Privacy fence

Abstract

An aluminum extruded privacy fence is disclosed. The privacy fence may have a plurality of boards that overlap one another at various respective distal portions. These distal portions of the adjacent boards interlock and are locked to each other when a screw, bolt or non-threaded pin is inserted into a hole formed or defined by an interlocking structure. The interlocking structure is formed by the distal end portions of adjacent boards.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aluminum privacy fence, the fence comprising:
 first and second opposed posts for securing a plurality of boards to a ground;   the plurality of boards being disposed between the end posts, the opposed end boards being attached to the first and second opposed posts, each of the boards having:
 opposed first and second end portions, the first end portion of a first board mates with a second end portion of an immediately adjacent second board, each of the end portions having a protruding stopping block that extends from a web of the board and a flange; 
 wherein the flange of the first end portion of the first board is disposed between the flange and stopping block of the second end portion of the second board and the flange of the second end portion of the second board is disposed between the flange and stopping block of the first end portion of the first board so that the first and second boards cannot move longitudinally with respect to each other; 
   a plurality of pins inserted between mating curved surfaces formed in the flange of the first end portion of the first board and the flange of the second end portion of the second board.   
     
     
         2 . The fence of  claim 1  wherein the mating curved surfaces are smooth and a plurality of pins, threaded bolts, threaded screws or combinations thereof are inserted into holes formed by the mating curved surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The fence of  claim 1  wherein immediately adjacent boards of the plurality of boards are inverted with respect to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The fence of  claim 1  wherein the boards have flanges and stopping blocks at opposed distal end portions and the flanges and stopping blocks extend out in the same direction. 
     
     
         5 . The fence of  claim 1  wherein the mating curved surfaces form a circle when the flange of the first board contacts the stopping block of the second board and the flange of the second board contacts the stopping block of the first board. 
     
     
         6 . The fence of  claim 1  wherein the flanges and stopping blocks have wedge surfaces which assist in engaging the distal end portions of adjacent boards. 
     
     
         7 . The fence of  claim 1  wherein the boards are extruded aluminum. 
     
     
         8 . The fence of  claim 1  wherein distal ends of the flanges contact interior surfaces of the webs of adjacent boards to stop further insertion of the flange of the first board between the stopping block and the flange of the second board. 
     
     
         9 . A method of assembling a privacy fence, the method comprising the steps of:
 digging two holes in a ground;   inserting two posts in the two holes dug into the ground;   providing a plurality of boards to be disposed between and attached to the two posts   engaging a distal end portion of a board with a distal end portion of an adjacent board to form an interlocking structure;   inserting a pin into a hole formed by the respectively engaged distal end portions of adjacent boards so that the adjacent boards are fixed to each other.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of attaching a lower cap at lower portions of the posts, and installing adjacent boards in the lower cap as an installer attaches all of the plurality of boards to each other starting from one post to the second post. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of inverting adjacent boards.