Improvements in Wire Fences.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1894
Improvements in Wire Fences.
We, HOLMAN MEANS ANDERSON, Mechanical Engineer, and JAMES JOHN
BARKLEY, Railway Contractor, both of 1133 The Rookery Building, Chicago,
Illinois, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained, in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to wire fences, and more particularly to the stays or guards
which are secured to the runners to keep them from spreading apart. A section of
the fence between two adjacent posts is usually spoken of as a panel.
Various forms of stays have been heretofore employed for holding the runners of
a wire fence in proper relation to one another. It is especially desirable that these
stays should be cheap and adapted to be readily applied by those having only an
ordinary degree of skill.
One of the essential features of the stay which we have invented consists in
making the same of a single piece of wire and providing at the ends thereof
"M" shaped loops so arranged that they may be readily slipped over a runner and
then secured in position by a suitable tool.
In case the runners are, say, eight or nine inches apart, as is usual, we prefer to
make each stay of two links or loops, each link being made of a single piece of
wire, and preferably "V" shaped; these two parts forming a single stay or guard
are linked together, each part or link being provided with "M" shaped clamps,
one clamp at each end of the wire of each link, these clamps being adapted to be
placed over the wires of adjacent runners and clamped thereto.
As each stay consists of two links looped together, it is evident that the different
runners may be moved vertically towards one another, while the distance that they
may be spread apart does not exceed that permitted by the guard.
The lower part of a fence is usually only about four or five inches from the
runner immediately above. We prefer to use between the two lower runners a
rigid stay of the same general form as that of one of the links of a guard used
between the other runners. This stay or clamp to be placed between the lower
runners is provided with the "M" shaped clamps at the ends thereof, while the
opposite portion, that is, the lower portion of the "V" shaped wire, is bent over
laterally upon itself to form a loop, in which the lower wire rests; this loop is
adapted to be clamped upon the lower wire after the "M" shaped clamps have
been secured to the runner next above.
The ends of the limbs of the "V" shaped stays are bent inwardly in forming
the "M" shaped loops, the loops thus lying between the limbs of the stay and in
close proximity. Being thus formed the tongue portions of the two "M" shaped
loops may be simultaneously grasped by a single tool and bent about the runner by
a single operation, the stay being thus completely secured to the runner by a
single operation. The saving in labor is readily perceivable since in former stays
it has been customary to wrap the ends of the limbs about the runner a number of
Whatever be the particular
times, an operation requiring considerable labor.
manner of securing the stay to the runner, practically the same amount of material
is required so that any decrease in cost must be secured by lessening the labor
5 required for erecting the fence. By the use of "M" shaped clamps the labor of
erecting the fence is reduced, since but a single movement of the tool is required;
and by the use of interiorly formed " "M" shaped loops lying in close proximity
labor is further reduced since both clamps may be secured by a single operation.

page_text: A further advantage arising from the use of the interiorly formed "M" shaped
clamps is that should the clamps become loose upon the runner their ends will come
in contact and prevent the undue approach of the limbs of the stay, thus preserving
the form of the stay.
Our invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a view illustrative of a "V" shaped wire from which a link may
be formed.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of a single link provided with the "M" shaped clamps
ready to be applied to the fence.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 4 is a view showing the "M" shaped loops placed over the wire and
clamped thereto.
Fig. 5 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 6 illustrates the modified form of the link in which the "M" shaped clamps
are turned outwardly.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views illustrative of a link adapted to clamp the lower
runners of the fence rigidly together.
Fig. 10 is a view illustrative of a portion of the panel of a fence consisting of five
runners secured in position by my stays.
Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference throughout the different
figures.
The runners a a, etc., should be of wire of suitable size; they are strung upon
the posts, as b, in the usual manner. In Fig. 10 I have shown five such runners,
but it is evident that the number of runners, as well as their distance apart, may
be varied as circumstances
may require.
The stays c, illustrated in Fig. 10, consist each of two "V" shaped links d, each
link being formed of a single piece of wire. In Figs. 2 and 3 I have illustrated
one of these links as an article of manufacture of the form in which the links are
sent out to the user.
It will be observed that the loops ee of the "M" shaped clamps are left open, as
shown most clearly in Fig. 3, so that said loops e may be readily hooked over the
wire, or runner, of the fence. After being brought into place these loops e, by
means of a suitable tool, are clamped upon the wire, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5;
also in Fig. 10. When these "M" shaped clamps are bent inwardly, as shown in
said figures, pliers adapted to grasp both of these loops e at once should be
employed. When the runners are to be clamped more rigidly together, as, for
example, the two lower runners illustrated in Fig. 10, a stay consisting of a single
piece of wire is employed, and we have found that one of the links of a double stay
may be most conveniently employed for this purpose. In such case, as shown in
Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the lower portion 9 of the link is bent over upon itself, and after
being placed upon the wire is clamped thereto by a suitable tool. Single stays, as
stays, are provided with the "M" shaped clamps the same as heretofore
described with respect to the stays c.
In Fig. 6 we have illustrated a link of a modified form, the "M" shaped clamps
being formed by bending the ends of the wire outwardly, instead of inwardly, as
illustrated in Fig. 2.
Our invention admits of various modifications which would readily suggest them-
selves to those skilled in the art, we, therefore, do not limit our invention to the
precise details of construction illustrated and described herein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
The combination with the runner of a wire fence, of a "V" shaped stay
provided with interiorly formed " M" shaped loops upon the ends of the limbs
thereof, the central tongue portions of said loops being adapted to be bent about

page_text: the runner to secure the stay thereto, said loops lying in close proximity; whereby
the tongue portions thereof may be simultaneously grasped by a single tool and
bent about the runner by one operation, thereby forming a rigid connection
between the runner and the stay that will prevent undue approach of the limbs of
the stay should the clamps become loosened, substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of January 1894.
HOLMAN MEANS ANDERSON.
JAMES JOHN BARKLEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
HOLMAN MEANS ANDERSON.
JAMES JOHN BARKLEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.