US500883A - Fence-post - Google Patents

Description

`(N o Model.)

J. B. GQWDY.

' FENCE POST.

Patented July 4, 1893.

Mww@ N /NV/VTOH BY my@ A TTOHNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. GOVDY, OF OAK GROVE, ILLINOIS.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,883, dated July 4, 1893.

Application iiled November 1 1892. Serial No. L50,625. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES B. GOWDY, of Oak Grove, in the county of McLean and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to iron fence posts with which both wire and` board stretchers may be connected, or which may have horizontal studding for paling fences fasten ed to them, and it consists in a novel construction of said posts, having weights or brick fillings of novel character in the lower portions of the posts, for firmly anchoring the latter in the ground to prevent upheaval of the posts by frost working out of the ground, and for otherwise steadying and securing the posts and holding the fence in position, substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l represents a view in perspective of a fence post, with stretchers in part applied, embodying my invention; Fig. 2, an elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a horizontal section upon the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a view in perspective of one of the bricks used in iilling up and anchoring the lower part of the post; and Fig. 5, a view in elevation upon a larger scale, of the upper part of the post in part, with a wire runner in part applied.

A, indicates the post, which is made either of wrought or cast iron and all in one piece. It consists essentially of two parallel uprights ZJ, b', of unequal length or height, arranged to leave a space c between them and joined together at their base or lower ends and above by bar-like connections CZ, d, thus forming a broad vertically slotted lower end portion which mainly or wholly enters into or beneath the ground, and constitutes a holder or receiver for bricks C, as a filling to anchor and give stability to thepost. The one b of the uprights is made of twice the height, more or less, of the other upright b and projects suficiently above the ground for the attachment of the stretchers running from post to post. When said post is constructed of wrought iron, it will be made from a bar suitably bent and fastened or closed Where the two uprights join each other above, either by a rivet or a bolt e, as desired. lf a bolt be used, the brick-holding portion of the post may be spread slightly apart at the top by the insertion of a chisel inthe closing portion of the bar, which will allow of tight fitting bricks C being inserted and so that on tightening up the bolt, the bricks will it somewhat tighter than if the closing portion of the post were secured by a rivet. It' a rivet be used, however, instead of the bolt, the brick may be easily inserted as hereinafter described.

The bricks O may be of the usual size but are each formed with a groove f in one face to provide for their retention and to enable them to be slid into place vertically, in close hug or side engagement with the uprights or such portion of the uprights as is designed to receive the brick lling in between them. These bricks are arranged in couples back to back, one couple above another, in a1l,.gen erally, three couples made up of six bricks. This will virtually make a brick base to the post of considerable depth and sufficient width to rxnl'y anchor and steady the post and keep the fence in line.

When the weighted anchoring post is constructed of wrought iron closed or fastened by a rivet or otherwise where the two uprights b, I)`l are connected, then the bricks may be inserted, one of each side couple at a time, and t-he second or companion brick be entered in the post above the other and be slid by its groove down to the side ot or behind the other.

The upright b extending above the ground has fence wires g locked to it by bending them into a Z-shape opposite holes in the upright, and said wires then locked to the post by staples h which are clinched on the back of the post. Thus each fence wire is locked laterally1 to keep the wires taut. The holes s for thus securing the wires or stretchers are made just sufficiently elongated and wide for insertion of the staples. lt is preferred to make said holes in couples of about four inches apart, more especially for the fastening of one or more board stretchers to take the place of the wires, and a short distance is allowed ICO between the tirst set of wires nearest the ground; but the upper wires or stretchers may be arranged with a longer distance between them or a longer distance be arranged between the holes s s which provide for securing the wires by staples to the post, so that by means of large clinch or wire nails 7l, fence boards 7a may be secured to the post.

Board stretchers might be substituted for the wire stretchers, if desired, or horizontal studs for paling fences be fastened to the posts by bolts or otherwise. 'The lower wires or stretchers are arranged comparatively close to the ground to prevent pigs or smallA animals from passing through the fence.

In the construction of the t'ence post as described, the shorter upright b helps to hold the bricks C and braces the other or long upright b, and the post whether of wrought or cast iron can be cheaply made. Said post is brick rooted and is so anchored to the ground by the two lower bricks that it will not be upheaved by the frost when coming out of the ground in the spring of the year, and the pairs of bricks above the two lower ones will slide up with any upheaving of the ground and then fall back when the ground settles, thus preventing any upward strain on the post.

The depression and bulge v in the longer upright b just above the lowest bricks, serve to assist in upholding the weight of the two uprights and the stretchers of the fence, so

that the post will not sink too deep into the ground.

Having thus fully described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination with a fence post having a broad and vertically slotted or laterally open lower portion, of anchoring weights mounted loosely within said space, whereby the said weights will slide up with the upheaving of the ground and fall back again when the ground settles, thereby preventing any upward strain on the post, substantially as described.

2. An improved fence post, consisting ofthe two parallel uprights b b' of unequal length joined together at their lower ends and connected above by the bar d forming a rectangular space c, and the grooved bricks C, arranged in pairs in the said spacel substantially as described. o

c, as speciied.

JAMES B. GOWDY. Witnesses:

CHUR E. READ, HARRY C. READ.

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