US239656A - Fence-lock - Google Patents

Description

( No Model.)

w. P. GREEN.

Fence Lock;

' No. 239,656. Patented April 5, l88l.

Y ITN SE S;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. GREEN, OF RUSHVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS ,TO DAVID A. GREEN, OF SAME PLACE, JAMES H. ROBERTS, OF SHELBY- VILLE, AND JOHN W. THOMPKINS, OF MILROY, INDIANA.

FENCE-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,656, dated April 5, 1881.

Application filed August 16, 1889.

I am aware that heretofore fences have been.

locked bypassingwire aroundtherails; but they have been objectionable, because of the method 1510f tightening the wire, which is done either by ,using the top rail or a wooden lever. The first is objectionable for the reason that it is impossible to make the wire of just such length that when the rail is passed through it from the opposite direction and turned to its proper place on the fence the desired tension will be on the wire. The second is objectionable for the'same reason, with the additional ones, first, when the rails become dry the shrinkage causes the tension on the wire to slacken and the levers drop to the ground. It is further objectionable because of its unsightly appearance caused by the projecting ends of the wooden levers. d The object of my invention is to provide a 'meansfor locking rail-fences in such manner as to prevent them from being blown down by wind-storms or thrown down by animals. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated 5 in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective section of wormfence, showing the manner of locking by my device. Fig. 2 is a view embodying my device.

40 Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout both views.

; The lock is formed by passing the wire D around the projecting ends of the rails'A A A of afence, as shown in Fig. 1. Theends of 5 the wire D are then securely fastened together by loops 0. b, Fig. 2, and is then contracted or tightened on the rails AA A by inserting a bar between the upper surface of the topmost rail,

A, and the wire D, and turning it one or more (No model.)

times around, thus forming the twist G and the eye B.

In this invention it will be seen that the wire is first carried loosely around the crossed or interlapped ends of the rails in such manner as to provide an open end or loop above the top rail of the fence. The ends of the wire are then united rigidly together, as shown, at the side of the fence, below the top rail, so that the fastening or interlocking eyes a a and the twists b I) will be entirely out of the way and not interfere with the subsequent twisting of the wire in looking the fence. Through the open end or loop, provided at the upper end of the lock, above the top rail, a lever or bar is put, and by it the wire is turned, so as 6 to twist its .two parts together and form. the twist O, which draws and locks the rails firmly together. In forming the twist G that portion of the wire around the twisting lever or bar is preserved in an eye or loop, B, from which the said lever or bar may be readily withdrawn, and again reinserted when 'desired.

In all worm-fences the rails will shrink more or less during the first two or three years after beinglaid up. When this shrinkage takes place my lock is easily shortened to adapt it to the degree of shrinkage, A lever or suitable bar is put through the eye or 100p B, and one or more turns given to it, which increases the length of the twist O and draws the lock tight to the rails. By this construction I dispense with all wedges and other separate fixtures to adjust the lock to the fence.

I am aware of the patent to N. B. and T. Gunn, No. 195,503, dated September 25, 1877, inwhich is employed a wire lock having the ends of said wire fastened together above the top rail, and in which the tightening of the lock is efiected by a wedge driven between the rails; and I am further aware that it is not new to tighten awire clamp or fastening provided with books on its disconnected ends by twisting aloop or eye previously formed at or near apointcentrallybetween its hooked ends, 5 and I do not claim such constructions broadly as my invention; but

Having described my invention, I claim In afenee,the combination, with the crossedor interlapped ends of the rails, of the wire through it into a twist, C, and loop or eye B, substantially as set forth, and for the purposes D, carried loosely around the rails,and having specified.

its ends fastened togetherat the side of the 5 fence, and formingnn open end or loop above the top raihthe said open end or loop being then turned by a suitable lever or bar thrust WILLIAM P. GREEN.

Attest:

MADISON (J. TINGLEY, CHARLES H. PARSONS.

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