US2626364A - Electric fence controller and method of operation - Google Patents

Description

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Jan. 20, 1953 l.. H. UNDERwooD 2,626,364

ELECTRIC FENCE' CONTROLLER AND METHOD OF OPERATION l Filed March 20, 194e 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATNT OFFICE ELECTRIC FENCE CONTROLLER ANR? METHOD OF OPERATION Leo H. Underwood, Walhcnding, Ohio Application March 20, 1946, Serial No. 655,681

(CI. B-32) 3 Claims. l

rIhis invention `relates to electrical methods and a device for farm fences capable of electrically energizing a fence with high potential electrical charges of short duration recurring at regular intervals which makes the fence effective as an animal barrier, but removes the danger of electrocution to animals and human beings.

One object Aof my invention is to provide an economica-l and useful construction of the device with a minimum number of parts and methods to regulate `the interval between and the duration of the electric charges on the fence.

Another object of my invention is to provide an eicient and economical means of regulating the interval between charges by utilizing a common transformer to energize the fence, and to operate the timing mechanism.

Another object is to provide a transformer which will effectively and safely energize the fence with small power loss, when weeds, grass and other objects contact the charged wire.

Another object is to provide an accurate signaling device which will atvall times clearly indicate the electrical conditions of the charged fence, without consuming additional current to operate said signaling device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention which include the method of operation will become apparent, expressed or implied from the following description of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the motor control mechanism, showing the mechanism mounted on the fence energizing transformer.

Figure 2 is a vertical fractional view showing various embodiments of the invention, including details of the preferred form of bearing means used in the device.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the electric wiring of the invention.

Figure 4 is a fractional view of Figure 1 illustrating details of an automatically operated improved switch used in connection with the present fence device.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the' several views.

vl'n the drawings 36 indicates a suitable pressed steel base upon which is mounted, by means of screws 2i! a U shaped transformer of the open core type I2 including an insulating member or block 2l having a vertical shaft I provided with bearing members 5-5 adapted to pivotallyrecelve and 'support an oscillating armature bar II, counterbalarice weights Ill-Id one at each end of said bar being mounted thereon by means of rivets 9 9, one of said counterbalance weights having a support A3 for contact member 28 and a return coil spring member Il being also provided on the armature bar bearing sleeve 35 tending to `swing said bar in one direction. A transformer primary winding I4 having leads I3 and I3, a secondary winding I8 having leads I9-I9, and an open circuited metallic shield IS with lead I 5 around said windings are mounted on one leg of said transformer core I2. All of which being further illustrated in detail in sectional Fig. 2. Referring further to Fig. 1, 34 indicates a fixed bracket upon which is mounted an insulating support member 33 adapted to receive one end of coil spring member 8, a condenser 33 and the spring blades 29 and 33. The other end of spring 8 is attached to spring holder member 6 mounted on sleeve member 35 which, by use of suitable bearings contained therein such as shown in Fig. 2 rotatably supports the armature bar I I.

The function of spring blade 38 being to cushion and absorb the shock from armature bar I I when, under the force of the return spring 8 exerted thereon, and due to its momentum, the swinging' bar II causes contact 22 mounted at one end of spring blade 38 to engage contact 28 mounted on armature bar II. When desired, to assure further smoothness of operation, an auxiliary spring blade 29 may be used in spaced relation between the fiber support 3i) and the spring blade 38. As shown, the spring blade 38 has at its free end portion a contact member 22 adapted to be intermittently engaged by the aforesaid contact member 28, as shown in 4, in the oscillating movement of the armature bar Il. 3| indicates a suitable rivet for attaching the said spring blades in the desired position to insulating support 30. A screw 32 is provided to permit the up and down adjustment of spring blades 29 and 33, and ascrew 42 is provided for adjusting the operative position of contact 22 toward or from the center of the core of transformer iron I2. The lead 31 of condenser 33 as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, is connected to the conductor spring member 8 at point 3S while the other lead 4l of said condenser is connected to conductor spring blade 38 at point 4I.

The lead extending from a source of power 24 is electrically connected to point 39 and from point 3S the current passes through spring 8 and vthence through the armature bar II to contact member 23, ciearly shown in 1Fig. 3. The other lead 44 from the same source of power 2d extends to one terminal of "on and off switch 25. Connected to the other terminal of said switch 25 is one of the leads I3 from primary Winding I4.

The other lead I3 of said primary winding I4 is electrically connected at point 4I on spring blade contact member 38 as illustrated in Figures 1-3 and 4.

The secondary winding I8 is Wound over the primary winding I 4 with suitable insulation material I'I between the two said windings and having leads I9-I9 one lead of which being electrically connected to the base member 3S, the base member being connected by a suitable conductor to an earth ground 48, Fig. 3, while the other lead from the secondary winding is connected to intermittently deliver its electrical charge to outlet terminal 45 and thence to the fence.

As shown contact 28 mounted at one end of armature bar II, is electrically connected by means of coil spring 8 to terminal 39 and is adapted to intermittently engage contact 22 mounted at the side of the upper portion of core member I2, or at approximately degrees beyond the transformers maximum pull position. When contact 28 of bar I I engages contact 22, thereby closing the circuit in primary Winding I 4 on core I2, the core becomes energized and thus suicient magnetic force is produced therein to attract the bar thereby separating contacts 22 and 28 which breaks the circuit thus deenergizing said core and the oscillating armature bar continues to swing by its inertia on bearings 5-5 a predetermined distance around shaft I against the iniiuence of spring 8. Soon, however, when the inertia which produces the swinging action of bar II is spent, the spring 8 forces the armature bar II to swing back so that contact 28 will again engage contact 22. This cycle of oscillation produces suitable timing interval between electrical charges to the fence.

In operation the armature bar l I swings a distance determined by the force of the initial mag- Y netic pull thereon by the core I2 against the force of the spring 8, and the distance of the contact 22 from the center of the core I2. Said distance is adjustable by manually regulating screw 42.

Figure 4 is a fractional side view of Figure 1 A showing the arrangement of shock absorbing spring blade member 38 mounted on ber support 38, and spring blade 29 associated in space relation therewith, both of said blades being held in position together upon support 38 by means of rivet 3| and screw 32 as shown. The control screw 42 aforementioned is threaded through the support member 30 for regulating the position of said spring blades 29 and 38 and contact member 22V with respect to contact member 28 and in positions toward and fromthe center of the core member I2. In this manner, through the manipulation of screw 42, the timing of the electrical saturation of the core I2 and that of the intermittent electrical charges to the fence may be obtained.

Figure 2 illustrates the improved form of bearings I prefer to use in connection with my fence controller device. Said bearings comprise bearing cone members 3-3 one of which is mounted at the lower portion of shaft member I, and the other of said cone members is located at a substantial elevation on the upper portion of said shaft member. Sleeve member has recesses for race cups 5 5 at each-end thereof adapted to'receive balls 4 4 rotatably adjusted therein by means of said cone members 3-3 and bushing members 2--2 on shaft member I. 6 indicates the coil springy holder-'and tension adjusting member. Said member 6 is in the form of a short split tube acting as a clamping spring member and is held by friction in the desired position upon the sleeve member 35. By manually sliding said member 6 up and down or around the sleeve member 35, the position and tension of coil spring member 8 may be adjusted. The coil spring member 8 is also electrically connected at point 39 on the insulated support member 38 thence t0 the base member 36. l is a bearing oil retaining felt member. I'I-II indicate suitable insulation means between the various parts constituting the winding assembly 23, and coil member I6. The armature bar II is mounted at the lower end of the sleeve member 35, the same being spaced closely adjacent to the upper portion of the core member I2 for the free oscillating movement within a range determined by the adjustment of return spring 8, the adjustment of position of contact member 22, and the degree of magnetic pull from the core member on the armature bar member at the moment the contact-28 on said bar engages contact 22. It will be understood that the greater the magnetic pull from the core on the bar, the greater the swinging movement that will be imparted to it against the resistance of the return spring 8, as contacts 22 and 28 break open, thereby securing the desired degree Vor range of oscillation in the counterbalanced arms of the centrally pivoted armature bar member II, which thus also regulates the timing of the electrical charges to the fence.

A neon signaling bulb 26 is shown in a socket 27 suitably mounted on transformer core I2. One terminal of said socket 21 is electrically connected to said core member I2 by screw 20 while the other terminal of said socket is connected by lead I5 to an electrostatic pickup member I6 which is in the form of an open circuited turn of suitable foil I8 wound around the outside of, and insulated from, the secondary winding IB. Said foil member I6 is adapted to intermittently energize the neon bulb 26 by means of electrostatic discharges produced by the action of said transformer. This method of operation provides an accurate indication of load andv leakage conditions on the fence, because the electrostatic charge picked up is in direct .proportion to the voltage present in the secondary winding I8 and the brightness of the neon lamp 28 changes accordingly. 1

l. In a periodic interrupter system, a switch mechanism comprising a substantiaily Uvshaped core; a winding around one leg of said core; a dielectric member mounted between the spaced ends of said core; an upright shaft-like member supported by said dielectric member; a sleeve surrounding a portion of said shaft-like member; antifriction bearings between said shaft-like member and said sleeve; an armature bar provided on said sleeve for swinging movement in a horizontal plane spaced slightly abovethe ends of said core; a spiral spring having one end stationarily supported by said core land the'other end fixed to said sleeve, said spring tending to urge. said armature bar out of aposition-in align-- ment with the ends of said-core; an electrical contact stationarily supported by said core; a second contact carried by saidy armature bar, said contacts being engaged when said bar moves in response to said spring; and electrical connections between said contacts and a current source, one electrical connection including said winding.

2. `In a periodic interrupter system, a switch mechanism comprising an inverted U-shaped core; a winding around one leg of said core; a dielectric member disposed between the spaced ends of said core; an armature bar; means carried by said dielectric member for supporting said armature bar for swinging movement in a horizontal plane immediately above the ends of said core; spring means tending to urge said armature bar toward one side of a position in alignment with the ends of said core; an electrical contact stationarily supported by said core; a second contact carried by said armature bar, said second contact engaging the rst-mentoned contact when said armature bar moves in response to said spring; and electrical connections between said contacts and a current supply source, one of said electrical connections including said winding.

3. In a periodic interrupter system, a switch mechanism comprising a substantially U-shaped core; a winding around one leg of said core; a dielectric member mounted between the spaced ends of said core; an upright shaft-like member supported by said dielectric member; a sleeve surrounding a portion of said shaft-like member; antifriction bearings between said shaft-like member and said sleeve; an armature bar provided on said sleeve for swinging movement in a horizontal plane spaced slightly above the ends of said core; a spiral spring having one end stationarily supported by said core and the other end secured for adjustment around said sleeve, said spring tending to urge said armature bar to one side of a position in alignment with the ends of said core; an electrical contact resiliently supported by said core; a second contact mounted for movement with said armature bar, said contacts being in engagement when said bar is moved by said spring; and electrical connections between said contacts and a source of current, one of said electrical connections including said winding.

LEO H. UNDERWOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,585,819 Tupper May 18, 1926 1,767,104 Volkman June 24, 1930 1,819,260 Peters Aug. 18, 1931 1,931,225 Heaton Oct. 17, 1933 2,082,572 Gonsett June 1, 1937 2,104,283 Webster Jan. 4, 1938 2,127,898 Webster Aug. 23, 1938 2,185,950 Rose Jan. 2, 1940 2,225,227 Mills Dec. 17, 1940 2,294,344 Nunn Aug. 25, 1942 2,304,954 Pfanstiehl Dec. 15, 1942 2,316,211 Agnew et al Apr. 13, 1943 2,465,234 Kneisley Mar. 22, 1949

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