US444331A

US444331A - Fence

Info

Publication number: US444331A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 1908-01-06

Description

G. A. CHRIST.

'(No Model.)

FENQE.

Patented Jan. 6, 1891.

Eden/502 fzaafa e C Z F ZQ QQMK UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

GUSTAVE A. CHRIST, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,331, dated January 6, 1891.

Application filed May 1, 1890.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAVE A. CHRIST, of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is an improvement upon the class of fence shown in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me on the 17 th day of December, 1889, and numbered 417,383.

The present improvements relate more particularly to means for holding the wire to the post, to an improved form of ground-plate combined with prongs by which the post is anchored in the ground, and in the details of construction of an anchor for holding the wires down between the posts.

My said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a'section of fence. Fig. 2 is a front view of the prongs of the post. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the clip locked. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the clip when open. Fig. 5 is a central section of the base-plate with prongs in position. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views.

In the drawings, A represents the post, which I prefer to make of flat bar-iron, and which when made of that material may be from an inch and a half to two inches in width and three-sixteenths of an inch thick, though I do not confine myself to these dimensions. When the top and faciaboards are used, I use the metal post, as shown in my said patent; but the clip is adapted to use with a wooden post. The foot of the post is formed of two flat prongs a a. These are riveted to the foot of the post, one on each side. The points of the post-foot, as shown in my said patent, are made of spring metal and are turned outward; but the elasticity of the metal is not strictly necessary, as they may be made of pliable metal, with only the extremity bent outward. If made of elastic material, the outward curve throughout the greater extent of the prong is the same before being driven into the ground 5 but if made of such material that the prongs may be bent, then cheaper material may be used and only the extremities are bent outward and the fur= ther bending takes place as the prongs are Serial No. 350,154. (No model.)

driven into the ground, the bent points or acting as guides and causing them to diverge as they are driven. The ground-plates D are made with outer edges bent downward to form holding-flanges d, which lie parallel to the line of the fence. The point of my invention in this is in respect to the openings for the prongs. These are cut to leave tongues e e, these tongues extending inwardly transversely to the fence and downwardly, so that when the prongs are driven through against the free ends of the tongues any force tending to draw out the prongs will cause them to draw upward on the tongues and to be pinched between the end of the tongues and the inner margin of the hole, and thus be firmly locked. The prongs a a are therefore automatically locked in the plate by the simple act of driving, and the plate becomes a rigid part of the the post-foot and gives it a broad and firm base. The clip for holding the wire to the post is shown at E. I-Ieretofore the edge of the post has been cut to form a tongue, behind which the wire is lodged and held by bending in the tongue. This weakens the post by removal of metal on the edge, and is otherwise objectionable. out of a separate piece of flexible sheet metal approximately in theform of the letter S. It has a hole for the rivet 1, by which it is held to the post, and a lower tongue 2 in hook form with a space for receiving the wire 3. It has also an upper tongue 4, extending in one direction opposite the lower and adapted to be bent around the edge of the post. WVhen the post is put up for shipping, this tongue is unbent and the whole clip is riveted to the post in a position lying wholly against the flat side of the post, in which reversed position no part extends over the margin exposed to bending. When ready to receive the wires, the clip is turned, as shown, and holds the wire firmly against the post, being i self held by the tongue bent around the edge of the post. This clip may be used with a wooden post.

Between the posts I place upon the wires an anchonbar F where necessary. It is connected to the wires by clips in the manner above specified, and the lower wire thus connected to the anchor-bar is held down by an anchor-foot G. This has prongs and a groundplate like the posts above described, and be- The clip E is cut 1 tween the upper ends of the prongs is riveted a block II with a hook it formed on one side to hook over the lower wire, Figs. 1 and 6.

To avoid the expense of twisting and to brace more securely in the direction of the straiu,I place the end and corner posts with the wider faces in the plane of the fence, as shown in Fig. 1. I then simply bend the upper end without twisting to support the top and facia boards, as in Fig. 7. \Vith this arrangement the braces shown in my said patent and here marked P do not require the quarter-turn or the bend, but maybe lapped upon the side of the post and then riveted or bolted.

I claim as my invention- 1. A clip of flexible sheet material provided with a hole for connection with the post, a tongue for receiving the wire, and another tongue in position reversed to the first, adapted to be bent around the edge of the post, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a wire fence, an anchor consisting of a pair of prongs, and a block interposed between said prongs and riveted thereto, said block having a hook to engage the wire, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the post having prongs at its lower end, a plate D to be placed on the ground and having openings to receive the prongs of the post, and the gripping-tongues e,pro jecting from the plate at the opening 11 and engaging the prongs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSWXVE A. ()IIRIS'J.

\Vitnesses:

F. A. GORHAMI, ELLIs SPEAR.