Fencing system for use on uneven terrain

Abstract

A fencing system includes fence posts and bottom rails connected between the fence posts by rail connectors enabling relative adjustment about a post axis and a lateral axis. A top rail and fencing material span across the fence posts. Beams are mounted transversely to the bottom rails by beam connectors along relative adjustment along the bottom rail, along the beam and about the bottom rail. Brace arms are mounted between the posts and each of the bottom rails and transverse beams using brace connectors which include an internal portion clamped internally within the brace arm while allow a lateral pivot coupling of the connector to be pivoted about the longitudinal axis of the brace arm. Anchors allow the distal ends of the transverse beams to be secured relative to a ground surface.

1 . A fencing system comprising: 
 a plurality of fence posts for mounting in an upright orientation at spaced intervals along a lengthwise direction of the fencing system;   a plurality of bottom rails, each bottom rail being arranged to extend in the lengthwise direction between respective bottom ends of a corresponding adjacent pair of the fence posts;   a plurality of bottom rail connectors, each bottom rail connector being arranged to connect one end of one of the bottom rails to one of the fence posts such that the bottom rail connector enables relative adjustment of the bottom rail (i) about a post axis of the fence post and (ii) about a lateral axis oriented perpendicularly to the post axis and perpendicularly to the lengthwise direction;    at least one top rail arranged to extend in the lengthwise direction between respective top ends of the fence posts;   fencing material arranged to span across the plurality of fence posts in the lengthwise direction and along a height of the fence posts; and   a plurality of rail brace arms, each rail brace arm being arranged to be mounted between one of the bottom rails and one of the fence posts such that the rail brace arm is arranged to be fixed at an adjustable location along at least one of the bottom rail or the fence post.    
     
     
         2 . The fencing system according to  claim 1  wherein each bottom rail is a hollow tube member and wherein each bottom rail connector is mounted internally within an open end of the hollow tube member of the respective bottom rail. 
     
     
         3 . The fencing system according to  claim 2  wherein each bottom rail connector includes an internal portion received within the respective bottom rail in which the internal portion comprises (i) a main body portion, (ii) at least one wedge portion, and (iii) a screw member associated withsaid at least one wedge portion in which the screw is operatively connected between the wedge portion and the main body portion so as to radially expand the internal portion for clamping the internal portion within the bottom rail and in which the screw member is externally accessible on the bottom rail connector.  
     
     
         4 . The fencing system according to  claim 3  wherein said at least one wedge portion comprises two wedge portions supported at diametrically opposing sides of the main body portion.  
     
     
         5 . The fencing system according to  claim 4  wherein each bottom rail connector further comprises a mounting flange connected to the main bottom portion and defining a pivotal coupling about the lateral axis extending through the mounting flange, the screw members associated with the two wedge portions being located on laterally opposing sides of the mounting flange.  
     
     
         6 . The fencing system according to  claim 3  wherein said at least one wedge portion having at least one longitudinal edge formed thereon which is oriented in an axial direction of the bottom rail and which is arranged for biting into an inner surface of the bottom rail as the wedge portion is expanded within the bottom rail. 
     
     
         7 . The fencing system according to  claim 1  wherein each bottom rail connector is arranged to be coupled to one end of one of the bottom rails such that a mounting flange protrudes from the bottom rail in the lengthwise direction, the mounting flange having an aperture therein defining a pivotal coupling about the lateral axis at a location offset radially from a central axis of the bottom rail.  
     
     
         8 . The fencing system according to  claim 1  wherein each bottom rail connector includes a post anchor tube arranged to receive the bottom end of one of the fence posts vertically slidable therein, the post anchor tube having threaded apertures therein to receive set screws for selectively fixing the fence post in the post anchor tube, each bottom rail connector being arranged to pivotally couple one of the bottom rails to the post anchor tube such that the bottom rail connector enables adjustment of the bottom rail relative to the post anchor tube (i) about a post axis of the fence post and (ii) about a lateral axis oriented perpendicularly to the post axis and perpendicularly to the lengthwise direction.  
     
     
         9 . The fencing system according to  claim 1  wherein each rail brace arm is arranged to be mounted to each of said one of the bottom rails and said one of the fence posts using a brace connector, the brace connector comprising a clamp arranged to be selectively fixed at an adjustable location along the bottom rail or the fence post such that the clamp is clamped about the bottom rail or the fence post and the rail brace arm is pivotal relative to the clamp about an axis oriented perpendicularly to the rail brace arm and to the bottom rail or the fence post.  
     
     
         10 . The fencing system according to  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of transverse beams, each transverse beam being arranged to be mounted by a beam connector to extend along a transverse axis oriented transversely to a respective one of the bottom rails, wherein the beam connector supports the transverse beam to be adjustable relative to the bottom rail along the transverse axis of the beam.  
     
     
         11 . The fencing system according to  claim 10  further comprising (i) a plurality of beam brace arms in which each beam brace arm is arranged to be mounted between one of the fence posts and one of the transverse beams such that the beam brace arm, and (ii) a brace arm connector at each end of each brace arm in which the brace arm connector is arranged to couple the brace arm to said one of the fence posts or said one of the transverse beams such that the brace arm is pivotal about a lateral axis of the brace arm connector oriented perpendicularly to brace arm and said one of the fence posts or said one of the transverse beams.  
     
     
         12 . The fencing system according to  claim 11  wherein each brace arm connector includes a pivot coupling defining pivotal movement of the beam brace arm relative to said one of the fence posts or said one of the transverse beams, the pivot coupling being pivotal relative to the beam brace arm about a longitudinal axis of the beam brace arm.  
     
     
         13 . The fencing system according to  claim 12  wherein each brace arm connector includes an internal portion arranged to be clamped internally within an open end of the beam brace arm, the pivot coupling being pivotal relative to the internal portion about the longitudinal axis of the beam brace arm.  
     
     
         14 . The fencing system according to  claim 13  wherein the internal portion of each brace arm connector includes (i) a main body portion, (ii) a wedge portion, and (iii) a screw member operatively connected between the wedge portion and the main body portion so as to radially expand the internal portion for clamping the internal portion within the beam brace arm in which the screw member is externally accessible on the brace arm connector.  
     
     
         15 . A fencing system comprising: 
 a plurality of fence posts for mounting in an upright orientation at spaced intervals along a lengthwise direction of the fencing system;   a plurality of bottom rails, each bottom rail being arranged to extend in the lengthwise direction between respective bottom ends of a corresponding adjacent pair of the fence posts;   a plurality of bottom rail connectors, each bottom rail connector being arranged to connect one end of one of the bottom rails to one of the fence posts such that the bottom rail connector enables relative adjustment of the bottom rail (i) about a post axis of the fence post and (ii) about a lateral axis oriented perpendicularly to the post axis and perpendicularly to the lengthwise direction;    at least one top rail arranged to extend in the lengthwise direction between respective top ends of the fence posts;   fencing material arranged to span across the plurality of fence posts in the lengthwise direction and along a height of the fence posts; and   a plurality of transverse beams, each transverse beam being arranged to be mounted by a beam connector to extend along a transverse axis oriented transversely to a respective one of the bottom rails;   
       wherein the beam connector supports the transverse beam to be adjustable relative to the bottom rail along the transverse axis of the beam. 
     
     
         16 . The fencing system according to  claim 15  further comprising (i) a plurality of beam brace arms in which each beam brace arm is arranged to be mounted between one of the fence posts and one of the transverse beams such that the beam brace arm, and (ii) a brace arm connector at each end of each brace arm in which the brace arm connector is arranged to couple the brace arm to said one of the fence posts or said one of the transverse beams such that the brace arm is pivotal about a lateral axis of the brace arm connector oriented perpendicularly to brace arm and said one of the fence posts or said one of the transverse beams.  
     
     
         17 . The fencing system according to  claim 16  wherein each brace arm connector includes a pivot coupling defining pivotal movement of the beam brace arm relative to said one of the fence posts or said one of the transverse beams, the pivot coupling being pivotal relative to the beam brace arm about a longitudinal axis of the beam brace arm.  
     
     
         18 . The fencing system according to  claim 17  wherein each brace arm connector includes an internal portion arranged to be clamped internally within an open end of the beam brace arm, the pivot coupling being pivotal relative to the internal portion about the longitudinal axis of the beam brace arm.  
     
     
         19 . The fencing system according to  claim 15  further comprising a beam anchor arranged to be mounted onto the transverse beam for adjustment along the beam and about a longitudinal axis of the beam, the beam anchor including fastener apertures arranged to be coupled to ground anchors.  
     
     
         20 . A fencing system supported on ground, the fencing system comprising: 
 a plurality of fence posts mounted in an upright orientation at spaced intervals along a lengthwise direction of the fencing system;   a plurality of bottom rails, each bottom rail extending in the lengthwise direction between respective bottom ends of a corresponding adjacent pair of the fence posts;   a plurality of bottom rail connectors, each bottom rail connector connecting one end of one of the bottom rails to one of the fence posts such that the bottom rail connector enables relative adjustment of the bottom rail (i) about a post axis of the fence post and (ii) about a lateral axis oriented perpendicularly to the post axis and perpendicularly to the lengthwise direction;    at least one top rail extending in the lengthwise direction between respective top ends of the fence posts;   fencing material spanning across the plurality of fence posts in the lengthwise direction and along a height of the fence posts; and   a plurality of rail brace arms, each rail brace arm being mounted between one of the bottom rails and one of the fence posts such that the rail brace arm fixed at an adjustable location along at least one of the bottom rail or the fence post.