US1015206A - Fence-post. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. PEPPER, OF SMITHVILLE, MISSOURI.

FENCE-POST.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVTLLIAM A. PEPPER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Smithville, in the county of Clay and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence- Posts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to fence posts, and the primary object of my invention is to provide a post that can be advantageously used for detachably supporting a wire fence, without resorting to the use of staples or similar fastening means.

Another object of the invention isto provide a post that can be used in connection with strands of various kinds of wire or woven wire, the post being especiallydesigned for strands of wire that are equally spaced to inclose a field or other piece of ground.

A further object of this invention is to furnish a post with a fastener for simultaneously securing a plurality of wires thereto, without injuring the wires and in a manner that they will be firmly held to prevent them from becoming accidentally displaced.

I attain the above objects by a mechanical construction that is simple, durable, easy to manipulate and highly eflicient for the purposes for which it is intended.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, where- 1n:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the post, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the post showing the locking member thereof in an open position in dotted lines, and Fig. i is a horizontal sectional view of the post.

A post in accordance with this invention comprises a flat plate 1 of a sufficient length to have the lower end thereof embedded or anchored in the ground. The plate 1 has the forward side thereof at one edge thereof provided with a longitudinal rib 2 extending from one end of the plate to the opposite end thereof. This rib is preferably formed integral with the plate and said plate and rib conform somewhat in shape to an angle bar.

The front side of the rib 2 is provided with a plurality of transverse grooves 3, these grooves being equally spaced and ex- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 22, 1911.

Patented Jan. 16, 1912. Serial No. 628,703.

tending from one edge of the rib to the opposite edge thereof. The rib directly beneath each groove is provided with an outwardl extending tongue 4; of a less width than the rib, said tongue having the upper outer edge thereof provided with a rib 5. The top of each tongue is flush with the lower edge of each groove and the lip 6 of each tongue is of a depth corresponding to the diameter of the groove 3.

The rib 2 at a point directly above the ground line 6 is provided with an outwardly extending web 7 corresponding in width to the tongues4. Extending through this web is a pivot bolt 8 having a nut 9 retaining the same in engagement with the web. Pivotally mounted upon the bolt 8 are the lower longitudinal slotted arms 10 of a locking bar 11, said bar having a plurality of longitudinal slots 12 formed therein, corresponding in number to the tongues 4:. The slots 12 are of a length corresponding to the combined length of a tongue 4: and the lip 5 thereof, and the width of the slots is sufficient to provide clearance for the tongues, when the bar is swung into engagement therewith. It is preferable to plant the post in the ground until the web' 7 is directly above the ground line, and with the post in this position, the locking bar 11 is swung outwardly upon the ground. Strands of wire 13 can then be placed in the grooves 3 and then the locking bar is swung upwardly into engagement with the rib 2. With the bar 11 in parallelism with the rib 2, the bar is pushed downwardly until the upper edge of each of the slots 12 engages behind the lips 5, said lips retaining the bar in engagement with the rib 2. The slots in the arms 10 allow of vertical adjustment of the locking bar, and said bar is firmly held until again elevated. In making the lips 5 of a depth corresponding to the diameter of the grooves 3, the looking bar is firmly held to retain the strands of wire 13 within the grooves 3.

In order that woven wire can be sup ported by the post, the plate 1 is provided with a plurality of rearwardly extending hooks 14rupon which the woven wire can be hung, and in order that one post can be braced relatively to another or to the ground, the top of the post has an opening 15 and the rib 2 an opening 16, these openings accommodating stiffening rods or wires. In some instances a barbed wire can be carried through the opening 16 when it is desired to place such a wire at the top of a fence.

When it is necessary to use a gatepost, the post can be made of a larger cross sectional area to sustain the weight of a gate.

The post can be made of light and durable metal, concrete and metal or any other material.

What I claim is 1. In fence posts for wire fences, a post body provided on its front face with wire-receiving grooves, laterally-projecting tongues carried by the grooved face of said post, upwardly-projecting lips carried by said tongues and disposed in front of said grooves, and a retaining bar pivotally-connected to the front face of the post at a point below the lowermost tongue, said bar having slots to admit the tongues and lips when the bar is swung toward the post, the

pivotal connection between the bar and post being such as to allow the bar to drop behind the lips and rest on the tongues after said lips and tongues have passed through the slots in the bar.

2. The combination with the post, laterally-extending lugs carried thereby, and

lips carried by the lugs and projecting above the same, of a retaining bar extending longitudinally of the post and pivotallyconnected at its lower end to said post, said retaining bar having slots spaced to receive the lugs on the post, the pivotal-connection between the post and bar being such Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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