IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FENCE, GATE, AND OTHER POSTS OR STANDARDS
Year: 1876

page_text: In the Matter of Letters Patent granted to Joseph Smithson Thompson
and William Thompson, both of Wexford, in the County of Wexford, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FENCE, GATE, AND
OTHER POSTS OR STANDARDS," bearing date the 18 day of March 1876,
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be entered
and filed by the said Joseph Smithson Thompson and William Thompson to
portions of the Specification of the said Letters Patent, according to the
Statutes in that case made and provided.
TO
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TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
SMITHSON THOMPSON and WILLIAM THOMPSON, of Wexford, in the County of
Wexford, Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal Letters
Patent, bearing date the 13 day of March, 1876, did grant unto us, the said
Joseph Smithson Thompson and William Thompson, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, the sole privilege to make, use, exercise, and vend the Invention of
Improvements in or Relating to Fence, Gate, and other Posts or Standards within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the
Isle of Man, during the tern of 14 years then next ensuing:
And whereas we, the said Joseph Smithson Thompson and William Thompson,
on the Twenty-fifth day of September within the extended time prescribed by the
said Letters Patent caused a Specification in writing under our hands and seals to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office :
And whereas, after the date of the application for the said Letters Patent, and
since the filing of the Specification in pursuance thereof, we have been advised that

page_text: Man, an Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO FENCE POSTS OR STANDARDS,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Smithson Thompson
and William Thompson, our 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
on or before the Twenty-seventh day of September, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
OLIT
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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 we, the said Joseph Smithson Thompson and William
Thompson, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 chiefly to a cheap and substantial method of fixing iron
and other posts and standards for strained wire and bar fences.
The fence itself can be made of any suitable material. The standards are
surrounded at or below the surface of the seal soil with a block of concrete cement,
composition, or asphalt. This block is usually cast in a mould, a tapering hole for
the standard being cored out; it is then transported to where it is wanted, a hole is
dug preferably of such size and shape that the block standing therein shall project
a trifle above the surface of the land, the block is placed therein, and then the
standard is driven down through the block into the hard soil below; the hole round
the standard is then filled up with cement or other material and the earth is rammed
in round the block. Where the ground is very stony it is sometimes better to drive
the standard first, then digging a hole round it place the block, securing as above.
In rare special cases a staple or other fastening is sometimes cast in the block for
securing the standard to; again, sometimes it is found desirable, especially where
a lifting strain comes on the post, to fix the block to the extreme bottom of the
post, and at other times to put two blocks, one at the ground line, the other at the
bottom. These blocks are also applicable for fixing side stays.
The Drawing given herewith is an isometrical projection of our ordinary fence
standards; the fence is not particularly delineated as no claim is made for it, but
only for the manner of fixing the standards and side stays in the earth. With
straining and end posts for strained wire fences instead of making them pass through
the block we sometimes bolt them into the said block by means of bolts fixed in
position when the block was formed, both the holes in standards and the bolts in
the block being arranged by templet, so as to exactly correspond. When the concrete
is set the templet is removed. A sketch of a block of this kind is shown in Fig. 2.
Now having described our improvements and the best mode known to us of
carrying them into effect we wish it to be understood that we do not claim the
construction of fence posts themselves, or any thing relating to them, when not
set with concrete or other composition blocks, nor yet the plan of moulding
the concrete or composition directly to the standards, either in situ or at the
manufactory, and carrying them in the united condition to the field, nor do we
claim the use of separate blocks when made of stone or metal, as these are well
known and costly vastly more than our concrete blocks, but what we claim is the
concrete, asphalt, or other artificial composition blocks, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described.
blocks
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In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Smithson Thompson and William
Thompson have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirtieth day of
December, in the year of our Lord 1876.
JOSEPH SMITHSON THOMPSON. (L.S.)
WILLIAM THOMPSON.
(LS.)
Witness,
ARTHUR W. BROOKES.

page_text: I hereby grant my fint, giving leave to the above-named Joseph Smithson
Thompson and William Thompson to file in the Great Seal Patent Office, with
the Specification to which the same relates, the above-written Disclaimer and
Memorandum of Alteration.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Smithson Thompson and William Thompson, both
of Wexford, in the County of Wexford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR RELATING TO FENCE, GATE, AND OTHER POSTS OR STANDARDS."
Scaled the 23rd September 1876, and dated the 18th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Smithson Thompson
and William Thompson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
18th March 1876.
JOSEPH SMITHSON THOMPSON and WILLIAM THOMPSON, both of Wexford, in the
County of Wexford, "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FENCE, GATE, OR OTHER
POSTS OR STANDARDS."
The body of the post or standard can be made of any suitable form, size, or
material. We surround it preferably just below the surface level with a block of
concrete, cement, composition or asphalte. This block can be cast if desirable in a
mould (the hole for the post or standard being cored out), and can then be trans-
ported to where it is wanted, the standard or post being driven through it. Or
instead of after fixing the post in position a concavity can be left round it and this
filled in on the spot with asphalte, composition, or concrete; or the asphalte or
concrete can be poured into the hole, and while it is still soft the post forced into
or through it. Each method may be the best under some circumstances. A fourth
plan is to cast the block of concrete or asphalte round the post before insertion,
and transport the two together to where they are required; in this case, especially
with asphalte, it is well to cover the entire bottom of the post with a thin layer,
besides the block surrounding it at the ground level. The whole post indeed may
not unfrequently be advantageously cast in one piece of concrete, asphalte, cement,
or other composition, the swelling at the ground line is then found a great assis-
tance in enabling it to hold the vertical position. In this latter case, especially in
fence posts, the swelling or block can be made on two sides only if desired, instead
of entirely surrounding the body of the post, and the two wings thus formed can be
set in erecting the fence so as to project out in the line of the said fence.
It may be of advantage to insert a bolt or staple or other fastening in the block
of concrete, asphalte, cement, or composition, by which it can be secured to the
standard or post instead of being cast round it. It may sometimes be desirable to
have the blocks at the bottom of a standard or post (especially where the strain
[Price 6d1

page_text: has a tendency to lift said post or standard); to effect this either of the preceding
methods may be adopted for fixing the block. Or it may under certain circum-
stances be of advantage to put two blocks or the same standard or post, to effect
which either or any of the foregoing methods may be adopted.
The Invention and the several nodes of making and fixing the blocks of concrete,
asphalte, composition, or cement, are applicable to side stays of fence posts and
standards and to stays of straining (& gate ?) posts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Joseph Smithson Thompson and William Thompson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th September 1870.
JOSEPH SMITHSON THOMPSON and WILLIAM THOMPSON, both of Wexford, in the
County of Wexford. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FENCE GATES AND OTHER
POSTS OR STANDARDS."
This Invention relates chiefly to a cheap and substantial method of fixing iron
and other posts; also standards for strained wire and bar fences. The fence itself
can be made of any suitable material. The standards are surrounded at or below
the surface of the soil with a block of concrete, cement, composition, or asphalt.
This block is usually cast in a mould, a tapering hole for the standard being
cored out, it is then transported to where it is wanted, a hole is dug preferably of
such size and shape that the block standing therein shall project a trifle above the
surface of the land, the block is placed therein, and then the standard is driven
down through the block into the hard soil below. The hole round the standard is
then filled up with cement or other material and the earth is rammed in round the
block.
Where the ground is very stony it is sometimes better to drive the standard
first and then place the block, and sometimes it is found desirable to cast or mould
the block in sitû.
In rare special cases it is found best to cast the block on the standard at once,
in such case, especially when asphalt is used, it is well to cover the entire bottom
of the standard with composition. Or the whole post and block can be cast in one
piece, the swelling at and below the ground line being found of great assistance in
enabling the standard to retain a vertical position. Sometimes it is found desirable
to let the block project on two sides of the post only.
Where separate blocks are used a staple or other fastening is sometimes cast in
the block for securing the standard to; again, sometimes it is found desirable,
especially where a lifting strain comes on the post, to fix the block to the extreme
bottom of the post, and at other times to put two blocks, one at the ground line
the other at the bottom. These blocks are also applicable for fixing side stays.
The Drawing given herewith is an isometrical projection of our ordinary fence posts;
the fence is not particularly delineated as no claim is made for it, but only for the
standards and side stay in certain cases, and for the manner of fixing them in the
earth.
With straining and end posts for strained wire fences instead of making them
pass through the block we sometimes bolt them into the said block by means of
bolts fixed in position when the block was formed, both the holes in standards and
the bolts in the block being arranged by templet so as to exactly correspond.
When the concrete is set the templet is removed. A sketch of a block of this
kind is shown in Fig. 2.
Now having described our improvements and the best mode known to us of
carrying them into effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not claim the
use of slabs of stone or metal for fixing gate posts, as these have long been known
and are much more expensive though in no respect better than our concrete blocks;
but what we do claim as our Invention to be protected under the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is―

page_text: 1st. The concrete, asphalt, or other artificial composition blocks, substantially as
and for the purposes herein-described.
2nd. The construction of posts or standards of any convenient material upon
which are cast one or more blocks of asphalt, concrete, or other artifical composi-
tion, whether similar or different from the material of which the post itself is
composed for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Smithson Thompson and William
Thompson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirty-first day of
August, in the year of our Lord 1876.
JOSEPH SMITHSON THOMPSON. (L.S.)
WILLIAM THOMPSON.
(L.S.)
Witness,
ARTHUR W. BROOKES,
W. P. Thompson's Patent Office,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.