Patent Publication Number: US-2005133107-A1

Title: Fence clip locking tool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to tools for fastening fencing wire to fence posts, and more particularly, to a fence clip locking tool configured to facilitate bending of a fence clip, when the clip is used to attach fencing wire to a post.  
      2. Discussion of Prior Art  
      Wire fencing is commonly used to provide a visible identifier of property boundaries, discourage trespassing, and control the ingress and egress of animals. These fences usually consist of pluralities of fence posts, fencing wires and wire clips that function to secure the wires to the posts.  
      Conventional methods of installation and maintenance of wire fencing typically include the highly repetitive and unconventional use of common tools, such as screwdrivers and pliers, for bending the clips around the wire. However, the unconventional use of these tools during fencing applications often present ergonomic and efficiency problems. The configuration of these tools often results in undesirable and sometimes painful contact between the user and adjacent wires. Furthermore, the unintended use of these tools can often damage the tools or lead to early degradation. In response to these concerns, specialized tools have been developed for installing the wire clips. However, these specialized tools often present complex modes of operation and cumbersome structure that must be repeatedly positioned and supported by the user.  
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
      Responsive to these and other problems, the present invention concerns an improved fence clip locking tool. Among other things, the tool is useful for bending a wire clip around an adjacent fencing wire. The tool is further useful for providing a more ergonomic configuration that reduces the transfer of friction to the user.  
      A first aspect of the invention concerns a fence clip locking tool for bending a clip to secure a fencing wire to a fence post. The fence clip locking tool includes an elongated rod presenting opposite spaced apart ends and a handle angularly projecting from the rod. The rod is configured to engage the clip between the ends and to facilitate bending of the clip during securement of the fencing wire to the fencing post. The handle includes a rotatable handle cover to be grasped by a user.  
      A second aspect of the invention concerns a fence clip locking tool for bending a clip to secure a fencing wire to a fence post. The fence clip locking tool includes a handle for grasping by a user and an elongated rod angularly projecting from the handle. The rod presents opposite spaced apart ends and an arcuate clip engaging portion extending between the ends. The clip-engaging portion is configured to engage the clip and facilitate bending of the clip during securement of the fencing wire to the fencing post.  
      Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawing figures. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
      Several embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fence clip locking tool constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a fence post, a plurality of fencing wires, and two fence clips, particularly illustrating the tool in the initial position;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tool, post, wires, and clips as shown in  FIG. 1 , particularly illustrating the tool in an intermediate position;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of most, but not all, of the structure shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , particularly illustrating the tool in the final position;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tool, particularly illustrating the arcuate clip-engaging portion of the rod;  
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the tool, wires, wire clip and fence post taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 , particularly illustrating the tool and loop end section of the clip in the initial position in solid line, and the tool and loop end section in an intermediate position in phantom line;  
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the tool, wires, wire clip, and fence post shown in  FIG. 5 , particularly illustrating the tool and loop end section in another intermediate position in phantom line, and the tool and loop end section in the final position in solid line;  
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the tool, wires, wire clip and fence post taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1 , particularly illustrating the tool and hook end section of the clip in the initial position; and  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a fence clip locking tool constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, particularly illustrating the linear rod configuration. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an improved fence clip locking tool  10  constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention and configured to facilitate the bending of a plurality of wire clips  12  around a pre-positioned fencing wire  14  by a user (not shown). The wire clips  12  are configured to secure the fencing wire  14  to a plurality of fencing posts  16  to effect the installation or repair of a typical wire fence.  FIG. 1  shows the tool  10  in an initial position prior to bending a clip,  FIG. 3  shows the tool  10  in a final position after bending, and  FIG. 2  shows an intermediate position between the initial and final positions.  
      As illustrated, the preferred fencing post  16  is a T-shaped fence post including a main panel  18  having first and second faces  20 , 22 , an orthogonal bisector panel  24  projecting from the longitudinal mid line of the first face  20 , and a plurality of equally spaced projections  26  on the second face  22 . The projections  22  of interconnected posts  16  are preferably aligned so as to guide the lateral placement of the wires between the posts. The preferred fencing wire  14  is a smooth cylindrical wire of standard fencing gauge (e.g., ten to sixteen gauge wire). The wire  14  is preferably pre-tensioned to a predetermined tensile force to provide a more rigidly taught barrier. Most preferably, the wire  14  is pre-tensioned to a tensile force within the range of about two to three hundred pounds.  
      It is within the ambit of the present invention, however, to use the fence clip locking tool  10  to fasten alternative fencing wires to fence posts  16 , to fasten fencing wire  14  to alternative fence posts, or any other combination thereof. For example, the tool  10  may be used to fasten barbed wire or diamond wire to a wooden post.  
      The wire clips  12  are preferably conventional in construction, and it shall therefore be sufficient to explain that each clip  12  presents a bent cylindrical clip bar extending between first and second clip ends. The clip  12  is configured to at least partially encircle the post  16  in the clip fastening position shown in  FIG. 1 . Adjacent the first clip end, the clip bar is further bent to present a U-shaped hook end section  28  (see  FIG. 7 ). The hook end section  28  engages the wire  14  in the fastening position by insertably receiving the wire  14  within the U-shape. Adjacent the second clip end, the clip bar is further bent to present an overhanging loop end section  30  (see  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 ). The loop end section  30  presents a first U-shaped loop bend  32 , which lies substantially in a plane that is generally parallel to the wire  14  when the clip  12  is in the fastening position. In the fastening position, the first U-shaped loop bend  32  extends downward from the wire  14  and towards the user. The loop end section  30  overhangs the wire  14 , so as to cooperatively form a loop opening (not shown) with the wire  14 . The wire clip  12  is malleable so that the loop section  30  can be bent by the user to present a bend  34  that engages the wire  14  similarly to the hook end section  28 . Thus, in the final position, it is appreciated that the hook and loop end sections  28 , 30  present latching clip ends that cooperatively exhort a holding force upon the wire  14  to thereby secure the wire  14  against the post  16 .  
      As best shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the fence clip locking tool  10  generally includes an elongated rod  36  and a handle  38  extending angularly from the rod  36 . More preferably, the handle  38  extends transversely from the rod  36 , such that the rod  36  and handle  38  define an angle between the range of about twenty to one-hundred and sixty degrees. Most preferably, the handle  38  orthogonally extends from the rod  36 . The angular orientation of the handle  38  relative to the rod  36  facilitates the application of the bending torque by the user, as will subsequently be described herein.  
      The preferred rod  36  presents an elongated cylindrical bar that defines a distal rod end  40 , a handle end  42 , a rod diameter, a longitudinal rod length, and an arcuate clip-engaging portion  44 . The rod  36  is preferably solid along the entire rod length. However, the rod  36  may define an open inner space along at least a portion of the rod length, wherein a free end of the wire clip can be inserted to further bend the wire clip. The rod  36  more preferably presents a rod length within the range of about two to ten inches. Most preferably, the rod length is about five inches. The rod  36  presents a sufficient diameter and is formed of material having sufficient strength to bear the anticipated bending torque applied by the user. More preferably, the rod  36  presents a diameter not less than one-fourth of an inch and is formed of cold rolled carbon steel, although other high strength materials, such as a high grade plastic, can be utilized. The maximum diameter of the rod  36  is limited by the size of the loop opening.  
      As previously mentioned, the preferred rod  36  also defines an arcuate portion  44  that extends between the distal and handle ends  40 , 42 . The arcuate portion  44  is dimensioned to facilitate the user to achieve a full one-hundred eighty degree swinging motion (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ), where the distance between adjacent vertically spaced wires is less than the rod length or where other barriers are present. More preferably, the portion  44  presents an arc having a radius within a range of about six to twenty-four inches. The illustrated arcuate portion  44  is defined along the entire rod length. However, the arcuate portion  44  can be defined by a fraction of the rod  36 , and can be presented adjacent either the distal or handle end. More preferably, the arcuate portion  44  presents an arc-length that is not less than seventy-five percent of the rod length.  
      The handle  38  includes a center shaft  46 , a rotatable cover  48 , and an end cap  50 . The preferred center shaft  46  is integrally formed with the rod  36 , so that the shaft and rod present a bent unitary bar. Thus, the center shaft preferably presents a similar cross-section and is formed of similar material to the rod  36 . The center shaft  46  preferably extends from the handle end  42  of the rod  36 , and presents a handle length sufficient to enable the user to easily grasp the handle  38 . More preferably, the handle length is within the range of about two inches to six inches; and most preferably the handle length is about three inches long.  
      The rotatable cover  48  presents a tubular body that is open along its entire length and at first and second cover ends. The cover  48  defines an inside diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the center shaft  46 , so that the center shaft  46  can be insertably and rotatably received within the cover. The preferred cover  48  is freely rotatable on the shaft  46 . If desired, the inside diameter may be sufficiently sized to further receive a lubricant layer interposed between the cover  48  and shaft  46 . The cover  48  defines an outside diameter that enables the comfortable grasping of the handle  38  by the user. More preferably, for a one-fourth inch diameter shaft  46 , the cover  48  presents an inside diameter not less than five-sixteenth of an inch, and an outside diameter within the range of about three-quarters of an inch to about one inch. The cover  48  presents a length slightly shorter than the length of the center shaft  46 , so that a small fraction (not shown) of the inserted center shaft  46  is left uncovered when the cover  48  is placed adjacent the rod  36 . The small fraction is sufficiently sized to enable the attachment of the end cap  50  that retains the cover  48  in a generally fixed position along the longitudinal length of the center shaft  46 . A washer  52  is preferably provided to snugly retain the cover  48  in the desired position on the shaft  46 . The end cap  50  and washer  52  are commonly known in the art, and therefore will not be further described herein. However, it is preferred that the cover  48 , end cap  50 , and washer  52  be formed of non-conductive material, such as wood, rubber or plastic, so as to protect the user from electric current, if any, within the wire  14 .  
      Alternatively, it is certainly within the ambit of the present invention for the tool, as otherwise described herein, to provide a linearly configured rod that does not present an arcuate portion as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
      In operation, the wire clip  12  is placed in the fastening position, wherein the hook end section  28  engages and the loop end section  30  overhangs the pre-positioned and preferably tensioned fencing wire  14 . The tool  10  is placed in the initial position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , wherein the handle  38  is projected away from the fence post  16 , the arcuate portion  44  of the rod  36  is bowed outward toward the user, and the distal end  40  of the rod  36  is inserted into the loop opening an inserted distance. The user then swings the handle  38  along a preferred arc defined by the initial, intermediate and final positions shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 - 6 . Where necessary to avoid obstruction, as the handle  38  is swung the user can progressively insert the rod  36  into the loop opening, so that the inserted distance gradually increases and the arc defined by the handle forms a spiral about the wire  14  (compare  FIGS. 5 and 6 ).  
      As the handle  32  is swung, the arcuate portion of the rod  30  pivots about a contact point with the clip  12 , while the distal end of the rod engages the wire  14 . The wire  14  presents a bending capacity greater than the bending strength of the clip  12 , so that the clip  12  bends as the handle  38  is swung downward towards the final position. It is appreciated by those ordinarily skilled in the art that the lever arm provided by the rod  36  presents a mechanical advantage between the force applied by the user and the resultant bending force applied to the clip  12 , that is proportional to the rod length and the inserted distance. It is further appreciated that, the static friction between the handle cover  48  and the center shaft  46  is less than the static friction between the user and the cover  48 , so that the cover  48  slides along the contact surface between the cover  48  and center shaft  46 , and thereby provides rolling engagement between the user and shaft  46 .  
      After the handle  38  is swung to the final position, the tool  10  is withdrawn from the loop opening. The user can then proceed to a second intersected post to further secure wire  14 , by placing a new clip in the fastening position and repeating the steps as described above. Preferably, adjacent wires are staggeredly fastened at every third post along the fence, so as to present the wire clip pattern shown in  FIG. 1 .  
      The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
      The inventor hereby states his intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.