US910459A - Fence. - Google Patents

Description

E. CRAIG.

FENCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1907. Y

91 0,459. Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

ELLSWORTH CRAIG, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

FENCE.

Sp ecfcaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Application led August 24, 1907. Serial No. 389,944.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLswoRTn CRAIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springiield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a s ecilication, reference being had therein to t e accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fences, partitions and structures of a like character.

The object of the invention is to provide a fence or partition, both sides of which will present a similar appearance and will be smooth and pleasing to the eye; further, to provide such a fence or partition which can be knocked down and transported from place to place and readily assembled; to provide 4the same with means for protecting the ends of fence boards; and to provide improved means for securing the fence rails or supporting members to the posts.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in certain parts and combinations hereinafter to be described, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the fence, taken vertically through one of the posts showing a modified form of connection between the rails and one of the,

posts Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken vertically through one of the fence sections; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a section of the fence showing a modified form of theV same;'and Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modified form of connection between the rail and ost.

In these drawings, I have illustrated the preferred form of my invention, together with certain modifications of the details of construction, but, in each instance, the main features of construction are the same and the principles involved are not changed. As herein shown, the fence consists of a series of sections or panels, each of which comprises a top rail 2 and a bottom rail 3, said rails having their lowerand upper edges, respectively, grooved or channeled to receive the opposite ends of the fence boards 4. These fence rails 2 and 3 may be of any suitable material and may be constructed in any desired manner, but I prefer to form the same of sheet metal bent into substantially U-shape and having their open edges adjacent one to the other and adapted to receive the ends of the fence boards. The rails 2 and 3 are preferably provided With internal grooves adapted to form air passages along the ends of the fence boards and allow the circulation of air through the same to keep the boards dry and prevent the same from decay. These grooves are preferably provided by forming beads in the sheet metal of which the channeled bar is formed, and each channeled bar is preferably provided with three beads or grooves, one formed in each side thereof near the open edge, as shown at 13, and the other formed in the central portion, thus being located in the closed edge thereof and in alinement with the ends of the boards, as shown at 14. These beads or grooves are preferably formed in the sheet metal before the same is bent to form the channeled bar and serve to strengthen the same, as well as to form the air passages. The bottom rail 3 may also, if desired, be provided with suitable outlet apertures to drain off any water which may accumulate therein.

The fence rails 2 and 3 may be secured to the posts 5 in' any suitable manner, but preferably by providing either the post or the rail with a projection adapted to engage a pa'rt"of the other member, and thus form a coupling for securing the two members together. v The projection may be carried by either the rail or the post.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have shown the projection as carried by the rail and adapted to engage a part of the post 5. The proj ection, as here shown, comprises an L- sha ed member 15 having one arm secured within the grooved bar in any suitable manner, and its other arm, which is preferably the shorter, adapted to extend through an aperture 16 in the post and engage that portion of the post 5 forming the lower wall of the aperture, thus securing the rail firmly to the ost. This form, if desired, may be used without the brackets for inclosing the ends of the rails and is so shown in Fig. 1, where the post is provided with a cap v17 having its edges adapted to extend over the edge of the rail and provided with a downwardly extending lug or lip 18 adapted to enter the up er end of the post and to be engaged by t e set screw 19 which extends through the wall of the post.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a slightly modified form of the connection shown in Fig. 1. As here shown, the post is provided on its exterior with a lip or lug 20 having an u wardly extending portion 21 adapted to e engaged by a projection 22 which is secured to the fence rail. The lug 2O may be secured to the exterior of the ost 5 in any suitable manner, but I have ere shown the same formed separate therefrom and secured thereto by means of a bolt 23. That end of the downwardly extending projection 22, which is adjacent to the post 5, is preferably rounded, as shown at 24, thus enabling the projection 24 and the rail to which it is secured to extend at varying angles to the post 5, thereby enabling the section of fence to be extended up an inclined surface and secured to a vertical post. This is also true, to a greater or less extent, of the other construction shown, but in this other construction is limited by the amount of loose motion which the cou ling members may have relatively one to tiie other. The fence gaTds4nay be arranged Within the bottom d top rails 3 and 2 in any suitable manner.

I prefer for ordinary constructions the arrangement in which the boards are placed -with their edges close together to form a tight fence, but, if desired, the fence boards may be spaced some distance apart to form an open or picket fence. Where it is not desirable to extend the boards through the top rail, the same may be spaced apart in any suitable manner, the same being shown in Fig. 3 as having ornamental spacing blocks 26 placed between the fence boards 4. These spacing blocks are preferably of sheet metal and may be formed from the scrap left when the top and bottom rails are constructed. In this Jligure, I have also shown a double paneled fence, that is, each section is provided with auxiliary rails 27 extending longitudinally of the section and preferably parallel to the rails 2 and 3, thus enabling each section of the fence to be made intwo panels, as shown in Fig. 3, where the lower panel has the fence boards set edge to edge forming a tight, smooth panel, while the upper panel has the boards s aced apart by the ornamental spacing bloc rs 26.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a fence, both sides of which present a similar a pearance, each side being smooth and even or substantially the full height; further, that this fence is of a strong, durable construction and can be knocked down for transportation and readily set up at any desired point; and that I have Tie similar finished a pearance of both sides of the structure ma es the same very desirable for use as a partition or screen, and the same may be of varying heights and the sections of the desired length to accommodate it to this use. Further, these same qualities adapt the structure particularly for use as a sign board, the smooth surfaces affording double the usual amount of sign surface by using both sides of the board. Further, the readiness with which the structure may be knocked down and set up make it possible to prepare these signs at the shop,

ainting the signs upon the boards, then mock the same down and transport it to the desired spot, where it can be readily set up with the several parts in their proper posltion. Other uses for the structure will readily suggest themselves, and further, I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus l'ully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a structure of the character described, a rail comprising a channeled bar ada ted to receive the ends of u right boards and avin grooves formed in tlhe walls of said channe adjacent to the ends of said boards and extending transversely thereto, a post, and means for securing the end of said rail to said ost. v

p 2. In a structure of the character described, a rail comprising a bar having a channel therein ada ted to receive the ends of upright boards and aving a groove in the transverse Wall of said channel, a groove in each of the side walls thereof, all of said grooves extending transversely to the length of said boards, a post, and means for securing the end of said rail to said post.

3. In a structure of the character described, a rail comprising a bar having a channel l therein ada ted to receive the ends of upright boards and aving a groove in the transverse wall of said channel, said groove having an opening therein, a groove in each of the side walls of said channel, all of said grooves extending transversely to the length of said boards, a ost, and means for securing the end of said3 rail to said post.

4. In a structure of the character described, a rail comprising a channeled bar ada ted to receive the ends'of u right boards and avin grooves formed in t e walls of said channe adjacent to the ends of said boards and extending transversely thereto, a post, an L- sha ed member having one arm secured in sai channeled bar and the other arm extendand means for securing the end of said rail to said post. 10 In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ELLSWORTH CRAIG. Witnesses E. O. HAGAN, HARRIET L. HAMMAKER.

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