Adjustable oval rail sleeve

Abstract

An adjustable internally fitted oval rail sleeve, shaped into a longitudinal "C" shape, for the purpose of providing a secure, simple and aesthetic means of connecting metal oval 5 rails together, end to end, creating a continuous unbroken rail, without the need of welding. 20 25 20 09 12 11 F eb 2 02 5 2 0 2 5 2 0 0 9 1 2 1 1 F e b 2 0 2 5 1 / 3 1 / 3 1 0 1 1 0 5 1 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 7 1 0 2 1 0 5 F i g u r e 11 0 1 1 0 5 1 0 8 1 0 5 1 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 1 F i g u r e 2 20 25 20 09 12 11 F eb 2 02 5 1 1 F e b 2 0 2 5 2 0 2 5 2 0 0 9 1 2 1 0 2 1 0 5 1 0 8 1 0 5 1 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 1

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to post and rail fences. In particular, the present invention relates to the provision of a method for joining oval metal rail sections end to end to 5 create a continuous unbroken profile. Oval metal rails fixed to vertical posts are widely utilized in rural and commercial applications for the construction of fences and will be described hereinafter with reference to these applications. BACKGROUND Oval metal rails, as they are described throughout the rural and steel fabrication 10 industries are a Hollow Section profile that is in fact not a true oval in the geometric context. The cross-sectional profile is a two-dimensional shape constructed of a rectangle with semicircles at a pair of opposite sides, sometimes defined as a “stadium”, and shall be described hereinafter as oval rail. The flat sides of oval rail offer the user significant advantages over a square or rectangle profile. 15 One beneficial feature is it has no tight radius edges that would otherwise generate high point loads on other objects encountering it, the benefit being that this minimizes bruising and crush injuries in animals that come in contact with the rails. A further feature is the rectangular portion of the profile in conjunction with the semicircular ends offers greater multidirectional strength than squares or rectangle 20 profiles of similar weight per lineal metre, the benefit here being its more economical for the user. The oval profile also increases the overall height when the flat sections are in the vertical plane, so that it offers a greater visual and physical barrier than a rectangle or square of the same weight and wall thickness. When fixed with a circular section at the top, it also allows water and debris to be shed rather than resting on the surface as 25 would occur with a flat toped section, the benefit here being cleaner appearance and less corrosion. For these reasons oval rail is chosen when building fences in areas that require enhanced appearance, and often small sections of oval rail fence will be constructed at gate entries, near residences and high traffic areas. The absence of sharp edges also 2025200912   11 Feb 2025 makes it attractive for restraint of high value animals, in particular horses, stud cattle and boutique livestock. The product is used extensively. Any innovations that improve the ease of installation, appearance of the finished project and eliminate the need to hire costly subcontractors 5 or equipment is highly desirable and of public benefit. Post and rail fences are constructed in three main ways.. Method 1: Rails are attached between posts and are terminated at either side of the post. Method 2: A continuous rail passes through holes in the posts. Method 3: A continuous rail passes across the face of the post and is fixed against the face of the post by brackets or welding 10 Both Method 2 and 3 require a continuous rail to be formed. When forming this, shorter sections of rail must be connected by welding or by means of joining brackets. Welding is used where the equipment and skills are available, but it is slower, more timeconsuming and dangerous in hot weather. Brackets are preferable and more commonly utilized. At present there are two known internally fitted brackets in commercial use that 15 allow the rails to be joined end to end. The existing brackets and their shortcomings will be briefly described. Both brackets consist of a rigid oval hollow sleeve that formed to the shape of the oval rail. The outer dimensions of the oval sleeve are sufficiently smaller than the rail’s internal dimensions, such as to allow it to be inserted into the hollow section of the rail, thus supporting it 20 internally. Bracket type 1 is characterized by a rib, formed midway along its length, parallel to the ends, protruding from the surface of the sleeve, forming a raised shoulder. This internal bracket, when inserted between two open ended sections of oval rail, supports either end of the rail. The rail sections pass over the sleeve from either end, coming to rest 25 against the shoulder, formed by the protruding ribbed section in center of the bracket. This rib prevents the bracket from being inserted into either rail beyond the halfway point, ensuring an equal portion is inserted into either rail. Bracket type 2 is simply a consistent shaped rigid oval sleeve without the raised rib. As is the case with the previous internal bracket, this sleeve, when inserted between two 2025200912   11 Feb 2025 4 open ended sections of oval rail, supports and aligns either end of the rail, as they are brought together around the sleeve. There are several overriding considerations for an effective connection between the oval rails and the posts in order to be fit for purpose. The connection must be sufficiently strong to resist damage and restrain livestock. It must also be rigid so as to not rattle or move when put in contact with moving objects. It must also be as visually attractive as possible. To achieve the best outcome, the clearance between the inner sleeve and the outer oval rail must be minimal, even small clearances allow for movement and misalignment between the sleeve and the two adjoining rails. This is visually unattractive and structurally unsound. A limitation of both these existing brackets is that in order to be inserted within the rail, the outer diameter of the bracket must be significantly smaller to allow clearance for variations in the wall thickness, internal dimensions, coating thickness and size of the welded internal seam of the rail. Cattle rail is manufactured from rectangular flat sheets, rolled into a longitudinal flat sided oval shape. At the point where the two longitudinal edges meet as they are formed into an oval, the edges are welded together to form a hollow section. The welded join is located on a flat side of the oval rail, midway from either rounded end. This continuous bead of welded material protrudes from the internal surface of the rail wall, creating a seam, normally between 0.5mm to 2 mm in height and width. This seam along with the other dimensional variations afore mentioned, necessitates a clearance between the sleeve and rail to such a degree that the resultant clearance allows movement and misalignment, and subsequent poor outcomes in the establishment of a secure and aesthetically pleasing joint between rails sections. When the existing forms of joiners are manufactured to a close tolerance, to eliminate movement, they become so tight they interfere with the seam and other dimensional imperfections, and due to the rigidity of their construction, can’t be inserted without damage to the rail and the sleeve. Because they are formed from an entire rigid oval sleeve, they resist deformation when compressed on their outer edges. When sufficient force is exerted to make the sleeve 2025200912   11 Feb 2025 conform to the rail, the sleeve collapses and deforms, undergoing a non-reversable change in shape. The object of the present invention is to ameliorate this limitation. The two existing brackets in their present form are unable to address this limitation. The 5 present invention ameliorates this by means of a flexible longitudinal sleeve created from a “C” shaped profile. The open portion in the “C” shaped profile provides clearance allowing the remaining portion of the sleeve to compress without excessive pressure, whilst maintaining its shape memory. This in turn makes a closer tolerance between the sleeve and the rail surfaces achievable, as the sleeve, when brought into contact with 10 the inside surface of the rail, can conform to the shape without taking the sleeve past its yield point. The open portion in the side of oval “C” shaped sleeve also aligns with the raised internal seam of the rail allowing this raised bead of metal to pass within the open or missing section of the sleeve, rather than encountering interference with the surface as is the case with a complete oval shaped sleeve. 15 The result is a superior method of connecting rails, where rails are held in position by an internal sleeve that is under constant tension against the surface of the rails creating a more rigid, and more closely aligned connection. The result of the current invention is to make this, heretofore unavailable but superior method of connecting oval rail, end to end, more affordable and accessible to the public 20 by means of a simplistic design with a low cost of manufacture. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a means of connecting oval metal rails, end to end, by means of an adjustable internal sleeve. 25 The sleeve is placed between two sections of rail and inserted into the open ends of the oval rail. The two opposing sections of rail are brought together over the sleeve, fully enclosing the sleeve. The presence of the sleeve within the rails aligns the two ends and supports them in position, creating a continuous rail from the two separate sections. 2025200912   11 Feb 2025 The sleeve is formed from a single rectangular piece of flat steel sheet. The flat sheet is then fashioned into a longitudinal “C” shaped profile, conforming in shape to the flat sided oval rail described earlier. The longitudinal “C” shaped sleeve’s outer dimensions are designed to provide a press 5 fit clearance between the inside of the rail’s sections and the sleeve’s outer surface. When dimensional imperfections are present, the sleeve will adjust to conform to the internal surface of the rail, being able to compress in size due to the open sided profile, rather than a continuous rigid sleeve that will not allow compression without permanent deformation. 10 The level of rigidity of the material from which the sleeve is constructed is critical to the function of the invention. This sleeve’s rigidity level and shape memory properties are largely influenced by the material thickness and tensile strength chosen for the manufacture of the sleeve. To achieve the desired outcome, the sheet selected must be of sufficient strength to resist non-reversible deformation when forced into the cavity 15 of the oval rail, but not so inflexible to require excessive force to compress the sleeve, being able to compress 1-3 mm in circumference without damage. With the sleeve inserted into the rail being under compression, this allows the sleeve to maintain constant tension against the inside of the two separate rail sections, keeping them firmly positioned and aligned in a way that can not be achieved with a rigid inflexible shape. 20 All existing internal joiners are made using rigid inflexible sleeves which must be manufactured with sufficient clearances to avoid interference with internal imperfections and weld seams. The resultant gap created by this clearance allows rail sections to misalign and move. A further unique advantage of the “C” shaped profile of the present invention is the 25 elimination of interference with the rail’s internal welded seam. By ensuring the raised internal weld seam of the rail aligns with the open portion in the side of oval “C” shaped sleeve, this raised bead of metal can pass within the open or missing section of the sleeve, rather than encountering interference with the surface as is the case with a complete oval shaped sleeve. 2025200912   11 Feb 2025 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of an example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 5 Figure 1 shows an orthographic end on view of the Adjustable Oval Rail Sleeve according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows an isometric view including hidden detail of the Adjustable Oval Rail Sleeve according to an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows an isometric view of the Adjustable Oval Rail Sleeve partially inserted 10 into oval rail on either end, showing the sleeve’s orientation within the oval rail when being used in the application of joining oval rails according to an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1-2 Figure 4 shows an isometric view of the Adjustable Oval Rail Sleeve fully inserted into oval rail on either end, one section of rail cut away to reveal the sleeve’s orientation 15 within the oval rail when being used in the application of joining oval rails according to an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1-3 Figure 5 shows an orthographic end on view of an Adjustable Oval Rail Sleeve showing the sleeve’s orientation within the oval rail when being used in the application of joining oval rails according to an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1-4 20 2025200912   11 Feb 2025 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention, hereafter referred to as a “Adjustable Oval Rail Sleeve” is formed from a single flat sheet fashioned into a longitudinal “C” shaped profile. The “C” shaped profile embodied in Figure 1, viewed end on, shows the oval shape of the sleeve, characterized by a flat face, Section 100,forming the back of the “C”, a corresponding radiused portion at either end, Sections 101, form the top and bottom portions of the “C”, and two corresponding flat portions designated as Section 105, form the front portions of the “C”, terminating to form an edge, Section 102 short of the center, providing the opening or gap in the “C”. The front and back portions of the “C” are parallel to each other, forming a flattened “C” shape rather than a rounded “C”. The entire sleeve is a consistent thickness, shown in Section 107. Figure 2 shows these two shorter flat faces, Section 105, terminate either side of center, along a line designated as Section 102, creating a parallel sided opening, Section 108. This opening extends the entire length of the front face of the sleeve, see Figure 2. This opening allows the two edges, Section 102, to move, either reducing or increasing the opening, Section 108, as required, and thus allowing the overall circumference to adjust to conform exactly to the internal dimensions on the oval rail. Without this clearance, the sleeve would resist movement, being forced to buckle or crush when under pressure, this being the case with all present forms of the invention, rather than flex and move without damage, as is possible with this design. This ability to adjust in dimensions greatly improves the performance and the application of the invention. Because oval rail is commercially available in varying wall thicknesses, and even when manufactured within standard tolerances the internal dimensions can vary, having a joiner that can adapt to variations of 2-3mm while still providing a close tolerance fit is a significant benefit to the user. Figures 3,4 and 5 show the sleeve in use. The sleeve conforms to the internal dimensions and profile of the rail when inserted between the open ends of the two sections of rail, 103-104 in Figure 3 and 4. In Figure 3 the two rail sections are shown 2025200912   11 Feb 2025 with the sleeve partially inserted. In this embodiment, a key feature of the invention is shown. The internal welded seam, Figure 4, Section 106, present on the underside of the upper face of the oval rails, Section 103 and 104, is accommodated within the open section of the “C” shaped sleeve. Because the two top faces of the sleeve, Sections 5 105, terminate some distance short of the center, the resultant opening ensures the seam does not interfere with the face of the sleeve as the sleeve is inserted within the rail. This seam, which if not accommodated, would otherwise prevent the tight-fitting sleeve from entering the rail. Figure 4 shows the sleeve fully inserted between the two rails, Section 103-104, and as 10 a result of the tight tolerance between the inside of the rail and the outside face of the sleeve, the two pieces being perfectly aligned. Figure 4 reveals by means of a cut away portion of the rail Section 103, a view of the same welded seam, Section 106, and how the flat upper portion of the sleeve, Section 105, terminating short of the seam, ensures no interference. 15 Figure 5 provides clarity, showing the oval rail, Section 104, and the inserted sleeve conforming to the internal dimensions of the rail. The two opposing edges of the open section of the sleeve, Section 102, can move towards each other, reducing the opening, Section 108, until the sleeve is sufficiently compressed to pass inside the oval rail. This end on view also shows the welded seam, Section 106, resting well clear of the sleeve, 20 within the opening, Section 108. The sleeve creates tension on the inside of the rail, sufficient to secure the rails together in alignment and with rigidity, while still being flexible enough to allow the sleeve to conform to the rails internal dimensions.

Claims

1. A internally fitted adjustable oval rail sleeve connector bracket comprising of a single flat sheet, molded to create a longitudinal “C” shaped sleeve with an open side, for the purpose of connecting oval rail sections, end to end.5 2. An internally fitted adjustable oval rail sleeve connector bracket according to claim 1, further characterized in that when the sleeve is inserted into oval rails for the purpose of connecting the rails, the open portion in the side of the sleeve allows the raised welded internal seam of the rail to rest within area created by the opening, eliminating interference with the surface of the sleeve.10 3. An internally fitted adjustable oval rail sleeve connector bracket according to claim 1-2, further characterized in that the sleeve, which when being inserted between the open ends of a pair of oval rails, (by means of the movement that the sleeve’s open sided “C” shape provides), conforms to varying internal dimensions of the rails whilst also maintaining its shape memory and structural integrity, creating tension between rail15 and sleeve surfaces, maintaining alignment and rigidity of the rail connection.20

Images