Device for assembling and disassembling a fence

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for erecting and dismantling a fence consisting of a plurality of posts (4) and at least one fence wire, wherein the device can be attached to an all-terrain vehicle (1) and comprises the following: - a reel carrier (2) for receiving at least one reel (6) onto which the fence wire (20) can be wound, - at least one guide means (13) to guide the fence wire (20) from a receiving element (22) for the wire (20) on a fence post (4) to the reel (6), wherein the guide means (13) is arranged at a height at which a tensile force pulls the fence wire (20) out of the receiving element (22) when the guide means (13) is moved past the fence post (4). In order to easily increase the reliability of releasing the fence strands from the receiving elements of the fence posts when dismantling the fence, a support device (12) with at least one ground wheel (15) that rolls on the ground during the movement of the all-terrain vehicle (1) is proposed, to which the at least one guide means (13) is attached at a predetermined height above the ground wheel (15), wherein a fastening device (14) is arranged on the all-terrain vehicle (1) to which the support device (12) is attached in a height-displaceable manner.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a device for erecting and dismantling a fence using an all-terrain vehicle, according to the preamble of claim 1. A fence, in particular, refers to an electric fence with several fence posts driven into the ground, to which several insulators are attached one above the other as receiving elements for fence wires. The fence posts are made, for example, of metal or plastic, in particular glass fiber reinforced plastic, also called fiberglass. Receiving elements, also referred to as insulators, for fence wires are arranged on the fence posts. The fence wires are energized by an electric fence energizer with high-voltage pulses. State of the art

[0002] Several devices are known that facilitate the assembly and disassembly of electric fences and are mounted on all-terrain vehicles. For example, AU 1988 019 237 A1 discloses a device for the automatic assembly of a fence, arranged on the loading platform of a vehicle designated as an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), in which a crane arm pushes in the fence posts. One embodiment of the invention is directed towards electric fences with flexible fence posts, which are mounted on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a quad bike. Three-wheeled all-terrain vehicles for moving fence assembly devices are also known. Furthermore, these devices are also mounted on tractors or trailers. EP 3 633 122 B1 shows a towing vehicle with such a device, to which a carrier for guide rings for the fence wires is rigidly attached.GB 2 048 200 A shows a winding and unwinding device for electric wire with a ground wheel and several wire reels coupled to the ground wheel via a slip clutch. Fencing devices mounted on an ATV are known from publications GB 2218687 A and GB 2403709 A.

[0003] Finally, WO 98 / 48135 A1 discloses a generic device mounted on a quad bike or four-wheeled ATV, to which guides for the fence wires are attached. These guides are designed as so-called pigtail loops. A pigtail loop consists of a coil of a rigid rod, the beginning and end of which are axially separated, allowing a wire running transversely to the radial plane of the loop to be threaded into the loop without having to pass the end of the wire axially through the loop. When erecting the fence, a number of fence posts, spaced at fixed intervals (e.g., 10 meters), are driven into the ground. At predetermined heights, these posts are fitted with insulators for the fence wires. These insulators provide electrical insulation for the fence wires from the fence post and the ground.When dismantling the fence, the ATV drives past a fence post with mounting brackets at specific heights where the fence wire is attached. A pulling force is applied to the wire, pulling it out of the bracket and detaching it from the post. The post can then be pulled out of the ground. This method allows for quick and easy dismantling of pasture fences.

[0004] It has turned out that the fence wires do not always reliably detach from the receiving elements of the fence posts. Summary of the invention

[0005] It is desirable to increase the reliability of releasing the fence strands from the receiving elements of the fence posts in a simple way.

[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1.

[0007] A device for erecting and dismantling a temporary fence is proposed, consisting of a plurality of posts and at least one wire of fencing. The device can be mounted on an all-terrain vehicle and, in a known manner, comprises the following: - a reel carrier for holding at least one reel onto which the fence wire can be wound, - at least one guiding means to guide the fence wire from a receiving element for the wire on a fence post to the reel, wherein the guiding means is arranged at a height at which a tensile force pulls the fence wire out of the receiving element when the guiding means is moved past the fence post.

[0008] The increased reliability of releasing the fence wires is achieved by a support device with at least one wheel that rolls on the ground while the off-road vehicle is driving, to which at least one guide means is attached at a predetermined height above the wheel, wherein a fastening device is arranged on the off-road vehicle to which the support device is vertically adjustable.

[0009] The device proposed in WO 98 / 48135 A1 is fundamentally very useful. The receiving elements for the fence wire, which, as explained above, are also called insulators, have a first finger projecting downwards and a second finger projecting upwards. The fingers are parallel to each other and spaced approximately the same distance apart as the thickness of the fence wire, allowing the wire to be threaded in and out between them, similar to a pigtail loop. To release the wire, it is held slightly below the insulator. This ensures that when a pulling force is applied, the wire is pulled past the downward-projecting finger. As the pulling force is increased, the fence post tilts. In the temporary fences described, the fence post is very light and anchored in the ground using only a simple insertion device.When a large lateral pulling force is applied to the fence wire, the fence post tilts in the direction of the force, and the insulator is pulled out of the ground. This causes the fingers of the insulators / receiving elements to tilt, allowing the fence wire to slide up the downward-pointing finger and detach from the insulator. Problems arise if the guides on the off-road vehicle, which determine the height of the fence wire relative to the insulator, are incorrectly positioned. In particular, if the guide is too high, it becomes impossible to guide the fence wire past the downward-pointing finger of the insulator and detach it. When the fence is automatically dismantled by the device mounted on an off-road vehicle, the vehicle must then be stopped, and the fence wire manually detached from the insulator.The height of the guide rail relative to the fence post insulator changes due to uneven terrain. As the off-road vehicle passes the fence post, the post is located at a considerable distance (1–1.5 m from the center of the vehicle). If the vehicle is tilted due to uneven ground, the guide rail's support structure is raised or lowered relative to the fence post. This can disrupt the release of the fence wires from the insulators as the vehicle passes, thus delaying the fence dismantling process.

[0010] According to the invention, a support device is proposed which is not rigidly attached to the off-road vehicle, but is located laterally to the off-road vehicle, has freedom of movement in the vertical direction, and has a ground wheel that rolls on the ground. The ground wheel can be rolled past the fence posts at a very close distance when dismantling the fence.

[0011] The guide for the fence wire is positioned at a specific height above the ground wheel. This height is chosen to ensure optimal release of the fence wire from the insulator on the fence post. The support device is mounted on the off-road vehicle so that its height is adjustable. This ensures that the guide is always at the required height relative to the insulator on the fence post, guaranteeing reliable release of the fence wire, even if the off-road vehicle is tilted due to uneven ground. In practice, as in the prior art, several insulators are arranged on the fence post, each holding a single wire. Accordingly, the support device can incorporate multiple guides, each positioned at a predetermined height above the ground wheel to ensure the release of the fence wire from its assigned guide.

[0012] In practice, the mounting device can be attached to the reel carrier. While it is also possible to attach the mounting device for the support structure directly to the off-road vehicle, the assembly effort can be reduced by attaching the mounting device to the reel carrier itself, which houses the reels for the fence wire and includes a winding mechanism for the reels. In this way, when the reel carrier is mounted, the mounting device, along with the support structure for the guide elements, is also attached to the off-road vehicle.

[0013] In a practical embodiment, the fastening device can be selected from the following: - a linear guide; - at least one swivel arm.

[0014] Various linear guide elements are known that allow for the sliding attachment of two components to one another. In the present case, such a linear guide can be mounted vertically on the off-road vehicle, so that the support device attached to the sliding part of the linear guide can be moved vertically relative to the off-road vehicle. Naturally, the direction of movement does not have to be exactly vertical, but can have a certain inclination to the vertical direction.

[0015] Alternatively, the mounting device can consist of one or two swivel arms, which are pivotally attached to the vehicle in a parallelogram-like fashion. If only one swivel arm is used, to which the mounting device is rigidly attached, the mounting device will tilt slightly when its height changes relative to the off-road vehicle. However, this tilt is so minimal that the reliable guidance of the fence wire at the correct height is still guaranteed.

[0016] If, on the other hand, the support device is equipped with two parallel pivot arms that extend essentially horizontally and whose first end is pivotably attached to the vehicle and whose second end is pivotably attached to the support device, then the support device retains its essentially vertical orientation even when its height relative to the vehicle changes.

[0017] Other fastening devices that allow the support device to be adjusted vertically on the off-road vehicle are known to those skilled in the art. In the simplest case, the support device can be designed as a rod with the ground wheel attached to its lower end, and the fastening device is a guide sleeve whose inner contour corresponds to the outer contour of the rod. The rod is inserted into the vertically oriented sleeve and held slidably within it.

[0018] In a practical embodiment, the multiple guide elements can be offset from one another from top to bottom in the direction of travel of the off-road vehicle. For example, the uppermost guide element can be positioned at the front in the direction of travel. The next guide element is located a few centimeters behind the uppermost guide element in the direction of travel. The following guide element is offset even further back. Such an offset of the guide elements for the fence strands in the direction of travel means that the fence strands are not all released from the insulators / receiving elements of a fence post at the same time. Such a sudden release of all fence strands simultaneously can lead to uncontrolled movements of the fence post, which complicates the dismantling process of the electric fence.Because all the strands detach from the insulators at different times, less force is exerted and the risk of a fence post coming uncontrollably out of the ground is reduced.

[0019] In a practical embodiment, the carrying device can be locked onto the off-road vehicle in a raised position and / or in a laterally swiveled position.

[0020] By raising the support device, the ground wheel is lifted off the ground. By pivoting the support device towards the vehicle or into the area of ​​the reel carrier, the support device is positioned so that it does not protrude significantly beyond the contours of the off-road vehicle. It is advantageous to permanently prevent both the ground wheel of the support device from contacting the ground and the support device from protruding beyond the contours of the off-road vehicle when the off-road vehicle is not being used to dismantle an electric fence. This is the case, for example, during the setup of the electric fence or when the vehicle is driven towards or away from the fence.

[0021] In practice, at least one deflection device can be arranged between the guide and the reel carrier. Deflection devices on the device described here ensure that the fence strands are guided safely and without the risk of malfunctions when the reels are wound up or unwound.

[0022] In practice, the device can have at least one threading guide attached to the off-road vehicle. The guide for releasing the fence wire from the insulator of the fence post is located laterally, outside the vehicle's outline, on the support bracket that protrudes from the ground with the wheel on the ground, so that it can be guided as close as possible to the fence post. This is optimal for dismantling an electric fence. However, for erecting the fence, the guide is located too far outside the vehicle's outline and too close to the ground to allow for quick threading of the fence wire into the receiving element (the insulator) of a new fence post that is to be driven into the ground. For this reason, the device described here can have several threading guides for the fence erection process, which guide the fence wires close to the driver of the off-road vehicle.These threading guides allow the operator to manually thread the fence wire into the insulator of the fence post and then push the post into the ground. In a practical design, multiple threading guides can be provided, guiding the majority of the fence wires at a predetermined distance from one another. The spacing between the wires is chosen so that the majority can be easily threaded manually into the majority of the insulators (insulators) on a single fence post. For this purpose, the distance between the threading guides can essentially correspond to the distance between the insulators on the fence post. The distance can also be slightly smaller. By tilting the fence post relative to the direction of the wires, it is possible to thread the majority of the fence wires into the majority of the insulators simultaneously.

[0023] A support arm is preferably arranged on the device for the threading guides or the majority of the threading guides. This support arm can have at least one of the following features: - it can be attached to the off-road vehicle; - it is attached to the reel carrier; - it is attached to the side of the off-road vehicle opposite the carrying device; - it is swivel-mounted and can be locked in at least two swivel positions.

[0024] Like the support bracket for the guide, the support arm for the threading guide can be attached directly to the off-road vehicle. However, in practice, assembly time is saved if the support arm is attached to the reel carrier and mounted to the off-road vehicle together with the reel carrier.

[0025] In practice, the support arm can be attached to the side of the off-road vehicle opposite the support device. This allows the vehicle to move in a first direction when erecting the fence, with the fence being erected on the side of the vehicle with the support arm. When dismantling the fence, the off-road vehicle drives past the fence in the opposite direction, with the fence on the side of the vehicle with the support device for the guides. It is of secondary importance whether the support arm with the threading guides is on the right or left, and whether the support device is on the left or right. The support arm and support device can also be attached to the reel frame with detachable fasteners, such as screws or clamps, allowing the user to freely choose the optimal positioning of the support arm and support device for erecting and dismantling the fence.

[0026] The support arm can also be pivotable and locked in at least two pivot positions, so that it can be moved into a first pivot position during fence assembly and into a second pivot position for other tasks, in which it does not disturb or obstruct the driver of the off-road vehicle. The support arm can also be locked in various pivot positions, allowing its position to be adjusted depending on the driver's size or preference.

[0027] In practice, the guide and / or the deflection device and / or the threading guide can be designed as a pigtail eyelet. Such arrangements have proven effective and are particularly suitable for long fence wires that cannot be pushed through eyelet-shaped guides at one end. Brief description of the drawings

[0028] Further practical embodiments and advantages of the invention are described below in connection with the drawings. Fig. Figure 1 shows the front view of an off-road vehicle with the device described here. Fig. Figure 2 shows the side view of the off-road vehicle. Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 3 shows a rear view of the support device described here during the dismantling of a pasture fence. Fig. 4 shows one of the Fig. 3. Corresponding illustration, where the fence wires have already detached from the next fence post. Fig. Figure 5 shows a view in the direction of travel of the off-road vehicle, showing the winding device for the reels and the threading guides. Description of the embodiments

[0029] The one in Fig. The device shown in 1 essentially corresponds to the device described in WO 98 / 48135 A1. A reel carrier 2 is mounted on an all-terrain vehicle 1, which is also referred to as a quad bike in German-speaking countries and as an ATV internationally. A number of the elements of the device for erecting and dismantling a temporary fence are attached to this reel carrier. In the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows that the reel carrier essentially consists of a horizontal tubular space frame that extends across the entire width of the off-road vehicle 1 and approximately the front third of its length. Additionally, in Fig. 2. It can be seen that an open-topped transport box 3 is attached to the rear of the off-road vehicle 1. The transport box 3 can hold materials such as fence posts 4, which are transported during the assembly and disassembly of the temporary fence.

[0030] On the reel carrier 2 is a vertical reel bar 5, on which four reels 6 are stored with fence wire. A winding device 7 is also visible, which has five rotating platforms 9 arranged one above the other on a common shaft 8. An electric motor 10 drives the rotation of the shaft 8 with the rotating platforms 9 mounted on it. One reel 6 can be placed on each rotating platform 9. When the fence is dismantled, the shaft 8 is set in rotation so that fence wire 20 is continuously wound onto the reels 6 on the rotating platforms 9. The rotational speed of the rotating platforms 9 can be set faster than the winding speed of the fence wire 20. The underside of the reel 6 resting on the rotating platform 9 can slide relative to the platform 9. If the tension in the fence wire 20 being wound becomes too high, the reel 6 is braked and rotates at a lower speed than the rotating platform 9.For this purpose, a friction lining can be provided on the underside of the reel 6. Furthermore, pressure plates 11 are included. Fig. Figure 1 shows the mechanism by which the reel 6 can be pressed onto the respective turntable 9. The exact operation of this drive for the reels 6 is described in WO 98 / 48135 A1.

[0031] On the opposite side of the all-terrain vehicle 1, a vertically oriented rod can be seen, which forms a support device 12 for guide elements 13 for the fence wire 20. The rod-shaped support device 12 is attached to the reel carrier 2 via a linear guide 14, allowing for vertical movement. A ground wheel 15 is arranged at the lower end of the support device 12, which rests on the ground during the dismantling of the electric fence. During operation, the ground wheel 15 is located near the front wheel 16 of the all-terrain vehicle 1. As explained above, other fastening means besides a linear guide 14 can be provided for the support device 12, such as a pivot arm articulated to the all-terrain vehicle or a parallelogram of pivot arms whose ends are articulated to both the all-terrain vehicle 1 and the rod-shaped support device 12.

[0032] Each of the guiding elements 13 for a fence wire 20 is designed as a so-called pigtail loop, into which a wire or strand lying essentially in a radial plane of the loop can be threaded. If the wire 20 extends axially through the loop, it is securely guided.

[0033] Furthermore, a deflection rod 17 is arranged on the reel carrier 2, to which pigtail eyelets are also attached, forming deflection means 18. In particular Fig. Figure 2 shows that six deflection elements 18 are provided, one more than the guide elements 13 on the support device 12. Depending on the fence design, the number of fence strands 20 can vary, and additional guide elements 13 can be attached to the support device 12. Likewise, the number of turntables 9 mounted on the winding device 7, and thus the number of reels 6 for the fence strands 20, is also variable. The deflection elements 18 are arranged such that each is located essentially at the same height as a turntable 9. A fence strand 20 running from a deflection element 18 to a reel 6 is thus reliably wound onto the reel 6, which is driven by the turntable 9.

[0034] When dismantling an erected pasture fence, each fence strand 20 of the pasture fence is guided through the guide element 13 corresponding to its height and then through the corresponding deflection element 18, from where the strand is led essentially horizontally to the reel located at the same height.

[0035] Behind the support device 12 with the guide means 13 is a fork-shaped extension device 19, the function of which in conjunction with the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 is described.

[0036] As in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 3, when dismantling a temporary electric fence, the fence strands 20 are first guided through the guides 13 on the support device 12 and then through the deflectors 18. From there, the fence strands 20 run horizontally to the reels 6 on the turntables 9 (in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 not shown).

[0037] Since the rod-shaped support device 12 is located laterally outside the body of the off-road vehicle 1 on the right side, it can be guided close to the fence posts 4. In Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 4 shows the right handlebar grip 23, which allows for precise control of the all-terrain vehicle 1. The height at which the mounting elements 22 are attached to the fence posts 4 is predetermined. Each mounting element 22 is associated with a guide element 13 on the support device 12. The guide element 13 is located slightly lower than the associated mounting element 22 (also called an insulator). When the all-terrain vehicle 1 approaches a fence post 4 during the dismantling of the electric fence, as for example in Fig. 3 and Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the guide elements 13 are always guided at precisely the correct height to the fence post 4 because the ground wheel 15 rolls on the ground close to the fence post 4. The electric motor 10, which drives the shaft 8 with the turntables 9 and thereby the reels 6 resting on the turntables 9, generates a tensile tension in the fence wires 20. This tensile tension tilts the fence post 4, as shown in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 to recognize. In the Fig. 3. The fence strands 20 are still in the receiving elements 22 of the fence post 4. In the Fig. Due to the inclination of the fence post 4, the fence wires 20 were detached from the receiving elements 22. As the off-road vehicle 1 continued its journey, the fence post 4 was gripped between the two prongs of the forked extraction device 19. The two prongs of the forked extraction device 19 widen in a funnel shape towards the front in the direction of travel. The distance between the two prongs of the forked extraction device 19 is chosen in the rear area near their attachment point so that it corresponds approximately to the thickness of the fence post 4 but is less than the thickness of the insulators or receiving elements 22. As the off-road vehicle 1 continued its journey, the fence post 4 was pulled out of the ground by the forked extraction device 19.The extension device 19 is mounted at a height that allows the driver of the off-road vehicle 1 to grasp the extended fence post 4, pull it out of the fork-shaped extension device 19 and place it in the transport box 3 at the rear of the off-road vehicle 1.

[0038] This process can be carried out at a continuous driving speed of between 5 and 10 km / h, so that an electric fence can be dismantled at very high speed.

[0039] The Fig. Figure 5 shows the setup of an electric fence. The left handlebar grip 24 on the off-road vehicle 1 is visible. The winding device 7 with the turntables 9 is also shown. Five reels 6 are placed on the turntables 9, from which fence wire 20 is pulled. For clarity, not all reels 6 and wires 20 are labeled.

[0040] In Fig.Figure 5 also shows a support arm 25 designed as a thin rod, which is pivotably attached to a vertical strut 26 of the reel carrier 2. Threading guides 27 are attached to the support arm 25 at regular intervals. The threading guides 27 also consist of pigtail eyelets.

[0041] During fence assembly, the reels 6 are not driven, as fence wire 20 is pulled from them. The end of the fence wire 20 is anchored near the first fence post (not shown). The all-terrain vehicle 1 then travels along the route where the fence is being erected. During this process, the fence wire 20 is pulled from the reels 6. The required tension in the fence wire 20 is achieved by adjusting the pressure of the pushers 11 on the reels 6. The fence strands 20 are pulled by the reels 6 through the threading guides 27 and run under tension essentially equidistant near the left handlebar grip 24 of the off-road vehicle 1. After traveling a distance of 10m, the driver of the off-road vehicle can stop it, thread the fence strands 20, which run in the immediate vicinity of his left hand, into the insulators (receiving elements 22) of a fence post 4 and insert the fence post into the ground.Since the fence strands 20 run essentially equidistantly at a distance that must not be greater than the distance between two insulators on the fence post 4, a skilled worker can insert all the fence strands 20 into the insulators of a fence post 4 simultaneously with a single hand movement.

[0042] The features of the invention disclosed in this description, in the drawings, and in the claims can be essential for realizing the invention in its various embodiments, both individually and in any combination. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. It can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the person skilled in the art. List of reference symbols 1 Off-road vehicle, quad, ATV 2 reel carriers, tubular frame 3 Material boxes 4 fence posts 5 reel pole 6 reels 7 Winding device 8 wave 9 turntables 10 Electric motor 11 push buttons 12 Support device, rod 13 Management tools 14 Linear guide 15 Ground wheel 16 front wheel 17 Deflection rod 18 Deflection devices 19 fork-shaped extraction device 20 fence strands 21. Pasture fence, temporary fence 22 Recording element 23 right handle 24 left handle 25 support arm 26 vertical strut 27 Threading guide

Claims

[1] Device for erecting and dismantling a fence consisting of a plurality of posts (4) and at least one fence strand, the device being attachable to an off-road vehicle (1) and comprising: - a reel support (2) for receiving at least one reel (6) onto which the fence strand (20) can be wound, - at least one guide means (13) for guiding the fence strand (20) from a receiving element (22) for the strand (20) on a fence post (4) to the reel (6), wherein the guide means (13) is arranged at a height at which a tensile force pulls the fence strand (20) out of the receiving element (22) when the guide means (13) is moved past the fence post (4), characterized bya support device (12) with at least one ground wheel (15) rolling on the ground while the off-road vehicle (1) is traveling, to which the at least one guide means (13) is fastened at a predetermined height above the ground wheel (15), wherein a fastening device (14) is arranged on the off-road vehicle (1), to which the support device (12) is fastened so as to be vertically displaceable. [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized by that the fastening device (14) is fastened to the reel carrier (2). [3] Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the fastening device is selected from the following: - a linear guide (14); - at least one swivel arm. [4] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a plurality of guide means (13) arranged one above the other are each fastened to the support device (12) at a predetermined height above the ground wheel (15). [5] Device according to claim 4, characterized by that the guide means (13) are offset from one another from top to bottom in the direction of travel of the off-road vehicle (1). [6] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the carrying device (12) can be locked in the raised position and / or in the laterally pivoted position on the off-road vehicle (1). [7] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one deflection means (18) is arranged between the guide means (13) and the reel carrier (2). [8] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it has at least one threading guide (27) which is fastened to the off-road vehicle (1). [9] Device according to claim 8, characterized by that the threading guide (27) is attached to a support arm (25). [10] Device according to claim 9, characterized bythat the support arm (25) has at least one of the following features: - it can be attached to the off-road vehicle (1); - it is attached to the reel support (2); - it is attached to the side of the off-road vehicle (1) opposite the support device (12); - it can be pivoted and locked in at least two pivoting positions. [11] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the guide means (13) and / or the deflection means (18) and / or the threading guide (27) is designed as a pigtail eyelet.

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