US851178A - Wire-stretcher. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED APR. 23, 19 7.

T ME TO m R M T :8 E Rm W APPKIUATION FILED JUNE 18, 1906.

1m: NORRIS PETERS co, wxsnuym'ou, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed June 18,1906. Serial No. 322,684.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PEARL LEwIs MARTIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Marys, in the county of Warren and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful VVire-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification. The object of my inventiontis to provide a Wire stretcher of simple, durable and inexpensive construction designed to stretch a wire past the post to which the stretcher is attached; to provide a main supporting bar formed with upturned marginal edges designed to protect the sliding notched bar and also to strengthen the main bar so that it may be made of light material and also to provide a stretcher of this kind that may be adapted for use as a wire splicer.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a plan view of the complete stretcher applied to a post and in en gagement with a fence wire as required in practical use. Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of same on the indicated line of 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the body portion of the main supporting bar of the stretcher. This body portion has its side margins extended upwardly at 11 and then inwardly at 12. This structure of the main supporting bar makes it strong and durable and provides 'a supporting bar of this'kind that may, if desired, be made of sheet metal. Riveted to one end of the bar is an arm 13 extending beyond said end longitudinally of the bar and provided with a curved wire guide 14 having an opening in its side at 15. Said arm is also formed with a lateral extension 16 having a chain 17 fixed thereto and also having a hook 18 designed to be detachably connected with the links of said chain. On the end of the chain is a wire clamp 19 of ordinary construction.

Slidingly mounted within the main bar is a ratchet bar 20 comprising a straight piece of metal with notches 21 in its sides, the said notches on one side being arranged between those on the other side. Fixed to one end of the ratchet bar 20 is a wire clamp 22 of ordinary construction.

Fulcrumed to the end of the main supporting bar opposite from the extension 13 is a lever 23 having two pawls 24 pivoted thereto on opposite sides of its center. These pawls are of such shape that one end of each may engage the notches 21 and the other end stand close to the side of the main supporting bar.

By means of this curved arrangement of the pawls, the operator may grasp the lever 23 and reciprocate it and when said lever is moved in one direction, one of the pawls will be forced into a notch at one side of the ratchet bar and thus cause the ratchet bar to be advanced while the other pawl will withdraw from a notch in the other side of the ratchet bar and be moved toward the center of the main supporting bar until after the lever approaches the end of its stroke. The curved end of the pawl will strike upon the side of the main supporting bar and thus force the pawl into the next notch of the ratchet bar. By this arrangement, the pawl will operate properly without any springs and the ratchet bar will be advanced one notch space on the lever 23.

In practical use, the chain 17 is passed around a post and connected with the hook 18. Then the fence wire to be stretched is passed through the opening 15 of the hook 14 and then the wire is placed in the grip device 22. Then the operator manipulates the lever 23 to move the grip device past the post and this operation is continued until the wire is stretched. Then the wire may be secured to the post and the grip device released. By having the arm 18 arranged to engage the fence Wire being'stretched, it is obvious that the stretcher will always be firmly held in line with the wire. If it is desired to splice wire, the operator grasps one wire in the grip device 22 and the other wire in the grip device 19. Then the lever 23 is oscillated, as before described, and the two wires will be drawn together and may then be spliced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, therefor is 1. In a wire stretcher, the combination of a main supporting-bar with upturned side margins, means connected with one edge of the main supporting bar for attaching it to a I post, a lever fulcrumed to the other end of the main supporting bar and having two pawls pivoted thereto on opposite sides of the main supporting bar, a bar having ratchet teeth on its edges slidingly mounted Within the margins of the main supporting bar and substantially the same length as the main supporting bar, said ratchet teeth designed to be engaged by said pawls and a wire gripping device on the end of the ratchet bar nearest the post attaching means of the main supporting bar.

2. A wire stretcher, comprising a main supporting bar having its edges extended at right angles and then inwardly toward each other, an arm fixed to one end of said bar and having at its outer end a hook formed with an opening in one side, a lateral extension on said arm adjacent to the main supporting bar, a hook on said lateral extension, a chain fixed to one end of said lateral extension and designed to be engaged by said hook, a wire gripper on the end of said chain, a ratchet bar slidingly mounted between the edges of the main supporting bar and of approximately the same length as the main supporting bar, a grip device on one end thereof, a lever fulcrumed to the end of the main supporting bar opposite from said arm and two pawls pivoted to the opposite sides of the fulcrum of said lever and each having a curved extension to engage the sides of the main supporting bar and to force the pawls toward the ratchet bar, as the lever approaches one end of its movement.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 15, 1906.

PEARL LEWIS MARTIN.

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