IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BARBED FENCE-WIRE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M. and
W. Clark of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agonts for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BARBED FENCE-WIRE communicated to bim from abroad by
Alanson Cary and Edward Arthur Moen both of the City County and State
of New York, United States of Amerien
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th June 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A M and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BARBED FENCE-WIRE
"
[communicated
to him from abroad by Alanson Cary and Edward Arthur Moen both of the City
County and State of New York, United States of America]
This Invention relates to the manufacture of what is known as barbed fence-
wire and the Invention consists in the manufacture of wire of oval or flat section
with edgewise swellings on one or both edges which swellings are then cut in a
direction parallel with the wire and bent to form barbs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th December 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane_in_the_County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BARBED-FENGE-WIRE " A_communi-
cation to me from abroad by Alanson Cary and Edward Arthur Moen, both of the
City, County and State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to barbed wire fences in which the barbs form integral
portions of the wires or metal rods. The primary object of the invention is to
construct a barbed wire of this description which shall preserve its tensile strength
by keeping intact the thickness and width or diameter of the wire throughout its
whole length, and the invention consists in a certain construction of the wire with
bosses swellings or onlargements on the edge of the wire, or on opposite edges
thereof, of arched form in the direction of the length of the wire and of like
thickness or thereabouts as the wire, and from which enlargements the barbs are
formed by incisions made in the direction of the length of the wire substantially
as hereinafter described. The Invention also consists in a barbed wire as formed
from such wire blank or blanks.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figures 1 and 2 represent side views of two modifications of the wire blank or
wire, before the same is cut to form the barbs. Figures 3 and 4 are similar views
of the blanks or wires shown in figures 1 and 2, after the same have been cut to
form the barbs. Figures 5 and 6 are edge views of the same after the cut portions
of the blanks or wires have been turned or bent outwards to produce the barbs and
Figure 7 is a longitudinal view of the barbed wire shown in Figure 5, but as
twisted to vary the position of the barbs. The barbed wire shown in Figure 6,
may also be similarly twisted.
To make the improved barbed fence wire, the wire, or wire blank as it may be
termned, and which may either be round, oval, square or of a flat shape in its
transverse section is rolled or otherwise formed with bosses or enlargements on it,
at suitable distances apart to form the barbs, of like thickness or thereabouts as the
wire, and of arched forin in the direction of the length of the wire. Figure 1
represents the wiro a of flat shape in its transverse section with double arched
bosses as above described, that is arched bosses or enlargements b, b, on opposite
edges of it, and Figure 2 shows the wire or blank as having a single arched boss b
alternately on its opposite edges. Either of these constructions may be adapted
accordingly as the wire is required to present single or double barbs at like points
in its length. An incision c is then made in the direction of the length of the wire
at one end of each boss b where it joins the body a of the wire, said incision
extending half the length of the boss more or less, according to the length of the
barb desired and being parallel with the body of the wire. When the boss is a
double one as shown in figure 3, then the incision c on opposite edges may
commence from opposite ends of said double boss as shown, or froin like ends as
shown by dotted lines in Figure 1.
The cut portions of the bosses or enlargements b are turned outwards and
suitably bent to form the barbs d, shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 and the wire if
desired, twisted as shown in Figure 7 to vary the positions of the barbs around it.
Thus it will be seen that although the barbs forin integral portions of the wire

page_text: the tensile strength of the wire is preserved throughout its whole length inasmuch
as the barbs are formed from the bosses or enlargements on the wire and not from
the body of the wire itself, consequently there is no special liability of the wire to
break at or near the barbs as there is, when the barbs are cut out of the body, but
the wire is materially strengthenod at the barbs, and, inasmuch as the bosses, or
enlargements, from which the barbs are made, are of like thickness as the wire and
of arched form, the barbs which may be tapered to a point at their ends, will be of
a most substantial construction at their roots and generally of such strength
throughout that they will be prevented from yielding or being broken off.
It is not absolutely necessary, when the wire is made with single enlargements
or bosses as shown in Figures 2 and 4, that' said bosses should be alternately on
opposito edges of it as shown in said figures, but they might be made all on one
edge of the wire, especially when the wire is afterwards twisted to vary the
positions of the barbs around it.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is:
1 In the construction of barbed fence wires a wire or wire-blank or rod
constructed with arched bosses swellings or enlargements on either or both of its
edges at suitable distancos apart substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2nd In the construction of barbed fence wires, a wire or metal blank constructed
with opposite arched bosses or enlargements on opposite edges of the wire or inetal
blank essentially as and for the purposes herein described.
3rd In barbed fence wires in which tho barbs form integral portions of the wire,
a barbed wire, made either twisted or straight having its barbs formed of or from
partly longitudinally severed bosses or enlargements on the edge or edges of the
wire essentially as and for the purpose specified.
4th A barbed fence wire a constructed with longitudinally archod bosses or
enlargements b on the same or opposite edges of it, cut as at c for a portion of
their length parallel with the body of the wire, and having their partially severed
portions bent to form barbs d essentially as shown and described.
5th In barbed fences, the edgewise enlargement of the wire and the longitudinal
incision of such enlarged edge to form the barb, as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Melvillo Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fourteenth day of December A.D. 1883.
AM CLARK