US593776A - Wire-fence machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1-. T. H. Mc'DONALD.

WIRE FENCE MAGHINE.

No. 593,776. Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

9 M A. w 1 m m I 3: 1 H I v m (Nd Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T'. H. McDONALD.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

No. 593,776. Patented Nov. 16,1897.

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I i v P i mindsfllflfaflonald UNITED STATES PATENT OFFicE.

THOMAS H. MCDONALD, OF POTOMAO, MONTANA.

WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 593,776, dated November 16, 1897.

' Application filed ary 18, 1897. Serial No- 6l9,646. (N0 model.) v

To'otll whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. MCDONALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at P0- tomac, in the county of Missoula and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful VVire-Fence Machine, of which the following is a specification. 1

This invention relates to machines for applying pickets to the line or fence wires in the construction of wire-and-picket fencing, and has for its object to provide for the ready adjustment of the wire-twisters, so that the strands 'of the cables may be twisted about the pickets at any required point in their length; also, to facilitate the passage of the pickets between the strands or companion wires of the cables when placing them in position and to combine with the machine adjustable spacers of novel construction whereby the pickets are spaced the required distance apart throughout the length of the fence.

Other objects and advantages are contemplated and will appear from the subjoined description as the nature and details of the structural arrangement are fully understood; and to this end reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description, in which corresponding and like parts arereferred to and designated. by the same reference-characters.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the improved machine, showing it applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine, the near portion of the sprocket or drive chain being omitted. Fig. 3 is a front view of the machine, the near side of the frame being removed and the spacers omitted. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the lower portion of the machine removed for the purpose of reducing its length when constructing a fencing comprising short pickets. Fig. 6 is a plan section on the line Y Y of Fig. 5, the picket-guides being omitted. The frame of the machine comprises similar side plates or pieces 1, which are connected at their ends and spaced apart by interposedfilling-pieces 2. These plates 1 have longitudinal slots 3 and are separable at a suitable point in their length to admit of the size of the machine being reduced, as shown in Fig. 5, when short pickets are to be secured between the strands or companion wires of the fence-runners. Wire-twisters 4 are adjustably secured between the plates 1 opposite the slots 3, and are of usual construction and are mounted in bearings 5, which are secured to the inner faces of the plates 1 by bolts or other fastenings in such a manner as to admit of their adjustment relative to the frame, so as to adapt the ma-' chine for long or short pickets or to apply the wires at any required point in the length of the pickets. The bearings 5 are provided in pairs, and the elements of each pair are located in coincident relation, so as to receive the hub portions of a wire-twister, and being secured to the plates upon opposite sides of the slot '3 serve to strengthen and brace the frame, as will be readily comprehended.

A shaft 6 is located at the upper end of the frame and is provided with a crank 7 and pinion 8, the latter meshing with a wiretwister 9 at the upper end of the frame, so as to impart motion thereto. A sprocket-gear 10 is formed with or applied to a side of the pinion or spur-gear 8, and the sprocket or drive chain 11 receives its motion therefrom and passes around the sprocket portions of the wire-twisters 4, so as to impart motion thereto.

A gage 12 is adjustably secured to thelower end of the frame and supports the pickets when the latter are placed in position between the strands or companion wires prior to being secured between them. cured to the rear side of the frame immediately above the wire-twisters 4 and converge at their lower ends, so as to direct the pickets between the strands or companion wires when placing them in position without requiring Guides 13 are se-.

any especial care on the part of the operator. These guides are formed of plates, which have their opposite edge portions 14 bent about at right angles on oblique lines, whereby the space formed between the bent edges 14 tapers or diminishes toward its lower end, so as to give proper direction to the picket and insure its passing between the wires, which are subsequently twisted to secure the picket in place.

The picket-spacers 15 are spring-bars provided in pairs and located in the plane of the guides 13 and have adjustable connection with the frame by passing through slots or openings in the plates thereof in coincident relation, said bars having a series of openings 16 in their length through any one of which pins 17 are thrust, so as to secure the spacers in an adjusted position. The rear ends of the bars comprising the spacers are bent inward, as shown at 18, to engage with the pickets, and thence outward at 19 to admit of the pickets passing between them on applying sufiicient force to advance the machine after a picket has been secured in place by twisting the wires or strands about it.

Any number of wire-twisters may be employed, according to the number of cables or fence-runners to be applied to the pickets, and, as shown in Fig. 1 and the detail views thereof, three wire-twisters are employed-a middle, a top, and a bottom twister. In the event of it being required to construct a fence having short pickets secured to two cables or fence-runners the lower portion of the machine is removed and laid aside and the gage 12 is detached from the lowerportion and ap- I plied to the upper part, thereby reducing the length of the machine, as indicated in Fig. 5. It will be understood that the sprocket or drive chain must be shortened, so as to connect the sprocket-gear 10 with the sprocket portion of the adjacent wire-twister, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a fence -machine, the combination with the frame, and the wire-twisting mechanism, of a pair of spring-spacers having adjustable connection with the frame and havtheir outer or active ends bent inward toward each other at an inclination to admit of the pickets passing from between them, thence outwardly to engage with the rear edge of the picket last passing by them, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a fence-machine, the combination of the frame, a series of wire-twisters at intervals in the length of the frame, guides located above the wire-twisters and having their directing portions tapering and converging, and a pair of spring-spacers in the plane of each picket-guide, substantially as set forth.

3. A fence-machine comprising a frame formed of sections which are detachably connected together, wire-twisters applied to the parts of the frame, a gage adapted to be applied to either part of the frame accordingly as the machine is adapted for long or short pickets, and actuating mechanism for the wire-twisters, substantially as set forth.

4.. In a fence-machine, the combination of a frame, a shaft adapted to have the power applied thereto and provided with a spur and a sprocket gear, a wire-twister having a toothed portion in mesh with the spur-gear, a second wire-twister having a sprocket portion, and a sprocket-chain connecting the aforesaid sprockctgear with the sprocket portion of the last-mentioned wire-twister, substantially as specified.

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

THOMAS H. MCDONALD.

\Vitnesses:

H. T. WILKINSON, THOMAS E. EVANS.

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