IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING POLES OR UPRIGHTS, SUCH AS ARE USED FOR STRAINING NETS, FOR TENTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Rayment Matthews, of Ovesham Tye, near
Harlow, in the County of Essex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING POLES OR UPRIGHTS, SUCH AS ARE USED FOR
STRAINING NETS, FOR TENTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 29th August 1879, and dated the 28th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Rayment Matthews
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th May 1879.
FREDERICK RAYMENT MATTHEWS, of Ovesham Tye, near Harlow, in the County
of Essex. E 'IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING POLES OR UPRIGHTS,
SUCH AS ARE USED FOR STRAINING NETS, FOR TENTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for supporting poles
or uprights, such as are used for straining nets, for tents, and for other purposes. In
order to support a pole or upright without the aid of guy ropes and without
inserting it to any considerable depth in the earth, I employ two irons, each con-
sisting of a bent rod pointed at the ends to admit of its being driven into the
ground. The irons are each formed with two right angle bends producing two
parallel or nearly parallel legs, which, when the iron is driven into the ground in
its place at the foot of the pole, stand upright, or nearly so. The irons are set at a
short distance from the foot of the pole, one in front of it and the other behind.
The horizontal portion of the iron at the top, and which connects the legs, is also
bent in order that it may pass half around the pole or upright. When the irons
are set in the ground the pole is held between them in these semi-circular bends.
The irons being thus set wedges are driven down between the legs, which causes
the irons to grasp the pole firmly and securely. When poles thus secured are
employed for straining nets the net distended between two poles may be drawn up
tight by turning the pole so as to wind up the slack, and then, by driving in the
wedges, the pole is locked fast. When the poles are intended to withstand a heavy
strain I step them at the bottom into metal shoes which give them a wide bearing
on the ground, more especially in the direction in which the strain is greatest.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Rayment Matthews in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th November 1879.
FREDERICK RAYMENT MATTHEWS, of Ovesham Tye, near Harlow, in the County
of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING POLES OR UPRIGHTS,
SUCH AS ARE USED FOR STRAINING NETS, FOR TENTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for supporting poles
or uprights, such as are used for straining nets, for tents, and for other purposes.
In order to support a pole or upright without the aid of guy ropes and without
inserting it to any considerable depth in the earth, I employ two irons, each
consisting of a bent rod pointed at the ends to admit of its being driven into the
ground.
The irons are each formed with two right angle bends producing two parallel or
nearly parallel legs, which, when the iron is driven into the ground in its place at
the foot of the pole, stand upright, or nearly so. The irons are set at a short
distance from the foot of the pole, one in front of it and the other behind.
The horizontal portion of the iron at the top, and which connects the legs, is also
bent in order that it may pass half around the pole or upright. When the irons
are set in the ground the pole is held between them in these semi-circular bends.
The irons being thus set wedges are driven down between the legs, which cause
the irons to grasp the pole firmly and securely. When poles thus secured are
employed for straining nets, the net distended between two poles may be drawn up
tight by turning the pole so as to wind up the slack, and then by driving in the
wedges the pole is locked fast. When the poles are intended to withstand a heavy
strain I step them at the bottom into metal shoes, which gives them a wide
bearing on the ground, more especially in the direction in which the strain is
greatest.
The annexed Drawing shews at Figure 1 a pole or upright provided with sup-
porting apparatus in accordance with my Invention; a is the pole or upright;
b, b, are the two peculiarly shaped irons which are made to embrace the pole or
upright, and are set into the ground around it; c, c, are the wedges which are
driven in between the irons on either side of the pole or upright to cause them to nip
the pole tightly. Sometimes, as already mentioned, where the strain is great I
employ in addition to the parts already named a shoe consisting of a metal plate of
such a width as just to pass between the descending legs of the irons and with a
socket or flanged hole in the centre into which the foot of the pole or upright is
received as is represented at Figure 2.
What I claim is the apparatus for supporting poles or uprights, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Rayment Matthews, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.