Fence

Abstract

A fence having a 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 posts including channels in which the edge margin of the plinth can locate. A method of forming the plinth is also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fence comprising
 two spaced apart posts that include respective channels each with a longitudinal entry that faces toward the longitudinal entry of the channel of the other said post,   a barrier panel extending between the posts and including a lower rail, and   a fence plinth located directly below the lower rail of the barrier panel,   the channel of each said post being defined by opposing side walls of the post and the plinth being an elongated sheet panel having opposite upper and lower side margins and end edge margins that interconnect the side margins, the side margins defining upper and lower terminal side edges of the sheet,   wherein the rail and the plinth are inserted into the posts through the longitudinal entry of each of the channels, and the plinth is profiled to incorporate stiffening formations that extend along the plinth between its said end edge margins and laterally out of a notional center plane of the plinth extending between the side edges whereby the end edge margins of the plinth are retained immediately proximate the opposing side walls of the posts by the fit of the end edge margins of the plinth within the channels, the lower side margin of the plinth being disposed in contact with the ground on which the fence is constructed, in which the plinth is not fixed within the channels of the posts with mechanical fastening means such that the plinth is in a floating position with respect to the lower rail, and in which the lower rail is in a fixed position with respect to the posts by the application of mechanical fastening means to lock the position of the lower rail.   
     
     
         2 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is pre-painted galvanized sheet metal. 
     
     
         3 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plinth is separated from the rail by a gap. 
     
     
         4 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening formations are 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. 
     
     
         5 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening formations are in the form of one or more ribs and adjacent pans that extend across the sheet. 
     
     
         6 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the stiffening formations from a center plane of the sheet is greater than 20 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plinth is profiled to form a structural section such as a z-section to provide the stiffening formations. 
     
     
         8 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material has opposite side edge margin 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 said plinth to form a plinth assembly with the overlapping region forming a region of increased stiffness in the plinth assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The fence as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the one side margin nests within the other side margin at the overlapping region. 
     
     
         10 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material is profiled so that the major surfaces of the plinth allow free drainage of water across those surfaces when the plinth is disposed in its in-use orientation. 
     
     
         11 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 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 0.03 to 0.10. 
     
     
         12 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is bent to form the stiffening formations and wherein the radius of the curvature of the bends is at least 5 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet from which the plinth is formed is profiled to extend laterally out of a notional center plane so that the end edge margins of the plinth locate snugly within the fence post channels. 
     
     
         14 . The fence as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of said plinths located one above the other and having their end edge margins located in respective ones of the fence post channels, each of the plinths being arranged in partial overlapping relationship to form a plinth assembly with the or each overlapping region forming a region of increase stiffness in the plinth assembly that extends between the fence posts. 
     
     
         15 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material is profiled so that the plinth forms a partially closed section having opposite side walls interconnected by a bridging portion. 
     
     
         16 . The fence as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the sheet is pre-painted galvanized sheet steel. 
     
     
         17 . The fence as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the barrier panel comprises upper and lower rigid rails, and infill means extending from rail to rail in which the rails are fixed to the posts by mechanical fastening means. 
     
     
         18 . A method of forming a fence plinth comprising the steps of:
 profiling a steel strip to incorporate longitudinal extending stiffening formations in the strip; and   shearing the strip at discrete lengths to form a plinth.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising
 providing two spaced apart posts that include respective channels each with a longitudinal entry that faces toward the longitudinal entry of the channel of the other said post, 
 providing a barrier panel extending between the posts and including a lower rail, and 
 inserting the plinth directly below the lower rail of the barrier panel. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the channel of each said post is defined by opposing side walls of the post and wherein the plinth is an elongated sheet panel having opposite upper and lower side margins and end edge margins that interconnect the side margins, the side margins defining upper and lower terminal side edges of the sheet, and
 wherein the rail and the plinth are inserted into the posts through the longitudinal entry of each of the channels, and the stiffening formations extend along the plinth between its said end edge margins and laterally out of a notional center plane of the plinth extending between the side edges whereby the end edge margins of the plinth are retained immediately proximate the opposing side walls of the posts by the fit of the end edge margins of the plinth within the channels, the lower side margin of the plinth being disposed in contact with the ground on which the fence is constructed, in which the plinth is not fixed within the channels of the posts with mechanical fastening means such that the plinth is in a floating position with respect to the lower rail, and in which the lower rail is in a fixed position with respect to the posts by the application of mechanical fastening means to lock the position of the lower rail.