US1494484A - Wire-fence-stretching apparatus - Google Patents

Description

A 8 4 9 A, 1 H T E P 5 D U H Iw May 20 1924 WIRE FENCE STRETCHING- APPARATUS gnu out or 77 0M; {E a/(75p et/z 02 n Q q 5 Eur Filed April 20 1923 to which it appertains to same. p

This invention relates to means adapted Patented May 20, 1924.

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Appl ication'filed April 20, 1923. Serial No. 633,438.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. IIUDSPETH, a citizen ofthe United States, residing in the city of Phoenix, county of Maricopa, and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Fence-Stretching Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to bee full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art make anduse the for use in connection with the erection of wire fences, and morespecifically to mechanism whereby the fence wire is clamped and held against the fence post, while being secured in position. e

In the erection of fences where the barrier is formed of mesh wire secured to posts, it has always been a diflicult operation to connect the wires to the supporting post while, at the same time, retaining the wires under sufficient tension to keep them sufficiently straight after connection, whereby to not only present a neat appearance, but to result in the conservation 'of considerable material.

The object of my invention, therefore,-is the provision of means whereby the abovereferred to purpose may be easily carried out with a minimum of labor and a maximum of efficiency, and, at the same time takingout the undesirable curvature which is present in the wire because of the fact that it is [wound in the rolled condition in which it is vended. 1

Other objects of this invention will be made apparent in the following specification, when read in connectionwith the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof. a

In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fence being constructed by the utilization of my devices,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top viewof the construction shown in Fig. 1, and I Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the clamping members.

It is the customary practice to vend mesh wire fencing in large rolls which are taken to the scene of operation and the fence sections are then taken off as desired. One end of the wire on the roll is secured to a post, and the roll'is usually carried past three or four posts and, in position to be affixed to the posts, is then stretched before'being secured in position. This stretching operatlon 1s necessary,no't= only for the purpose of keeplng straight the longitudinal strands of the wire, but also for thepurpose of taking out the curvature or kinks caused by the wire being left for some time in rolled condition. a

Referring specifically to the "drawings,

vice as comprised in my invention, let it be assumed that the wire 1 has already been se-f cured to a post, and it is desired to secure it, 1.11 proper and straightened condition, to the posts A, B, C and D. Underthese circumis positioned adjacent to roll E, and approxi matelyin parallelism therewith, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the shaperQ beingplaced in a reverse loop 3 formediin the wire 1, it being noted thatthe curvature of thewire in showing themethod 'ofutilization' of thedei the loop 3, where it surrounds the shaper 2,

isdirectly opposed to the curvature of said,

wire as it is wound upon th roll E,

The clamping stave 4, of any desired'material, and preferably of rounded contour, is

positioned between the roll E and the shaper I 2 and, as shown in the drawings, at the rear of the section of wire extending between the shaper 2 and the roll E. The stave 4.- is preferably provided with a plurality of aligned apertures 5, 5, and with a rear backs ing plate 6, shaped to the contour of the rear 1 face thereof. Secured to the stave 4 is a hookmember 7, here shown "as bifurcated, the two legs 8, 8 thereof extending through the apertures 5 in the stave and being screwthreaded to receive the nuts 9, 9 which hold them in position.

To the post A is secured a draft mechanism, preferably carrying a chain 10, 'connected to the hook 7 This mechanism may beiof any suitable construction, but is here shown as comprising achain pulley ll, upon which the chain 10 is wound, and a ratchet 12, adapted for actuation by a hand lever 13, 1

to tighten the chainlO, in a manner which I will be clearly understood. A. link 14, is

secured to the chain 15, which surrounds the;

post A. i y a lVith the device inposition, as shown in Figs. 1, and 2, it is obvious that a proper manipulation ofthe lever 13 willserve tureyzcaused; by the'wire having remained forfsome, time in the roll E.

"is. then free 'to manipulate the lever 1-3.

.mrhne the wire 1 is stretched and straightene das. above described, and heldin position,- the-sections are then secured to the posts 13,: C, and D by. staples, or in any other suitable or convenient .manner, and thewire between the posts will be found to be perfectly straight, .with the undesirable bulge eliminated. Obviously the same process'is carried out with other posts, until the fence is completed. I

it material advantage incident to the use ,of' myinvention is that only one operator is necessary in the whole operation, as will be-clearly apparent. The roll E, after the sh'aper' 2 and the stave 42 have been placed in' positioni and. connected tothe chain 10, will be selfsuppor-ting, and the operatdr L.S soon as the necessary tightness of the chain 10 has been attained, the operator secures the wire lto the posts B, C and D. the ratchet'lQ meanwhile holding the instrunientalities in operating position. In this man her, after one end of the wirefabric is firmly secured to aproperly braced, post. the rollBE maybe led past a sufficient numherofyposts to unwind approximately forty rods of the fabric, the fabric then clamped at .the otherwise unattached end as described, andthen secured to the-posts.

Obviouslyany suitable method for con necting the stave to the draft mechanism may be employedv and I am not limited to the .mebodiment herein shown, nor to any other modification falling within the scope offthe appended claims. i I claim, I

[1. A stretching mechanism for wire fabrics secured at one end and being delivered from a roll, comprising a sharper positioned in a loop between the roll and the end of the fabric, a stave positioned between the roll and the slraper and bearing against the fabric the'rebetween, and means for .drawing'the stave against thebody of the fabric, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the wire fence fabric wound upon a roll and secured at loop formed .in'the body: oft-the fabric, a stave positioned .betweenthe ,roll and vShaper I and bearing against the section of the fabric connecting the roll; and the shaper, and

means for pulling'the stave toward such shaper and toward the body of the fabric, substantially as described.

In combination with a wire fence fabric wound upon a roll and secured at one end, a sh'aper mounted adjacent the roll and having the. fabric wound therearound, in a directlon opposite to the wind of the fabric upon the roll, a stave mounted between the roll andshaper and behind-the fabric connecting the roll and shaper, and meansfor drawingthe stavetoward the shaper and toward the main body of the fabric, sub stantially as described.

e. In combinationwith a wire fence fabric wound upon a rolland secured at one-end, a shaper mounted adjacent the roll and having the fabric wound therearound in a di rection opposite to the wind of the fabric uponthe roll, a stave mounted between the roll and shaper and behind the fabric connecting the roll and shaper, and means for drawing the stave toward the shaper and toward the mainbody of the fabric, said on the roll, a stave mounted between the roll and shaper and behind the fabric connecting the roll and shaper, and a draft device secured to said stave and. adapted to draw it towards said shaper, substantially as described. I I

6. In combination with a wire fence fabric wound "upon; a roll and; secured at one end, a shaper mounted adjacent the roll and having the fabric wound thereon in. a. direction opposite to the wind of the fabric upon the roll, a stave mounted between the roll and sha per, and a draft device secured to said stave and adapted to draw it towards said shaper, said device comprising a-chain secured to saidst-ave, a chain pulley mounted on a" rigid support in alignment with the body of the fabric and engaging said chain, and means for rotating said pulley to wind up said chain. substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

' THOMAS J. HUDSPETH.

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