Improvements in the Means Employed for Joining Together, and to the Standards, the Horizontal Bars of Vertical Bar Fencing.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 9th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec.,
1897
Improvements in the Means Employed for Joining Together, and to
the Standards, the Horizontal Bars of Vertical Bar Fencing.
I, SAMUEL BAYLISS, of the firm of Bayliss Jones and Bayliss, of Victoria Works,
Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, metal fencing manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the method of joining together, and to a standard,
horizontal bars of vertical bar fencing, in which the ends of the horizontal bars which
are to be joined together and to the standard are fixed direct to a fish, or joint piece,
which passes through the standard. In adopting this method, it has heretofore been
usual to employ a fish, or joint piece, formed by simply cutting off a short length
of flat metal bar, and the use of such fish, or joint piece, has necessitated punching
the hole in the standard through which it is to be passed with its longer axis
transverse to the length of the standard. The hole has so materially weakened the
standard that it has been found necessary, in practice, to use a standard of a stronger
section than would otherwise be necessary. Standards of H, channel, or other flanged
section, have usually been employed.
Now, this invention has for its object to form the fish, or joint piece, which passes
through the standard, and the hole to receive it in the standard, in such manner that
a considerably less width of the middle of the standard is cut away in forming the
hole than is the case when a fish; or joint piece, of the usual formation is employed;
whereby a standard of much lighter section may be used than is the case when a fish,
or joint piece, of the ordinary formation is used; and whereby, if desired, a standard
of plain flat section may be used without being unduly weakened.
According to this invention, the fish or joint piece, is formed narrower at its
middle than at the portions through which the rivets or bolts are passed by which
the ends of the horizontal bars are fixed to it. The hole through the standard to
receive the fish or joint piece is of a dimension, transversely of the length of the
standard, which will just allow the passage therethrough of the middle or narrower
portion of the fish or joint piece, or will just allow of such portion being turned.
therein, and is of a dimension, vertically, which will allow of the passage therethrough
of one of the ends or wider portions of the fish or joint piece. When the fish, or joint piece,
has been passed through the standard sufficiently to bring the middle thereof into
the hole, it is turned to bring the wider portions thereof each with one of its flat or
broad faces upwards for the ends of the horizontal bars to rest upon, unless such faces
are already in such position.
According to a convenient practical form of this invention, which in itself
constitutes a somewhat special feature, the fish or joint piece is formed as a short
length of flat bar smaller in the middle for a length, or approximately so, equal to the
thickness of the standard or the portion thereof through which the fish, or
joint piece, is intended to pass. The middle portion is conveniently round in section,
and may consist of a portion of a round bar of which the other portions have been forged
to a widened-out flat shape; or it may be formed by forging into a round shape the

page_text: whole of the metal forming the middle portion of a short length of bar, with the
result of course, in either case, that such middle portion is of a greater diameter than
the thickness of the other or wider portions of the fish or joint piece. The hole through
the standard to receive the fish, or joint piece, is of a length vertically, and of such
width, as will just allow one of the wider portions of the fish, or joint piece, to be
passed therethrough, and is of a size at the middle to receive the middle portion of
the fish, or joint piece, and allow it to be turned therein to bring two of the flat or
broader faces of the fish, or joint piece, upwards, If the middle of the fish or joint
piece is made, circular in section, but of a diameter not exceeding the thickness of
the other portions, as it may of course be, if desired, the hole through the standard
may be of uniform width throughout, as will be obvious.
According to a modification of the invention, the fish, or joint piece, may consist
of a short length of bar of round, square or other section, formed with an eye at one
end, and with a hook at the other, or with a hook at each end, and the hole through
the standard to receive it be a plain round or square hole. In this case, the fish or
joint piece is passed through the hole by threading the hooked end therethrough; or
the fish, or joint piece, may consist of a short length of bar of round, square, or other
section, formed with an eye, or hook, at each end or with an eye at one end and a
hook at the other, and the hole through the standard be of such length vertically as
to allow an eye or hook of the fish, or joint piece, to be passed therethrough in a
vertical position. If, in such latter case, the eye or hook is thinner than the bar
from which it has been formed, a narrower hole may be formed upwards and down-
wards, from the portion of the hole through the standard through which the middle
portion of the fish, or joint piece, passes, to clear the portions of the eye or hook
which project above and below the main portion of the fish or joint piece; and if in
such latter case, also, the main portion of the fish or joint piece is square or other-
wise than round, the middle portion thereof is preferably rounded, more or less, to
avoid making the portion of the hole in which it is turned unnecessarily wide.
Doted this 10th day of Tary 1907
Improvements in the Means Employed for Joining Together, and to
the Standards, the Horizontal Bars of Vertical Bar Fencing.
I, SAMUEL BAYLISS, of the firm of Bayliss Jones and Bayliss, of Victoria Works,
Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, metal fencing manufacturers, 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:
This invention relates to the method of joining together, and to a standard,
horizontal bars of vertical bar fencing, in which the ends of the horizontal bars which
are to be joined together and to the standard are fixed direct to a fish, or joint-piece,
which passes through the standard. In adopting this method, it has heretofore
been usual to employ a fish, or joint-piece, formed by simply cutting off a short
length of flat metal bar, and the use of such fish, or joint-piece, has necessitated
punching the hole in the standard through which it is to be passed with its longer
axis transverse to the length of the standard. The hole has so materially weakened
the standard that it has been found necessary, in practice, to use a standard of a
stronger section than would otherwise be necessary. Standards of H, channel, or
other flanged section, have usually been employed.

page_text: Now, this invention has for its object to form the fish, or joint-piece, which
passes through the standard, and the hole to receive it in the standard, in such
manner that a considerably less width of the middle of the standard is cut away
in forming the hole than is the case when a fish, or joint-piece of the usual
formation is employed, whereby a standard of much lighter section may be used
than is the case when a fish, or joint-piece, of the ordinary formation is used;
and whereby, if desired, a standard of plain flat section may be used without
being unduly weakened.
According to this invention, the fish, or joint-piece, is formed narrower at its
middle than at the portions through which the rivets or bolts are passed by which
the ends of the horizontal bars are fixed to it. The hole through the standard
to receive the fish, or joint-piece, is of a dimension, transversely of the length
of the standard, which will just allow the passage therethrough of the middle or
narrower portion of the fish or joint-piece, or will just allow of such portion
being turned therein, and is of a dimension, vertically, which will allow of the
passage therethrough of one of the ends or wider portions of the fish or joint-
piece. When the fish, or joint-piece, has been passed through the standard
sufficiently to bring the middle thereof into the hole, it is turned to bring the wider
portions thereof each with one of its flat or broad faces upwards for the ends of the
horizontal bars to rest upon, unless such faces are already in such position.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe,
by way of example, convenient practical applications of the same, by reference to
the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan view of a fish or joint-piece. Figure 2 is a view of one of the
broader sides of a short length of standard having a hole punched therethrough to
receive the fish. Figure 3 is a corresponding view to figure 2, but shews a section
through one of the broader portions of the fish when the fish is being passed through
the standard to bring its middle portion into the hole therethrough. Figure 4 is a
corresponding view to figure 3, but shews, in section, the middle portion of the fish
to have been brought into the hole through the standard, and the fish to have been
turned into position with two of the broader faces of its ends horizontal; and
Figure 5 is a plan view of the complete joint.
Figure 6 to 12, inclusive, illustrate modifications of the invention, and will be
presently described.
Referring now to the parts shewn by figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the fish A is formed
from a length of flat bar, the middle portion a, for a length corresponding to, or
somewhat more than, the thickness of the standard B, is made considerably narrower
than the general width of the fish by cutting notches in the opposite sides thereof
or in other convenient manner. The usual oblong holes b to receive the joint pins
are punched through the ends or wider portions of the fish. The hole C through the
standard to receive the fish is formed of a sufficient depth and width to allow of the
passage therethrough of the fish edgeways, and the middle portion c of such hole is
of a diameter which will just allow of the middle portion a of the fish being turned
therein. If such middle portion a of the fish is made of round section, and of a
diameter not exceeding the thickness of the fish, the hole through the standard
needs only to be of a width throughout its entire depth which will receive the
thickness of the fish. The ends of two horizontal bars D are connected together and
to the standard by first passing the fish edgeways through the standard until its
middle portion is within the hole, then turning it a quarter turn, and finally fixing
the bars thereto in the usual manner.
Referring now to figures 6 to 10 inclusive :-Figure 6 is a plan view of the fish,
and figure 7 a side view thereof. Figure 8 is a view of one of the broader sides of a
standard having the hole therethrough for the fish. Figure 9 is a corresponding
view to figure 8, but shews the fish to have been passed edgeways through the hole
until the middle portion thereof (shewn in section) has been brought into the hole;
and Figure 10 is a correponding view to figure 9, but shews the fish to have been
turned a quarter turn to bring two of the broader faces of its ends horizontal,

page_text: In this modification, the parts corresponding, respectively, to those shewn by
figures 1 to 5, inclusive, are similarly lettered. The middle portion a of the fish is
of a cylindrical form, and of a greater diameter than the thickness of the other
portions of the fish, the flat or broadened ends being conveniently formed by
drawing them down from a length of bar of the diameter of the middle portion a.
This middle portion may be central with the thickness of the flat portions of the
fish, but it is preferred to form it, as shewn, so that it projects only at the lower side
of the broader portions, so that the ends of the bars to be joined to the fish may be
brought as close.up to the standard as may be desired. This might be allowed for,
also, by making the portion a sufficiently narrow, but it will be obvious that the
fishes may be more conveniently made if some latitude in manufacture is allowed in
the length of the middle portions. The hole C through the standard is formed, as
shewn, with a portion which is of the necessary depth and width to receive a broader
portion of the fish edgeways, and with a portion c at one side to allow for the passage
of the middle portion a of the fish and of its being turned within the hole.
Figure 11 is a plan view, shewing a fish or joint-piece of a still further modified
form, in one of the positions it assumes while being put into place through the
standard; and Figure 12 is a plan view shewing such fish or joint-piece to be in
position with two horizontal bars connected thereto. The fish or joint-piece A
consists of a short length of bar of round, square, or other section, formed with an
eye b¹ at one end, and with a hook 62 at the other (or it may be formed with a hook
at each end) and a plain round or square hole is formed through the standard B to
receive it. The fish or joint-piece is passed through the standard by threading the
hooked end therethrough, as indicated by Figure 11, and the ends of the horizontal
bars D are connected with the fish or joint-piece by means of the bolts d which
pass through the bars and through the hook and eye of the fish or joint-piece.
A fish or joint-piece of the character described in the last preceding paragraph (or
formed with an eye at each end) may have one of its ends passed vertically through
a vertical hole formed through the standard, and be then turned into its proper
position for connection with the horizontal bars, as in the case of the modifications
shewn by the drawings on sheet 1 herewith; and if, in such case, the eye or hook
of the fish or joint-piece is thinner than the bar from which it has been formed, a
narrower hole may be formed upwards and downwards from the portion of the hole
through the standard through which the middle portion of the fish, or joint-piece,
passes, to clear the portions of the eye or hook which project above and below the
middle portion of the fish, or joint-piece. The hole so formed would be similar in
appearance to the hole C shewn by figure 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. Means for joining together and to a standard two lengths, placed flatways, of
horizontal bars of vertical bar fencing, which comprise a fish or joint-piece formed
narrower at its middle than at the portions to which the bars are directly fixed, and
a hole through the standard which is of the depth required for the passage
therethrough edgeways of one of the broader ends of the fish or joint-piece but is of a
width less than that of either of the broader portions of the fish or joint-piece,
substantially as described.
2. Means for joining together and to a standard two lengths of horizontal bars of
vertical bar fencing, which comprise a fish or joint-piece formed narrower at its
middle than at the portions to which the bars are directly fixed, and a hole through
the standard which is of the depth required for the passage therethrough edgeways
of one of the broader ends of the fish or joint-piece, which is of a width less than
that of either of the broader portions of the fish or joint-piece, but is, or a
portion of it is, of such width as will allow of the narrower or middle portion of
the fish or joint-piece being turned therein, substantially as described.

page_text: 3. Means for joining together and to a standard two lengths of horizontal bars
of vertical bar fencing, substantially as described with reference to the drawings
herewith.
STEPHEN WATKINS
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.