Improvements in Fencing Posts.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 7th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 7th Apr., 1887.
Improvements in Fencing Posts.
I, JOSEPH NICHOLS, of the Firm of Joseph Nichols and Son of Cheapside
Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention to be as follows :-
My invention has for its object improvements in fencing posts which are simple in
construction and easily driven and most effective when fixed. The posts now in use
which are easily driven are also easily removed there being but little hold in such
cases whereas the posts having a stable base require a hole excavating wherein the
base is placed the soil being afterwards filled in and embedded around it. Even
in the case of screw bases special tools must be used to screw them in and the
thread does to some extent disturb the soil. Now my posts are both very light and
effective when driven only a hammer being needful to erect them. They are as
follows:-
The upright or post may be of any desired section such as oblong, channel, T.or
other sections, in ordinary cases a plain oblong section is perhaps the simplest. In
the ordinary intermediate posts I point the main post by shearing off one or two
corners or otherwise form a point thereon. I then hinge some little distance up two
feet by means of a bolt, passed through the post and the upper part of the feet.
These feet may consist simply of two pieces of oblong iron with a simple twist at
the upper end so that when they are spread out the flat or broad side will effectively
resist any tendency to lift. In fixing the feet hang loose upon the bolt or other device
and are slightly separated from the main post each foot being pointed by shearing on
one or both sides or otherwise pointed. Now immediately the driving commences
the feet gradually turn outwards under the soil like the roots of a tree. The bolt or
other device is then tightened and nothing can withdraw the post apart from
absolutely tearing the ground up and no disturbance of the soil is occasioned by
driving which is very easily and quickly accomplished. In the case of corner post
or posts requiring more stability other feet may be hinged to the post at other angles
thus by half a twist of the post the flat would be presented at right angles to receive
another pair of feet which may be hinged in just the same manner and they will be
opened by the same action in driving in which case there would be four effective roots
or feet to the post instead of two. I do not therefore confine myself to the number of
feet, nor to the section of iron.
Dated this 98th day of Santambar 1886
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Fencing Posts.
I JOSEPH NICHOLS of the firm of Joseph Nichols and Son of Cheapside Birming-
ham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object improvements in fencing posts which are simple in
⚫ construction and easily driven and most effective when fixed. The post now in use
which are easily driven are also easily removed there being but little hold in such
cases whereas the parts having a stable base require a hole excavating wherein the
base is placed the soil being afterwards filled in an embedded around it. Even in the
case of screw bases special tools must be used to screw them in and the thread does
to some extent disturb the soil. Now my posts are both very light and effective when
driven only a hammer being needful to erect them. They are as follows:-The
upright or post may be of any desired section, such as oblong channel T or other
section but in ordinary cases a plain oblong section is perhaps the simpliest. In the
ordinary intermediate posts I point the main post by shearing off one or two corners
or otherwise form a point thereon, I then hinge some little distance up two feet by
means of a bolt passed through the post and the upper part of the feet. These feet
may consist simply of two pieces of oblong iron with a simple twist and the upper
end so that when they are spread out the flat or broad side will effectively resist any
tendency to lift. In fixing the feet hang loose upon the bolt or other device and are
slightly separated from the main post each foot being pointed by shearing on one or
both sides or otherwise pointed. Now immediately the driving. .commences the feet
gradually turn outwards under the soil like the roots of a tree. The bolt or other
device is then tightened and nothing can withdraw the post apart from absolutely
tearing the ground up and no disturbance of the soil is occasioned by driving which
is very easily and quickly accomplished. In the case of corner posts or posts
requiring more stability other feet may be hinged to the post at other angles thus by
a half twist of the post the flat would be presented at right angles to receive another
pair of feet which may be hinged in just the same manner and they will be operated
by the same action in driving in which case there would be four effective roots or feet
to the post instead to two. I do not therefore confine myself to the number of feet
nor to the section of iron.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried into
practice I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which several examples
are shown of its application and from which other adaptations may be arranged
without departure from its principle.
Figure I is a fencing or intermediate post with two feet shewn separate from other
parts of the fencing and ready for driving into the ground.
Figure 2 is the same post but shewn driven into the ground.
Figure 3 is a similar post but with four feet attached thereto.

page_text: Figure 4 is a modification of Figure 1 and
Figure 5 is a modification of Figure 2.
Figure 6 shews two or three posts brought together with the longitudinals to form
a section or hurdle.
In each of the figures A is the main member or body of the post and B and B¹ are
the feet in the case of posts having two feet as is the case in Figures 1 and 2 which I
am now in particular describing. Each foot B and B₁ are cranked or bent and
twisted near the top somewhat as shown and in such a manner that they will remain
a little open about as shewn by Figure 1 before driving. As the post is driven the
feet gradually open out somewhat as shown by Figure 2 which is allowed by the rivet
or bolt D being left sufficiently loose or slack. When the post is driven the bolt may
be tightened with a spanner or other tool to secure the post against drawing out of
the ground without pulling the soil or earth up. In some cases I may allow the
parts B to project upwards to 64 and 5 with slot gr other holes 60 and 67 so that when
the post is driven and the feet opened out an extra bolt wedge or split cotter may be
passed through them and the post at hole a³ for extra security. The feet B and B¹
may be curved a little as shewn by Figures 4 and 5 if desired when the spreading
out will be increased and in some kinds if ground very soft for instance this is
desirable. Sometimes more than two feet are required such for instance as corner
posts where gates are hung when four or more feet may be attached and this is simply
accomplished by twisting the post A so as to present a flat part to receive a second
bolt or rivet D to hold the upper feet. These posts may be used separately for wire
or rods which are threaded through the holes a¹, a¹ or they may be made up in
sections longer or shorter as shewn by Figure 6 where there are six more or less
rods e, e¹, e, e³, es, es passed through two end posts with two feet to each and a centre
post C without feet though the centre one may have feet also if desired but generally
it would not be necessary. It will also be quite evident that the part a' may be much
shorter or even cut off altogether or turned sideways or split up and half turned each
way to form a limit or stop or shoulder to the driving which in some ground such as
soft fields stiffens the fencing.
It is also evident that many various sections of iron steel or other material may
be used.
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 :-
The improvements in fencing posts having one or more feet hinged to the main
post in such a manner that when driven into the ground it or they will be turned
outwards something like the root or roots of a tree substantially as and for the
purpose herein set forth.