Security fence system

Abstract

A security fence system provides one or more lengths of fence and/or one or more gates, at least one of which includes at least one generally horizontal cable, and preferably earth anchors that secure the at least one cable to the ground. The security fence and/or gates preferably include one or more of the following features: little or no concrete; strong and damage-resistant fence panels that allow authorities to see fairly well through the fence; resistance to prying or otherwise tearing the fence panel away from the posts; resistance to vehicles ramming the fence; or manual and/or automatic gates that are resistant to vehicles ramming the gate(s) and that cooperate with the cable system of the preferred fence. Cables approaching the gate, from the fence, may meet and be secured to each other at a location along the gate. Alternatively, automatically-locking gates may include a hook and loop system that engages only when a ramming vehicle pushes and/or bends the gate. The preferred fence and/or gates has some flexibility and bendability, and may be described as catching a ramming vehicle in a net-like system rather than providing a rigid wall that attempts to immediately stop the vehicle; this allows for a much lighter and simple gate than those intended to remain rigid and immovable upon vehicle impact. The preferred fencing and/or gates do not require the large amounts of concrete typically used for anchoring conventional security fences and/or gates, and, therefore, the preferred fencing and/or gates do not require the time-consuming, disruptive, and expensive excavation and concrete work of conventional security installations.

1 . An impact barrier security fence system comprising:
 a plurality of vertical screened panels supported and secured in the ground, and said panels being arranged side-by-side, and extending from below the ground to a certain desired height of the fence; and   a generally horizontal cable extending the length of said plurality of panels, said cable being connected to the plurality of panels, and being secured in the ground at least one end by an earth anchor.   
   
   
       2 . The fence system as in  claim 1 , wherein the earth anchor comprises a helical screw portion. 
   
   
       3 . The fence system of  claim 1 , which comprises a plurality of said generally horizontal cables, with each of said cables being secured in the ground at least one end by an earth anchor. 
   
   
       4 . The fence system as in  claim 3 , wherein said earth anchor comprises a helical screw portion. 
   
   
       5 . The fence of  claim 1 , wherein the cable is moveably connected to the panels. 
   
   
       6 . The fence of  claim 5 , wherein the cable is moveable relative to the cables by sliding horizontally. 
   
   
       7 . An impact barrier security fence system comprising:
 a plurality of spaced impact vertically extending I-beams, said I-beams being arranged on the fence line, and being supported and secured in the ground, and extending from below the ground to a certain desired height of the fence; and   a plurality of vertically extending screened panels sections extending between each pair of vertically extending I-beams, said panel sections being secured to an inside of a flange of the I-beam by being placed in a slot between the inside web and an angle secure to the web of the I-beam.   
   
   
       8 . An impact barrier security fence system comprising a fence portion with a generally horizontal cable, the fence system also comprising a gate, the gate comprising:
 a generally horizontal cable extending the length of said gate, the gate cable having a loop on the end of the cable next to the gate opening for cooperating with the cable of the fence portion.   
   
   
       9 . The fence portion of  claim 8  wherein the cable of the fence also has a loop on the end of the fence cable next to the gate opening which cooperates with the loop of the gate cable by means of a pin which is adapted to pass through both loops. 
   
   
       10 . The fence system of  claim 8  wherein the cable of the fence has a hook on the end of the cable next to the gate opening which cooperated with the loop of the gate cable upon impact to the gate or impact to the fence near the gate. 
   
   
       11 . The fence system of  claim 10  wherein the hook on the fence cable is spaced apart from the loop on the gate cable until an impact to the gate or to the fence.