Improvements in Metal Fencing.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left. 23rd June, 1898- Accepted 23rd July 1898
CALCUT
Complete Specification Left. 23rd June, 1898– Accepted. 23rd July 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Fencing.
We, SAMUEL BAYLISS, of the firm of Bayliss, Jones and Bayliss, of Victoria
Works, Monmore Green, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Metal
Fencing Manufacturers, and JAMES SADLER, of the same address, Draughtsman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of metal fencing of which the vertical
and longitudinal members are adapted to be joined together in a manner which
admits of the parts being put together in bundles while detached from one
another, for convenience in transit, and of their being readily put together in situ
by unskilled labour; and has for its object to improve the construction of the
fencing in a manner which facilitates its manufacture, and also the putting
together the parts thereof during erection.
According to this invention, the longitudinal members of metal fencing are
each formed in two parts which run side by side (or it may be one along the top
of the other) and which both pass through each of the vertical bars which are
between two adjacent standards. One of these parts is formed with notches at
its outer edge which are spaced to coincide with the vertical bars when such
part is in proper position endways in relation thereto. This notched part of a
longitudinal member is moved, when it has been passed through the vertical
bars, into position to engage its notches with such bars. The other of these
parts may be of the same section throughout, and is utilized as a key
which is passed along through the portions of the openings through the vertical
bars which are left at the back of the notched part after the notches thereof
have been engaged with the vertical bars, and this key securely prevents the
first-mentioned part from moving back and disengaging the notches from
the vertical bars. The first-mentioned or notched part may be carried by the
standards in any convenient manner in which longitudinal members have here-
tofore been carried, in which case the keys may stop short of each standard
sufficiently to allow for expansion; or the keys may be carried by the standards
in any convenient manner in which longitudinal members have heretofore been
carried, and the notched parts be stopped short of the standards.
Fencing constructed in the manner above described is flexible, and may be
made sufficiently so to readily adapt itself to any inclination in the surface of
the ground.
According to a convenient application of the invention, the notched part of
each longitudinal member is made from a plain flat section of bar, and the key
is also made from a plain flat section of bar. The vertical bars are each formed
of a Tor angle section or other,.section having a flat web through which the
longitudinal members may pass, and a T-shaped hole is punched through such
web for the passage of a longitudinal member therethrough, the head of the T
being vertical and the stalk horizontal. The horizontal portion of each hole is
of a width which allows the notched part of the longitudinal member being

page_text: passed flatways just easily through the hole, and the notches are each of the
depth which corresponds to the width of the vertical portion of the hole. When
the notched part of the longitudinal member has been moved outwards or side-
ways to engage the notches with the metal at the outer ends of the horizontal
portions of the holes through the vertical bars, the vertical portions of such
holes are clear to receive the other part or key of the longitudinal member
which is then passed edgeways therethrough and securely prevents the notched
part of the longitudinal member from moving back and thus disengaging its
notches from the vertical bars.
According to a further feature of the invention, spikes are fixed between the
notched part of a longitudinal member and the key thereof. The inner edge
or side of the notched part is formed with a notch to receive the shank of the
spike, and if the spike is single-ended, and preferably also if it is double-ended
(that is to say, formed with. pointed upward and downward ends), the shank
thereof is formed with a notch which engages with the metal at the inner end
of the notch through which it passes, and the spike is thus securely held within
the notch through which it passes by the key of the longitudinal member. It is
preferred to form the spike with a shoulder or shoulders to bear against the
top or bottom edge, or the top and bottom edges, of the key.
Enrichments may be fixed also in the manner of fixing spikes.
The portions described above as the keys may also be notched, if desired, to
ensure their answering the purpose of distance pieces between the vertical bars
through which they pass, in which case they are held with their notches in
engagement with the vertical bars by means of secondary keys or wedges.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1897.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Metal Fencing.
We, SAMUEL BAYLISS, of the firm of Bayliss, Jones and Bayliss, of Victoria
Works, Monmore Green, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Metal
Fencing Manufacturers, and JAMES SADLER, of the same address, Draughtsman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:.
-
This invention relates to that class of metal fencing of which the vertical
and longitudinal members are adapted to be joined together in a manner which
admits of the parts being put together in bundles while detached from one
another, for convenience in transit, and of their being readily put together in situ
by unskilled labour; and has for its object to improve the construction of the
fencing in a manner which facilitates its manufacture and also the putting
together the parts thereof during erection.
According to this invention, the longitudinal members of metal fencing are
each formed in two parts which run side by side (or it may be one along the top
of the other) and which both pass through the vertical bars which are
between two adjacent standards. One of these parts is formed with notches at
its outer edge which are spaced to coincide" with the vertical bars when such
part is in proper position endways in relation thereto. This notched part of a
longitudinal member is moved, when it has been passed through the vertical
bars, into position to engage its notches with such bars. The other of these

page_text: parts may be of the same section throughout, and is utilized as a locking bar or key
which is passed along through the portions of the openings through the vertical
bars which are left at the back of the notched part after the notches thereof
have been engaged with the vertical bars, and this key securely prevents the
first-mentioned part from moving back and disengaging its notches from
the vertical bars. The first-mentioned or notched part may be carried by the
standards in any convenient manner in which longitudinal members have here-
tofore been carried, and the key may either stop short of each standard sufficiently
to allow for expansion, or may be carried by the standards in any convenient
manner in which longitudinal members have heretofore been carried.
Fencing constructed in the manner above described is flexible, and may be
made sufficiently so to readily adapt itself to any inclination in the surface of
the ground.
A convenient application of the invention is illustrated by the drawings on
Sheet 1 herewith, of which Figure 1 shews a short length of fencing comprising
one standard and five interinediate or vertical bars, arranged on opposite sides
of the standard, with the portions of the longitudinal members which carry
such bars, the standard and vertical bars being shewn as broken in their lengths
for convenience of illustration. Figure 2 is a transverse section through one
of the longitudinal members, shewing a side elevation of a short length of one
of the vertical bars through. which it passes. Figure 3 is a horizontal section
taken through two adjacent vertical bars, shewing in plan view a portion of
the length of a horizontal member which passes through such vertical bars.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a short length of one of the standards, shewing the
connection of the two lengths of longitudinal member therewith; and Figure 5
is a section taken on line of Figure 4. Figures 2 to 5, inclusive, are drawn
to an enlarged scale, compared with Figure 1.
A is the standard, B the vertical bars and C the longitudinal members. Each
longitudinal member C is composed of the notched part a and the locking bar
or key b, each of which may be conveniently made from a plain flat section
of bar, as shewn. The vertical bars B are shewn as formed each of T-section,
but they may be of angle section or other section having a flat web through
which the longitudinal members may pass; and a T-shaped hole is punched
through the web of each vertical bar for the passage therethrough of the two
parts of a longitudinal member. The part a of each longitudinal member
is conveniently arranged flatways, as shewn, and the key bis, in such case,
conveniently arranged edgeways, as shewn. The horizontal portion of each hole
through a vertical bar is of such width that, previously to the key b being passed
through the hole, the part a may be passed flatways therethrough. The
notches a' in the part a are spaced apart, as shewn by Figure 3, to register with
the webs of the vertical bars when the part is in proper position in relation
to such bars, and when this is the case the part a may be moved sideways to engage
its notches a with the metal at the ends of the horizontal portions of the holes
through the vertical bars, whereby the vertical bars are maintained spaced apart
the required distance. The notches a¹ in the edge of the part a are of such
depth, as shewn, that when the part a has been moved sideways as far as it
can be in bringing the notches into engagement with the webs of the vertical
bars it will be clear of the vertical portions of the holes through the uprights,
and thus allow of the key b being passed through such portions of the holes:
The key, when passed through such portions of the holes, securely prevents the
part a from being moved back again to clear its notches from the webs of the
vertical bars, and thus the vertical bars are securely interlocked with the longi-
tudinal members. The longitudinal members are, of course, made in convenient
lengths, and these are carried by the standards in any convenient manner, such
as in the manner shewn by Figures 4 and 5 in which the ends of two lengths a
are shewn to pass through a web of a standard A and to overlap one another.
The overlapping ends may be fastened together by bolts in a manner in
which longitudinal bars are commonly fastened together, or may be left

page_text: unfastened as bolts or other fastenings for the purpose are really unnecessary.
The end of one of the parts a is shewn to be cranked to enable it to pass over
the end of the other part a. The lengths of key b are shewn to pass, also,
through the web of the standard and to be halved the one over the other in a
manner which allows of expansion; but each length may be stopped short of
the web of the standard, if preferred.
The invention is capable of considerable modification, as will be obvious.
Two illustrations of modified forms of the invention are given, by way of example,
by Figures 6, 7 and 8, of the drawings herewith.
Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 2. In this case, the notched
part of the longitudinal member is strengthened by a rib or bead a² formed
along its upper and lower sides, about the middle thereof, and the locking bar
or key is of the depth only of the thickness of the plain portion of the part a;
and each hole through a vertical bar to receive the longitudinal member is,
therefore, a plain horizontal hole with an upward and downward enlargement
about the middle thereof for the passage therethrough of the ribs a² and their
sideway movement as the notched part a is moved sideways to engage its notches
with the webs of the vertical bars.
When
The portions described above as the locking bars or keys may, also, be notched,
if desired, to ensure their answering the purpose of distance pieces between the
vertical bars through which they pass, in which case they are held with their
notches in engagement with the vertical bars by means of secondary locking bars
keys or wedges. An arrangement of this character is illustrated by Figures 7
and 8, of which Figure 7 is a corresponding view to Figure 2, and Figure 8
an elevation of a short length of longitudinal member and of a short length of
vertical bar through which it passes. This arrangement corresponds to that
illustrated by Figures 2 and 3, except that the key b has notches, such as b¹,
formed in its lower edge, corresponding to the notches a¹ of the part a.
the locking bar or key 6 has been passed through the vertical bars into proper
position, it is moved down to engage its notches with the metal of the webs of
the vertical bars which is at the ends of the vertical portions of the holes through
the bars, and the key b is securely prevented from being moved up again by
a secondary locking bar or key c which may be formed of the length, or approxi-
mately so, of the key b, or by a number of short wedges which are driven in
over the top of the key b. The key b may have the notches formed in its upper
edge, if preferred, in which case, of course, the secondary key or wedges must
be at the underside of the key b.
In the modification shewn by Figure 6, also, short wedges may be driven
in behind the part a in lieu of the locking bar or key b; and generally, though
a locking bar or key is preferred, short wedges may be substituted therefor.
Any expression in the Specification to the effect that a notched part of a
longitudinal member is moved sideways or vertically to engage its notches with
the vertical bars, is used for convenience of description, and is intended to cover,
as indeed will usually be the case, the sideway or vertical movement of the
vertical bars to engage them with the notches.
According to a further feature of the invention, spikes are fixed between
the notched part of a longitudinal member and the locking bar or key thereof. The
inner edge or side of the notched part is formed with a notch to receive the shank
of the spike, and if the spike is single-ended, and preferably, also, if it is double-
ended (that is to say, formed with pointed upward and downward ends), the shank
thereof is formed with a notch which engages with the metal at the inner end
of the notch through which it passes. The spike is securely held within the
notch through which it passes by the locking bar or key of the longitudinal
member. It is preferred to form the spike with a shoulder or shoulders to bear
against the top or bottom edge, or the top and bottom edges, of the locking-bar
or kev.
bo fixed in the manner above described alsa between tyro
mor

page_text: separately formed parts of a longitudinal member whether or not either or
both of them are notched for engagement with the vertical bars, as will be
obvious on a consideration of the following description of the drawings which
shew the method of fixing the spikes.
This feature of the invention is illustrated, by way of example, as shewn in
the case of a double-ended spike, by Figures 1, 3, 9 and 10 of the drawings
herewith, except that in Figure 3 the spike itself is omitted, the notch for its
reception only being shewn. Figure 9 shews a side elevation of the spike and
a transverse section through the longitudinal member which carries it, the
section being taken immediately at the side face of the spike; and Figure 10
is a plan of the spike and of a short length of the longitudinal member which
carries it. Each spike D is formed of a shank d, and of upward and downward
spines or pointed portions e. A notch is formed in the edge of the portion a
of a longitudinal member which is against the locking bar or key b, for each
spike. This notch is for the passage therethrough of the shank of the spike,
and it is preferred to form this notch somewhat less in depth than the thickness
of the shank, and to form a notch g in the back of the shank so as to leave
the notched portion thereof of a thickness which will just easily enter the
corresponding notch of the part a. The notch is, also, of a width or vertical
height which allows it to just pass easily over the inner edge of the notch f of
the part a.
The engagement of the notch of the spike with the metal at the
inner end of the notch f securely maintains the spike at the required height; but,
in order to ensure the greater rigidity of fixture of the spike, it is preferred
to form it with shoulders h which come immediately over and under the key b.
The spikes are, of course, placed in position within the part a of the longitudinal
member before the key b is put into place, and the key not only secures the part a
in place, but secures the spikes in place also. If, in the case of the longitudinal
member, secondary keys c (such as shewn by Figures 7 and 8) are used, the
upper shoulder h of a spike will, of course, pass over the secondary key. If the
spike is single-ended, it may be formed with one shoulder h only.
Enrichments may be fixed, also, in the manner described of fixing spikes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. Metal fencing having longitudinal portions each formed with notches which
are spaced to coincide with the vertical bars, through which it passes, which are
intermediate the standards, and having locking bars keys or wedges, by means
of which the notches are retained in engagement with the vertical bars after
they have been engaged therewith, substantially as described.
2. Metal fencing having longitudinal members each formed in parts, as seen
in transverse section, of which one part is formed with notches which are spaced
to coincide with the vertical bars through which such part passes, and of which
another part passes also through the vertical bars and is utilized as a locking
bar or key to retain the notched part in engagement with. the vertical bars after
its notches have been engaged therewith, substantially as described.
3. Metal fencing having longitudinal members each formed with two parts,
as seen in transverse section, both of which are formed with notches which are
spaced to coincide with the vertical bars through which they pass, and of which
one of such parts is utilized as a locking bar or key to retain the notches of the
other part in engagement with the vertical bars after its notches have been
engaged therewith, and secondary locking bars keys or wedges by which the
notches of the locking bars or keys are retained in engagement with the vertical
bars after they have been engaged therewith, substantially as described.
4. Metal fencing having longitudinal members each formed in parts, as seen
In transverse section, of which one part a is flatways, and passes through
horizontal portions of the holes through the vertical bars, and is formed with

page_text: notches at its outer edge which are spaced to coincide with the vertical bars
through which such part passes, and of which another part is edgeways and
passes through vertical portions of the holes through the vertical bars and is
utilized as a locking bar or key to retain the notched part a in engagement with
the vertical bars after its notches have been engaged therewith, substantially as
described with reference to the drawings herewith.
5. Metal fencing having longitudinal members constructed and connected with
vertical bars through which they pass, substantially as described and shewn by
Figure 6 of the drawings herewith..
6. Metal fencing having a longitudinal member formed in parts, as seen in
transverse section, and spikes formed with shanks which are pushed into notches
formed in one of such parts and are retained therein by another of such parts
which is subsequently placed in position closing in the notches, one, both, or
two of the parts of the longitudinal member being, preferably, notched for
engagement with the vertical bars, substantially as described.
7. Metal fencing having a longitudinal member formed in parts, as seen in
transverse section, and spikes formed with shanks which are pushed into notches
formed in one of such parts and which are themselves notched to form shoulders
which pass, respectively, over and under such part, the said shanks being retained
within the notches by another of such parts of the longitudinal member which
is subsequently placed in position closing in the notches, one, both, or two of
the parts of the longitudinal member being, preferably, notched for engagement
with the vertical bars, substantially as described.
8. Metal fencing having a longitudinal member formed in parts, as seen in
transverse section, and spikes formed with shanks which are pushed into notches
formed in one of such parts and are retained therein by another of such parts
which is subsequently placed in position closing in the notches, and the said
spikes formed with shoulders to pass immediately over and under, or over or
under, the part of the longitudinal member which closes in the notches, or under
or over such part and (or) over or under a secondary locking bar or key if such
is used above or below such part, one, both, or two of the parts of the longitudinal
member being, preferably, notched for engagement with the vertical bars, sub-
stantially as described.
9. The means by which spikes are fixed to metal fencing, substantially as
described and shewn by Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings herewith.
Dated this 21st day of June 1898
STEPHEN WATKINS, .
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.