US367005A - Fence - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. J. LESLIE.

FENCE.

N0. 367,005. Patented July 19, 1887.

Artes t.

lily/n for.

Agg.

UNITED STATES PATENT @tirreno BENJAMIN J. LESLIE, OF BUTLER, KENTUCKY.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION tolling part of Letters Patent Noi 367,005, dated July 19, 1887.

Application filed April S, 18H. Serial No. 234,111.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:-

Beit known that I, BnNJuIN J. LEsLIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butler, Pendleton county, Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Felices, of which the following is a specification.

My'invention relates to fences for farms, duc., of the class in which rails are lashed together with wire to form panels of convenient length. As heretofore constructed such fences, while convenient and economical to construct, have been subject to certain disadvair tages which it is the object of my invention to remedy. These fences have usually been formed by lashing rails in approximately horizontal relation to vertical posts, forming substantially rectangular panels. As these fences are usually builtl wholly on the surface of the ground and maintained by lateral struts or props similarly lashed to the fence rails or posts, they are more or less subject to strains in various directions by Winds, climbing of persons, and rubbing of animals, &c.,which the Inode of structure above indicated is ill adapted to resist. The fence-rails being approximately horizontal, the posts vertical, and the retainingwire being looped diagonally around each rail and its supporting-post, the end motion of the fence strains the loops, and the rails gradually work downward by slipping of the wire loops on the vertical posts. Another disadvantage of this construction is that the rails between the vertical posts must all be of a given length for eachpanel. Consequently short rails can be utilized only by setting the posts closer together, which multiplies the posts without contributing thereby to the strength of the felice or economizing the cost.

In my improvement I place the supportingposts in a slanting or inclined position in the vertical plane of the fence, which brings the Wire loops binding the rails and posts together Inore nearly at right angles to the axis of the post, so that any intermovement of rail and post tends to bed the wire Inore firmly into the wood7 instead of causing it to slip upon the surface.

In building the fence I construct afew panels with the supporting-posts at the same relative inclination and place the terminal post (No model.)

of the next succeeding panel at the opposite inclination. Thus the said terminal post acts as an end prop for all the panels before it, or, rather, there is constituted a triangular panel, which, with its terminal posts and connectingrails, forms a strong resting'snpport for the gravitating tendency of the inclined panels preceding. Moreover, by the gravitating tendency referred to, the wire loops of the entire .structure are held Itaut upon the rails and posts throughout, and any srain upon rails or posts tends to bed the wire more tirmlyin the wood, and the rails cannot possibly slip down their supporting-posts without actual breakage of the loops, which of course occurs only in isolated instances, and is easily repaired.

The triangular supporting-panels may be inserted in the line of fencing as frequently as occasion demands, or a given number of panels may be constructed beyond such triangular panel, with their end posts all slanting alike in a direction opposite to that ofthe lirstpauels. The triangular panels also afford an opportunity to utilize pieces of different lengths, thereby economizing the material used.

My invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which a short section ofthe fence complete is exhibited in perspective elevation.

Referring, now,to the drawing, A Al A3 AA5 A represent the inclined supporting-posts of my improved fence, and D represents the rails placed between andsecured to the same, constituting panels, as shown. The rails are secured to the posts by Wire loops G, formed by a short section of Wire passed around the rail and post at the meeting-point, having its ends brought together and twisted until the loop is taut and holds the parts tirmly together. The supporting-posts, as will be observed, are inclined to the vertical,whereby the loops C cross the posts in a plane more nearly at right angles to the axis of the posts than would be the case were the posts themselves vertical. Con seqnently any strains upon the joint thus formed tends to embed the wire more irmly in the wood. The first three supporting-posts,as shown in the drawing, are inclined in the saine direction, and the two panels of fence thus Vformed have therefore a gravitating tendency toward the right hand. This tendency is coun- IOO teracted byA theinclination ofthe post A, whichtween the uprights A3 A4, being of different lengths and firmly secured to the uprights,con

stitute with the same a supporting frame or truss of great strength and resistance against the movements of the fence from various ac cidental causes, as well as the gravitating tendto encies before referred to. The fence is finished I claim as my invention and desire to secure` 53 in the usual manner by side braces, D, crossed by Letters Patent of the United Statesabove the upper rails and carrying in the l. Inawire and rail fence, apanel or series crotch at the top a Stringer or line of rails, E, of panels composed of terminal supportingwhich is also secured'to the upper ends of the posts similarly inclined atan angle to the vert5 posts, thus practically constituting what is tical in the line ot' the fence, and horizontal 55 known in common parlance as a stake-andrails secured thereto between saidinclined terriderfence. Itwill beobserved thatbetween minal posts and held by wire loops uniting the uprights A3 A4 and A4 A5 are triangular each rail to the posts,whereby the end-thrust panels in which the crossrails are of various of the panels,due to the inclination ofthe supo.) lengths. As these felices are intended to loe porting-posts, strains the loops always in the 6o used on farms and to be made up from the resame direction, substantially as set forth.

fuse timber, it will be seen that this arrange- 2. In a wire and rail fence of the character ment enables the farmer to utilize both short described, the combination of a panel or'series and long pieces in the same structure, and in ot panels having terminal supporting-posts inthe same panels in many cases, the economy clined at a similar angle to the vertical in the 65 of which is obvious. line of the fence, and having thereby an end- The general structure of the fence, as above thrust in a certain direction, with a panel or described, is far more rigid and durable than series of panels having terminal supportingthose rst referred to, for the reason, among \posts inclined at an opposite angle to the verl 5oy others, that the strain upon the loops is altical, giving an end-thrust in the opposite di- 7o ways in the same direction. For example, the weight of a person crossing the fence simply adds to the gravitating tendency already eX- isting and falls upon the loops already taut,`

Whereas, were the posts vertical, the weight would tend to vdeiiect' them to one side or the other of the vertical, and in course of time to both sides, t-hus straining the loops in both directions.

4o Additional supports, F, may be provided as required. Iprefer to secure them, as indicated in the drawing,with a strip or cleat,f,of hoopiron, nailed to the support F and to the post in such a posit-ion that one of the wire loops will cross and hold the said cleat at the` line of junction between the support and the post in be obvious in the drawing, and needs no further description.

-rectionto that ofthe rst panel or series, each panel or series forming an end support for the other, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two` subscribing Witnesses. I

BENJAMIN J. LESLIE. V Witnesses: l

C. D. KERK, E. L. KEER.

the angle there formed. The construction will 1 u

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