Abstract:
A wire bonding tool provides an improved and safer grip of wires during bonding of lengthy wire strands. The tool includes a bar with a polygonal outer perimeter, a slot in the bar for receiving wire, and a post on an end face of the bar for receiving a wrapped end of the wire.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional patent application No. 61/469,238, filed Mar. 30, 2011, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to tooling, and more particularly, to a wire binding tool. 
         [0003]    It may be common to bond strands of wire together when a long perimeter or line or wiring is needed. Conventionally, two pieces of wire, for example barbed wire defining a fence line, may be manually held together by one hand while a second hand twists wire ends together with a pair of pliers. Over long distances, this may easily cause fatigue in the hands, particularly the one holding the two wires together. Moreover, when one wire is tensioned because it is secured on another end, the difficulty in bonding it to separate wire increases. 
         [0004]    As can be seen, there is a need for a wire bonding tool that relieves fatigue in the hands and assists in tying two strands of wire together. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the present invention, a wire binding tool, comprises a bar; a plurality of lengthwise faces on the bar arranged in a polygonal perimeter around a center longitudinal axis of the bar, wherein one of the faces includes spaced apart walls defining a slot there-between running from a first end of the bar to a second end of the bar; and a post projecting from the first end of the bar. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the present invention, a wire binding tool comprises an elongated hexagonal bar; opposing walls defining a slot running lengthwise from opposite ends of the bar; internal slanted surfaces on the opposing walls, wherein the internal slanted surface taper inwardly from an entrance of the slot; and a post projecting from one of the ends of the bar. 
         [0007]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an end view of a wire bonding tool according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the wire bonding tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective side view of the wire bonding tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective top view of the wire bonding tool of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective top view of the wire bonding tool of  FIG. 1  held by a user. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0014]    Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
         [0015]    Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a hand tool used to secure, attach, connect, bind and anchor single strand wire in the process of fencing or extension of single strand wiring. Aspects of the wire binding tool may be used to quickly and consistently attach wire in a uniform manner to fixed objects such as fence posts or to affix the wire to another piece of wire for extension purposes such as continuing a fence line when an original wire supply is not long enough. 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , a wire bonding tool  100  is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The wire bonding tool  100  may include an elongated bar  110 . The bar  110  may be about 1.5″ in diameter and about 4.25″ long. The bar  110  may include one or more outer side faces  125 . In an exemplary embodiment, the bar  110  includes a polygonal perimeter, for example, six lengthwise outer side faces  125  arranged as a hexagonal perimeter around the center lengthwise or longitudinal axis of the bar  110 . End faces  115  may resemble hexagonal faces when viewed from an end perspective. One of the side faces  125  (for sake of illustration, designated as  125 ′) may include a slot  160  defined by spaced apart opposing walls  135  running the length of the bar  110  from one end face  115  to the other end face  115 . The walls  135  may include internal slanted surfaces  140 . The internal slanted surfaces  140  may taper inwardly from the entrance in a narrowing V-shape. The walls  135  may include a beveled edge  145  leading into the slanted surfaces  140 . A circular channel  150  may be bored along a bottom surface of the slot  160 . The circular channel  150  may run lengthwise through the bar  110  from one end face  115  to the other end face  115 . The end faces  115  may include a counter-bored bevel  155  at the end of the circular channel  150 . 
         [0017]    In an exemplary embodiment, the slated walls  140  may terminate down into the slot  160  above the circular channel  150  so that a section of the walls  135  are parallel to one another. The diameter of the circular channel  150  may be larger than the separation of side walls  135  where they run parallel to one another. For example, the slanted surfaces  140  may be about 7/16″ wide at the slot  160  entrance and gradually taper down to about ½″ to ⅜″ in width. The side walls  135  may continue for another 9/16″ in depth at ⅜″ of width running until intersecting with the circular channel  150 . The circular channel  150  may have a diameter of approximately 5/16″. The total depth of the slot  160  from side  125 ′ to the bottom surface  165  may be about 1⅜″ leaving about ⅛″ to the base (side face  125 ) of the bar  110 . 
         [0018]    A post  130  may project from one or both end faces  115 . The post  130  may be positioned proximate the side wall  125 ′. The post  130  may be a ¼″ by ⅞″ protrusion such as a hex machine screw threaded into a ¾″ machine threaded hole (not shown) located approximately ⅛″ from the side  125  closest to the entrance of slot  160 . The hole may be evenly spaced between the slot  160  and the side  125 . In one aspect, the post  130  is adjustable. When screwed into the threaded hole, a post head may be exposed about ⅛″ out of the threaded hole. However, depending on the gauge of wire being bound, the distance needed to expose the post head from the end face  115  may be adjusted. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an exemplary operation of the wire bonding tool  100  is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In an exemplary use of the wire bonding tool  110 , a piece of wire (not shown) to be secured or bound may be placed lengthwise in the slot  160 . The wire may first encounter one of the beveled edges  145 , preventing unwanted fraying of the wire, and may be guided by the slanted side walls  140  down into the slot  160 . The wire may be slid down the side walls  135  until it is positioned into the circular channel  150  where dislodgement of the wire back up the slot  160  is discouraged by the side walls  135  being barrower than the circular channel  150 . An end of the wire may be lead out of the circular channel  150  circularly across the smooth bevel edge  155  and brought up toward the post  130 . The cut end of the wire is wrapped around the exposed head of the post  130 . A user (not shown) may grasp the tool  100  by wrapping his or her fingers around the hexagonal outer side faces  125 . The user may manually twist around the wire to be secured. The wire may be twisted clockwise or counter-clockwise to complete securement. In cases where the wire length is to be extended, a pair of pliers may need to be used in order to stabilize the wire that is being extended until the securing process is complete. 
         [0020]    Typical wire that may be used with the wire binding tool may include hog wire type fencing and other types of single stranded wire. The wire binding tool  100  is a fast and uniform way to wrap each individual wire end to complete the anchoring process of single strand wire fencing. The wire binding tool  100  may also be used to extend or join many other types of wire where a perfect wire loop is desired. 
         [0021]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.