US826776A - Line-stretcher. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JULY 24, 1906.

A. P. FERGUSON. LINE STRETC HERL APPLICATION FILED MAR; 7. 1906.

Iwrewtor.

dink/31mm 22 122 Wdmases ARCHIBALD P. FERGUSON, OF POUAHONTAS, VIRGINIA.

LINE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1906.

Application filed March 7,1906. Serial No. 304.784.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, AnoHIBALD PETER FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pocahontas, in the county of Tazewell and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in line-stretchers; and the invention has for its primary object the provision of novel means for easily, quickly, and effectually stretching a line between two points or objects.

The invention is primarily intended as a Wire-stretcher and may be used for stretching fence-wire, telegraph-wires, or temporarily stretching the wires of a piano. To this end I have devised positive and reliable means for gripping a wire to be stretched, said means embodying angular-shaped members, which besides holding a wire are adapted to grip or engage the objects between which a wire is stretched. One of the members is providedwith a manually-o eratecl revoluble spool-carrying part of the ine or wire to be stretched, while the other one of said members is attached to the free or loose end of the The detail construction of the gripping members of my improved line-stretcher will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and, referring to the drawings accompanying this application, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1n which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the linestretchers, illustrating the members thereof gripping posts between which a line is to be stretched. Fig. 2 is a plan of the gripping members. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the sides of one of said members, and Fig. 4) is a view of the opposite side of said memer. I

To put my invention into practice, Iconstruct my improved line-stretcher of two angular-shaped gripping members 1 and 2, each member consisting of a shank portion 3, having a right-angular extension 4. The shank portion 3 of the member 1 is provided with an opening 5, transversely of which is journaled a shaft 6, carrying a fixed spool or reel 7 within the opening 5 of the member 1. The shaft 6 extends outwardly upon the one side of the member 1 and is provided with aratchet or toothed wheel 8, also an operating crank handle or lever 9. Mounted upon the side of the member 1, adjacent to the ratchet or toothed wheel 8, is a resilient dog 10, nor mally engaging one of the teeth of the ratchet or toothed wheel 8. Pivotally mounted upon the side of the member 1, above the resilient dog, is a lever 11, said lever being manually operated to engage the resilient dog to move said dog out of engagement with the ratchet or toothed wheel 8 of the member 1. The opposite side of the member 1 is provided with an angularly-disposed opening 12, the one end of which communicates with the opening 5, while the opposite end of the opening terminates in a longitudinally-disposed groove 14, formed in the side of the member 1. The member 2 is provided with an angu-.

larly-disposed opening 15, the one end of which terminates in a longitudinally-disposed groove 16, said opening 15 being formed at the juncture of the right-angular extension 4 and the shank 3 of the member 2. The right-angular extension 4 is provided with an opening 17 above the lower end of the opening 15, and over the opening 17 is mounted an escutcheon-plate 18, while extending through said plate into the opening 17 is a headed pin 19.

The line or wire 20 to be stretched is wound upon the spool or reel 7 and the loose or free end of the wire passed through the opening 12 of the member 1 and along the groove 14 of said member. The end of the wire is then passed through the groove 16 and the opening 15 of the member 2 and attached to the pin 19 of said member. a fence-wire is to be stretched between posts Assuming that 21, 22, and 23, the member 2 is placed in en- 5 gagement with the post 23, while the member 1 is placed in engagement with the post 21. In so positioning the members the wire is unwound from the spool or reel 7, this being accomplished by moving the lever 11 into enleasing said dog from engagement with the ratchet or toothed wheel 8. After sufiicient wire has been played out to permit of the members 1 and 2 engaging the posts 21 and 23 the crank handle or lever 9 is rotated to stretch the wire 20, and when said wire has been stretched it can be secured to the posts 21, 22, and 23 by staples 24 or the like fastening means.

gagement with the resilient dog 10 and reobjects Without disfiguring the same.

I do not care to confine myself to the material from which the members 1 and 2 may be made, and such changes in the construction and operation of my improved stretcher as are permissible by the appended claims may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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

.In a line-stretcher, the combination with an angular member recessed to receive a spool, and having an angular passage and an edge groove for the line, of a reel mounted within said recess, means for revolving said spool, a locking device for said reel, and a second angular member also formed with an edge groove and an angular passage for the line, and a device carried by said se'cond member for securing one end of the line.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

A. P. FERGUSON.

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