US765729A - Fence. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

J. A. GRAHAM.

FENCE.

APPLIUATION FILED DEG.24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

R a I 0 H A17 E m vnmw .MW 5m WHWES" j 5 1 Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.-

JOHN A GRAHAM, OF MGRAE, GEORGIA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,729, dated July 26, 1904.

Application filed December 24, 1903. Serial No. 186,494. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at McRae, in the county of Telfair and State of Georgia, have invented a certain new and useful Fence, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fences, the object in View being to provide means whereby the panels of a portable knockdown fence may be connected together and firmly united in such manner that the said panels will mutually support and brace each other, while at the same time any of the panels may be readily disconnected to form an opening or gateway in the fence to enable additional panels to be inserted. The connecting device is so constructed and combined with the uprights of the panels that no undue strain is brought upon the uprights, which would tend to split or injure the same, the effect of the connecting devices being rather to prevent splitting or breaking of the uprights.

\Vith the aboveand other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portable knockdown fence constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing one of the connecting devices applied to one of the uprights of adjacent panels. Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section through the same. Fig. 4 is a-detail perspective view of the flexiblelink which, together with the retaining-pin, forms the connecting device of this invention. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the use of a wooden key in connection with the flexible link.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

In order to illustrate the present invention, I have illustrated a section of portable knockdown fence in Fig. 1, in which it will be seen that said fence is composed of a series of panels', each comprisingaseries of horizontal rails 1, connected by end uprights or posts 2, the said panels being stiffened by means of diagonal braces 3. i

The connecting device, by means of which the panels are united to eachother, consists of a flexible link which is composed of a length of wire or metal strip having the extremities thereof united, as shown at 4. The said wire or strip is bent to form a central elongated eye 5 and is further bent around the end upright of one of the panels to form a pair of loops 6, each of which is substantially rectangular, the said loops being located and arranged at opposite sides of the plane of the elongated eye 5, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.. The adjacent uprights of the panels are provided with holes 7 and 8, located at the same height, so as to come opposite each other in order that the elongated eye 5 may be inserted through both of said openings 7 and 8 in the manner illustrated in the drawings, and the loops 6 are bent around the portions of the upright lying on opposite sides of the opening 7 through which the elongated eye 5 passes. The loops 6 are connected with each other and relatively braced by means of a crosstie or connecting portion which passes across an elongated central loop or eye and lies against the front of the adjacent post or upright of the panel. This forms what may be termed a double loop or strap, which extends all around the post or upright and prevents the same from splitting at the point where it is weakened by the formation of the hole for the elongated loop.

The eye 5 after passing through the opening 7 is extended sufficiently to pass also through the opening 8 of the oppositely-located upright, as best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and sufficiently beyond the outer face of the second upright to receive a pin or key 9, which is provided with a head 10 to prevent accidental escape or displacement of the pin from the eye.

The link or connecting device is preferably formed out of soft or annealed wire, and is therefore flexible, so that it may adapt itself to the angles of the panels in connection with which it is used, as shown in Fig. 3, it being understood that the fence is usually set up in such manner that the panels assume a zigzag relation to each other, the arrangement forming what is known in the art as a worm fence. If desired, suitable anchoring posts or stakes may be driven into the ground, to which the panels may be connected at intervals, as shown in Fig. 1. In pressing the adjoining panel-seetions out of alinement with each other tension is brought to bear upon theliexible link, with the result that the loops 6 are drawn more firmly around the parts of the upright which they embrace. This obviates any tendency of the upright to split and at the same time forms a firm anchorage for the flexible link. lVhile the extremities of the metal strip or piece of wire from which the flexible link is formed are shown united, it will be apparent that by using a strip or piece of wire of suflicient strength the extremities of said strip or wire may be brought close to each other and left disconnected. The form shown is preferred, however, for the reason that it enables lighter Wire to be used in the manufacture of the flexible link, thereby reducing the cost of manufacture and rendering the elongated eye of the link more flexible.

Instead of using the metal pin or nail a wooden pin, key, or Wedge may be used in lieu thereof,the same being driven through theloop of the flexible link. here such wooden key is employed, the opening through the upright of the fence-panel is preferably elongated or made oblong to allow the loop to be spread by such Wooden key or Wedge, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Adjoining fence-panels, the end uprights of which are provided with holes in line with each other, in combination with a flexible connecting-link consisting of a metal strip bent to form a centrally-elongated eye which passes through said holes, and a double loop having portions located at opposite sides of the eye and embracing portions of the upright on opposite sides of the hole, and a cross-tie which extends across the centrally-elongated eye, and a pin or key insertible in the extremity of the eye and serving to lock the panels together, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN A. GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

H. 1). 700mm, A. V. MORGAN.

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