US2225382A

US2225382A - Fence machine

Info

Publication number: US2225382A
Application number: US253176A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tillman C Allee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-01-27
Filing date: 1939-01-27
Publication date: 1940-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1957-12-17

Description

Dec. 17, 1940.

T. C. ALLEE FENCE MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1939 INVENTOR.

A T TORNE YS.

Dec. 17, 1940.

T. c. ALLEE 2,225,382

FENCE MACHINE Filed Jan. 27. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l\ 8 Zillmrzdflllee fi I V I N V EN TOR.

BY s,

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in fence machines, and more particularly to a portable device to be used for stretching either single.

strand wire or different kinds and heights of wire fencing or fabric.

An object of my invention is toprovide a fence machine provided with a frame and av wheeled support, whereby the same may be transported to the location where the wire fencing is being stretched, and will be further provided. with means for automatically re-rolling or winding up the old wire which may have been removed from the fence posts.

Another object of my invention is to provide a wheeled fence machine including a post engaging head at its forward end and means adjacent the rear end whereby the fence being positioned on the fence posts may be stretched taut, and the old wire, which has been removed from the posts, may be rolled up on a drum and removed from the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheeled fence machine including a body having a post engaging head at its forward end, fence stretching and post pulling' means intermediate of its ends, and means at its rear end for holding the pulling means in position to withdraw a post from the ground.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved wire stretcher which will be highly efficient in operation and which will be quite inexpensive to manufacture and produce.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of my application,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved fence machine;

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view;

Figure 4 is a partial sectional View taken on transverse axle 3, which in turn engages the wheels 4 at its opposite ends.

The forward end of the triangular frame or body I is provided with a reinforced head 5 having a recess adapted to receive a fence post when '5 the wire stretcher is in operation. Mounted transversely of the body I and on the upper surface thereof, a short distance to the rear axle 3, are bearings 6 in which is disposed the transverse winding shaft 1. The gear wheel 8 is fixed upon 10 the shaft 7 and cooperates with a worm gear 9 supported in a yoke bearing III loosely mounted upon the winding shaft I. Extending rearwardly from the worm gear 9, and formed either integrally therewith or detachable therefrom, is a rearwardly extending crank II having a handle I2, whereby when said handle and crank are rotated, the worm will cause the gear wheel 8 an winding shaft I to rotate.

A cable I3 is secured to shaft I and is adapted to be Wound thereon while the wire fencing is being stretched. In Figure 1 of the drawings the cable I3 is shown connected to a fence engaging clamp I I which is used when composite or mesh fencing is being stretched.

Atransverse shaft I5 is mounted on frame or body I of the wire stretcher to the rear of the transverse winding shaft I and is journaled in bearings IS. A flanged winding drum I1 is removably supported upon the shaft I5 and is adapted to receive old wire which has been taken from fence posts while new wire is being installed.

As shown in Figure 3, the said shaft I5 extends laterally beyond the side of the frame or body I and supports a sprocket wheel I8 at its outer end. A second sprocket wheel I9 is disposed upon the axle 3 of the wire stretcher, and the two sprocket wheels I8 and I9 are connected by means of a sprocket chain 20. Thus when the wire stretcher is pushed along the ground the old wire, which has been removed from the fence, will be automatically wound upon the removable drum I'I. When the drum is completely filled with the wire, the same may be removed and a new drum substituted therefor. 5

In Figure 6 0f the drawings, I have illustrated the cable I3 Wound on shaft 1 and extending rearwardly to a guide pulley 2|, and thence downwardly to the lower portion of a fence post which is to be withdrawn from the ground. When the crank II is operated the shaft I will wind the cable I3 and cause it to pull upwardly on fence post 22 and withdraw it from the ground.

A supporting or bracing leg 23 will be hinged at 24 to the rear end of the body I, and when in) lowered position, will serve to support the wire stretcher in a position substantially parallel with the ground. When the wire stretcher is to be moved from place to place, the bracing leg 23 may be turned upwardly until it engages the under surface of the rear of the body I, whereupon the hook 25 on the frame I may be engaged in the eye 26 on the lower end of the said bracing leg, thus holding the leg in inoperative position.

In operation the wire stretcher is moved to a position adjacent the post to which a stretched wire fence fabric is to be attached. The recessed reinforced head of the body is then placed in engagement with the fence post, and the clamp I4 is secured to the end of the fencing 21. By then turning the crank handle 12, the cable l3 will be wound or taken up and the fencing will be stretched to the desired tension, after which suitable attaching means (not shown) may be used for fastening the fencing to the said post. When stretching a fence fabric it is desirable to use the clamp [4 because a single cable l3 can thus be extended therefrom along lines close to and parallel with the frame I. Consequently during the stretching operation, there is no tendency of the frame swinging upwardly about its point of contact with the post against which it is thrusting.

, Under some conditions it is desirable to pull or to pick up barbed wire. For this purpose the frame can be provided with spaced standards 28 connected by bolts 29 on which rollers 30 are mounted. These serve to support and guide the wire while being pulled.

It will be obvious that I do not intend to limit myself to the specific construction illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification,-

as many minor changes in. detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention. For example instead of driving shaft l5 from axle 3 and wheels 4, a crank operated by hand can be secured to shaft l5 for driving the drum 11.

What is claimed is:

l. A fence machine including a frame tapered toward one end and having a post-receiving recess in said end, a wheel supported axle connected to and extending transversely of the frame adjacent to the center of the frame, foldable means carried by the other end of the frame for engagement with the ground to support the frame along a line substantially parallel with the line of force exerted during a fence stretching operation, a winding element extending transversely of and close to the frame between the axle and said foldable means, a clamp for engaging a fence fabric, and a flexible pulling. device extending from the clamp to the winding element along a line parallel with and close to the top of the frame whereby a pulling force exerted through said flexible element from the winding element to the clamp will be along a line close to and parallel with the line of force exerted through the frame and against an engaged fixed abutment or post in the notched end thereof.

2. A fence machine including a wheel supported frame tapered toward one end and having a post-receiving recess in said end, means cooperating with the other end of the frame for engagement with the ground to support the frame along a line substantially parallel with the line of force exerted during a fence stretching operation, a. winding element extending transversely of and close to the frame between the ends thereof. a clamp for engaging a fence fabric, and a fiexibletpulling device extending from the clamp to the winding element along a line parallel with and close to the top of the frame whereby a pulling force exerted through said flexible element from the winding element to the clamp will be along aline close to and parallel with the line of force exerted through the frame and against an, engaged post in the notched end thereof, said'winding element including a shaft for receiving the flexible elementand winding it thereon, an operating shaft extending longitudinally of the frame and beyond that end thereof remote from the recessed end, and worm gearing on the shaft for transmitting motion therebetween and for holding the first named shaft against free rotationin either direction.

TILLMAN C. ALLEE.