US471207A

US471207A - Fence-tightener

Info

Publication number: US471207A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1892-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 1909-03-22

Description

(No Model.)

. T. J. ANDRE.

FENCE TIGHTENBR.

No. 471,207. I v Patented-Mar. 22, 1892.

I i f'lwmad/lAndre.

NITED STATES ATENT FJFICE.

THOMAS J. ANDRE, OF VVAUSEON, OHIO.

FENCE-TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,207, dated March 22, 1892.

Application filed May 19, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. ANDRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vauseon, in the county of Fulton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Fence- Tightener, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to fences, and more especially to the wire-stretchers used therein; and the object of the same is to produce certain improvements in devices of this character.

To this end the invention consists in the specific details of construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as illustrated on the sheet of drawings, where- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of this improved fence, showing the wires as being tightened. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tightener when held in place by the pin. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the tightener when held in position by the staple. Fig. 4 is a detail in plan of my improved tight'ener. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail showing the wires as connected to the fastener and the staple as used to hold the parts in position. Fig. 6. is a cross-sectional view taken through Fig. 5.

Referring to the said drawings, the letters P P designate posts seated in the ground, and W W are Wires connecting the same. The posts represented are supposed to stand at a considerable distance from each other, as at the corners of a field or lot, and in building the fence the wires are first strung from post to post, as well understood. Afterward my improved stretcher is inserted at about the center of each wire and the latter very tightly stretched. Panels or pickets K are then brought into vertical position at points along the wires and are connected thereto by stapling, tying, or other suitable means. These pickets are arranged at such intervals as to prevent the stock from crowding the wires apart and crawling between the same through the fence. They prevent the unequal sagging or stretching of the wires, and they give visual notice to the stock of the presence of the fence, so that if the wires be barbed the stock will not be injured by rushing or pushing against the barbs.

My improved tightener comprlses a short roller R, having at its ends squared heads S,

Serial No. 393,319. (No model.)

the corners of one head standing opposite the faces of the other. These heads are to receive a wrench, and the body of the roller is provided with a longitudinal slot L. .In the op eration of stretching the wire the latter is strung from one end post to the other and then cut at about its center and one end formed into an elongated loop E, which is passed over the roller. The other end is passed through the'slot and connected thereto or secured therein in anysuitable manner, the body of this end beyond the tie passing through the extremity of the loop, as at X. If then the roller be turned in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, it will be obvious that both parts of the wire will be given a strong tension.

The roller may be turned by a wrench or wrenches of any approved form or construction, and there may be one at each end of the roller operated by a workman standing on that side of the fence. The roller being partially turned, a pin P is passed through the loop E into the slot L, when a new bite is taken with the Wrench, after which the roller is further turned and a U-shaped staple U is passed under the unlooped wire W' beyond the loop E and its tips inserted in the ends of the slot- L. This holds the roller in position to maintain the tension of the wire until the wrench can be re-engaged for a new bite. If desired, however, the pin or the staple may be used alone, and it will be obvious that the roller need be given but a half-revolution from one point of locking before the fastener, whether it be the pin or the'staple, can be re-engaged with the slot to hold the roller against a retrograde movement. With the heavy fence-wires now so extensively used no fastener will be necessary, as the stiffness of the wire will prevent a retrograde movement of the fastener.

The roller being of iron and cheaply constructed and the fastener being but a piece of wire of the proper shape and size, the tightener can be leftin the wire and the latter tightened from time to time as necessary, and in order to permit this the pickets K may be loosely stapled to the wires, or the tighteners can be taken off after the fence is finished by arranging the points of tightening in the several wires so that they will break joint and by tightly stapling pickets to the wires at various points. The wires and pickets become a net-work rigid and solid, and to take the tension off commence in the middle of the fence, take one of the center rollers off, draw the wire through the loop, bend the end back, and wrap it around its own wire securely. Then treat the other wires in the same manner, the top and bottom wires last. In this way one set of tighteners answers for an entire farm. I throw in this suggestion merely to show the uses to which the invention can be put, and I am of course aware that the construction and operation of the device itself are not affected by the resultant functions or ad vantages.

hat is claimed as new is 1. In a fence, the combination, with two posts, wires leading inwardly thereform, and a loop in the end of one wire, of a roller beneath said loop, provided with a slot in its body, the end of the other wire passing through the outer end of the loop and being fastened into said slot, substantially as specified.

2. In a fence, the combination, with two posts, wires leading inwardly therefrom, and a vertically-bent loop in the end of one wire, of a roller within the bend of said loop, said roller having a longitudinal slot in its body and an angular end, the end of the other wire passing through the outer end of the loop and being fastened into said slot, and a U -shaped fastener passed under the uulooped wire and having its tips reinovably seated in said slot to prevent a retrograde movement of the roller after the latter is turned, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a fence, the combination, with two posts, wires leading inwardly therefrom, and a loop in the end of one wire, of a roller beneath said loop, having a slot in its body, the end of the other wire passing through the outer end of the loop and being fastened into said slot, and a fastener for the roller, as and for the purpose set forth.

at. In a fence, the combination, with two posts, wires leading inwardly therefrom, and a loop in the end of one wire, of a roller beneath said loop, having a slotin its body and having its ends squared, with the corners of one end standing opposite the faces of the other, the end of the other wire passing through the outer end of the loop and being connected with said slot, and a fastener for the roller, as and for the purpose hereinbcfore set forth.

5. In a fence, the combination, with two posts and a fence-wire leading from each post toward the other, of a roller having a longitudinal slot in its body, with which the inner ends of the fence-wires are connected, the ends of said roller being squared, with the corners of one end standing opposite the faces of the other, and a U-shaped fastener removably seated in said slot, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A fence-tightener consisting of a roller having a longitudinal slot in its body, with which the inner ends of the fence-wires are connected, the ends of said roller being squared, with the corners of one end standing opposite the faces of the other, and a U -shaped fastener removahly seated in said slot, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A fence-tightener consisting of a roller having a longitudinal slot in its body, with which the inner ends of the fence-wires are connected, the ends of said roller being squared, with the corners of one end standing opposite the faces of the other, and a fastener for the roller, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS J. ANDRE. Witnesses:

ELIAS WYsE,

A. D. NEWELL.