Fence construction

Abstract

A stringer for an off-set board-on-board fence having an inverted U-section elongated body having two mutually opposed sides depending from an intermediate adjoining portion having laterally off-set and longitudinally over-lapping first and second sets of spaced board slots extending flush with inside surfaces of the opposed sides for attaching fence boards of predetermined cross-section flush to the inside surfaces of the opposed sides of the stringer. The stringer has board fastening apertures in the opposed sides of the stringer to fasten the fence boards flush with the inside surfaces of the opposed sides. The stringer has a plurality of bracket attachment apertures, preferably square, arranged longitudinally from end to end, between the first and second sets of board slots for attaching post brackets at each end of the stringer. A stringer support of each opposing bracket is within range of one bracket attachment aperture at each end of the stringer.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A fence stringer comprising:
 an intermediate adjoining portion, wherein the intermediate adjoining portion includes a plurality of bracket apertures, and wherein the bracket apertures are positioned about an entire length of the fence stringer; and   two mutually opposed stringer sides, wherein each of the opposed stringer sides extends from the intermediate adjoining portion.   
     
     
         2 . The fence stringer of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate adjoining portion includes a plurality of board slots configured to receive fence boards. 
     
     
         3 . The fence stringer of  claim 2 , wherein each of the opposed stringer sides includes a plurality of board fastening apertures, and wherein each board fastening aperture of the plurality of board fastening apertures is aligned with one of the plurality of board slots. 
     
     
         4 . The fence stringer of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of board slots includes a first set of board slots and a second set of board slots, and wherein the first set of board slots are located in offset arrangement to the second set of board slots. 
     
     
         5 . The fence stringer of  claim 2 , wherein an inside surface of the board slots is flush with one of the two mutually opposed stringer sides. 
     
     
         6 . A fence stringer comprising:
 an intermediate adjoining portion, wherein the intermediate adjoining portion includes a plurality of boards slots configured to receive fence boards;   two mutually opposed stringer sides, wherein each of the opposed stringer sides extends from the intermediate adjoining portion, wherein each of the opposed stringer sides includes a plurality of board fastening apertures, and wherein two of the board fastening apertures of the plurality of board fastening apertures are aligned with each of the plurality of board slots on each opposed stringer side.   
     
     
         7 . The fence stringer of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of board fastening apertures are configured to receive fasteners. 
     
     
         8 . The fence stringer of  claim 6 , wherein an inside surface of each of the board slots is flush with one of the two mutually opposed stringer sides. 
     
     
         9 . The fence stringer of  claim 6 , wherein the intermediate adjoining portion includes a plurality of bracket apertures, wherein the bracket apertures are positioned about an entire length of the fence stringer. 
     
     
         10 . The fence stringer of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of board slots includes a first set of board slots and a second set of board slots, and wherein the first set of board slots are located in offset arrangement to the second set of board slots. 
     
     
         11 . A fence stringer comprising:
 an intermediate adjoining portion, wherein the intermediate adjoining portion includes a plurality of boards slots configured to receive fence boards; and   two mutually opposed stringer sides, wherein each of the opposed stringer sides extends from the intermediate adjoining portion;   wherein an inside surface of the board slots is flush with one of the two mutually opposed stringer sides.   
     
     
         12 . The fence stringer of  claim 11 , wherein the opposed stringer sides include a plurality of board fastening apertures, and wherein each board fastening aperture is aligned with one of the plurality of board slots. 
     
     
         13 . The fence stringer of  claim 12 , wherein two of the plurality of board fastening apertures are aligned with each of the plurality of board slots. 
     
     
         14 . The fence stringer of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of board slots includes a first set of board slots and a second set of board slots, and wherein the first set of board slots are located in offset arrangement to the second set of board slots. 
     
     
         15 . The fence stringer of  claim 11 , wherein the intermediate adjoining portion includes a plurality of bracket apertures, wherein the plurality of bracket apertures are positioned about an entire length of the fence stringer. 
     
     
         16 . A fence stringer comprising:
 an intermediate adjoining portion, wherein the intermediate adjoining portion includes a plurality of board slots configured to receive fence boards, wherein the intermediate adjoining portion includes a plurality of bracket apertures, and wherein the bracket apertures are positioned about an entire length of the fence stringer; and   two mutually opposed stringer sides, wherein each of the opposed stringer sides extends from the intermediate adjoining portion, wherein each of the opposed stringer sides includes a plurality of board fastening apertures, and wherein each board fastening aperture of the plurality of board fastening apertures is aligned with one of the plurality of board slots;   wherein an inside surface of the board slots is flush with one of the two mutually opposed stringer sides.   
     
     
         17 . The fence stringer of  claim 16 , wherein two of the plurality of board fastening apertures are aligned with each of the plurality of board slots. 
     
     
         18 . The fence stringer of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of board slots includes a first set of board slots and a second set of board slots, and wherein the first set of board slots are located in offset arrangement to the second set of board slots. 
     
     
         19 . The fence stringer of  claim 18 , wherein in ones of the first of board slots and ones of the second set of board slots overlap. 
     
     
         20 . The fence stringer of  claim 18 , wherein the bracket apertures are located between the first set of board slots and the second set of board slots.