Slatted chain link fence construction, slats therefor, and method of slat installation

Claim 1

A slatted chain link fence, comprising chain link fence structure having wire mesh fencing fabric with knuckles at wire intersections and providing slat-receiving channels extending from top to bottom of such fencing fabric a plurality of slats in the respective channels, each slat having an elongate, imperforate body member of slat formation with a width approximating the width of its associated receiving channel; fringes that are thin and flexible relative to said body member, said fringes extending along and outwardly from respective opposite longitudinal sides of said body member beyond said width of the receiving channel so as to surround and hug said knuckles, and each of said fringes being made up of a plurality of closely adjoining, substantially position-maintaining strands extending transversely from the body member.

Claim 19

A method of inserting a slat in a downwardly, extending receiving channel of the wire mesh fencing fabric of a chain link fence, said channel being bordered along its opposite sides by respective series of intermittently spaced, wire intersection knuckles, said slat having an elongate imperforate body member of slat formation with a width approximating the width of its receiving channel; fringes that are thin and flexible relative to said body member, said fringes being made up of a plurality of closely adjoining, substantially position - maintaining strands and extending along and outwardly from respective opposite sides of said body member beyond said width of the receiving channel so as to surround and hug said knuckles when the slat is installed in said receiving channel of wire mesh fencing fabric of a chain link fence, comprising the steps of applying to the slat an insertion tool having a rigid shank and upper and lower ends, with the lower ends of the shank withdrawably anchored to the portions of the side walls of the slat during the insertion of the slat; and withdrawing said tool at the termination of said insertion, the slat being hollow, and the insertion tool being provided with counterbalanced blades at opposite longitudinal sides of the lower end of the shank, counterbalanced to normally protrude slightly from said longitudinal sides, said tool being inserted within the hollow of the slat from the lower end thereof, handle end first, so that said blades protrude against and dig into opposite longitudinal sides of the hollow of the slat, and said tool being manipulated as the insertion stroke terminates to retract and release said blades for withdrawal of the tool by way of the upper end of the slat.

Claim 20

A method of inserting a slat in a downwardly, extending receiving channel of the wire mesh fencing fabric of a chain link fence, said channel being bordered along its opposite sides by respective series of intermittently spaced, wire intersection knuckles, said slat having an elongate imperforate body member of slat formation with a width approximating the width of its receiving channel; fringes that are thin and flexible relative to said body member, said fringes being made up of a plurality of closely adjoining, substantially position - maintaining strands and extending along and outwardly from respective opposite sides of said body member beyond said width of the receiving channel so as to surround and hug said knuckles when the slat is installed in said receiving channel of wire mesh fencing fabric of a chain link fence, comprising the steps of applying to the slat an insertion tool having a rigid shank and upper and lower ends, with the lower ends of the shank withdrawably anchored to the portions of the side walls of the slat during the insertion of the slat; and withdrawing said tool at the termination of said insertion, the slat being hollow, and the insertion tool being provided with counterbalanced blades at opposite longitudinal sides of the lower end of the shank, counterbalanced to normally protrude slightly from said longitudinal sides, said tool being inserted within the hollow of the slat from the lower end thereof, handle end first, so that said blades protrude against and dig into opposite longitudinal sides of the hollow of the slat, and said tool being manipulated as the insertion stroke terminates to retract and release said blades for withdrawal of the tool by way of the upper end of the slat.