Attachment means and insulator for electrified fences

Claim 2

A support device for fence wire comprising an attachment portion comprising: flexible gripping means deflectable into a configuration frictionally grasping a fencepost, said gripping means having outstanding portions configured for grasping both T-shaped posts and small diameter rods; flexible means on said attachment portion comprising electrically insulating material and being deflectable into a configuration to encircle an adjoining fence wire; and said flexible means comprising locking means to form a closed loop for restraining the fence wire against displacement.

Claim 3

A support device as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said outstanding portions including projections extending outwardly of said attachment portion for engaging the fence post to space said flexible means outwardly of the fence post.

Claim 4

A support device as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said outstanding portions including flanges formed on said attachment portion for frictionally clasping the fence post whenever said attachment portion is clasped onto the fence post.

Claim 5

A support device for fence wire comprising: an attachment portion having means for clasping a fence post and comprising: flexible gripping means deflectable into a locked configuration encircling and frictionally grasping the fence post; locking means formed on said attachment portion for retaining said gripping means in the deflected configuration; flexible means on said attachment portion, composed of electrically insulating material and including a pair of oppositely extending arm portions deflectable into a loop encircling an adjoining fence wire; and locking means formed on said flexible means for retaining said pair of arm portions in a closed loop and including one of said pair of arm portions having a keyhole opening formed therethrough and another of said arm portions having a key tab formed thereon and insertable into said keyhole opening in a manner to lock free ends of said pair of arm portions for forming a closed loop encircling the fence wire.

Claim 6

A support device for fence wire comprising: an attachment portion having means for clasping a fence post and comprising: flexible gripping means deflectable into a locked configuration encircling and frictionally grasping the fence post; locking means formed on said attachment portion for retaining said gripping means in the deflected configuration; flexible means on said attachment portion, composed of electrically insulating material and including a pair of oppositely extending arm portions deflectable into a loop encircling an adjoining fence wire; and locking means formed on said flexible means for retaining said pair of arm portions in a closed loop and including one of said pair of arm portions having a keyhole opening formed therethrough and another of said arm portions having a key tab formed thereon and insertable into said keyhole opening in a manner to lock free ends of said pair of arm portions for forming a closed loop encircling the fence wire.

Claim 7

A support device for fence wire comprising: an attachment portion for clasping a fencepost and including a pair of oppositely extending arm portions composed of flexible material and deflectable into frictionally clasping engagement with the fencepost; locking means formed on said attachment portion for retaining said arm portions in clasping engagement with the fence post; and flexible means on said attachment portion, composed of electrically insulating material and deflectable into a configuration to encircle an adjoining fence wire and including locking means to lock said flexible means in a closed loop for restraining the fence wire against displacement.

Claim 8

A support device for fence wire comprising: an attachment portion for clasping a fencepost and including a pair of oppositely extending arm portions composed of flexible material and deflectable into frictionally clasping engagement with the fencepost; locking means formed on said attachment portion for retaining said arm portions in clasping engagement with the fence post; and flexible means on said attachment portion, composed of electrically insulating material and deflectable into a configuration to encircle an adjoining fence wire and including locking means to lock said flexible means in a closed loop for restraining the fence wire against displacement.

Claim 9

A support device for fence wire comprising: an attachment portion for clasping a fencepost and including a pair of oppositely extending arm portions composed of flexible material and deflectable into frictionally clasping engagement with the fencepost; locking means on said attachment portion for locking free ends of said pair of arm portions to form a closed loop embracing the fencepost; and flexible means on said attachment portion, composed of electrically insulating material and deflectable into a configuration to encircle an adjoining fence wire and including locking means to lock said flexIble means in a closed loop for restraining the fence wire against displacement.

Claim 10

A support device for fence wire comprising: an attachment portion for clasping a fencepost and including a pair of oppositely extending arm portions composed of flexible material and deflectable into frictionally clasping engagement with the fencepost; locking means on said attachment portion for locking free ends of said pair of arm portions to form a closed loop embracing the fencepost; and flexible means on said attachment portion, composed of electrically insulating material and deflectable into a configuration to encircle an adjoining fence wire and including locking means to lock said flexIble means in a closed loop for restraining the fence wire against displacement.

Claim 11

A support device for fence wire comprising: an attachment portion for clasping a fencepost and including: a pair of oppositely extending arm portions composed of flexible material and deflectable into frictionally clasping engagement with the fencepost; flexible means on said attachment portion, composed of electrically insulating material and deflectable into a configuration to encircle an adjoining fence wire and including locking means to lock said flexible means in a closed loop for restraining the fence wire against displacement; and standoff projections extending from said attachment portion for engaging the fence to space said flexible, wire supporting means outwardly of the fencepost.

Claim 12

A support device for fence wire comprising: an attachment portion for clasping a fencepost and including: a pair of oppositely extending arm portions composed of flexible material and deflectable into frictionally clasping engagement with the fencepost; flexible means on said attachment portion, composed of electrically insulating material and deflectable into a configuration to encircle an adjoining fence wire and including locking means to lock said flexible means in a closed loop for restraining the fence wire against displacement; and standoff projections extending from said attachment portion for engaging the fence to space said flexible, wire supporting means outwardly of the fencepost.

Claim 13

A support device as defined in claim 7 and further characterized by each said flexible, attachment arm portion having gripping flanges formed thereon and extending therefrom for frictionally clasping the fencepost whenever said arms are locked in a loop embracing the fencepost.

Claim 14

In combination: a fencepost; a fence wire extending laterally adjacent said fencepost; and a device supporting the wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including; post attachment means clasping said post, and including flexible means deflected into a locked configuration frictionally clasping said post, locking means on said attachment means retaining said flexible means in the locked configuration, and wire supporting means connected to said attachment means, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and deflected into a locked configuration encircling and restraining said fence wire.

Claim 15

In combination: a fencepost; a fence wire extending laterally adjacent said fencepost; and a device supporting the wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including; post attachment means clasping said post, and including flexible means deflected into a locked configuration frictionally clasping said post, locking means on said attachment means retaining said flexible means in the locked configuration, and wire supporting means connected to said attachment means, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and deflected into a locked configuration encircling and restraining said fence wire.

Claim 16

In combination: a fencepost; a fence wire extending laterally adjacent said fencepost; a device supporting the wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including: post attachment means clasping said post, and including a pair of oppositely extending, flexible, sheet-form arms embracing said post and having complementary locking means formed on opposite ones of said pair of arms and locked to fixedly attach said support device to said post, and wire supporting means connected to said attachment means, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and deflected into a locked configuration encircling and restraining said fence wire.

Claim 17

In combination: a fencepost; a fence wire extending laterally adjacent said fencepost; a device supporting the wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including: post attachment means clasping said post, and including a pair of oppositely extending, flexible, sheet-form arms embracing said post and having complementary locking means formed on opposite ones of said pair of arms and locked to fixedly attach said support device to said post, and wire supporting means connected to said attachment means, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and deflected into a locked configuration encircling and restraining said fence wire.

Claim 18

In combination: a fencepost comprising a small diameter rod; a fence wire extending laterally adjacent said fencepost; and a device supporting the wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including: post attachment means clasping said post, said attachment means embracing said rod and having flanges forming a cage shaped complementarily to, and clampingly engaged around said rod, and wire supporting means connected to said attachment means, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and deflected into a locked configuration encircling and restraining said fence wire.

Claim 19

In combination: a fencepost comprising a small diameter rod; a fence wire extending laterally adjacent said fencepost; and a device supporting the wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including: post attachment means clasping said post, said attachment means embracing said rod and having flanges forming a cage shaped complementarily to, and clampingly engaged around said rod, and wire supporting means connected to said attachment means, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and deflected into a locked configuration encircling and restraining said fence wire.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 11 and further characterized by a resilient sleeve telescoped over said rod and squeezed by said attachment means into frictional, clamping engagement with said rod.

Claim 21

In combination: a fencepost having a T-shaped configuration in transverse cross section, a fence wire extending laterally adjacent said fencepost; and a device supporting the wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including: post attachment means clasping said post, said attachment means embracing said T-shaped post and having flanges forming a cage shaped complementarily to, and clampingly engaged around said T-shaped post, and wire supporting means connected to said attachment means, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and deflected into a locked configuration encircling and restraining said fence wire.

Claim 22

In combination: a fencepost having a T-shaped configuration in transverse cross section, a fence wire extending laterally adjacent said fencepost; and a device supporting the wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including: post attachment means clasping said post, said attachment means embracing said T-shaped post and having flanges forming a cage shaped complementarily to, and clampingly engaged around said T-shaped post, and wire supporting means connected to said attachment means, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and deflected into a locked configuration encircling and restraining said fence wire.

Claim 23

A fence comprising: a fencepost; A fence wire extending laterally adjacent said post; and a device supporting said wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including: attachment means having a pair of oppositely extending, sheet-form, flexible arms deflected around said post, said attachment arms having locking means including one of said pair of attachment arms having a keyhole opening formed therethrough and an opposite one of said pair of attachment arms having a key tab formed on a free end, defining locking lands, and inserted through said keyhole opening with said locking lands engaging peripheral surfaces surrounding said opening to lock said arms in a loop embracing said post, wire supporting means composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and including a pair of oppositely extending, sheet-form arms projecting laterally in both directions of, and disposed at substantially right angles to, said attachment arms, defining a central juncture portion common to both said pairs of arms, and deflected outwardly of said post into a closed loop encircling said wire, said pair of wire supporting arms having complementary locking means including one of said pair of wire supporting arms having a keyhole opening formed therethrough, and an opposite one of said wire supporting arms having a key tab formed on a free end, defining locking lands, and inserted through said keyhole opening with said locking lands engaging peripheral surfaces surrounding said opening in said opposite wire supporting arm to lock said arms in a closed loop embracing and restraining said wire.

Claim 24

A fence comprising: a fencepost; A fence wire extending laterally adjacent said post; and a device supporting said wire in electrically nonconductive relation on said post and including: attachment means having a pair of oppositely extending, sheet-form, flexible arms deflected around said post, said attachment arms having locking means including one of said pair of attachment arms having a keyhole opening formed therethrough and an opposite one of said pair of attachment arms having a key tab formed on a free end, defining locking lands, and inserted through said keyhole opening with said locking lands engaging peripheral surfaces surrounding said opening to lock said arms in a loop embracing said post, wire supporting means composed of flexible, electrically insulating material and including a pair of oppositely extending, sheet-form arms projecting laterally in both directions of, and disposed at substantially right angles to, said attachment arms, defining a central juncture portion common to both said pairs of arms, and deflected outwardly of said post into a closed loop encircling said wire, said pair of wire supporting arms having complementary locking means including one of said pair of wire supporting arms having a keyhole opening formed therethrough, and an opposite one of said wire supporting arms having a key tab formed on a free end, defining locking lands, and inserted through said keyhole opening with said locking lands engaging peripheral surfaces surrounding said opening in said opposite wire supporting arm to lock said arms in a closed loop embracing and restraining said wire.

Claim 25

The fence of claim 14, further characterized by standoff projections formed on said central juncture portion, extending toward and engaging said fencepost to space said pair of wire supporting arms outwardly of said post; and gripping flanges formed on each of said pair of attachment arms, extending toward and engaging said post, and cooperating with said standoff projections to form a cage surrounding and frictionally clasping said post to retain said supporting device on said post.

Claim 26

A fence as defined in claim 15 is further characterized by: said fencepost having a rod-shaped configuration in transverse cross section; a resilient, hollow sleeve telescoped over said post and having a throughbore fittingly engaged on said post; said standoff projections having an arcuate notch formed therein sized complementary to, and receiving, said resilient sleeve; and said gripping flanges having arcuate corner edge portions engaging said sleeve and urging said sleeve into tight frictional engagement on said post.

Claim 27

A fence as defined in claim 16, further characterized by: said standoff projections having knurls formed thereon and digging into said sleeve; and said arcuate corner edges having knurls formed thereon and digging into said sleeve.

Claim 28

A fence as defined in claim 15 and further characterized by: said post having a T-shaped configuration in transverse cross section and defining a central rib, a pair of oppositely extending wing portions disposed along a longitudinal edge of said rib and forming a face surface opposite of said rib, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced projections extending from said face surface; said standoff projections engaging said face surface and including at least a pair of projections spaced apart a distance to be loosely received between a pair of adjacent ones of said longitudinally spaced, fencepost projections; and said gripping flanges having first planar edge portions formed obliquely of said attachment arms and engaging said wing portions on a side surface opposite said standoff projections, and frictionally clamping said wing portions between said standoff projections and said gripping flanges, and having second planar edge portions extending at right angles to said first edge portions and engaging opposite side surfaces of said central rib to frictionally clamp said rib between gripping flaNges of opposite ones of said pair of attachment arms.

Claim 29

A sheet-form blank formable into an insulator and attachment means for supporting a wire on a post, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material, having a first pair of oppositely extending arm portions adapted to be deflectable around the post and formed with complementary locking means formed to be engageable for retaining said pair of attachment arms in a deflected condition embracing the post; and having a pair of flexible, oppositely extending, wire supporting arms extending into different quadrants from those occupied by said attachment arms, being flexibly displaceable into a loop encircling the wire and including complementary locking means formed to be cooperable for retaining said pair of wire supporting arms in a deflected, closed loop encircling the wire.

Claim 30

A sheet-form blank formable into an insulator and attachment means for supporting a wire on a post, composed of flexible, electrically insulating material, having a first pair of oppositely extending arm portions adapted to be deflectable around the post and formed with complementary locking means formed to be engageable for retaining said pair of attachment arms in a deflected condition embracing the post; and having a pair of flexible, oppositely extending, wire supporting arms extending into different quadrants from those occupied by said attachment arms, being flexibly displaceable into a loop encircling the wire and including complementary locking means formed to be cooperable for retaining said pair of wire supporting arms in a deflected, closed loop encircling the wire.