Interlocking Fence System and Method

Abstract

An interlocking fence system is disclosed. Two spaced-apart upright posts ( 8, 10 ) attached to a grade G support an upper rail ( 4 ) with an offset locking aperture ( 26 ) and an alignment aperture ( 32 ) and further support a lower rail ( 6 ) with an alignment aperture ( 40 ). A picket ( 2 ) has a locking slot ( 22 ) with an edge ( 28 ) of the locking aperture ( 26 ) in the upper rail ( 4 ) serving as a tab to restrict axial movement when inserted therein. Alignment aperture ( 32 ) in the upper rail ( 4 ) and alignment aperture ( 40 ) in the lower rail ( 6 ) serve to restrict lateral movement of the picket ( 2 ). To support the rails ( 4, 6 ), retaining slots ( 24, 24′ ) in the upper rail ( 4 ) and retaining slots ( 42, 42′ ) in the lower rail ( 6 ) can be retained by an edge ( 38, 50, 38′, 50′ ) in support apertures ( 12, 14, 16, 18 ) in the posts ( 8 A, 10 A).

1 . A method of assembling an interlocking fence system comprising the following steps:
 (a) providing an interlocking fence system comprising:
 upper and lower rails each including a like plurality of spaced apart alignment apertures, wherein at least one of the upper and lower rails is tubular wherein the respective alignment apertures are formed in one of an upper and a lower surface thereof and a like plurality of spaced apart locking apertures is formed in the other one of the upper and lower surfaces, and 
 a plurality of pickets with a transverse profile and a locking slot extending inwardly from a side surface thereof for receiving a tab defined by an edge of the locking aperture; 
   (b) inserting a respective one of the pickets through each of the locking and alignment apertures in the tubular rail and a first one of the alignment apertures in the tubular rail at an offset angle to position the locking slot adjacent the tab;   (c) pivoting the pickets from the offset angle to an alignment angle to engage the tab into the locking slot, and   (d) inserting each of the pickets through a second one of the alignment apertures and coaxially aligning the alignment apertures.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 installing first and second upright, laterally spaced posts in a grade;   securing opposite ends of the at least one tubular rail to the posts; and   securing opposite ends of the other of the upper and lower rails to the posts, wherein the upper and lower rails are vertically spaced from each other.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the tubular rail is secured to the posts before the other of the upper and lower rails. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the steps of securing the opposite ends of the rails comprise:
 disposing one of the ends of the respective rail into a support aperture in one of the posts to position a retaining slot formed in the respective rail adjacent an edge of the support aperture; and   moving the respective rail transversely to engage the edge in the retaining slot.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the steps of securing the opposite ends of the rails comprise the steps of:
 (1) inserting a first end of the respective rail into a first support aperture in the first post while a second end is positioned laterally to one side of the second post adjacent a second support aperture to provide clearance between the second end of the respective rail and the second post;   (2) laterally pivoting the second end of the respective rail into alignment with the second support aperture in the second post;   (3) moving the respective rail axially to position a first and a second retaining slot adjacent a respective edge of the first and second support apertures; and   (4) moving the respective rail laterally to engage the respective edges of the first and second support apertures in the first and second retaining slots.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 inserting at least one stop into each of the first and second support apertures on a side of the respective rail opposite the respective first and second retaining slots to inhibit release of the edges of the support apertures from the retaining slots.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 inserting an end stop in at least one of the posts adjacent the end of the respective locking and alignment rails to inhibit axial movement of the respective locking and alignment rails.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 providing tubular posts; and   filling the posts adjacent the support aperture with a hardenable filler.   
   
   
       9 . An interlocking fence system comprising:
 first and second spaced-apart upright posts attached to a grade;   upper and lower rails extending between the first and second posts, wherein at least one of the upper and lower rails is tubular;   a picket with a transverse profile and a locking slot extending inwardly from a side surface thereof, wherein the picket passes through the rails at a locking aperture and is then pivoted into alignment with an axis of a plurality of spaced apart, coaxial alignment apertures;   the plurality of alignment apertures in the rails comprising-at least one alignment aperture in each of the upper and lower rails, wherein the alignment aperture in the at least one tubular rail is in one of an upper or a lower surface thereof and the locking aperture is in the other one of the upper or lower surfaces, wherein the alignment apertures have a profile matching the transverse profile of the picket and are in upright alignment with respect to an axis of the picket to restrict lateral movement of the picket; and   the locking aperture formed has a profile matching the transverse profile of the picket to receive the picket at an angle offset from an axis of the alignment apertures for assembly, wherein the locking aperture is offset laterally with respect to the axis of the picket, wherein the lateral offset of the locking aperture defines a tab inserted into the locking slot with the picket aligned by the alignment apertures.   
   
   
       10 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 9  wherein the locking aperture is formed in the upper surface of the tubular rail. 
   
   
       11 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 9  wherein the upper rail is tubular. 
   
   
       12 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 9  wherein both of the upper and lower rails are tubular. 
   
   
       13 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of said pickets, each with a corresponding locking aperture and plurality of alignment apertures formed in the rails receiving the picket. 
   
   
       14 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 9  wherein a depth of the locking slot is at least equal to the lateral offset of the locking aperture. 
   
   
       15 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 9  further comprising inwardly extending retaining slots formed in a side surface adjacent an end of the upper and lower rails to receive a respective edge of a support aperture in a respective post. 
   
   
       16 . A method of assembling an interlocking fence system comprising the following steps:
 (a) providing an interlocking fence system comprising:
 a plurality of vertically spaced tubular rails including at least an upper rail and a lower rail, each rail including a like plurality of spaced apart alignment apertures formed in an upper surface of the rails, and a like plurality of locking apertures formed in a lower surface of the rails, wherein each of the alignment apertures is laterally offset from a respective locking aperture to define a locking tab at an edge of the locking aperture, wherein a picket retention corridor is defined by each set of corresponding alignment and locking apertures among the plurality of rails, and 
 a plurality of pickets having locking slots extending inwardly from a side surface thereof for receiving the tabs from the locking apertures in a profile for retention in the picket retention corridor; 
   (b) inserting one of the plurality of the pickets through each of the corresponding locking and alignment apertures of the upper rail in a respective picket retention corridor at a first offset angle to position the corresponding locking slot adjacent the tab;   (c) pivoting the pickets inserted in step (b) from the first offset angle toward an alignment angle to engage the tab into the corresponding locking slot and lock the picket s in the upper rail, and   (d) inserting one of the locked pickets from step (c) through each of the corresponding locking and alignment apertures of the lower rail in a respective picket retention corridor at a second offset angle to position the corresponding locking slot adjacent the tab in the lower rail; and   (e) pivoting the pickets inserted in step (d) from the second offset angle toward an alignment angle to engage the tab into the corresponding locking slot and lock the pickets in the lower rail and to coaxially align the alignment apertures in each picket retention corridor.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 installing first and second upright, laterally spaced posts in a grade; and   securing opposite ends of the upper and lower rails to the posts.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of securing the opposite ends of the rails comprises:
 disposing one of the ends of the respective rail into a support aperture in one of the posts to position a retaining slot formed in the respective rail adjacent an edge of the support aperture; and   moving the respective rail transversely to engage the edge in the retaining slot.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of securing the opposite ends of the rails comprises the steps of:
 (1) inserting a first end of the respective rail into a first support aperture in the first post while a second end is positioned laterally to one side of the second post adjacent a second support aperture to provide clearance between the second end of the respective rail and the second post;   (2) laterally pivoting the second end of the respective rail into alignment with the second support aperture in the second post;   (3) moving the respective rail axially to position a first and a second retaining slot adjacent a respective edge of the first and second support apertures; and   (4) moving the respective rail laterally to engage the respective edges of the first and second support apertures in the first and second retaining slots.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 providing tubular posts; and   filling the posts adjacent the support aperture with a hardenable filler.   
   
   
       21 . An interlocking fence system comprising:
 first and second spaced-apart upright posts attached to a grade;   upper and lower tubular rails extending between the first and second posts;   a picket with a transverse profile and upper and lower locking slots extending inwardly from a side surface thereof, wherein the picket passes through each of the rails at a respective locking aperture and is then pivoted into alignment with an axis of respective alignment apertures in each of the upper and lower rails, wherein the locking apertures are laterally offset from the respective alignment apertures to define a locking tab received in the locking slot of the picket.   
   
   
       22 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 21  wherein the alignment apertures are formed in upper surfaces of the rails and the locking apertures are formed in lower surfaces of the rails. 
   
   
       23 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 21  further comprising a plurality of said pickets. 
   
   
       24 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 21  wherein the lateral offset of the locking apertures from the alignment apertures in the upper rail is greater than the lateral offset of the locking apertures from the alignment apertures in the lower rail. 
   
   
       25 . The interlocking fence system of  claim 24  wherein the lateral offset of the locking apertures from the alignment apertures in the upper rail is about 1.5 to 2.5 times the lateral offset of the locking apertures from the alignment apertures in the lower rail.