US606420A

US606420A - Fence-machine

Info

Publication number: US606420A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1898-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1915-06-28

Description

(No Mqdel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A L. KITSELMAN. FENCE MACHINE.

No. 606,420. Patented June 28,1898.

2 Sheets-heet 2.

Patented June 28,1898.

llrrnn nron.

ALVA L. KITSELMAN, OF RIDGEVILLE, INDIANA.

FJENCE-M'ACHINEQI" SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent N 0. 606,420, dated June 28, 1898. Application filed August 28, 1897. Serial No. 649,848. (No model.)

My invention relates to improvements in machines for making wire fences of that class which are designed for operation in the field or open air at the be erected.

The object that I have i nview' in my present invention isto provide an improved inaplace where the fence is to V i 1 it further consists in a two-part gripper and chine of this character in which the parts are arranged for convenientoperation and con trol, so as to enable the machine to be advanced easily and quickly, as occasion may demand.

vide a novel gripping mechanism which will operate to-firmly engage or grip the Wire ina manner to effectually prevent any slipping of the wire through the gripper and at the same time enable the gripper to be adjusted by hand for the purpose of attaching the gripper to the wire after the latter has been stretched between and applied to the fence-posts, such arrangement of the gripper obviating the ne cessity of threading the wire through the gripper or of twisting the wire around said gripper.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for propelling or feeding the machine in a forward direction in the intervals between the Weaving of the weft or stay wires with the longitudinal strands or runners, which feeding or propelling mechanism may be easily operated to open the grippers, advance the latter upon the line-wires or strands, close the grippers, and advance the machine the required distance, equal to the width of the mesh of the wire-fence fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for varying the stroke of the propolling mechanism, and consequently vary the feed of the machine, to regulate the width of the mesh in the wire-fencefabric' woven by the machine.

Withthese ends in view the first part of my invention consists inthe CO111bll1tll0l],Wl'th a'twistencarrying frame, of an operating-lever'fnlcrumed on said fra1ne,a series of grippers, and devices which connect said grippers positively with the frame and with the levers, whereby the operatinglever is made to serve in a dual capacity of positively opening and ad vancin g the grippers, closing the same upon the wires, and feedingor moving the machine along said wires a proper distance.

My invention further consists in a peculiar construction of the gripper by which it has a double or two fold gripon the line-wire; and

an actuating-link having a cam-slotted connection with the respective members of said gripper for positively opening and closing the gripper by an endwise movement of said link. The invention further consists in the novel combination of elements, and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be A further object of the invention is to pro-' ment thereof in the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fenceweaving machine for field service equipped with wire grippers and a propelling mechanism constructed in' accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the wire-gripper, showing the adjuster-link in connection with the gripper that serves to open and close the members of said gripper. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the hub of the gripper, showing the members thereof opened to permit the gripper to slide upon the wire or the wire topass through the gripper. Fig. 4: is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 4 4. of Fig. 3. Fig. 5isa detail view showing in perspective the cooperating gripping-faces of the wire-gripper. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the supporting-brackets, which may be used either at the top or bottom of the machine. Fig. 7 is a detail viewof the bracket on which the propelling-lever is fulcrumed.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown a fence-weaving machine of that class which is used in the open field for the purpose of weaving weft or stay wires around the longitudinal strands or line-wires forming a part of a fence, said longitudinal strands or line-wires being stretched between and attached to fence-posts. This machine has a vertical standard or supporting-frame (indicated in a 'general way by the numeral 1) and the usual twisters 2 and bobbins The machine proper does not form a part of the present invention, and as no novelty therefor is claimed in this application I do not consider it necessary to make a detailed description of its construction or mode of operation, as the same is well-known and understood by those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

The gripper of my invention and the propelling mechanism for feeding the machine may be used either independently or conjunctively on any type of wire-fence-weaving machine designed for field service, and I do not therefore wish to be understood as limiting myself to the use of my improvements in connection with the machine shown by Fig. 1 or with any other machine of the same class or for the same purpose.

I provide a series of grippers for engagement with a like series of the line-wires or longitudinal strands of the fence, each gripper being indicated by the numeral 5 in the drawings. 111 the construction of my improved gripper I have sought to obviate the necessity of separate jaws to grasp the wire and of wrapping or twisting the wire around a part of the gripper, as is customary in some types of grippers used in connection with fence-weaving machines. I make the gripper of two pieces, which may be readily separated for easy application to the line-wire after the latter has been adjusted and stretched, and each gripper isfurthermoreconstructed with coacting binding-surfaces on its members, which surfaces grip the wire on both sides of the axial center of the gripper and 1 thus enable the device to securely grasp the wire against any tendency of the latter to slip or free itself in the gripper. This gripper 5 consists of two members or sections 6 and 7, each of which is cast in a single piece of,

metal. The member 6 is formed at one end with a boss 8 of circular form, and from this boss projects a pintle or stud 9, which occupies a central or axial relation to the boss 8 of said member 6. This central pintle or stud and with a shoulder 12. One end of this flange 11 terminates on a plane even with one edge of the slot or wire-passage 10, while the shoulder 12 is on the plane of the opposite side of the passage or slot 10. Said terminal edge of the flange 11 forms a grippersurface, (indicated at 13,) while the exposed face or edge of the shoulder 12 forms another gripper-surface, and these gripper-surfaces are disposed on, opposite sides of the axial center of the pintle or stud 9. The other member 7 of the gripper has a circular plate or disk 14, in which is produced a central eye or aperture 15 to receive the pintle or stud 9 of the member 6, and when the members are applied laterally together the central stud or pintle 9 of the member 6 is adapted to fit loosely in the central eye or opening 15 of the member 7, thus pivotally attaching the two members 6 7 together. The members are prevented from lateral separation by a pin or cotter 16, whichis fitted in the protruding end of the stud or pintle 9, andthis pin or cotter being thus attached to the stud or pintle it is arranged to bear against the outer face of the disk-like enlargement 14E of the member 7. The gripper members are thus connected together loosely by the pintle or stud to enable the members to have a limited turning movement; but by removing the pin or cotter 16 the members may be separated laterally by hand, thus enabling the gripper to be opened or spread for application to a line-wire after thelatter has been stretched, as will be readily understood. The member '7 of the grip per is provided on that face of its disk-like enlargement 14 which is opposed to the inner face of the boss f the member 6 with a flange 17 and with a shoulder 18, andthe end 17 of the flange 17 terminates at a point where a line drawn through the imaginary axis of the opening 15 will not touch either the shoulder 18 or the end 17" of the flange 17. This terminal 17 of the flange and the shoulder 18 of the gripper member 7 form a pair of gripping-surfaces on the member 7, which lie 011 opposite sides of the center of the disk-like end 14 of said member 7, and these gripping-surfaces 17 and 18 are arranged to coact with the gripping-

surfaces

13 and 12, respectively, on the member 6 of the gripper. When the members (5 7 of the gripper are forced laterally away from each other, the gripping-surfaces 13 12 of the member 6 are caused to move away from the grippingsurfaces 17 18 of the member '7; but a reverse movement of the gripper members causes the gripping-faces of the respective members to approach each other and bind the line-wire at two points, which lie on opposite sides of the vertical center or axis of the pivotal connection of the gripper members. From this description it will be seen that I have provided a very simple form of gripper in which the parts thereof may be easily and quickly assembled or fitted together, and that they operate efficiently to grip the wire between themselves at two points, thus providing for secure holding of the wire against slippage in the gripper and for the ready application of the gripper to the wire without wrapping the latter around the gripper.

Each member of the gripper is cast with a shank, which forms an integral part of the member, the shank for the member 6 being indicated at 6 and the shank for the member 7 at 7. The members are assembled together to have the shanks thereof lie in different per are enlarged or widened somewhat, and in these free widened ends of the gripper shanks are provided the diagonal slots 21, which are inclined in opposite directions.

The actuator-link for the gripper is indicated at 22, and it consists of a single casting with diverging arms 23 23, which are spread to lap the slotted free ends of, the grippershanks, said arms of the actuator-link having integral studs 24, which pass through the" slots 20 21 of the gripper-shanks, so as to slide freely therein. The actuator-link is prevented from accidental separation from the grippershanks by the employment of the transverse pins or cotters 25, which pass through the studs 24 and bear against one face of the gripper-shanks. The actuatorlink is adapted to have an endwise or reciprocating motion imparted thereto, and when this link is moved toward the pivoted end of the gripper members the latter open to separate the gripping-surfaces, while a reverse movement of the actuator-link closes the grippermembers. p V

In the drawings I have shown the shanks of the gripper members 6 7 connected by means of a coiled spring 26, the respective ends of which are attached to the grippershanks at points between the pivotal connection of the gripper membersand the attachment of the actuated link to-said grippershanks, This spring serves to draw the gripper-shanks together, so as to force the gripping-surfaces upon the wire; but I would have it understood that this spring is not an essential part of my invention, and it may be omitted or used at pleasure. In case of the omission of the spring I depend upon the mechanical connection of the actuator-link to the slotted ends of the grippermembers to lock the gripper members and to adjust the same.

In embodying my improved propelling mechanism I employ bell-cranks 27 28 near the'top andbottom'ends of the fence machine,

an operating-lever 29, formed as a part of the ets 31 32 for said bell-cranks are also dupli- Each bracket 31 32 1 cates one of the other. is a single casting in the form ofa yoke with a pivot-stud 35 at its outer extremity and a base-plate 36 attheinner end, said base-plate 1 having a central eye or opening. The flat base of the yoke-shaped bracket is applied against the outer front face of the standard or frame 1 of the machine, and a threaded end of one of the machine-spindles is passed through the eye of said base-plate, said end of the spindle receiving a nut 37, which binds against the base of the bracket to hold the bracket in place on the standard or frame of the fence-machine. The bell-cranks 27' 28 at the top and bottom of .the'machine are fulcrumed centrally on thepivot-studs of the brackets 31 32, and to the upper arms of these bell-cranks 27 28 are pivoted the actuatorlinks forthe upper and lower grippers. The other arms of the upper and lower bell-cranks 27 28 are loosely or pivotally attached to the vertical rod or bar 38, which forms the operative connection betweenthe bell-cranks and the lever 29, by which the machine is propelled. The bracket 33 for the intermediate bell-crank 30, forming a part of the lever 29, is similar in its general construction to the upper and lower brackets for the purpose of enabling said intermediate bracket 33 to be attached to the standard or frame of the fencemachine; but the said intermediate bracket 33 is provided with a web 40, in which is formed an arc-shaped slot 41, which is concentric with the pivot-stud on which the lever and bell-crank 29 30 are fulcrumed. The lever is continuous with one arm of the bellcrank 30, and this lever is preferably bent at an intermediate point of its length, thelever 29 being attached to the vertical rod or bar 38 for the purpose of moving the latter to actuate the bell-cranks 27 28, by which the ac-.

tuator-links 22 are moved to open or close the upper and lower grippers. The bell-crank 30 of the lever 29 is attached to the actuatorlink for the intermediate gripper of the series of grippers provided in the propelling mechanism, and thus the intermediate gripper is arranged to be actuated directly by the handlever, while the upper and lower grippers are controlled by operative connections with said hand-lever.

The throw or movement of the hand-lever 29 is regulated by an adjustable stop-bolt 10, which is fitted in the arc-shaped slot 41 of the intermediate bracket 33, and one end of this bolt projects intothe path of the arm or bellcrank 30 of the lever 29 to limit the play or movement of said lever. This stop-bolt may be moved to any desired position in the slot of the bracket 33 to arrest the movement of the lever at different points, and as the play of the lever is thus regulated the adjustment of the gripper devices may be varied along the line-wires or strands toregulate the extent of the feed or movement of the fence- Inachine, whereby the machine may be propelled bythe described mechanism to vary the width of the mesh in the fence fabric to be woven by the machine. a V The vertical bar or rod 33 is provided with a series of openings which are spaced apart for distances corresponding to the space between the line-wires, and thus the brackets and the grippers may be applied to the machine and connected through the bell-cranks with the bar or red 381:0 engage with any-desired wires of the series of line-wires forming the warp of the fence.

This being the construction of my machine. the operation may be described, briefly, as follows: When the hand-lever 29 is depressed, the crank 30 and the bar 38 move the actuator-links 22 forward to open the gripper members and advance the same along the line-wires for a distance corresponding to the movement or throw of the lever. As the lever is raised the bell-cranks retract the actuator-links slightly, so as to close the grippers and make the latter grip the strands of wires tightly, and as the grippers are thus immovably attached to the wires a continued movement of the lever causes the machine to be drawn along for a distance equal to the Width of a mesh in the wire fabric. As has been explained, the stroke of the lever, and consequently the feed of the machine, may be varied by adjusting the stop-bolt 40, and thus the width of the mesh in the fabric may be regulated by the simple adjustment of one element of the propelling mechanism.

While I have shown and described my improved gripper as used in connection with a particular form of propelling mechanism, I do not strictly limit myself to the use of this particular gripper in connection with the particular form of the propelling mechanism, nor,vice versa,the particular propelling mechanism in connection with the gripper, as I am aware that parts of the invention may be used without the Whole; nor do I strictly confine myself to the exact details of construction and the form and proportion of parts herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of the invention, as it is evident that the same may be modified by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination With supporting-brads ets, of a propelling-leverfulcrumed on one of the brackets, grippers arranged to engage with line-wires of a fence, and intermediate connections between said grippers and the lever arranged to open, advance, and close the grippers, for the purposes described substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a single controlling or propelling lever, of a series of grippers each having movable members arranged to grip a line-wire, a series of devices connected with said grippers to open and close the same, and operating connections between said actuator devices arranged to impel the said actuating devices to open and advance the grippers when the lever is moved in one direction and to close the grippers upon linewires when the lever is moved in the other direction, for the purposes described, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with a single controlling or propelling lever, of a series of sectional grippers each constructed to open and close by a cam movement, a series of slidable actuator devices each having a cam connection with said grippers to open or close the members of the gripper, and intermediate connections between the slidable actuator devices and the lever to advance the latter and the grippers and cause said actuator devices to open and close the grippers automatically as the lever is 'moved, as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination with a single controlling-lever, of a series of sectional grippers, slidable actuator devices connected with said grippers to open and close the same, operative connections between the lever and said slidable devices, and means for varying the stroke of the lever and forregulating the advancement of the actuator devices and the grippers, as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination of a series of sectional grippers each having its members provided with oppositely-inclined slots, a series of actuator devices connected with the slotted ends of the sectional grippers, a lever, and intermediate connections between the actuator devices and the lever, as and for the purposes described.

6. The combination with a series of grippers, of slidable actuator links connected thereto, bell-cranks attached to said actuatorlinks, a lever, and'a rod connected with the lever and with the bell-cranks, for the purposes described, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a series of fixed brackets, one of which carries an adjustable stop-bolt, a lever fulcrumed to said bracket with the stop-bolt, a series of grippers, slidable actuator-links attached to the grippers, bell-cranks attached to the actuator-links, and a rod or bar pivoted to the lever and the bell-cranks, as and for the purposes described.

8. A gripper for wire-fence machines comprising two members constructed for the passage of a fence-wire and pivoted together at a point intermediate of the length thereof,

each gripper member provided, on opposite sides of the pivotal connection, with a pair of grippingfaces arranged to coact with similarly-disposed gripping-faces on the other member and a spring operatively connected With said members to normally draw the coacting gripper faces thereof toward each other, whereby the members may be closed upon a wire to firmly grip the latter at points in opposite sides of the pivotal movement of said members, substantially as described.

9. A gripper for a wire-fence machine constructed in laterally-separable sections for the passage of a fence-wire and pivotally connected together at a point intermediate of their length, each gripper member provided with a pair of gripper-surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the gripper-pivot and coacting With similar faces on the other member, substantially as described.

'10. A gripper fora Wire-fence machine comprising a member having a pair of gripperfaces'and a pintle slotted for the passage of a fence-wire, and another member mounted on said pintle and having gripper-faces that coact with the corresponding faces of the firstnamed member, substantially as described.

11. A gripper fora Wire-fence machine comprising a memberhaving a transversely-slotted pintle and the gripping-faces disposed on opposite sides of lines drawn longitudinally and transversely through the pintle, and another member loosely fitted to said pintle and having gripper-faces arranged to coact with the similar faces of the first-named member, substantially as described.

12. A gripper for a Wire-fence machine, comprising a member 6 flanged to provide the gripper-faces 12 and 13 and having a slotted pintle, another gripper member perforated to fit loosely on the pintle and having the gripper-faces 17 and 18, to coact with the faces of the first-named member, and means for confining the gripper members against lateral displacement, substantially as described.

13. A gripper for wire-fence machines comprising laterally-separable members having their coacting gripper-faces arranged for the passage of a fence-Wire and united pivotally together by a transversely-slotted pintle, and the extended arms carried by the gripper members, for the purposes described, substantially as setforth.

15. In a wire-fence machine,a two-part gripper having its members pivoted together, and an operating-1ink having a cam-slotted connection with both gripper members, substantially as described.

16. In a Wire-fence machine, a two-part gripper having its pivoted members provided with inclined slotted arms, a link slidably fitted to said slotted gripper-arms, and a spring Which normally closes the gripper members, substantially as described.

17. In a Wire-fence machine, the combination with a frame carrying wire-twisters, of a lever, a series of grippers, and devices connecting said lever and grippers with said frame, whereby the lever closes the grippers upon the fence-Wires and feeds or moves the twister-carrying frame along the fence-Wires, substantially as set forth. i

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

ALVA L. KITSELMAN.

Witnesses:

EDW. T. MYGATT, OTTO KRUIG.