US2451389A

US2451389A - Line stretcher

Info

Publication number: US2451389A
Application number: US685805A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl L Howe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-07-24
Filing date: 1946-07-24
Publication date: 1948-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1965-10-12

Description

Oct. 12, 1948. E. L. HOWE 2,451,389

LINE STRETCHER Filed July 24, 1946 a l V U 25 22 l 24 IL/ INVENTOR- W i EARL L.- HOWE l w BY 3 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 12, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LINE STRETCHER Earl L. Howe, Dayton, Ohio Application July 24, 1946, Serial No. 685,805 3 Claims. (Cl. 254-161) This invention relates to means for stretching lines and for retaining them in a taut condition.

An object of the invention is to provide a simplified and improved form of line-stretching device which is adapted to be connected directly with the line for stretching the same, and after stretching the line, of retaining the same in a taut condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified form of line-stretching device having an improved and simplified arrangement of a ratchet mechanism for retaining the device in selected positions after placing a line connected thereto in a taut condition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a line-stretching device that is adapted for use in stretching metal lines, such as fence-lines, and is also adapted for use in stretching an electric fence-line to maintain the same in a taut condition.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the drawings and thefollowing description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective elevational view of the line-stretching device of this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the linestretching device illustrated in Figure 1 and is taken in the direction of the arrow 2 thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2. 1

Figure 4 is an elevational view illustrating the application of the line-stretching device to the use of stretching an individualline.

Figure 5 is an elevational view illustrating the application of the line-stretching device for use in stretching an electric fence-line.

The line-stretching device of this invention consists of a body member II! that is substantially U-shaped and has a base portion II and a pair of parallel arm portions I2 and I3. The arm portions I2 and I3 are provided with axially aligned holes I4 and I5 respectively that receive a rod or tubular member I6. The arms I2 and I3 are also provided with small holes I1 and I8 respectively that are adapted to receive a wire for attachin the body member III to a desired support. Also, a hole I9 is provided in the base portion II through which a linewhich is to be stretched, passes.

The rod or tubular member I6 extends beyond each of the arms I2 and I3 of the body member ID, and has holes 20 and 2I passing through the extending ends of the rod or tubular member I6. These holes 20 and 2I are placed at right angles to one another and are adapted to receive a-suit-.

able tool for rotating the rod I6 within the body III.

The rod or tubular member I6 is also provided with a radially-drilled hole 22 that is adapted to receive the free end of a line to be tightened.

A ratchet mechanism is provided for holding the rod or tubular member I6 in selected posi tions The ratchet mechanism consists of a pair of U-shaped

wire members

23 and 24 that pass through radially disposed

holes

25 and 26 in the member I6 adjacent the arm portions I2 and I3 of the body member Ill. The

holes

25 and 26 are arranged at right angles to one another to thus dispose the U-shaped

ratchet members

23 and 24 at right angles to one another. The

ratchet members

23 and 24 are thus arranged so that for each degrees of rotation of the tubular member I6, one of the ratchet members may be positioned with the arm thereof disposed over the arms l2 or I3 of the body member III, as for example, in the manner in which the ratchet member 23 is positioned over the arm I2 as illustrated in Fi ure 2. Y

A line 30 to be stretched has the free end thereof passed through the hole I9 and extended through the hole 22 in the member I6. A suitable tool, such as the screwdriver 35, is inserted through one of the holes 20 and 2I in the member I6 to rotate the member and thus wrap the line around the member l6, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. The initial complete turn of the line 3|)v around the member I6 will prevent the line from releasing from the member I6. As the line 30 is drawn taut, either of the

ratchet members

23 or 24 may be placed over the respective arms I2 and I3 of the body III to retain the line in a taut condition.

In Figure 4 there is illustrated an application of the use of the line-stretcher of this invention wherein a wire line 40 is stretched taut between a support such as a building 4| and a post 42. The line 40 extends from the hook 43 of the building 4| and passes through a hole 44 drilled through the post 42. The end of the line 40 is then passed through the member I6 in the manner heretofore described and is drawn taut by T0- tation of the member I6. Either of the

rachet members

23 or 24 may engage the respective cooperating arms of the member I0 to hold the line 40 in a taut condition.

In Figure 5 there is illustrated an application of the line-stretcher for use in stretching an electric fence-line. In this application .of the device the electric fenceline .50 extends between the fenceposts and 52, a suitable insulator 53 being provided at each end of the line 59. A wire loop 54 may have the free ends thereof passed through the holes I! and 18 in the arms ['2 and I3 and suitablyfastened.

The line-stretching device of this invention is placed in the electric fence-line 50 with one end of the fence-line 50 being secured to the loop 54 and theoppositeirec end of the line; 5il-ebeingi passed through therotating member" 16 :of the line-stretching device in the manner heretofore described. Rotation of the member stretch and maintain the line 50 taut, and the line stretching device will notin any Way-inter fere with the passage of electric current along,

the fence-line 50.

I5 will If desired, of course, the line-stretching d'ev i'ce-: could be positioned between one of the insulators 53 and either fencepost, in which instance the line-stretching device would be out of the electric "While the device heretofore d iscl os'ed an-d de scribed constitutes a preferred form oftheein venti'on yet it will be understood "that the device is capable-of alteration Withoutdeparting-from thospiritof the invention, and that all modificati'ons that'ial-l within the scope of ;th'e-'app'ended claims are intended tobe included-herein; Having thus fully described myinvention, what I'iclaimi as newlan'd desire to secure by- Letters Patent is: i f lfAdevi'ce, for. stretching, lines that comprises; a body; member-having spaced" substantially par allelfidcs, a rod-like member extending "between said'sjidesand j'ournaled therein,-detentmembers extending' radi-ally through said rodlike member arigularly disposed relative'to one another and having their ,ends beritto' engage at least one of member, said rod-like member-havi'ng means to receive the end offa lineforfastening thereto,

and further having mean s for engage ent'by a tool for rotating said rod-like "member- 2. Aline-stretching device comprising a body member having spaced substantiallyparallel sides, a rod -like member extending between said sides and jonrnaled therein, said rod like member lfiyingmeans for armaments a linethereto and iurther having means for: engagement by a tool for rotating; said; rodalike member f in said tbody memberg and'fde'tentmeans for 'preventing rotation of 'sa'idJOdE-liKememhe-i' consisting of a pluralityiof -U -f shaped';members ex tending radially through said rod-like member disposed angnlarly 1 relative to one another and freely rotatable in saidrod like member t o provide for extension of said 'uz -shapedj members over at: least one of said, sides. V

3. A l'ine stretching device comprising a body member having spaced ffsubstantially parallel sides a rod-likemember extending between'said sidesand 'journa'led therein, said rod like, memher having means forattachment of a line thereto and further havingmeans for engagement by a tool for rotating said rod-like ,member in, said body member, detent' means for preventingrotationof said rod-flike member consisting of a plurality of .U -'shaped members extending radially through said rod-like member disposed angularly relative to one, another. and freely rotatable 'in fsaidroldlike member to provide for extension ,of said' 'Ll-shaped m flmbersover at least one of said sides, and an opening throughisaidfbody member substantially radially'of said rod-like member member having means for attachment of alin'e i 4 through which a line passes for engagement with said rod-likemember.

4. A line-stretching device comprising abody member having spaced substantially parallel over the adjacent side, said, U-shaped members being disposed angularly relative to one another toprovide for'alternate engagement thereof with their respective'co-operating sides. '5. Aline-stretching device comprising a substantially U-shaped body member, a rod-like membereXtend-ing through and journaled in the sidewalls emera- U' shaped' member, 1 said rod like member having means for attachment of a line thereto and furtherhavingme'ans for engagee mnt- -;by'= a toolfor rotation of said rod-likje member-in said- U '-shapedmember-, and a plurality of "substantially -U-shaped deten-t members 4 .ex-

tending radiallythrough said rod-iike'member e and-freely rotatable therei'n and-"disposed ang-ularly-re ati veto one another ad's'acer-itat least.

one {of the-Walls of SaidZU-shaped member for alternate extension ofsaid u -shaped 1 ratchet members over-the said wall toprevent rotation 6. A line stretehing' device comprising a :sub-

stantially'w shaped body -member, a 5 rodlike membei' extending through and iio'urnaled in the sidewalls of {said 'U-shaped 'member, said rod like membefihaving means for -'attachment of a line thereto and further having 111651115101 en gagementby a tool for 'rotationof said rod-like member in-said U -shaped' member, and a- U shaped detent member extending radially through said rod-like member adjacentseach of the side walls-of"said-' U-shaped 'member-:and freely rotatable therein and-' dispose'd 'ang'ularly relative to' fo'ne aanoth'e'r foralternateengagement swith the'w'alls of said U-shaped member thereadjacent;

7. A line-stretching device'compr-is-ing a substantially [i -shaped body -membe-r, a rod-like member extending throughand journal-ed inthc side wallsofsaid U shaped member, said rod-like thereto and further having-means for engagement i by a =tool for rotation of said rod-like member in-- said U-shaped'member; a U-sha-ped =detent member extendingradiallythrough said rod-like member-adjacent eachof the-side walls of said U shaL'ied-member and freely rotatable there'in and disposed angularly relative to one another ion-alternate engagement withthe -walls of said fll shaped member thereadjacent, and an opening throug'fith'e; base-portion of said-U -shaped member through which a line passes-for engagement to said rod-like memben 8., A.,lme stretching devicefcomprisingjaJsubE-a V sta t1ally,.U-'shaped body member, arodelike member extendingihrough andljournaled in the side wallsbf saidiU-shaped mem'i ier, said redlike memberhaving means. ,for fattach'mentiof a line. hereto iand further havingfmeans for en'- ag'ement by a topl for-rotation of said rod-like memberrinlsaid'U.-shaped member; ,a U-shap,ed

detent' jmemb'efrj,, extending radially through said rod-like member adjacent "each'of the side walls of said U-shaped member and freely rotatable therein and disposed angularly relative to one another for alternate engagement with the walls of said Ushaped member thereadj acent, an opening through the base portion of said U-shaped member through which a line passes for engagement to said rod-like member, and an opening through each of the sides of said U-shaped member closely adjacent the ends thereof to receive means for attaching said U-shaped member to an object.

EARL L. HOWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of th Number Number is patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Owen Jan. 10, 1911 Anderson Jan. 21, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Apr, 15, 1929