Fencing Installation

Installation tools as described herein may be used in fencing installation. Installation tools described herein may significantly reduce the labor requirements associated with fencing installation.

depict the following items referenced in the following description of the installation tool and the associated methods including: winged post, winged post body, post body rail end face, post body outer face, post body inner cavity, winged post wings, winged post fastener holes, first rail board, second rail board, cut location, picket plane, picket, post height, installation tool, central bar, bar upper segment, bar lower segment, bar coupler, bar coupler fastener locations, handle, handle fastener locations, top cleat, middle cleat, lower cleat, cleat span member, cleat ledge, cleat ledge member, cleat lip, cleat fastener holes, cleat fasteners, release step, top plate, top plate shaft, top plate stop pin, top bushing, spring, spring-to-shaft pin, spring-to-bar pin, guide peg, peg fastener hole, spring stop slot, spring stop pin, cleat ledge extension, release step shaft, release step shaft lip, release step shaft attachment fastenersand release step shaft attachment holes.

depict the bar-in-post configuration of the installation tool.depict the bar-along-post configuration of the installation tool. Embodiments of the installation tool in which the central bar is at least partially enveloped by the winged post when the installation tool installs rail boards onto the winged post may be characterized herein as the bar-in-post configuration. Embodiments of the installation tool in which the central bar is not partially enveloped by a winged post when the installation tool installs rail boards onto a winged post may be characterized herein as the bar-along-post configuration. The location of the cleat span members may determine whether an installation tool is in the bar-in-post configuration or the bar-along-post configuration, but the number of potential cleat design variations means that the location of the cleat span members does not conclusively indicate the configuration.

is a top plan view depicting the relationship between a winged post and an installation tool depicted in cross-section. The portion of the installation tool below cross-sectioninis the portion of the installation tool depicted in

Fencing installation may be aided using the installation tool described herein. Although variations are contemplated, the most common application for the installation tool is fencing installation involving winged posts. Such winged posts will generally have a post body with two post body rail end faces and a post body outer face. The post body will generally also have a post body inner cavity and have two post wings on either side of the post body. The winged post wings are generally configured for fastening to rail boards using winged post fastener holes. For example, a first rail board may fasten to a winged post wing on one side of the winged post with a second rail board fastened at a similar height on the opposite side of the winged post.

The installation tool may be configured with two to six cleats at various heights based on the desired fence rail configuration for the fencing built. As described herein, a cleat encompasses two cleat ledges. However, the construction of the component described as a cleat need not be unitary in that the components described as associated with a single cleat may be configured as parts of separate components.

As an example, an-foot-tall privacy fence constructed in the four rail-board configuration may be constructed using an installation tool with four cleats. Similarly, a 6-foot-tall privacy fence constructed in the three rail-board configuration may be constructed using an installation tool with three cleats. Similarly, a 4-foot-tall ranch style fence constructed in the three rail-board configuration may be constructed using an installation tool with three cleats. Although the variations relating to the exact number and spacing of cleats is quite broad, the number of cleats is matched to the rail-board configuration of the fence being installed. Thus, a three-rail-board fence would be installed with a three-cleat version of the installation tool. The examples below are matched to the three-cleat version depicted with the understanding that other variations are matched to the desired fencing construction. The location of cleats such as top cleat, middle cleat, and lower cleat may be spaced appropriately based on a desired height with respect to the post height. Although cleat location and spacing on the installation tool would commonly be measured from the bottom of the top plate, calculations may be made based on a desired distance of each rail board from the ground and such calculations using the post height and simple arithmetic is inferred by description of methods and relationships described herein.

The installation tool may be configured such that pickets may be placed along rail boards both being flush with the rail boards and the post body outer face with the plane of contact of the pickets to those members being the picket plane. The operation of the installation may proceed as follows. The installation tool may be placed on the top of the winged post such that the lower surface of the top plate rests on the top of the winged post and such that the central bar is within the post body inner cavity. The positioning of the central bar within the post body inner cavity is proper when the top plate rests on the top of the post and when each cleat span member is positioned against the winged post wings. In instances where alignment is not perfect, the described points of contact may be approximate or adjacent. As depicted, the spring is tensioned holding top plate stop pin against the top bushing, which sets the location of each cleat ledge for all the cleats relative to the top of the winged post. The top plate stop pin is an example of a mechanical stop limiting the contraction between the top plate and the central bar. The top plate shaft may also be configured such that the location of the top plate stop pin may be changed. The spring is of adequate tension to allow a first rail board to be positioned, for example resting on the cleat ledge of the middle cleat. If the first rail board has been cut to length it may simply be screwed onto the adjacent winged post wing such that the first rail board is in contact with both the winged post wing and the post body rail end face. If the first rail board is too long to fit in that location, it may be placed against the post body outer face resting on the cleat ledge such that a field cut may be made, and the above-described attachment may be accomplished. The cleat ledge may have a length that accommodates one full rail board as typically oriented, or it may have a length that accommodates two full rail boards as typically oriented. The cleat ledges closest to the top plate may be placed at a height 5.5 inches below the post height allowing for the installation of 2×6 inch rail boards. In such cases, 1×4 inch rail boards may be installed by lifting the top of the rail board to the post height before fastening the rail board. The cleat ledge is bounded by the cleat lip which helps the rail boards from falling off the cleat ledge and the cleat ledge may extend past the winged post wings to allow unobstructed work when securing the rail boards to the winged post wings. The close relationship of the cut to the final secured first rail board allows for easy cutting without high levels of skill or precise measurements. Similar action may be taken to secure the other rail boards to the same wing of the winged post. If two installation tools are used, a single person may hang the rail boards resting each on the appropriate cleat ledges and securing as described above. The cut location marking shows an example of where a cut might be made when making a cut on the second rail board positioned on the cleat ledge following a procedure similar to the one described above. However, such marking may be unnecessary as the location for the cut should be obvious and aligned well enough to make a cut without measurement or marking. When all rail boards are installed using the installation tool the user may step on the release step which acts to lower each of the cleats enough that the cleats and cleat lips may pass beneath the rail boards for which they assisted in installing and the installation tool may be removed from the post.

Combinations of installation preference and fence design may dictate the location of cleats. For example, the cleat ledge of the top cleat may be positioned such that the rail boards rest on the cleat ledge in a way that aligns the top of the rail board with the top of the winged post. Alternatively, the cleat ledge of the top cleat may be positioned such that the rail boards rest on the cleat ledge slightly below the top of the winged post such that the installer raises the top rail board during fastening to align the top of the top rail board with the top of the winged post. In that case the top rail board would be raised to touch the top plate during fastening. Considering this preference, the location of the cleats as measured from the top cleat ledge of each cleat may be equally spaced or within four inches of equally spaced. In another example, the top cleat may be configured for installation such that the top of the top rail board is even with the top of the winged post allowing a cap board and one or more trim boards to be installed at the top of the fence.

The installation tool is adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of rail boards. This variety includes various heights for fences constructed in the three-rail-board configuration or the two-rail-board configuration. The varying rail board heights accommodated by the three-rail-board configuration and the two-rail-board configuration are accomplished by way of adjusting location of the cleats relative to the cleat fastener holes and fixing the position of the cleats using the cleat fasteners. The varied positioning of cleat fastener holes may be used for different styles of fencing as well. For example, different cleat fastener hole positions may be used to accommodate privacy fences and cap and trim fences. Additionally, the bar upper segment is detachable from the bar lower segment allowing the selection of alternate segments. For example, a fence installer that typically installs a particular configuration of two-rail-board fences and a particular configuration of three-rail-board fences, depending on the dimensions may have a bar upper segment that is used for both fence configurations and separate lower segments with one of the lower segments dedicated to two-rail-board fences and the other dedicated to three-rail-board fences. The replaceability of the segments and the adjustability of the cleat locations is such that numerous other combinations and adaptations may be used to suit the individual needs of a user. The bar coupler joins the upper segment and the lower segment and is attached to those components at the bar coupler fastener locations. Similarly, the handle is attached at the handle fastener locations and the bar coupler fastener locations may be in common with one or more of the handle fastener locations.

The cleat may be made of a single piece of metal but may be constructed of other materials such as plastic and need not be a single piece. The cleat may include a cleat span member which is generally parallel to the picket plane and two cleat ledge members which form the structural body of the cleat ledge. A cleat lip may be on the end of each cleat ledge to restrict the movement of rail boards resting on the cleat ledge preventing those rail boards from falling off the cleat ledge. The top plate may be connected to a top plate shaft which is configured to slide within the bar upper segment with the movement of such sliding constrained by the top bushing. A spring may be configured to hold the installation tool in the proper position for attaching each rail board to the proper location on the winged post. The spring may be attached to the top plate shaft by the spring-to-shaft pin. The spring may be attached to the central bar by the spring-to-bar pin.

The installation tool may be configured to slidably fit around and within a particular type of winged post. For example, the installation tool may be configured to fit around and within the 4.5-inch-wide winged line post produced by Master Halco of 3010 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75234 which is designed to accommodate 2×4 and 2×6 rail boards with the post body outer face on the picket plane.

The placement of pickets during fence construction may be arranged in a large variety of ways. Within those variations, an additional picket may be placed as a cover board hiding the winged post. Such a picket would be installed against the winged post wings and fastened to the rail boards either around the winged post wings or through the winged post fastener holes.

Installation tools, as described herein may have one or more of the following features. The installation tool may be configured such that the entirety of the cross-section of the winged post fits within the space encompassed by the cleat. The cleat ledge may be perpendicular to the face of the post body outer face. The cleat ledge may be perpendicular to the face of the winged post wings. The cleat ledge may be longer than the corresponding depth of the winged post as measured in the same direction as the length of the cleat ledge. The spring may be configured to hold at least 15 pounds of downward pressure on the cleat without causing a relocation of the cleat. The spring may be configured to hold at least 25 pounds of downward pressure on the cleat without causing a relocation of the cleat. The spring may be configured to hold at least 40 pounds of downward pressure on the cleat without causing a relocation of the cleat. The central bar may fit entirely within the post body inner cavity of the winged post. Most of the central bar may fit within the post body inner cavity of the winged post. The central bar may fit within the post body inner cavity of the winged post to the extent that such fitting causes the installation tool to match the vertical orientation of the winged post. The installation tool may be configured such that 30 pounds of downward force on the release step causes the cleats to disengage from the installed rail boards. The installation tool may be configured such that 50 pounds of downward force on the release step causes the cleats to disengage from the installed rail boards. The installation tool may be configured such that uninstalled rail boards may slide toward and away from the winged post wings on the cleat ledge. The installation tool may be configured such that the center of gravity of the installation tool is within the post body inner cavity. The installation tool may be configured such that the top plate rests in part on the winged post wings. The installation tool may be configured such that the cleat span members are parallel to the picket plane. The installation tool may be configured such that the cleat ledges are perpendicular to the picket plane. The installation tool may be configured such that the installation tool fills most of the post body inner cavity at the height of one of the cleat ledges.

The top plate may be characterized generally as a hanger based on its relationship to the remainder of the installation tool which hangs from that component. The hanger may also aid in the vertical alignment of the cleat ledges. Top plates, such as those depicted, may be particularly useful as hangers because they provide a flat surface which may interact with the top of the post. The handle may be characterized generally as a grip and may take a variety of forms that facilitate the convenient lifting and positioning of the installation tool.

As depicted in the embodiments showing the bar-along-post configuration, one or more guide pegs may be attached to the central bar to facilitate alignment of the installation tool with the post body inner cavity of the winged post. Insertion of the guide pegs into the post body inner cavity should align the central bar of the installation tool with the winged post. Magnets may be placed within the guide pegs such that the guide pegs temporarily but securely lodged themselves within the post body inner cavity. Further, the guide pegs may be milled or otherwise shaped to snugly fit within the post body inner cavity. In many such cases, the guide pegs would be tapered. The mechanical stop limiting the travel of the top plate relative to the central bar may take the form of a spring stop pin sliding within a spring stop slot. In such cases, the configuration of the spring stop slot may serve as a double mechanical stop. The double mechanical stop may operate such that the spring tension holds the spring stop pin against one end of the spring stop slot while the installation tool is in the contracted configuration for installation and such that the other end of the spring stop slot prevents overstretching of the spring during operation of the release step. The position of the release step relative to the central bar may be adjustable in that it may fasten at multiple locations. The adjustability of the release step may be accomplished by a release step shaft which inserts into the central bar. Release step shaft attachment holes may be used for that attachment. For example, the release step shaft attachment fasteners may be used with the higher set of release step shaft attachment holes for privacy fence rails and the lower set of release step shaft attachment holes may be used for cap and trim fences. Various features may be used to add resilience to the various components including contours, bands, lips, and other types of reinforcement. For example, the release step may have a release step shaft lip providing structural reinforcement that may also aid in operation of the release step.

Although various configurations of the installation tool may be used to install rail boards on wooden posts, the bar-along-post configuration is well suited for wooden post type installations. The guide pegs may be removable, allowing the central bar to be against or nearly against the wooden post, which in many cases is 4×4 lumber. Cleat ledge extensions may be used to extend the reach of the cleat ledges such that rail boards may be rested on the cleat ledges for as needed trimming of the rail boards and installation in a manner similar to the method described above.

The above-described embodiments have a number of independently useful individual features that have particular utility when used in combination with one another including combinations of features from embodiments described separately. There are, of course, other alternate embodiments which are obvious from the foregoing descriptions, which are intended to be included within the scope of the present application.