US404536A - Wire-stretcher - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. G-UTHRIDGE. WIRE STRETOHER No. 404,536. Patented June 4, 1889.

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' UNITED STATEsi A'rENT OFFICE.

ELUAH GUTHRIDGE, OF FAYETTE, MISSOURI.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,536, dated June 4, 1889. Application filed February 28, 1889. Serial No. 301,485. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH GUTHRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fayette, in the county of Howard and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vire-Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in machines for stretching barb-wire in the construction of fences, and the novelty will be fully understood from the following description and claims, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine, showing the same in a position to stretch a strand of wire; and Fig. 2 is a view of the shaft and handle which I employ on the spool or reel when taking down a fence.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates the main frame, which is provided with two properly-braced runners to a. Secured to these runners at opposite points are vertical standards or uprights B, which are designed to receive and support the tension device, as will be presently explained. These standards are also held in position by means of diagonal braces 12, extending from the rear parts of the runners or base-frame to the upper portions of the standards. The standards B are provided on their forward side and at corresponding altitudes with bearings d to receive the journal portions of the tensionrolls 0. In practice I design placing these bearings d in pairs and at points corresponding to the points at which the Wires are secured to the posts of a fence, so that the wire may be stretched without any lateral strain or the provision of means to sustain the wire horizontally.

The tension-roll O, which is designed to be used interchangeably in the bearin gs d, is provided near opposite ends with a staple e, and

. a hook or other means for engaging the wire.

By having the staples or engaging devices e arranged one near each end of the tensionroller it is apparent that the machine maybe worked with convenience from the right or left hand side of the fence, and this is very desirable in some localities. t

D indicates bearings or uprights arranged in advance of the standards B, and secured, respectively, to the runners to, so as to furnish means of support for the spool carrying the wire.

The front cross-barfof the main frame is provided with a whiffletree or other means for the attachment of a draftanimal. This cross-bar is also provided with anchor-chains g, so that when the machine has been carried to the desired point it may be anchored in position by the said chains.

In operation one end of the Wire from the spool is firmly secured to a fence-post, after which the machine is driven along the line to the desired point and then anchored. The tension-roller being in the lowermost bracket or bearing (1, the operator grasps the removable levers h and, having inserted them in the apertures i of the said roll, proceeds to tighten the wire between the machine and the post to which it has been secured. until the same has been made fast to all of the posts. The opera-tion is then repeated with the tensionroll in the brackets, as shown in Fig. 1, and again repeated for the third wire with the roll in the top brackets. It is obvious that more or less brackets maybe employed,- according to the number of wires to be employed, a pin-'such as 7c-being inserted above the brackets to hold the journals of the tensionroll seated.

One of theheads of the spoolE is provided with a plurality of apertures m, and when it is desirable to take down a fence I employ a shaft, such as f. (Better shown in Fig.2 of the drawings.) This shaft is provided with a cross head or bar G, carrying studs or pins H, adapted to enter the apertures min the spoolhead, so that when the shaft has been inserted in the eye of the spool and the studs H enter the apertures the shaft will be fixed thereto.

This shaft is designed to extend sufficiently at opposite ends of the spool-head to be received in the brackets or bearings d of the standards B. Thus in taking down a fence the shaft F is placed in the desired brackets of the standards with the tension-roll omitted,

when by turning the crank-handle the wire may be reeled upon the spool.

This machine is very light and durable and may be manufactured at a comparatively small expense.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The main frame composed of the runners a and cross-braces, in combination with the bearings D,secured to the runners, the standards 13, also secured to the runners, the brackets d, secured to the forward sides of the standards, as shown, the spool journaled in the bearings D, the diagonal bars bracing the standards for the runners, and the tensionroll having lever-apertures to receive the removable levers, and also having staples or books for engaging the wire, one of said hooks being arranged near each end of a tension-roll, and the said roll being adapted to be placed in the brackets at different altitudes, substantially as specified.

2. In a fence-machine, substantially as specified, the combination, with the main frame, of the standards having bearings, and the tension-roll having a staple near opposite ends to engage the wires, whereby the machine may be worked from the right or left hand side of a fence, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELIJAH GUTIIRIDGE.

Witnesses:

A. J. FARR, O'rHo ASHCRAFT.

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