IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STANDARDS OR UPRIGHTS USED IN WIRE FENCING, AND IN THE MEANS OF ADMITTING AND SECURING THE WIRE THEREIN
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Augustus Frederick Fowke, of the Con-
servative Club, St. James's, in the City of Westminster, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STANDARDS OR UPRIGHTS
USED IN WIRE FENCING, AND IN THE MEANS OF ADMITTING AND SECURING
THE WIRE THEREIN."
Sealed the 15th December 1871, and dated the 20th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Augustus
Frederick Fowke at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 20th June 1871..
I, GEORGE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK FOWKE, of the Conservative Club,
St. James's, in the City of Westminster, Gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STANDARDS
OR UPRIGHTS USED IN WIRE FENCING, AND IN THE MEANS OF ADMITTING AND
SECURING THE WIRE THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of wire fencing,
that is to say, to an improved construction of the standards or uprights:

page_text: for carrying the wire, and to the means of admitting and retaining the
wire in the said standards or uprights..
In order that the nature of this Invention and the manner in which
the same is effected may be clearly described, this Provisional Specifi-
cation is accompanied by a Sheet of Drawings, by reference to which it
will be seen that this Invention consists in an improved form of standard,
as shewn at Figure 1. It is of section shewn triangular, but of any
suitable length, being formed of metal drawn or welded to that shape,
and is at the requisite intervals in height slotted, as shewn at a, a,
Figures 1 and 2, for the reception of the wire. The wire when strained
to the required tension is entered into the slots, and a small wedge bolt
or key b, shewn separately at Figure 3, dropped into the triangular space
between the wire and the front angle of standard securely holds the wire
in position described.
'
For the purpose of securing or firmly fixing 'my improved standards
I use a peculiar form of foot or base piece, as shewn in Figure 4, having
a strap piece d passing through the slöt a, a, (see Figures 4 and 5) and
rivetted at both ends on the plate e. This plate e is formed with a
vertical piece f of such a size as to fit closely the interior of triangular
vertical standard, and thereby to retain the standard perfectly rigid.
When required for the purpose of forming curves I provide a small
grooved friction disc, as shewn at c, Figure 6%; this will admit of the
passage of the wire without binding, straining, or unnecessary friction:
In curves it will sometimes be found necessary to stiffen the fence by
the use of struts, as shewn in Figures 7 and 8. At that part of the
standard at which the strut is entered the flange is reduced for that
purpose, and a locking piece g is provided, and the whole is made fast or
secured by a wedge bolt or key / driven between the locking piece and
tongue of strut.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 30
filed by the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 19th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
AUGUSTUS FREDERICK FOWKE, of the Conservative Club, St. James's, in
the City of Westminster, Gentleman, send greeting.
.. 35

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign,, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke, Her
special licence that I, the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Augustus Frederick Fowke, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STANDARDS OR UPRIGHTS
USED IN WIRE FENCING, AND IN THE MEANS OF ADMITTING AND SECURING THE.
WIRE THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Augustus Frederick Fowke, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of wire fencing,
that is to say, to an improved construction of the standards or uprights
for carrying the wire, and to the means of admitting and retaining the
wire in the said standards or uprights.
In order that the nature of this Invention and the manner in which
the same is offected may be clearly described this Specification is
accompanied by a Sheet of Drawings, having figures and letters of
reference marked thereupon, the like letter being used to denote a similar
or corresponding part in each Figure.
By reference to these Drawings it will be seen that this Invention
consists in an improved standard, one form of which as shewn at Figure I.
It is of the section shewn triangular, but of any suitable length, being

page_text: .
formed of metal drawn or welded to that shape, and is at the requisite
intervals in height slotted as shewn at a, a, Figures 1 and 2 for the
reception of the wire. The wire when strained to the required tension
is entered into the slots, and a small wedge bolt or key b shewn
separately at Figure 3 dropped into the triangular space between the
wire and the front angle of standard securely holds the wire in position
desired.
i
:
For the purpose of securing or firmly fixing my improved standards,
use a peculiar form of foot or base piece as shewn in Figure 4, having
à strap piece d passing through the slot a, a, (see Figures 4 and 6)
and rivetted at both ends on the plate e. This plate e is formed with
à vertical piece fof such a size as to fit closely the interior of triangular
vertical .standard and thereby to retain the standard perfectly rigid.
When required for the purpose of forming curves I provide a small
grooved friction disc, as shewn at c, Figure 6. This will admit of the
passage of the wire without binding, straining, or unnecessary friction.
In curves it will sometimes be found necessary to stiffen the fence by
the use of struts, as shewn in Figures 7 and 8: At that part of the
standard at which the strut is entered the flange is reduced for that
purpose and a locking piece is provided, and the whole is made fast
or secured by a wedge bolt or key h driven between the locking piece
and tongue of strut.
. . Another form of my improved standard will be found in Figures 9,
10, 11 and 12, in which it will be seen that the two portions which in the
form first described turned inwardly and formed the base of the triangle
are curved outwardly as shewn.
$
The object of this form is to give strength with a thinner material.
Figures 9 and 11, shew another mode of fixing by means of a wedge b
and catch i. Figure 13 is the foot or base piece used with either. this
or the other form of standard first described. In this foot or base picce
the stay or strap d is placed edgewise. In some cases instead of using
wedge or wedge and catch I use a peculiar form of screw, as shewn at
Figures 12 and 14. This screw will be found effectually to prevent
any tendency of the wire to slacken in case of vibration from any cause.
Figure 15 shews the application of my Invention to wooden posts
or standards in which the wire can be fixed with wedge, wedge and
catch, or screw.

page_text: Figure 16 represents the Invention applied as a wire holdfast for
training plants and trees on walls.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
I wish it to be particularly understood that what I claim´is,—
I. The use of vertical standards or uprights having slots for the
reception of the wire and wedges, bolts, screws or keys for locking or
securing the same in the manner described in this Specification and
in the accompanying Drawings illustrated.
II. The foot or base piece for maintaining the vertical position of the
upright having a strap piece passing through the slot in the upright,
and rivetted at each end to the sole plate, a vertical piece fitting into
the standard, also as shewn and described.
III. The use of the grooved friction disc in the vertical standards
when the fencing is required to go round a curve so as to admit of the
free passage of the wire.
And IV. In the same case when struts are used, in the means of
securing them in the standard with a tongue formed at end of strut
and entered into standard fixed with a locking picce and a wedge,
bolt, screw or key, all as described in this Specification and in its
accompanying Drawings illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of De-
cember, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one.