to limit the movement of the support
portions 20, 36.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows two fencing panels 100 supported by three
support bases 10. Each fencing panel 100 comprises a frame 120 and
a mesh 130. The frame 120 is rectangular and comprises two vertical
hollow frame members (uprights) 122, 124 and two horizontal hollow
frame members 126, 128 that are welded together. Each fencing panel
100 is supported by coupling each vertical member 122, 124 to a
support portion 20, 30 of a support base 10. In this embodiment
this is done by locating the support member 22, 32 of the support
portion 20, 30 within the hollow vertical member 122, 124 of the
fencing panel 100. This is possible since the external diameter of
the support member 22, 32 is slightly smaller than the internal
diameter of the vertical hollow member 122, 124.
[0036] As will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, there
are other ways of coupling a fencing panel 100 to the support
portion. For example, a vertical member 122, 124 may be located
within a support member 22, 32 or a vertical member 122, 124 may be
located within a retaining sleeve attached to the support member
22, 32. In another embodiment the support members 22, 32 may slot
together with the vertical members 122, 124.
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that
there are no collars 50. Instead, each end of each axial member 24,
34 is located within a hole 54 in the tubular steel frame of the
base portion 12. This allows each support portion 20, 30 to pivot
about its axial member 24, 34 between a stored position and a
raised position.
[0038] FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that
there are no collars. Instead, each end of each axial member is
provided with a spigot 56 (or pin) which is located in a hole 58 in
the tubular steel frame of the base portion 12. This allows each
support portion 20, 30 to pivot between about its axial member 24,
34 between a stored position and a raised position.
[0039] While the invention has been described with reference to
preferred and example embodiments, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that a variety of modifications, additions and
deletions are within the scope of the invention, as defined by the
following claims.
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