AN IMPROVED TOOL FOR USE AS A WIRE STRAINER OR AUGER
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM CREED of Warmatta, near Corowa in the Colony of New South
Wales, Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED
TOOL FOR USE AS A WIRE STRAINER OR AUGER" and in what manner the sam
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
My machine consists of a crank spindle, the centre or crank portion of which is
plain for use as a handle, while the straight lengths extending either way from the
crank have cut in them a right handed screw or thread at the one end, and a left
handed screw or thread at the other. These screws each pass through suitably
tapped nuts having snugs formed on them on which to pivot the eccentric grippers,
and also projections between which, and the grippers the wire to be strained is
compressed and held. In this construction the handle of the eccentric gripper will
require to be made long enough (either in one length or by jointing it similar to a
compass) to catch an adjacent wire, or in the case of starting to catch the ground
below so as to form a resistance while screwing up or straining. An alternative
construction consists in adding an arm to each nut one of which terminates in a
forked end, and the other is bent at right angles forming a parallel bar to the
screwed spindle, and its end resting in the forked termination of the other arm.
By this means the parallel bar can be held by hand, and so form a resistance
without the aid of an adjacent wire. There may if preferred be a joint in the
crank, so as to enable the machine to fold up. To convert this machine into an
auger I provide a handle or knob and a socket attachment for an auger bit, and it
can then be used for boring the holes through the posts.
Referring to the drawings. Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 an end view of my
machine as a wire strainer with one of the alternative construction of same shewn
in dotted lines. Figure 3 shews a single ended wire strainer, with attachments for
converting same into a brace shewn in dotted lines Figure 4 shews a double
ended wire strainer, but with the levers, grippers, etcetera, removed and converted
into a brace by the addition of the knob and socket which are shewn in section at
Figures 5 and 6. In these Figures A is the crank or handle, B the right handed,
and C the left handed screw extension or spindle of same. B¹ the right handed
nut having the lug B2 and hook B³ thereon, and to which lug the eccentric lever B³
is pivotted at B. b is the projection against which the wire is compressed. C₁ is

page_text: the left handed nut with its respective lug C², eccentric gripper C³, pivot C³, and
projection c. DD are washers held on ends of screw spindle by the screw
studs D D¹ to prevent nuts from being screwed off. F is the wire between the
grippers. G G is the arm and parallel bar extension from lug B2. H is the arm
extension from lug C on the end of which arm is formed the fork H which
forms a guide for said parallel bar G'.
In Figure 3. K is a swivel of the same outward form as the nut B₁ previously
described and held in position by the loose collar K' having the pin K³ passing
through it and its support which also has the groove K³ in it for affixing the
knob, and at the other end a hole is drilled at C5, so as to fix on the socket,
and C is the jointed extension of the gripper arm.
In Figure 4, the knob and socket are shown aflixed in position, the latter having
the augur bit E therein. A screw joint as shewn is formed in the crank bandle
at A¹ for convenience in transport.
Figure 5 shews the knob or handle F held in position on the wire strainer by
the end of thumb screw passing into the before referred to groove K³, and Figure 6
shews the auger bit socket piece Gheld on the wire strainer by the end of thumb
screw G¹ passing into the before referred to hole C. G' is the thumb screw for
securing the bit in its socket.
The mode of operation of my machine as a wire strainer is as follows-the
machine is placed alongside any length of wire to be strained, and the wire placed
in and compressed between each gripper and its resistance, the wire is then cut
and bent back clear of the crank which is then rotated with the result of drawing
the two ends of the wire closer together or straining it. When the strain is
sufficient, the surplus wire is cut off, the ends joined, the gripper released, and the
operation is completed.
When used as an auger for boring the holes in the posts, the nuts B, and C₁
with their attachments are taken off and the knob F, and socket G, with its bit E
are affixed in their respective positions. Then the brace may be used in the
ordinary way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The construction of wire straining machines consisting of a crank spindle
jointed or not, and having a right handed thread or screw cut or formed in it on
the one side of the crank, and a left handed screw or thread cut in it on the other,
working through their respective nuts, and provided with suitable grippers sub-
stantially as herein described and explained.
Second. The modification of such machine as herein described and explained
and as illustrated in Figure 3 of my drawings.
Third. The combination of either of the crank spindles herein described with the
handle or knob F, and the socket piece G for converting same into a boring brace
or auger as herein described and as illustrated in Figure 4 of my drawings.
Dated this eighteenth day of July One thousand eight hundred and eighty-four.