AU7612401A - Wire joiner - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

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*0S0 0e00 0 0@ S Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: KRLESL CO. PTY. LTD.

FRANK KRIESL SANDERCOCK COWIE 69 ROBINSON STREET, DANDENONG VIC 3175 WIRE JOINER 00 0 0 @0 0 @0 *0 Invention Title: Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. PR0363 Filed: 27 t September, 2000.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performning it known to me/us: 200 I-09.26,A:354kriesi. fflc.wpd, I -la 0 0 000 *00 @0000@ *0 0 .0O 0.

TITLE: WIRE JOINER TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the joining of wires.

BACKGROUND ART It is necessary to join lengths of wire together for various agricultural and other applications.

For example, it is usually necessary to join lengths of wire together in the course of building wire fencing, and in the course of building wire trellising for viticulture.

10926.A:\353kriesl.complete.wpd, I -2- Various methods have been used to join wires in such applications. These methods have varied from simply twisting the adjacent ends of wires together, to using complex mechanical joiners which grip into the metal of the adjacent ends of the wires.

Joins which are formed from twisting wires together are of highly variable strength.

Joins which rely on the action of a mechanical joiner gripping into the metal of the wire can be subject to sudden failure through failure of the gripping action. The gripping action can itself result in local stress raisers in the material of the wire, which lead to failure of the wire itself.

Various of the currently available wire joiners are also relatively complex to apply.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION $ooo S 000 15 The first apparatus aspect of the invention provides a wire joiner comprising a sheet metal body capable of exceeding the expected tension imposed by a tensioned wire having at least two mutually spaced apertures which define light paths for two wires to be joined and defining edges over which the wires are bendable in order to impose a "direction change in each wire.

The method aspect of the invention provides:twisting an end portion of the first wire around a portion of the second wire to S: form a first join; twisting an end portion of the second wire around a portion of the first wire to form a second join; the positioning of the first join and the second join being such that a portion of each of the first wire and the second wire extend substantially adjacent each other between the first join and the second join; passing a part of the two substantially adjacent portions of wire through an 10926A:\353kries.complete.wpd,2 aperture in a wirejoiner as claimed in Claim 13 from adjacent a first substantially planar side of the joiner member so that the wires protrude through the aperture and away from the opposite substantially planar side of the joiner member; passing a substantially rigid retainer member between thejoiner member and the protruding wires; and tensioning the joined wires.

The second apparatus aspect of the invention provides a wire joiner comprising a sheet metal body with an aperture large enough to admit two wires side by side and a peg capable of spanning the aperture and in a working position being insertable between the face of the sheet metal body and the wires protruding through the aperture.

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15 The present invention also accordingly provides a second type of wire joiner for joining two wires together, which joiner includes a joiner member which includes:- •first and second opposite sides; and an uneven number of apertures which pass through the joiner member from one side to the opposite side.

•The present invention also provides, in conjunction with a wire joiner of the second type, a method of joining a first wire and a second wire together, which method includes:twisting an end portion of the first wire around a portion of the second wire to form a first join; twisting an end portion of the second wire around a portion of the first wire to form a second join; the positioning of the first join and the second join being such that a portion of each of the first wire and the second wire extend substantially adjacent each other 10926,A:\353kriesi. complete. wpd,3 -4between the first join and the second join; passing a part of the two substantially adjacent portions of wire through an aperture in a wire joiner as claimed in Claim 12 from adj acent a first substantially planar side of the joiner member so that the wires protrude through the aperture and away from the opposite substantially planar side of the joiner member; passing a substantially rigid retainer member between the joiner member and the protruding wires; and tensioning the joined wires.

3* S" PREFERRED FEATURES OF THE INVENTION 0@ 15 It is preferred that each aperture in the joiner member of the first type of wire joiner is substantially circular in cross section.

According to a first alternative form of the first type of wire joiner, each aperture is such -that a portion of a piece of wire can be passed through the aperture in a first direction, and another portion of the wire can be passed back through the aperture in a second direction which is substantially opposite to the first direction.

Further according to the first alternative form of the first type of wire joiner, the joiner member includes a portion which is adapted to bear against a portion of each wire which is intermediate the portions of the wire which pass through an aperture in opposite directions.

In one preferred form of joiner according to the first alternative form of the first type of wire joiner, the joiner member is a plate which includes:an intermediate portion which extends longitudinally; and two end portions, each of which end portions:- 10926,A:\353kriesl.coiplctc. wpd,4

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is contiguous with the intermediate portion; and has one of the apertures through it.

According to one preferred form of the end portions of the first alternative form of the first type of wire joiner, those end portions are each substantially annular in shape.

According to another preferred form of the end portions of the first alternative form of the first type of wire joiner, those end portions are each substantially square in cross 10 section, and the aperture is:- *6 placed substantially centrally of the rectangle; and is substantially circular in cross section.

In another preferred form ofjoiner according to the first alternative form of the first type of wire joiner, the joiner member is formed from a length of wire and each of the apertures through the member is in the form of a loop in that wire.

20 It is especially preferred that the length of wire from which the joiner member is formed is itself a loop of wire. In this case, it is preferred that this loop of wire is formed by welding the ends of a piece of wire together. It is especially preferred that the welding is butt welding of the end faces of the length of wire together.

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According to a second alternative form of the of the invention, the cross sectional shape of each aperture is such that it is a close fit about a piece of wire which passes through the aperture.

It is further preferred that the second alternative form of the invention includes a substantially rectangular plate which has a hole passing through each of two opposite side regions of the plate.

It is preferred that, in the second type of wire joiner, at least one of the first and second 10926,A:\353kriesl.complete.wpd,5 opposite sides is substantially planar.

It is preferred that, in the second type of wire joiner, an uneven number of apertures pass through the joiner member from one substantially planar side to the opposite substantially planar side.

It is preferred that three linearly spaced apertures pass through the joiner member of the second type of wire joiner.

10 It is preferred that the joiner member of the second type of wire joiner is a substantially rectangular plate.

It is preferred that each aperture that passes through the joiner member according to the second type of wire joiner is substantially rectangular.

In the arrangement of the apertures and notches the aim is to prevent kinking by subjecting the wire to a small bending radius. As different sizes of wire are used in the field, no minimum can be defined, but those with operational skill in the art know what the desirable minimums are.

20 2 0 "0 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of wire joiners according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a first type of wire joiner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the wire joiner of Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are plan views of embodiments of the first type of wire joiner according to the present invention.

10926,A:\353kriesl.complete.wpd,6 -7- @000 C C C C C Figure 6 is a plan view of an embodiment of the first type of wire joiner according to the present invention.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the wire joiner of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a wire joiner according to yet another embodiment of the first type of wire joiner according to the present invention.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the joiner of Figure 8.

Figures 10 and 11 are plan views of further embodiments of the first type of wire joiner according to the present invention.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the second type of wire joiner according to the present invention.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the second type of wire joiner according to the present invention.

20 Figure 14 is a perspective view of a four aperture version.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of an aperture and notch version.

Figures 16 and 17 are perspective views of four notch versions.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows one panel of a star-picket fence 1.

The panel of the fence 1 includes horizontal strands of wire 2 strung between, and supported on, steel star-pickets 3 and 4. Three strands of the wire 2 contain joins which

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10926,A:\353kriesl.complete.wpd,7 have been formed by using wirejoiners according to various embodiments of the present invention.

The wire joiners 5 and 7 of Figure 1 are according to the first type of the present invention. They are described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

The wire joiner 11 of Figure 2 is manufactured in one piece from a plate of metal, preferably mild steel. It is also preferred that the joiner 11 is galvanised after stamping from the mild steel plate.

Thejoiner 11 includes a longitudinally extending portion 12 which terminates in opposite annular portions 13 and To join an end region 21 of a piece of wire to an end region 31 of another piece of wire, 15 the wire 21 is passed from a front side ofthejoiner through the aperture 14 of the annulus 13 to the rear side of the joiner, back around the annulus 13 and over the front side of the intermediate portion 12 as shown at 23, back around the annulus 13 and through the aperture 14 again to emerge at the front side of the joiner 11 at 25. The end region 31 of Sthe other piece of wire is similarly threaded about the annulus 15 at the opposite: end of thejoiner 11.

o o Thejoiners 41 of Figure 1 and 51 of Figure 5 are according to the first type of the present 1 invention and work in a manner similar to the joiner 11 of Figure 2.

S. 0 The joiner 41 of Figure 4 includes a wasted central portion 42 which extends longitudinally between opposite annular portions 43.

The joiner 51 of Figure 5 includes a substantially rectangular central portion 52 which extends longitudinally between opposite rectangular portions 53.

The joiner 61 of Figures 6 and 7 is according to the first type of the present invention, and includes a rectangular plate 61 of mild steel, with one bore 62 adjacent each opposite end portion of the plate 61. It is preferred that each bore 62 is substantially circular in 10926A: \353knes.complete.wpd,8 -9cross section. It is also preferred that the joiner 61 is galvanised after the bores 62 have been formed.

To join the end region 63 of one piece of wire to the end region 64 of another piece of wire, the region 63 is passed through one bore 62 from the front side of the plate 61 and the wire 63 is bent so that it extends substantially parallel to the joiner 61. The free end of the region 63 is then bent downwards towards the rear side of the joiner 61.

The end region 64 of the other piece of wire is similarly threaded about the bore 62 at the opposite end of the joiner 61.

*i6• Figures 8 and 9 show another embodiment of a wire joiner according to the first type of SG the present invention.

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15 The joiner which is indicated generally at 81 is formed from a single piece of wire, which is preferably a relatively malleable wire.

oThe wire is formed into a relatively straight central portion 82 with loops 83 and 84 at O* each end. The loops are formed by bending the wire into a loop, and wrapping a free end of the wire around an adjacent region of the central portion 82.

This embodiment of the invention according to Figures 8 and 9 is applied in the same manner as are the embodiments of Figures 2 to The wire joiners 101 and 111 of Figures 10 and 11 are also according to the first type of the present invention.

The joiner which is indicated generally at 101 in Figure 10 is formed from a single piece of wire, which is preferably a relatively malleable wire.

The wire is formed into a relatively straight central portion 102 with loops 103 and 104 at each end.

10926,A:\353kricsl.complcte. wpd.9 1l~_~~_ssl_ The joiner 101 is formed by butt-welding together the two ends of a piece of galvanised fence wire to form the weld 108. The loop of wire which is thus formed is itself pressshaped to form the straight part 102 and the two end loops 103 and 104.

The joiner which is indicated generally at 111 in Figure 11 is the same as the joiner 101 of Figure 10, except that the straight portion 112 of Figure 11 is about one-third the length of the straight portion 101 of Figure The joiner 111 of Figure 11 is intended for use in 'casual' joining of pieces of wire. It 10 is preferred that the joiner 111 of Figure 11 be about 150mm in length.

The joiner 101 of Figure 10 is intended for use in re-joining the ends of a piece of broken fence wire without splicing another piece of wire into the fence in order to bring the broken end of the wire together. It is preferred that the joiner 101 of Figure 10 be about S 15 450mm in length.

The embodiments of the invention according to Figures 10 and 11 are applied in the same manner as are the embodiments of Figures 2 to A wire joiner 121 according to the second type of the present invention is illustrated in S•Figure 12 as joining two pieces of wire 126 and 127.

The joiner 121 includes a joiner member 122 which is preferably in the form of a plate having substantially planar opposed sides 123 and 124. An aperture 125 passes through the joiner member 122 between faces 123 and 124.

In using the joiner 121, a free end 129 of the piece of wire 126 is twisted around the wire 127, and a free end 128 of the piece of wire 127 is twisted around the wire 126 so that substantially straight portions 131 of the wires 126 and 127 extend parallel to each other between the twisted ends 128 and 129.

The (initially straight) portions 131 are then placed through the aperture 125 in the joiner member 122, and a retainer member 132 is forced between the portions 131 and the face 10926,A:\353kriesl.complete.wpd, -11 123 of the retainer member 132.

The wires 126 and 127 are then tensioned, forcing the wires 126 and 127 and the retainer member 122 into close and tight contact with the retainer member 132 and thus causing a tight join between the wires 126 and 127.

The embodiment 141 of the second type of the invention shown in Figure 13 differs from the embodiment 121 of Figure 12 in that in the embodiment of Figure 13, the joiner member 142 has three linearly arranged and spaced apertures 154, 145 and 153 extending 10 through it between the opposite faces 143 and 144.

96ce In using the joiner 141, the first actions are to thread each of the wires through the s apertures 153 and 154 (but not through aperture 145) from the same side 143 ofthejoiner •member 142. The free end 138 of wire 137 is then twisted around wire 136,, and the free e** 0 15 end 139 of wire 136 is twisted around wire 137.

The (initially straight) portions 151 are then placed through the aperture 145, the retainer •member 152 inserted between the straight portions 151 of the wires and the retainer member 142, and the wires 136 and 137 are tensioned.

S* In Figure 14 the joiner is a galvanised disc 155 with four apertures 62 arranged inNSEW configuration. The wires each undergo two changes in direction before becoming a twisted end 128, 129.

0 60 In Figure 15, the steel strip 156 has a pair ofbores 62 at the opposite ends of the strip and intermediate staggered notches 157.

In Figure 16 the disc is 2mm galvanised mild steel plate with notches at NSEW portions on two interacting diameters.

We have found the advantages of the above embodiments to be:- 1. They produce a relatively consistent quality ofjoin; 10926.A:\353kriesl.complete.wpd, I 12 2. They produce a relatively high strength of join; 3. They are relatively simple to use.

In Figure 17 the disc is the same but the manner of joining a two strand barbed wire is shown.

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Claims (19)

1. A wire joiner comprising a sheet metal body capable of exceeding the expected tension imposed by a tensioned wire having at least two mutually spaced apertures which define like paths for two wires to be joined and defining edges over which the wires are bendable in order to impose a direction change in each wire.

2. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the body is substantially bone shaped with the aperture in each enlarged end part of the body. OSSO

3. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the edges over which the wires are "*".bendable are the sides of the neck between the enlarged ends.

4. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the body has a smooth, unindented perimeter with two pairs of apertures distributed over the area of the body in a diamond pattern.

A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the apertures are separated by at least 9mm.

6. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the body is a strip with a pair of longitudinal edges each with a notch capable of receiving a free end of the wire and the apertures are situated close to the central longitudinal axis of the body.

7. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the notches are substantially centrally situated in the longitudinal edges and staggered.

8. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the body has a common aperture capable of receiving both wires and a further aperture for receiving a free end of each wire.

9. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the body is a strip and the common 10926A:U53khies.complet. wpd. 13 7- -14- aperture and the further apertures lie on a common longitudinal axis.

A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the body is a strip with a pair of longitudinal edges each with a notch capable of receiving a free wire end and a common aperture for the reception of both wires side by side.

11. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the body has four substantially equispaced peripheral notches.

12. A wire joiner substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 5 or as modified by Figures 8 and 9, Figures 10 and 11 or 12 and 13, Figures 14 and 15 or Figure 16. @00•00

13. A wire joiner comprising a sheet metal body with an aperture large enough to 15 admit two wires side by side and a peg capable of spanning the aperture and in a working position being insertable between the face of the sheet metal body and the wires protruding through the aperture.

14. A wirejoiner as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the aperture is substantially central.

15. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 13 or 14 wherein the peg is made of sheet metal and is arrow-headed.

16. A wire joiner as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the body has three mutually spaced 0 25 apertures substantially on a common axis and each transversely disposed in order to accommodate a pair of wires side by side and a peg capable of spanning the central aperture and in a working position passing between the wires and the face of the sheets forcing the paired wires to take a W-shaped path through the body of the joiner.

17. A wire joiner as claimed in 16 wherein the peg is of sheet metal and is arrow- headed. 10926,A:\353kriesl.complete.wpd, 14 e

18. A wire joiner substantially described and illustrated in Figures 12 and 13.

19. A method of joining first and second wires comprising:- twisting an end portion of the first wire around a portion of the second wire to form a first join; twisting an end portion of the second wire around a portion of the first wire to form a second join; the position of the first join and the second join being such that a portion of the first wire and the second wire extend substantially adjacent each other between the first join and the second join; 15 passing apart of the two substantially adjacent portions of wire through an aperture in a wire joiner as claimed in Claim 12 from adjacent the first substantially planar side of the joiner member so that the wires protrude othrough the aperture and away from the opposite substantially planar side of the joiner member; passing a peg between the joiner member and the protruding wires and tensioning the joined wires. A method substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 12 or 13. Dated this 26 h day of September, 2001. SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR KRIESL CO. PTY. LTD. 10926,A:\353kriesl.complete.wpd