GB2048200A - Machine for laying out and rewinding fencing wire - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for laying out and rewinding fencing wire (W), comprising a shaft (9) for mounting a reel of wire (13), and a ground wheel (4) connected to the shaft (9) for rotation thereof. A slipping clutch arrangement (14-19) is disposed between the ground wheel (4) and the reel (13), to permit slippage of the reel (13) relative to the wheel (4) for properly tensioned winding and unwinding of the wire. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Machine for laying out and rewinding fencing wire This invention relates to a machine for laying out and rewinding fencing wire.

In modern farming techniques, there is often a requirement for the speedy erection of fencing in order for example to form sheep paddocks in a field. As these fences are essentially only of a temporary nature, they are usually of a fairly elementary construction, and typically comprise metal rods or stakes which are driven into the ground, and one or more strands of fencing wire strung along the stakes. The wire is often electrified. Where a fence of this kind has just a single strand of wire, the operation of erecting the fence is relatively simple and rapid, insofar as it is simply necessary to drive the stakes into the ground and then unwind the single strand of wire from a reel.However where such a fence requires more than one strand of wire, and a typical fence of this nature usually has three or possibly even more strands, laying out the wire to form the fence stranding is a long and tedious process as each strand of wire for the fence has to be laid out individually.

Rewinding the wires after use on a fence is even more difficult and laborious, as it is necessary to rewind each wire individually on to its reel, either by the operator walking along the length of the wire, turning the reel as the operator progresses, or by winding the wire on to a stationary reel with a crank handle, which involves pulling the whole length of wire over the ground, with the resulting likelihood of damage to and wear of the wire. Also, pulling in some hundreds of yards of wire in this way is a strenuous task.

An object of the invention is to overcome this disadvantage and to provide a mechanised wire laying and rewinding operation.

According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for laying out and rewinding fencing wire, comprising ground-engaging wheel means which drives a shaft for mounting at least one wire-carrier reel, the shaft having a slipping clutch assembly for slippingly connecting the reel to the shaft.

The machine preferably has at least one guide roller disposed in front of said at least one reel, for guiding the wire in the appropriate line.

In a preferred embodiment, the shaft is arranged to carry a plurality of reels, preferably at least four reels, and the machine also has a corresponding number of the above-mentioned guide rollers whereby the wires unwound from the four reels are laid out in four substantially parallel lines. The ground-engaging wheel means is preferably a tyred wheel which has a chain wheel secured thereto and connected by a chain to a freewheel assembly on the shaft, the freewheel being so arranged that the shaft is rotated in the same direction of rotation as the land wheel when rewinding wire on to the reels.

The freewheel assembly and the abovementioned chain wheel may be interposed from the abovedescribed arrangement.

An embodiment of a machine according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view from above of part of the machine; and Figure 2 shows a side view of the Figure 1 machine in section taken along line Il-Il.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a main support frame 1 comprising two longitudinal strut members 2 and transverse strut members 3, 3a. A land wheel or ground-engaging wheel 4 is rotatably mounted at or adjacent to one end of the main support frame 1, by means of an axle 5. At the other end of the main support frame 1 there is a support arrangement such as legs 6 for supporting the main frame 1 when the machine is not in operation, while a handle assembly 7 is also secured to the main support frame 1 at that end. The machine can thus be pushed along in the manner of a wheel-barrow, by rolling on the wheel 4.

At a position intermediate its two ends, the main support frame 1 also has a pair of bearing members 8 which rotatably mount a main shaft 9.

Mounted on the shaft 9, between the two longitudinal strut members 2 of the main support frame 1, is a freewheel assembly 10, for example, in a simple embodiment, a conventional cycletype freewheel. A chain wheel 11 is non-rotatably connected to the wheel 4, and the freewheel assembly 10 and the chain wheel 11 are drivingly interconnected by means of drive chain 12. The mounting axle 5 for the wheel 4 is preferably mounted in slots so that the chain tension 12 can be suitably adjusted. The freewheel assembly 10 is preferably secured on the shaft 9 by means of a mounting collar of the freewheel, the mounting collar being secured to the shaft 9 eg by a grub screw or the like.Similarly, the chain wheel 11 may be welded to the wheel 4, but preferably the chain wheel 11 has a collar with a grub screw whereby the chain wheel 11 can be locked on the wheel 4 but can be removed for example for repair or replacement.

In the condition of the machine as shown in the drawing, the shaft 9 carries a plurality of reels of wire W, two of which reels are illustrated at 13 and 1 3a. The reels are rotatable on the shaft 9, as will-be discussed below. It will be apprecaited that two further reels of wire will usually be mounted on the shaft 9, on the other side of the main support frame 1, in a symmetrical arrangement.

Referring now therefore to the left-hand part of the shaft 9, it will be seen that the shaft 9 carries a collar 14 which is fixed on the shaft 9 by any suitable means, as by welding, a grub screw or the like. One side member of the inner reel 1 3a bears against the fixed collar 14, while the other side member of the reel 1 3a is engaged by a collar 1 5 which is a sliding and rotary fit on the shaft 9.The collar 1 5 is in turn engaged by a compression coil spring 1 6 whose other end bears against a similar collar 1 7. The second or outer reel 13 on this side of the machine bears against the collar 17 by way of one side member, while the other side member of the second reel 1 3 is engaged by a plate or disc member 1 8 with bearing collar, which is rotatable and axially movable on the shaft 9. A fixing collar 19 is mounted on the shaft 9 outside of the above-mentioned plate or disc 1 8. The fixing collar 1 9 can be secured on the shaft 9 by a wing screw in any desired axial position, in such a way as to properly set the spring force acting against the reels 13 and 1 3a, by virtue of the spring 1 6.It will be seen therefore that the members 14, 15, 17, 1 8 and 19 and spring 16 constitute a springloaded slipping clutch assembly, whose spring force can be so adjusted that the reels 13 and 1 3a can rotate on the shaft 9, but not freely, being restricted in their movement by the frictional engagement with the various collars and plate 1 8.

Friction members such as plates or discs similar to the plate or disc 1 8 may be interposed between the sides of the reels 13 and 1 3a and the adjacent collars, if required.

Looking now at the portion of the shaft 9 which is between the two longitudinal strut members 2 of the main support frame 1, the shaft 9 carries a generally radial projection indicated diagrammatically at 20. Mounted on the transverse strut member 3a of the frame 1 is a pivoted flap 21 which is movable between a first or inoperative position in which it is pivoted towards the rear member 3 of the main support frame 1, and a second or operative position in which the flap 21 is pivoted forwardly so that its free end rests on the shaft 9.When therefore the shaft 9 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, viewing on to the left-hand end of the shaft in Figure 1 , with the flap 21 in its second position, the projection 20 will come to bear against the free end of the flap, which as mentioned above is supported on the shaft 9, and will therefore prevent the shaft 9 from rotating any further. In the opposite direction however, the shaft 9 will be free to rotate as, when the projection 20 comes round with the rotating shaft 9 and approaches the flap 21 from underneath, it will simply move the flap 21 upwardly and will pass thereby.

Mounted on the main support frame 1 adjacent the wheel 4, by means of a pair of support arms or struts 22, is a further freely rotatable shaft 23.

Fixedly mounted on the further shaft 23 are guide rollers 24, there being a respective guide roller 24 associated with each reel 13, 1 3a mounted on the shaft 9. The guide rollers 24 therefore guide the wire as it winds on to and off the reels 13, 1 3a on the shaft 9.

Operation of the machine is as follows: When fencing wire is to be laid out in order to erect a fence, the appropriate number of reels 1 3 and 1 3a is fitted on to the main shaft 9. It will be assumed for the present purposes by way of example that there are four reels of wire on the main shaft 9. A length of wire is unwound from each reel, and the free end of each wire is secured in a suitable manner to a stake fixed in the ground. The wires pass over the guide rollers 24, on their way from the reels to the stake.

Assuming that the wire is taken from the underside of its respective reel, as the machine is moved rearwardly (upwardly in Figure 1 or to the left in Figure 2), by pulling on the handle assembly 7, the tension in the wires secured to the stake will cause wire to be unwound from each of the reels. This rotation of the reels will tend to rotate the main shaft 9 in a counterclockwise direction (viewing on to the lefthand of the shaft in Figure 1) by virtue of the gripping action of the slipping clutch assembly. As indicated above however, this direction of rotation of the main shaft 9 will cause the projection 20 thereon to bear against the pivotal flap 21 so that the shaft 9 can no longer rotate.This means that the slipping clutch assembly will slip and the reels will set up a resistance to the unwinding of the wire, thereby ensuring that the wires are kept reasonably taut between the reels and the stake to which they are fixed. when the appropriate length of fencing wires has been unwound, the machine is then stopped, and it is then simply necessary for the operator to waik along the length of the wires which have been laid out in four substantially parallel lines, and fix the wires in the appropriate manner to the fencing stakes which have been previously driven into the ground. The fence may then be electrified in the usual manner, if required.

When the fence is no longer required, the wires are simply detached from the fencing stakes and connected to the respective reels on the shaft 9.

The operator then pushes the machine back along the length of the wires which are now laid on the ground. When the machine moves in this direction, the wheel 4 drives the shaft 9 in a clockwise direction, viewing on the left-hand end in Figure 1, by way of the chain wheel 11, chain 1 2 and freewheel assembly 10. The shaft 9 will therefore rotate and, by way of the slipping clutch, will rotate the reels in the same clockwise direction. Assuming that the wires are led to the underside of the reels, over the top of the guide rollers 24, the wires will therefore be wound on to the reels as the machine progresses along the length of the wires. It will be noted that the gear ratio between the chain wheel 11 on the wheel 4 and the freewheel assembly 10 on the main shaft 9 is such that the main shaft 9 is endeavouring to rotate the reels at a faster speed than the speed at which the wire can be wound on by virtue of the forward movement of the machine. This means therefore that the slipping clutch assembly will slip, allowing relative rotation between the main shaft 9 and the reels. This arrangement ensures that the wires are wound on to the reels, in a suitable state of tension.

It is alternatively possible for the machine to lay out the wires by being pushed forward, as opposed to the backwards pulling movement described above. When the machine is pushed forward in this way, the main shaft 9 will obviously be driven by the wheel 4, in a clockwise direction (again, viewing on to the left-hand end of the main shaft 9 in Figure 1), but this will not affect unwinding of the wires as the reels will be able to rotate on the shaft 9 in order to unwind the wires, with a suitable tension being applied to the wires by virtue of the slipping clutch assembly.

When operating the machine in this way, the wires are passed from the reels towards the rear of the machine 1, thus extending on each side of the operator, to a fixing stake which in that case will be disposed behind the machine.

A modified form of the above-described machine could also be constructed for connection to the front or the rear of a vehicle, for example a jeep-type vehicle or the like. In this case, it is desirable for the main shaft 9 to be mounted in a cantiliver fashion whereby it projects laterally from its support frame, and for the machine to be connected to the front or rear of a vehicle adjacent one side thereof, so that the shaft projects substantially beyond that side of the vehicle and can thus be readily seen from the driving position thereof. A machine of this construction, of suitable heavy nature, could be readily used for example for winding heavy wire and even barbed wire and the like.

If desired, the guide rollers 24 may be arranged in such a way that the wire passes underneath the guide rollers 24 instead of passing over the top as described. In this case, the wire is laid almost directly on to the ground, although there is then the disadvantage that the shaft 23 carrying the guide rollers 24 is more likely to suffer damage by hitting the ground if the machine is tilted.

It will be appreciated that, when using just two reels, one reel will be disposed on the shaft 9 on each side of the frame 1, and that the rollers 24 are spaced by a distance corresponding to the spacing of the reels 13, so that each roller 24 occupies a similar position relative to its respective reel, to ensure all the reels are wound in the same fashion.

When rewinding the wires on to the reels, there is no need for any specific mechanism for ensuring that the wires are wound on to the reels in an even manner; if however it is found that the wires are not rewinding evenly, simply tilting the illustrated machine towards the appropriate side will cause the shaft 23 and therewith the guide rollers 24 to be displaced axially sideways in the tilting direction, thereby moving the wires across the reels as they are rewinding. The shaft 23 is preferably mounted in small roller or ball bearings adjacent the arms 22, to facilitate this movement.

It will be readily appreciated that tilting the machine alternately from side to side in a cyclic movement as the machine is pushed forward for rewinding purposes will cause the reels to be rewound in a fully even manner. Steering the towing vehicle for the above-mentioned modified machine towards one side and the other side alternately, will have a similar effect Various other modifications may be made in the above-described machine without thereby departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the slipping clutch assembly illustrated represents a simplified form of clutch, and a more sophisticated slipping clutch may be employed, such as one in which a respective spring is associated with each reel, each such spring being disposed between a collar on the shaft and the respective reel, in order to provide for individual tension control for each wire.

Claims (12)

1. A machine for laying out and rewinding fencing wire, comprising ground-engaging wheel means which drives a shaft for mounting at least one wire-carrier reel, and a clipping clutch operatively disposed in the transmission of drive from the wheel means to the reel to permit slip between the wheel means and the reel.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the shaft carries the slipping clutch for slippingly connecting the reel to the shaft.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or claim 2 including at least one guide roller in front of the position of mounting of said at least one reel, for guiding the wire in relation to the reel.

4. A machine according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said shaft is arranged to carry a plurality of reels.

5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein a respective slipping clutch is operatively associated with each reel mounting position on said shaft.

6. A machine according to claim 4 or claim 5 when appendant to claim 3 wherein a corresponding plurality of guide rollers is disposed in front of respective ones of the positions for mounting the reels.

7. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said wheel means is a wheel having a chain wheel thereon, and the shaft carries a freewheel assembly connected to the chain wheel by a chain, the freewheel assembly being so arranged that the shaft is rotated in the same direction as the wheel means when the machine is moved to wind wire on to the at least one reel.

8. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims including means for selectively locking said shaft against rotation in one direction of rotation thereof.

9. A machine according to claim 3 or claim 5 or any claim appendant to claim 3 or claim 5 wherein the or each said guide roller is so mounted as to be capable of lateral movement parallel to said shaft thereby to alter the positions on a respective reel, at which wire is wound on to the reel.

10. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a handle assembly for manual pushing or pulling operation of the machine.

11. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims including means for connecting the machine to a vehicle for operating the machine.

12. A machine for laying out and rewinding wire, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.