AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON HURDLES AND FENCING
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Smith, of Brierley Hill Iron Works, Dudley,
in the County of Worcester, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON HURDLES
AND FENCING."
.
Sealed the 26th March 1858, and dated the 21st January 1858.
'PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
January 1858.
I, HENRY SMITH, of Brierley Hill Iron Works, Dudley, in the County of
Worcester,. Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON.
HURDLES AND FENCING," to be as follows:-
My said Invention consists of connecting the horizontal bars of iron hurdles
and fencing to the standards or upright portions of the same, as herein-after
described. In making hurdles according to my Invention I proceed as follows:
I prepare the standards in the usual manner, and pass the horizontal bars,
whether of round, oval, flat, or square iron through the same. In order to
hold the standards, which form the inner uprights of the hurdle, firmly in a
perpendicular position, I adopt either of the following methods:-I make two
holes in that part of each bar (or of some of the bars), which immediately aḍ-
joins the inner standard or standards, the distance between the holes equalling

page_text: the thickness of the standards. When the horizontal bars have been inserted in
the standards, and the ends thereof secured to the end standards of the hurdle
by rivetting, I place the inner standard or standards in such a position that
one of the holes in the horizontal bar is on one side, and the other hole on the
other side of the standard. I then insert in each hole a rivet of corresponding
size, and rivet the same therein, so that the heads of these rivets projecting
on each side of the horizontal bars, hold the standards rigidly in a vertical
position, and prevent the withdrawal of. the bars. Or when the horizontal
bars are round, flat, oval, or square iron, I sometimes cut in one edge of each
bar as many notches as there are inner standards, the notches being about
one-eighth of an inch deep, and of a width corresponding to the thickness of the
standards. The said notches are at distances equal to the distances of the
standards, after the bars have been inserted in the standards, and the ends
thereof secured by rivetting, as explained. I place the inner standard or
standards in such positions on the bars, that the holes in the same fit into the
notches described; the said notches clipping, the standard, and holding it rigidly
in a perpendicular position, and preventing the withdrawal of the bars. To
prevent the displacement of the bar, I drive an iron wedge or key between the
standard and the bar on the side of the bar opposite to the notch, or in other
convenient position that will have the effect of keeping the notch in the
standard. The wedge may be rivetted in its place. I sometimes use the key
or wedge without the notch, either by punching the hole in the standard suffi-
ciently large to admit a wedge, or by a key-way or bed in the standard, so
that by driving these wedges tight, the bars and standards are held securely in
their positions. In making fencing according to my Invention, I connect the
vertical and horizontal bars of the said fencing by methods essentially_the
same as those herein described, with reference to hurdles. The said fencing
or continuous or jointed fencing, as it is otherwise called, differs from hurdles
in no essential respects, excepting that it is continous, and not formed in
separate portions, which when used are fixed end to end as hurdles are.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th July 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
SMITH, of Brierley Hill Iron Works, Dudley, in the County of Worcester, a
Manufacturer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of January; in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Smith, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Smith,
my executors, administrators, and assigns,.or such others as I, the said, Henry
Smith, my executors, administrators; and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON HURDLES AND FENCING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Smith, my executors or administra-
tors, 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 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 I, the said Henry Smith, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
r
My said Invention consists of connecting the horizontal bars of iron hurdles
and other fencing to the standards or upright portions of the same as herein-
after described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing. In making
liurdles according to my Invention. I proceed in the manner illustrated in
Figure 1. I prepare the standards a in the usual manner and pass the
borizontal bars b, whether of round, oval, flat or square iron through the same.
In order to hold the standards a which form the inner uprights of the hurdle
in a perpendicular position, I adopt either of the following methods:-I make
two holes in that part of each bar (or of some of the bars) which immediately
adjoins the inner standard or standards, the distance between the holes
equalling the thickness of the standards. When the horizontal bars have been
inserted in the standards and the ends of the bars secured to the end standards
of the hurdle by rivetting, I place the inner standard or standards in such
à position that one of the holes in the horizontal bar is on one side and
the other hole on the other side of the standard. I then insert in each hole a
rivet of corresponding size and rivet the same therein, so that the heads of
these rivets projecting on each side of the horizontal bars hold the standards

page_text: rigidly in a vertical position, and prevent the withdrawal of the bars. The
rivets passed through the holes in the horizontal bars are marked c, in
Figure 1. Or when the horizontal bars are of flat, oval, or square iron,
I carry my Invention into effect in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 of the
accompanying Drawing, that is to say, I cut in one edge of each bar d, as
many notches as there are inner standards e, the notches being about
one-eighth of an inch deep and of a width corresponding to the thickness of
the standards. 'The said notches are at distances equal to the distances of the
standards. After the bars have been inserted in the standards and the ends
thereof secured by rivetting, as explained, I place the inner standard or
standards e in such positions on the bars & that the holes in the same fit into
the notches described, the said notches clipping the standard and holding it
rigidly in a perpendicular position and preventing the withdrawal of the bars.
To prevent the displacement of the bar d, I drive an iron wedge or key f
between the standard and the bar, on the side of the bar opposite to the notch
or in any other convenient position that will have the effect of keeping the
standard in the notch. "The wedge f may be rivetted in its place or not; 'I
sometimes use the key or wedge without the notch as illustrated in Figure 8,
either by punching the hole in the standard sufficiently large to admit a wedge
ör by a key-way or bed in the standard so that by driving the wedges tight the
bars and standards are held securely in their positions. In making continuous
fencing according to my Invention, I connect the standards or uprights and
horizontal bars of the said fencing by methods essentially the same as those
herein-before described and represented with reference to hurdles. The said
continuous fencing differs from hurdles in no essential respects excepting that
instead of being rivetted together in the usual six feet or other lengths, each
standard or upright and horizontal bars are made separately, to be put together
when fixed in the ground, and jointed in the way herein-before described with
reference to hurdles.
When the standards of this fence are placed three feet apart I make the
joint at every fifth standard, but this can be arranged at a greater or less
distance if preferred. Figures 4 and 5 represent continuous fencings made
according to my Invention; Figure 4 representing a continuous fencing in
which the horizontal 'bars are secured to the standards by rivetting,
and Figure 5 representing a continuous fencing in which the horizontal
bars are secured to the standards by wedges or keys. The horizontal
bars are also joined together as well as fixed to the standards by means
of the wedges or keys, as will be understood by an examination of Figures 4
and 5.

page_text: The advantages of making continuous fencing according to my Invention
are,-
First, that being made in separate portions the bars and standards pack
closely for carriage and are not liable to injury in transit.
Second, that making the joint in one standard instead of two, as is usual in
hurdle fencing, gives greater strength and economizes material.
Third, that on this method of construction uneven ground and hill sides may
be fenced without special preparation of the fencing, which in hurdle fencing
cannot be done.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but
I claim as my Invention, the improvement or improvements in the manu-
facture of iron hurdles and fencing herein-before described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, securing the horizontal bars to
the standards or uprights by rivets, wedges, or cotters.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
HENRY SMITH. (L.S.)
U