Removable Picket Fence Rail Assembly for High-Wind Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing picket fences are difficult to disassemble without damage during high winds, such as hurricanes, cyclones, or tornados, due to their large surface area, leading to potential destruction.
Innovation Solution
A fence segment improvement featuring a top rail with a downward projection and a locking rail that can be easily detached from the top rail using mechanical fasteners, allowing pickets to be removed and stored during high winds, and reattached when winds subside, without modifying vertical posts or pickets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the fence is strengthened to resist higher wind forces, then the fence's wind resistance is improved, but the fence becomes more difficult to disassemble and the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fence is divided into modular segments with standardized components (posts, rails, pickets, brackets) that can be independently assembled and disassembled. The top rail and bottom rail are separate components that connect to vertical posts via brackets, allowing the fence to be segmented into removable sections for easy disassembly while maintaining structural integrity when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The fence transitions from a static, permanently fixed structure to a dynamic, reconfigurable system. The mechanical connection system (brackets, screws, lag bolts) enables the fence to be easily assembled and disassembled on demand, allowing it to adapt its configuration based on weather conditions - fully assembled during calm periods and easily disassembled before high-wind events.
2Strength
If the fence is designed to reduce drag in situ, then the wind resistance is improved, but the structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fence uses standardized, pre-fabricated components (posts, rails, pickets, brackets) that can be manufactured independently using simple processes. These modular segments are designed with uniform dimensions and connection points, allowing for straightforward manufacturing and assembly without complex custom fabrication for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The fence design allows for parameter adjustments in rail spacing, picket configuration, and bracket placement to optimize wind resistance performance. By varying these parameters within the standardized modular system, the fence can be adapted for different wind load requirements without fundamentally changing the manufacturing process or component complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If pickets are made difficult to remove without damage, then the fence's structural integrity is improved, but the ease of disassembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Metal brackets serve as intermediary components between the rails and pickets, providing a mechanical connection system that secures pickets firmly during normal use while allowing for easy removal. The brackets with pre-drilled holes and connection points create a stable assembly structure that maintains structural integrity when connected, yet enables straightforward disassembly by simply removing the bracket fasteners without damaging the pickets or rails.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is an improvement for a fence segment of the type having two vertical posts supported by a ground surface, and a bottom rail having two opposing ends and an upward-facing U-shaped channel configured for receiving a plurality of pickets. The bottom rail is disposed between the two vertical posts. The improvement includes a top rail having two opposing ends, a first tong projecting downwardly and configured to contact and retain the pickets at a first side of the top rail, the top rail disposed between the two vertical posts. A locking rail has two opposing ends, a second tong projecting downwardly, and is configured to contact and retain the pickets at an opposing second side of the top rail, the locking rail fixed with the top rail with a plurality of mechanical fasteners. Methods of use during expected high winds are also disclosed.