GB2328726A - Wire tensioning device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device 1 comprises a base unit, e.g. of hollow square cross-section, carrying a wire gripping member and supporting a pivot for a lever. The lever has a profiled, e.g. convex or concave, end which cooperates with a profiled, e.g. concave or convex, face of the gripping member which is, e.g. welded, to the base unit to retain a wire 14. Initial lever pivoting grips the wire and further pivoting pivots the complete device around a fence post 16 to tension the wire preparatory to the provision of a wire fixer, e.g. a staple 18, on the post.

Description

"Device for Tensioning a Wire" This invention relates to a device for tensioning a wire. In particular, this invention relates to a device for tensioning a fence wire in a system consisting of fence posts having one or more fence wires mounted thereon.

It is already known that in constructing a conventional fence consisting, for example, of a series of wooden fence posts having galvanised steel fence wires mounted thereon, it is required to tension the fence wire at each fence post/fence wire junction. This is typically carried out using a crowbar, the crowbar being used to grip the fence wire, the fence wire being subsequently tensioned by levering the crowbar against the fence post to increase the tension on the wire, following which the fence wire is retained under tension using suitable means. In the case of a wooden fence post a "staple" is often used, the staple being U-shaped and, straddling the fence wire, the staple is hammered into the post so as to retain the fence wire under tension.

This method is inefficient and time-consuming, and often causes injury to the operator if the crowbar becomes disassociated from the fence wire during the tensioning process.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a device for tensioning a wire, the device comprising a base unit; wire gripping means mounted upon the base unit; and a lever associated with the base unit to enable the base unit to be pivoted about a fence post.

Preferably the wire is a fence wire which is mounted upon two or more substantially vertical fence posts.

Preferably the base unit is hollow and rectangular in cross-section. Alternatively, it may be any other suitable shape. Preferably the base unit has a hole therethrough for the location of retaining means for retaining the lever.

Preferably one end of the base unit co-operates with the fence post such that the device as a whole may pivot about the fence post.

Preferably the wire gripping means and the lever have shaped face portions for gripping a wire, the shaped face portions lying in respective face to face opposition.

Preferably the wire gripping means is welded to the outer surface of the upper portion of the base unit.

Preferably the lever is attached to the base unit at the distal end from that which co-operates with the fence post.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention in use; Fig 2A is a plan view of part of the embodiment of Fig 1; Fig 2B is a front view of the device of Fig 2A; Fig 2C is an end view of the device of Fig 2A; Fig 3A is a plan view of part of the embodiment of Fig 1; Fig 3B is a front view of the device of Fig 3A; Fig 3C is an end view of the device of Fig 3A; Fig 4A is a plan view of part of the embodiment of Fig 1; Fig 4B is a front view of the device of Fig 4A; and Fig 4C is an end view of the device of Fig 4A.

Referring to the drawings and initially particularly to Fig 1, a device for tensioning a wire is generally shown at 1, the device having three main components shown in Figs 2-4, these being a base unit 2, a lever 3 and wire gripping means 4. The base unit 2 is square in cross-section, being a hollow longitudinal box. The base unit 2 has a hole 5 passing through the upper and lower portions 6 and 7 respectively of the base unit 2, as shown in Fig 2A - 2C.

The wire gripping means 4 consists of a plate which has one shaped concave face portion 8, the three other faces 9, 10 and 11 forming three sides of a square when viewed in plan. The wire gripping means 4 is welded to the outer surface of the upper portion 6 of the base unit 2 as best shown in Fig 1, with the shaped concave face portion 8 facing but not blocking the hole 5 in the base unit 2. The lever 3 is then attached to the base unit 2 incorporating the wire gripping means 4 by means of the hole 12 in the lever 3, by passing a bolt 13 through the hole 12 in the lever 3, through the hole 5 in the base unit 2 and providing a locating nut (not shown) on the portion of the bolt 13 protruding from the lower portion 7 of the base unit 2. In this way, the lever 3 may pivot about the hole 5 in the base unit 2 as demonstrated in Fig 1.

In use, fence wires 14 are strung between a series of fence posts 15, passing across the face 16 of the fence post 15 as shown in Fig 1. With the lever 3 in a first position where it lies parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base unit 2, the wire 14 is passed between the gap formed between the shaped face portion 17 of the lever 3 and the shaped face portion 8 of the wire gripping means 4. The lever 3 is then turned in a clockwise direction (as viewed from above the fence post) and the shaped face portion 17 of the lever cooperates with the shaped face portion 8 of the wire gripping means 4 to temporarily retain the fence wire 14 as shown. The fence wire 14 is then tensioned by pivoting the device 1 (which is now retaining the fence wire 14 as shown) about the pivot point between the base unit 2 and the fence post 15, simply by applying further pressure to the lever 3 in a clockwise direction. When the fence wire 14 has been sufficiently tensioned, a staple 18 or other suitable retaining means is inserted into the fence post 15 such that it straddles the fence wire 14, the staple 18 typically being hammered into the fence post 15 to retain the fence wire 14. This is demonstrated by the upper fence wire 14 which has already been tensioned and retained.

This method applies in particular to wooden fence posts 15, however it may also be used to tension wires used with, for example, metal fence posts (not shown) where other suitable retaining means (not shown) may be used to retain a fence wire when tensioned.

The device may be used for tensioning wires 14 by pivoting the device in an anti-clockwise direction, for example by passing fence wires behind the post 15 and simply using the device 1 pivoted through 1800 with respect to its longitudinal axis. Alternatively, the lever 3 may be removed from the position shown in Fig 1 and turned through 1800 with respect to its longitudinal axis, such that the tensioning be carried out when the lever 3 is moved in an anti-clockwise direction. As a further alternative, the lever 3 may be shaped to co-operate with the wire gripping means 4 so as to temporarily retain wires 14 when moved either in the clockwise or anti-clockwise directions. The angle of the concave shaped face portion 8 of the wire gripping means 4 may be altered to fit differing diameters of wires 14. This can be accommodated by providing wire gripping means (not shown) which is temporarily retained by a nut and bolt arrangement or other suitable means, such that different wire gripping means (not shown) having shaped face portions with differing concave face angles may be used.

Alternatively, this may be accommodated by providing a wire gripping means having two or more shaped face portions with differing concave face angles such that the suitable face could be brought to bear as required.

It will also be appreciated that the shaped face portion 8 of the wire gripping means 4 may be convex and the shaped face 17 of the lever 3 may be concave.

Modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing within the scope of the invention.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIM

   1. A small hand tool comprising of three parts which grips and tensions a wire around a fencing post.