US2854101A - Fence post - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 3@, 1958 s. R. CARPER FENCE POST Filed March 29, 1956 flVI ENTOR. Samue] 1Q. Carper BK 22 ATTORNEY Wjfn e s s.

United States Patent FENCE POST Samuel R. Carper, Audubon, Iowa Application March 29, 1956, Serial No. 574,649

2 Claims. (Cl. 189-23) This invention relates to fence posts and more particularly to a post that not only supports the wire but incorporates a means for securing the wire to the post.

The use of metal posts for holding fence strands is now universal. The usual method of attaching each of the wire strands to the post is to use short lengths of wire, which are wound and twisted around the post and strands. Such wire lengths often break from twisting and have a tendency to slide downwardly on the post, thereby unsuccessfully holding the fence strands at proper altitudes on the post length. Also the securing of the fence to the supporting posts requires considerable labor, time, and a certain amount of skill. This is especially true in the matter of woven or mesh fencing wherein a multiplicity of strands is present. Also, whenever it is desired to remove the fence from the posts, all of the fastening means must be either individually untwisted or cut. Some effort has been made to provide mechanical wire attaching units, but they are expensive, do not lend themselves readily to present types of metal posts, and are separately operable for each wire fence strand.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a metal fence post that not only supports the wire fence strands but detachably secures the fence strands to the post.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fence post that is capable of securing all the strands of the wire fence to the post simultaneously.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a fence post that is exceptionally strong relative to its weight.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fence post with fence securing means that is easily and quickly operated for securing the fence to the post or releasing the fence from the post.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a fence post structure that is economical in manufacture, durable in use, and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my fence post in use,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged upper side view of the device, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of my post taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 and more fully illustrates its construction.

The post standard is formed by bending its width to form a tubular portion 10, two adjacent flange portions 11 and 12 extending rearwardly therefrom, and two side portions 13 and 14 extending from the two adjacent flanges, respectively, as shown in Fig. 3. The tubular portion and flanges, and the two sides 13 and 14 form three spaced apart radial projections when the post is viewed from the top. In the tubular portion and into the two flange portions I have formed a plurality of spaced apart horizontal slots 15. Communicating with each slot 15 is a vertical slot 16 formed through the two flange portions 11 and 12. The point of communication of a horizontal slot 15 with its vertical slot 16 is substantially midway between the two closed ends of the vertical slot, as shown in Fig. 2. By this construction a plurality of horizontal T-slots are formed with the length of the T extending through the tubular portion and the head of the T in the two adjacent flanges 11 and 12. The numeral 17 designates a rod detachably slidably extending into the tubular portion of the standard as shown in Fig. 3. The numeral 18 designates a handle ring on the upper outer end of the rod 17. The numeral 19 designates a plurality of wire fence strands. After the lower ends of posts have been mounted in the ground2tl, the fence wire is ready to be secured to the posts. The rod 17 is removed from each post to open the T-slots. The wire strands are then placed into the T-slot openings until they reside in the vertical slots of the openings. By gravity or relative wire strand height the wire will assurnme a position either in the lower end or upper end of a vertical slot 16. In such a position it will not become detached from the post by movement outwardly through the horizontal slot 15. Therefore, the horizontal T-slot opening is important. Normally the wire strand would move by gravity to the bottom of a vertical slot 16, but this would also be the case when the wire strand is taut and the row of posts is extending over a hill or knoll. On the other hand, if the row of posts is going down into a valley and then up out of the valley, the wire strands on the lowermost posts would reside in the upper ends of the vertical slots 16. After the wire strands are in place, the rod 17 is slid downwardly into the tubular portion 10 thereby closing and blocking all of the horizontal slots 15 as shown in Fig. 2. Obviously, the rod 17 will prevent any accidental detachment of the fence strands from the post when it is desired to remove the fence, the rods are all removed and the wire strands 19 lifted out of the T- slots of the posts. Thus, a fence may be easily and quickly attached or detached. By the lateral horizontal compound and angle bend in the post, a very rigid and strong post is provided.

If desired, a means may be employed to prevent the accidental removal of a rod 17 from its post. In the drawings I provide a horizontal slit 23 in one side of the tubular portion and the flange 12, as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral 24 designates a horizontal pin projecting from the rod 17. To fasten a rod it is inserted downwardly in the tubular portion 10 with the lug pin 24 between the two flanges 11 and 12 as shown in Fig. 3. When the pin 24 is adjacent the slit 23, the handle 18 is manually rotated to bring the pin 24 into locking contact with the slit 23, as shown in Fig. 1.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my fence post Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents vhich may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a fence post, a standard having a tubular portion, two spaced apart adjacent flange portions extending from said tubular portion and two side lengths extending from the two flange portions respectively, horizontal T-shaped slots in said tubular portion and said two flange portions with the length of slots in the tubular portion and the head of the slots in the two adjacent flange portions, 21 detachable rodslidably extending into said tubular portion, said 3E tubular "portion and at least one of said adjacent flanges having'a'horizontal slit opening, 'apin on said rod capable of detachably extending into said horizontal slit and a handle on the upper end of said rod.

2. In 'a fence post; a standard having its width 'bentto produce a tubular portion, two adjacent flange portions extending from said -tubular portion-and two-side lengths extending from the two flange portions respectively, horizontal T-shaped slots in said tubular portion and said two 'flangeportions with the length of'slots'in the tubular portion and the head of the slots in the 'twoadjacent flange portions, a detachable rod slidably extending into said tubular portion, a means associated with said 'rod for locking said rod in said tubular portion against upward movement relative to said tubular portion, and a handle on the upper end'of said "rod; said locking means being actuated by the manual rotation of said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 913,402 Knickerbocker Feb. 23, 1909 1,023,880 Rubeck Apr. 23, 1912 1,117,214 McFarland'et'al Nov. 17,1914 1,188,958 Ludwick Iune 27, 1916 1,400,455 Peterson Dec. 13, 1921 1,565,339 Thompson Dec.'15, 1925 2,038,133 Schantz Apr. 21, 1936

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