Post, Rail, and Connector System For Fences

Abstract

A connector for constructing a fence including a body and ears. The body terminates in ends and forms a passage that can receive a post. Each ear is formed with one of the ends and includes both inner and outer apertures. The inner apertures are interposed between the body and the outer aperture. The ears are spaced apart from each other. The inner apertures and the outer apertures are generally aligned with each other, respectively. The outer apertures and a rail aperture receive a threaded bolt to support a rail and the inner apertures receive another bolt which, when rotated into a nut, draws the first and second ends toward each other, reduces a dimension of the passage, and clamps the body to the post.

1 . A connector for constructing a fence having a post, rails with rail apertures, and bolts corresponding to nuts, the connector comprising:
 a body terminating in opposing first and second ends, the body forming a passage therethrough, the passage configured to receive the post therein;   an outwardly-extending first ear unitarily formed with the first end, the first ear including a first inner aperture and a first outer aperture, the first inner aperture interposed between the body and the first outer aperture; and   an outwardly-extending second ear unitarily formed with the second end and spaced apart from the first ear, the second ear including a second inner aperture and a second outer aperture, the first and second inner apertures and the first and second outer apertures generally aligned with each other, respectively, the first and second outer apertures and one of the rail apertures receiving one of the threaded bolts to support one of the rails and the first and second inner apertures receiving another of the threaded bolts which, when rotated into one of the threaded nuts, draws the first and second ends toward each other, reduces a dimension of the passage, and clamps the body to the post.   
   
   
       2 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the body is an axially-extending penannular body and the first and second ears are offset on opposing sides of a vertically-extending central axis of the post such that the rails extend radially outwardly from the central axis. 
   
   
       3 . The connector of  claim 2 , wherein the axially-extending penannular body is configured to encircle greater than fifty percent of a periphery of the post. 
   
   
       4 . The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the connector further comprises a colored powder coating substantially covering the body and the first and second ears. 
   
   
       5 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein a body height of the body is about one half of an ear height of the first and second ears. 
   
   
       6 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein a body height of the body is less than or equal to about one third of an ear height of the first and second ears. 
   
   
       7 . A system for constructing a containment structure using a vertically oriented post, the system comprising:
 a first connector clamping the post, the first connector supporting a first rail at a first height along the post, the first rail extending away from the post in a first direction;   a second connector clamping the post and mating with the first connector, the second connector supporting a second rail at a second height along the post, the second rail extending away from the post in a second direction; and   a third connector clamping the post and mating with the second connector, the second connector supporting a third rail at the second height along the post, the third rail extending away from the post in the first direction.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the post defines a central axis extending vertically through the post, and wherein the first and second directions extend radially outwardly from the central axis. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the third connector mates with the second connector such that a bottom linear surface of the third rail engages a top linear surface of the first rail as the first and third rails in the first direction. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the system further comprises fourth and fifth connectors, the fourth connector clamping the post and mating with the third connector, the fourth connector supporting a fourth rail at a third height along the post, the fourth rail extending away from the post in the first direction, and the fifth connector clamping the post and mating with the fourth connector, the fifth connector supporting a fifth rail at a fifth height along the post, the fifth rail extending away from the post in the second direction and spaced vertically above the second rail. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second directions form an angle that is not ninety degrees and not one hundred eighty degrees. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first, second, and third connectors are each covered with a colored powder coating substantially matching a color of at least one of the first, second, and third rails and the post. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first, second, and third connectors has an inner aperture and an outer aperture, each of the outer apertures receiving a threaded bolt to support the first, second, and third rails, each of the inner apertures receiving another threaded bolt to clamp the first, second, and third connectors to the post when rotated into a threaded nut. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first, second, and third connectors has an axially-extending penannular body, and wherein the first connector has a pair of substantially rectangular ears, and wherein the second and third connectors have a pair of non-rectangular ears. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the system includes a plurality of additional connectors, the additional connectors configured to support additional rails forming a roof structure over the rails extending in the first direction. 
   
   
       16 . A method of constructing a fence using a fence post defining a central axis extending vertically therethrough, the method comprising the steps of:
 clamping a first body of a first connector onto the fence post such that first ears extend generally horizontally away from the fence post and are offset on opposing sides of the central axis; and   clamping a second body of a second connector onto the fence post such that second ears extend generally horizontally away from the fence post and are offset on opposing sides of the central axis, the second body mating with the first body such that the first ears and the second ears are approximately equally vertically disposed along the fence post.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises clamping a third body of a third connector onto the fence post such that third ears extend generally horizontally away from the fence post and are offset on opposing sides of the central axis, the third body mating with the second body such that the first, second, and third ears are approximately equally vertically disposed along the fence post. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises clamping a fourth body of a fourth connector onto the fence post such that fourth ears extend generally horizontally away from the fence post and are offset on opposing sides of the central axis, the fourth body mating with the third body such that the first, second, third, and fourth ears are approximately equally vertically disposed along the fence post. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises the step of orienting the second body relative to the first body such that the first ears are substantially co-planar with the second ears. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises the step of orienting the third body relative to the first and second bodies such that the third ears are generally transverse with the first and second ears.