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  Fence plinthUSPTO Application #: 20070221901Title: Fence plinth Abstract: A fence plinth formed from sheet material, which in one embodiment is pre-painted galvanized steel, has spaced apart end margins and is profiled to include stiffening formations that extend along the sheet between the end edge margins. The plinth is ideally suited to be used in conjunction with a fence that incorporates fence post including channels in which the edge margin of the plinth can locate. A fence incorporating the plinth is also described together with a method of forming the plinths. (end of abstract) Agent: Fitch Even Tabin And Flannery - Chicago, IL, US Inventors: Uwe Salzer, Hartmut Schurg USPTO Applicaton #: 20070221901 - Class: 256021000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Fences, Metallic The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070221901. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to fencing and more specifically to fence elements, known as plinths, used at the base of a fence construction. The invention has been developed especially, but not exclusively, for metal fencing systems and is herein described in that context. It is to be appreciated however, that the invention has broader application and is not limited to that use. BACKGROUND [0002] It is often desirable in the construction of fences to have the fence closely follow the contour of the surrounding landscape. Such an arrangement inhibits noise, vermin, weeds, plants, wind, etc from passing under the fence. [0003] To allow the fence to follow the ground contour, in the past plinths have been installed under the main infill panel. These plinths are typically constructed from concrete, stone, or timber and are either independently supported in the ground or secured to the fence posts. The plinths may be partially embedded in the ground and as such, are also often used to retain soil where the ground level is uneven. [0004] Timber planks have been used extensively to construct plinths as they have sufficient strength to retain soil for small differences in soil height, and they can be relatively easily cut to size on site. However, the timber is usually chemically treated to make it resistant to pests, such as termites, and there is a tendency for these chemicals to leach into the soil. As these chemicals are highly toxic, this can lead to unacceptable contamination of the surrounding environment. Also timber plinths are relatively bulky and heavy which give rise to handling and installation difficulties. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a fence plinth formed from sheet material having spaced apart end edge margins and being profiled to incorporate stiffening formations that extend along the sheet between the end edge margins. [0006] In one form, the sheet is metal. In a particular form, the sheet is pre-painted galvanized steel. In one form, the edge margins are mountable to the posts. [0007] In one form, the plinth is made from sheet metal that incorporates a protective coating, such as that provided by a zinc galvanized coating, and a paint coating as applied to pre-painted steel strip in a continuous manner. [0008] In one form, the stiffening formations may be corrugations or ribs such that a cross-sectional profile of the plinth displays a regular wave form with crests and troughs displaced from a notional center plane of the sheet. The wave form may be smoothly curved throughout, or it may comprise straight portions intersecting at relatively abrupt angles, or a combination of both these possibilities. [0009] In another form, the stiffening formations may be in the form of one or more ribs and adjacent pans that extend across the sheet. [0010] The stiffening formations may extend to either, or both, of the edge margins or may terminate inboard of the edges. Also, where the edge margins are generally parallel, the stiffening formations may extend perpendicular to those edges or at an angle to the perpendicular. Also, the stiffening formations may be linear or non-linear. [0011] In yet another form, the sheet material may be shaped or folded to form a structural section such as a z-section to provide for stiffening of the plinth. [0012] In profiling the sheet, when made from pre-painted galvanised steel, to form the stiffening formations, it is preferable that the radius of curvature of the bends in the sheet is at least 5 mm, and preferably at least 7 mm. In this way cracking of the pre-painted coating is minimised thereby inhibiting subsequent corrosion of the plinth. [0013] In one form, the depth of the stiffening formations from a center plane of the sheet is greater than 20 mm and in a particular embodiment is about 50 mm. [0014] In one form, the sheet material has opposite side margins that interconnect the end edge margins, the side edge margins being configured to allow lapping of one side margin with the other side margin of another plinth to form a plinth assembly with the overlapping region forming a region of increased stiffness in the plinth assembly. [0015] In one form, the partially overlapping plinths nest one within the other. [0016] An advantage of configuring the plinths so that they can be lapped is that it is possible to create plinth assemblies of any height. In a further form, the sheet is profiled to allow stacking of the plinths, typically for transport and handling. In particular, the stacking is such that the plinths overlap with one plinth nesting within the other plinth thereby minimising the space taken by the nested plinths. [0017] In one form, the posts of the fence include respective channels that face towards one another and wherein in use the edge margins locate within the channels and are secured thereto. In another form, the edge margins extend across an outer surface of the posts. [0018] In one form, the sheet is profiled to extend s laterally out of a notional center plane extending between the upper and lower margins so that the edge margins of the plinth locate snugly within the channels of the fence. [0019] In one form, the ratio of the height of the plinth, measured between the opposite side edges of the plinth to the length of the plinth, measured between the end edges of the plinth, is in the range of 0.3-0.10. In one form, the height of the plinth is in the range of 10 mm-200 mm, and more preferably 150 mm, whereas the length of the plinth is between 2 m-3 m, and more preferably approximately 2.7 m. [0020] In a particular form, the sheet material of the plinth is profiled so that the major services of the plinth allow free drainage of water across those surfaces when the plinth is disposed in its in use orientation. In this way, water does not pool on the surface of the plinth which could otherwise promote corrosion of the plinth. [0021] In yet a further form, the invention is directed to a fence comprising spaced apart fence posts, each including a channel with a channel of one post facing the channel of the other post, a barrier panel extending between the posts, and a plinth according to any form described above. The plinth is located below the barrier panel and extends between the posts with the end edge margins of the plinth located within the respective ones of the fence channels. Continue reading... Full patent description for Fence plinth Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Fence plinth patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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