US1613871A - Wire-fence tool - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 11,1927. 1,613.811] B. L. COLEMAN fwIRE FENCE IToor.

Filed Apil e. 1925 Snom/vio@ Patented Jan. 11, 192.7.

Unirse. STATES BERNARD L. COLEMAN, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK. y

WIRE-FENCE TOOL.

Application filed A'pril 6, 1925. .Serial'Nol 21,128.

The' object of this invention is to provide a simple tool for use in the repair of woven and similar types of wire-fences, the tool being adapted for use either in tightening and splicing broken line wires in the fence or Jfor tightening line wires which are` not broken, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tool co1n plete;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation ofthe mandrel Figs. 4t and 5 are views showing the manner of using the tool;

Fig. 6 is a view of rangement.

rIlhe tool consists of a 4crank-handle `or brace 10 having at one end a swivel eye 11 for convenience in hanging it on the belt of the workman and having at its other end a transverse pin 12 extending through the cylindrical part of the crank at a short distance from its end. The cylindrical end carrying the pin 12is adapted to to lit into a cylindrical socket 13 attached by means of a pin 14 to a rod 15, these parts constituting the mandrel. The socket-end or mandrel is provided with longitudinally-extending notches 16, one at each side of the socket.

a modified socket ar- These notches 16 receive the opposite ends of the pin 12 and thus prevent the mandrel having rotation independently of the handle. The rod part of the mandrel is provided with a transverse hole 17 at a point near the socket, and at its outer end it is provided with another hole 18. This outer end of the rod is also provided with a longitudinal notch 19. To removably lock the handle in the socket, I provide a detent consisting of a spring-actuated ba1l.20 mounted in a transverse socket in the handle-end and adapted when the handle-end is thrust into the socket to automatically snap into an annular groove 20 formed in the interior of the socket 13. With a detent of this character, it will be seen that the handle may be forced into the socket and, by the exertion of a little force, withdrawn therefrom, and that this lock is suiiiciently strong to hold the mandrel of the handle until it is removed therefrom by a special effort. I make this groove 20 annular in the mandrel socket in order to avoid the trouble of selecting thermanner inv which the handle-end shall be thrust into the socket. Y f

Referring to Fig. 4, in `tightening and splicinga broken line wire in the fence, a loop 21 is first made on one of the loose ends of the fence-wire. A supplementary piece of wire 22, either single or double, is attached to the other end of the broken wire, and the free end of this splicing wire 22 is passed through the eye 21 and then inserted through the hole .17 or the hole 18. The mandrel is then rotated by means of the handle to coil the splicing wire upon the rod of the mandrel, as shown in Fig. 4, until the desired tautness is obtained. The tool is then twisted to cause a bite that will hold the wire against uncoiling; then the handle is withdrawn from the mandrel and laid aside; then the mandrel may be carried bodily around and around the splicing wire to wrap thereon the wire that was previouslv coiled on the rod of the mandrel. The object in making the mandrel detachable is to render it convenient for bodily rotating the mandrel during the final twisting action. In some cases, it is imperative to remove the handle, as the spaces between the wires of the fence are not sufficient to enable the lanldle to be bodily rotated with the man- I have described one way of using my tool, but it will be understood that other uses may be availed of. In tightening an unbroken line wire of the fence, the notch 19 and the hole 18 are desirably used. In thus tightening an unbroken wire of a fence, I first take a supplementary piece of wire and attach it to the fence wire on the other side o'f the post from which the tool is to be used. This supplementary piece of wire is passed back of the post and then through the slot 19 or hole 18 in the mandrel; and I'this supplementary wire is tightened by revolving the bow-shaped handle in an approximately vertical position, thus tightening the fence-wire. When a satisfactory tension has been obtained, the tool is shifted to a horizontal position, which causes the supplementary wire to bite or bind by being bent at right angles to the wire of the fence.V InV this position, the crank is no longer needed to prevent the wire from unwinding from the mandrel-rod and the handle may be snapped out of the mandrel; then the mandrel may be bodily rotated for the purpose of twisting the `free end of the supplementary wire which was previously wound upon the mandrel.

I have shown the end of the shank that fits into the socket 13 to be cylindrical in shape, but-it will be understood that this shank may have any other desirable crosssection without departing from the invention. It will be understood also that I may vary the manner of looking the shank 1n the socket; for instance7 as shown m Fig. 6, I

show the socket 13 attached to the shank of the handle rather than to the mandrel,

and in place of the pin-and-slot arrangement shown in Fig. 3, I have shown a flat lug 12 on the end of the shank 10 which fits into a similarly-shaped notch in the adjacent end of the mandrel.

TWhat I claim as new is:

A tool of the class set forth embodying a handle and a mandrel and means for detachably connecting the same, said means embodying a transverse pin carried by one end of the handle, a spring-actuated ball detent carried by the handle, and a socket adapted to receive the end of the handle and provided with opposite notches for receiving the ends of said pin, said socket being also provided interiorly with an internal annular groove located between the outer end of the socket and the bottoms of the notches.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailiX my signature.

BERNARD L. COLEMAN.

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