Electric Fence Power Control for Temporary Interruptions

Abstract

A mounting arrangement for mounting exposed filamentary electrical conductors on fences intended for conversion to electrified fences. The arrangement provides fence engaging panels for mounting, which panels include electrical contacts. The panels may include posts having grooves for tying a filamentary conductor to the panel independently of connection to an electrical contact. The panels may be fastened by fasteners which resemble ratchet action cable ties, and which are formed integrally with the collars. Holes are formed in the panels to accept fasteners such as screws. Collars may be arcuate members, planar panel members, or may comprise a plurality of planar panels hinged to one another. Collars and associated contacts may be installed in numbers and mounting arrangements assuring two pole break for each otherwise energized conductors where those conductors span a gate, thereby fully de-energizing the gate automatically when opened, and automatically re-establishing electrical continuity when the gate is closed.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A live conductor mount for mounting an electrically energized filamentary conductor on a post of a fence to be converted to an electrified fence, comprising:
 an electrically insulated collar configured to at least partially encircle a fence post, wherein said collar defines an inside surface which is disposed to face a fence post when said collar partially encircles a fence post, and an outside surface facing away from a fence post when said collar partially encircles a fence post, and a hypothetical center line which is located within the confines of said inside surface and is oriented along said inside surface and which is vertically oriented when said live conductor mount is placed on a fence post;   at least one integral fastener for engaging a fence post to secure said collar to a fence post; and   at least one electrically conductive contact which is disposed at said outside surface of said collar and is movably mounted on said collar so as to accommodate minor misalignments with another electrically conductive contact of another live conductor mount.   
     
     
         2 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said collar further comprises at least one conductor support tower disposed on said outside surface, said conductor tower comprising a conductor engagement structure which is disposed to engage a filamentary conductor so as to retain the filamentary conductor thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 2 , wherein said conductor tower is angularly spaced apart from said electrically conductive contact when said collar is mounted on a fence post. 
     
     
         4 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrically conductive contact is mounted on said collar to move along a direction of travel which is substantially oriented to pass through said center line of said collar. 
     
     
         5 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrically conductive contact comprises an enlarged head bearing a curved contact surface. 
     
     
         6 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrically conductive contact is mounted to said collar to move along a direction of travel which is substantially tangential to and spaced apart from said center line of said collar. 
     
     
         7 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , further comprising a spring disposed to urge said electrically conductive contact in a predetermined direction of travel. 
     
     
         8 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 7 , wherein said collar comprises a contact support tower disposed to support said electrically conductive contact and to guide said electrically conductive contact to move linearly along said direction of travel, and wherein said spring is contained within said contact support tower. 
     
     
         9 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 7 , wherein said electrically conductive contact is movably mounted to said collar in a direction which is substantially tangential to said center line, and said electrically conductive contact comprises an elongated tab bearing a first hole for seating a spring and a second hole for engaging a said filamentary electrical conductor, and said spring is a coil spring having a proximal end anchored to said collar and a distal end disposed to engage said first hole of said spring. 
     
     
         10 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said fastener comprises at least one male strap and at least one female strap comprising a socket having a unidirectional engagement element disposed to receive said male strap and to oppose withdrawal of said male strap from said socket by ratchet action. 
     
     
         11 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said collar is flexible and generally arcuate along the direction of said hypothetical center line, whereby said collar adjustably conforms to a fence post of circular cross section. 
     
     
         12 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said collar comprises a panel comprising a planar interior surface and bearing said at least one electrically conductive contact and at least one hole for passing an elongate fastener through said flat panel to enable fastener mounting of said collar to a fence post. 
     
     
         13 . The live conductor mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said collar comprises at least two panels each comprising a planar interior surface and a pivot joint located between each two of said planar panels, whereby said collar may adjustably conform to and close over in cooperation with fence posts which are rectangular in cross section, wherein at least one said panel bears at least one said electrically conductive contact and at least one hole for passing an elongate fastener through said panel.