US836379A - Wire-stretcher. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906.

J. H. HEISEY. WIRE STRBTOHER. APPLICATION FILED JUNII4,1906.

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ATTOR/V TERS co., WASHINGTON. n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

Application filed June 4,1906. Serial No. 320,109.

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that 1, JOHN H. HEIsEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monticello, in the county of Jones and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in WVire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

In the practical use of wire-stretchers it is often found necessary to mend broken wires by splicing the ends or introducing an extra piece and uniting them together.

One of the objects of my invention is to meet that necessity by change and addition to Letters Patent granted and issued to me for wire-stretcher on the 24th day of November, 1903, No. 745,013, whereby the stretcher may be rendered more convenient and effective in the field.

Another object is to reduce to a minimum the danger to the operator caused by the sudden recoil attendant upon the breaking of the overstretched wire and also to so remodel the stretcher that it will be more convenient and effective in general use.

The following specification will point out in detail the changes and give the mode of constructionwhereby I accomplish the objects sought.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device when used in stretching and securing the wire to fence-posts. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same when in position for splicing or mending the broken wire. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the operating-lever. Fig. 6 is a side view of one of the clamps. Fig. 7 is a top view of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view of the drum.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the frame, which is preferably constructed of metal, with its sides 5 and 6 parallel for a portion of the distance and then converging together at both ends, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. At one end of the frame the two side pieces 5 and 6 are united together and form a flat plate 8, through which is an opening 10, in which opening is secured an anchoringchain 11, and upon the plate 8 in the rear of the opening 10 is secured a hook 12, which projects toward the center of the frame for purposes presently to appear. At the opposite end of the frame the side pieces are bent at an angle and form a head 14, with a perforation therethrough.

Between the side pieces 5 and 6 and rigidly journaled on the axis 4 is a hollow drum 16, provided on one side with a ratchet 18, having teeth 19, and also provided with atapering slot 20, in which a cable 22 is secured to the drum by forming a knot on the inner end of the cable and inserting it in the slot at its widest portions and then sliding it along in the slot toward the narrowest end, where the edges of the slot will prevent all removal. At the outer end of the cable is removably secured a clamp 42, adapted to clasp the wire to be stretched and hold it firmly. Upon the side piece 5 of the frame is pivoted a pawl 24 (shown most clearly in Fig. 4 of the draw ings) between lugs 25, integral and at right angles to the frame, and integral with the pawl is a thumb-latch 26. This pawl is held in engagement with the ratchet-teeth 19 on the ratchet 18 by a spring 28, which is seated upon the side piece 5 and exerts an upward pressure against the under side of the thumblatch 26.

The operating handle or lever consists of a grasping-handle 32, a body 34, and two arms and 36. These arms are journaled on a shaft 4, one on each end of the drum. Integral with the arm 35 is a pawl 40, which projects laterally from the arm 35 and is adapted to be brought into operative engagement with the teeth 19 on the ratchet 18. The inner end of the arm 35 is provided with a slot 41, whereby it is journaled on the shaft 4 and permits a yielding and endwise movement of the arm 35 to adapt the pawl to freely engage with and be disengaged from the teeth 19.

The anchoring-chain 11 is preferably made of links ofsufficient size for the engagement with the hook 12 and is removably attached to the plate 8 in the opening 10. The chain is also provided with a clamp 45, removably secured to one end.

The manner of operating my device is substantially as follows: The cable 22 is inserted through the perforation 15 in the head 14, and a knot is then formed on the end of the cable and inserted in the widened portion of the slot 20 and moved along until it is held firmly by the edges 48 of the drum at the narrower point of the slot. Then the wire to be stretched is inserted in the clamp 42, and the anchoring-cable 11 is brought around I the post 44 and into engagement with the This can be adjusthook 12 on the plate 8. ed by engaging the hook 12 with a link in the chain, according to the position it is desired to use the stretcher. The operator then grasps the handle 32 and rotates it to the rear or toward the post 44, when the pawl 40 will engage the ratchet-teeth 19, and when the operator forces the handle toward the left the pawl will rotate the drum and wind the cable on the drum and stretch the wire, and the pawl 24 will engage the teeth 19 and hold the drum from backward rotation. When, however, it is desired to unwind the cable from the drum, the operator turns the stretcher over till the operating-lever is beneath the drum, when by gravity the lever will drop or descend, and then by reason of the slot 41 in the arm 35 the pawl 40 on the arm 35 will be released from engagement.

with the teeth 19 by the gravity of the operating-lever. the operator presses upon the thumb-latch 26 and releases the pawl 24, which will permit the drum to turn in the opposite direction and unwind the cable. When it is desired to splice the barbed wire 50, the stretcher is applied as before, with the exception that there is attached to the anchoring-cable 11 a clamp 45, which is brought into engagement with the wire instead of engagement with the anchoring-post 44, and the cable is linked into the hook 12. Then the two wires are brought together by operating the lever 30, as before described, and whenthe wires are in engagement with each other they may be twisted together and. spliced or they may be interlocked with each other, forming a loop, or in any convenient manner.

It will be noticed that by this mode of construction the finger on the arm of the operating-lever is dispensed with, the mode of attaching the anchoring-chain is changed so that the draft on the stretcher is from the center and the stretcher may be turned over to accommodate the operator while splicing the wires and also to reduce to a minimum the danger caused by the breaking of the overstretched wires, as the operator can readily turn the stretcher to a position between himself and the wire to be spliced or stretched. Another advantage is the rapidity of adjustment in the field as well as the ease and convenience in splicing while putting together new fences or splicing and mending broken wire.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the class described a hol- As soon as this pawl is released low drum supported for rotation and. having a tapering longitudinal slot, in combination with a flexible member having a knot inserted through the slot and retained between the converging edges of the latter.

2. In a wire-stretcher a frame, a hollow drum supported for rotation in the frame and having a tapering slot, means for rotating the drum in one direction, pawl-andratchet means for preventing backward rotation of the drum and a cable having a knot inserted through the tapering slot of the drum and retained between the converging edges of said slot.

3. A wire-stretcher comprising a frame provided with a hole or opening at each. end, a hook attached to one end of the frame and projecting toward the center of the frame, a drum journaled in the frame and provided with a ratchet, a cable upon the drum and extending through theopening at one end of the frame, a clamp secured to the cable, and an operating-lever having a pawl adapted for engagement with the ratchet upon the drum, in combination with an anchoring-chain secured in the hole at one end of the frame and a clamp on said chain; the links of the latter being adapted for removable engagement with the hook on the frame.

4. A wirestretcher comprising a frame provided with an opening at each end, a hook secured near the opening at one end of the frame and projecting toward the center of the frame, a drum journaled in the frame and provided with a tapering slot, a ratchet secured upon one end of the drum, a cable secured in the slot of the drum and passing through the opening at one end of the frame, a clamp connected with the cable, an operating-lever provided with two arms pivotally engaging the shaft of the drum adjacent to the ends of the latter, one of said arms being provided with a slot engaging said shaft, a pawl rigidly secured upon the slotted arm of the lever and adapted to engage the ratchet on the drum, an anchoring-chain secured in the opening near one end of the frame adj a cent to the hook and a clamp on the anchoring-chain, the links of the latter being adapted for detachable engagement with the hook. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. HEISEY. Witnesses:

A. G. BANDER, KATHRYN YOUNG.

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