IMPROVEMENTS IN FENCES AND GATES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James George Hunt, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FENCES
AND GATES."
Sealed the 2nd October 1857, and dated the 7th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James George Hunt at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th April 1857.
I, JAMES GEORGE HUNT, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FENCES AND GATES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of improvements in the construction of fences and
gate posts, and may be denominated a new system of enclosure applicable to
lots or fields of any dimensions.
The first part of my Invention relates to the construction of a fence, com-
posed of sections or panels that can be put up and taken down at pleasure,
without great labor or loss of material.
The second part of my Invention relates to the construction of gate posts,
& their connection with fences, in such a manner that they require no post
holes, can be put up and taken down in a few minutes, and when up will
not sag.

page_text: My improved fence consists of a panel and brace, with their connections.
The brace, which replaces the post of an ordinary fence, is triangular, and when
made of wood consists of three pieces of inch stuff, about four inches wide.
For a fence of common height the base of the brace should be from three and
a half to four feet long. The side pieces of the brace are nailed on opposite
sides of the base piece, and extend up to the bottom of the top rail or top key
of the fence, which they receive in a notch made for the purpose. A similar
notch in the middle of the top of the base piece receives the bottom of the
bottom rail. There is a third notch at the inner angle where the two side
braces cross at top. This notch may receive the upper edge of the second
rail, or a separate piece or key to lock the whole together vertically.
The panels are made of boards of any required length, held in place by
double side slats or battens. The ends of the top, second, & bottom rails
may project beyond the end battens, so as to pass into the brace to be there
locked with the ends of the rails of the adjoining panel; or the batten may be
even with the ends of the rails, and short pieces of board, called keys, inserted
between the rails, and used to connect and lock the panels together in the
brace. When the ends of the rails or of the keys are placed in the notches of
the triangular brace, pins are driven through them on the inside of the double
battens, securing the structure from the effects of longitudinal strain.
With slight modifications this improved fence may be made of iron. In
that case the triangular brace may be formed of one or two pieces, and the
notches replaced by loops or circular holes.
The gate post to be used with this fence is formed with a mortice to receive
the projecting rail of the panel (when there is such a rail), and has strips pro-
jecting from it, which are inserted between the rails of the panel and pinned on
the inside of the double batten at the end of the panel. When thus pinned it
cannot sag. A triangular brace, like that before described, is inserted between
the end battens and the gate post.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James George Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GEORGE HUNT, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States of America, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James George Hunt, Her special licence that I, the said James
George Hunt, or my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said James George Hunt, or my executors, administrators, and assigns..
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at ail
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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FENCES AND GATES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,.
the said James George Hunt, or my executors or administrators, by an instru-.
ment in writing under 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James George Hunt, 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, reference being had to the Drawings:-
Figure 1 represents the common fence and portable gate post O.
two panels connected by keys.
2
33
"
"
دو
3
4
5
"
39
"
25
6
"
"
at an angle.
the compound triangular brace.
a picket fence supported by the brace
a mode of constructing a wire fence.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the Figures.
My Invention consists of improvements in the construction of fences and
gate posts, and may be denominated a new system of enclosure applicable to.
lots or fields of any dimensions.
The first part of my Invention relates to the construction of a fence, com-
posed of sections or panels that can be put up and taken down at pleasure,
without great labour or loss of material.
The second part of my Invention relates to the construction of gate posts,
and their connection with fences in such a manner that they require no post
holes; can be put up and taken down in a few minutes, and when up
will not sag.
A indicates the base board of the brace; B, B, the side pieces of the same;
C, the notch to receive the upper rail; D, the notch to receive the second, and

page_text: E, the one for the lower ran
J, and 1, the fans, IX, the Dattens,
L, L, keys; M, the rail or board connecting pannels at any angle; N, the rail
from another pannel pinned; O, a gate post; p, p, p, strips projecting from
the gate post; Q, upright slats; 1, 2, r, iron rods; o³, mortice in gate post
for rail G.
The principal features of the fence are the pannel and brace. The brace,
which forms a substitute for the post in the ordinary fence, is constructed in a
triangular form, and when made of wood consists of three pieces of inch stuff
about four inches wide. For a fence of common height the base piece should
be from three and a half to four feet in length. The side pieces of the brace
are nailed on opposite sides of the base piece, and extend up to the bottom of
the top rail or top key of the fence, which they receive in a notch made for the
purpose. A similar notch in the middle of the top of the base piece receives
the bottom of the bottom rail. There is a third notch at the inner angle where
the two side braces cross at top. This may receive the upper edge of the
second rail, or a separate piece or key to lock the whole together vertically.
The panels are made of boards of any required length, held in place by
double side slats or battens K. The ends of the top, second, and bottom rails
may project beyond the end battens, so as to pass into the brace to be there
locked, as at G', with the ends of the rail of the adjoining pannel; or the
batten may be even with the ends of the rails, and short pieces of board L, L,
called keys, inserted between the rails, and used to connect and lock the pannels
together in the brace. When the ends of the rails or of the keys are placed in
the notches of the triangular base, pins are driven through them on the inside
of the double battens, securing the structure from the effects of longitudinal
strain.
With slight modifications this improved fence may be made of iron. In
that case the triangular brace may be formed of one or two pieces, and the
notches replaced by loops or circular holes.
The gate post to be used with this fence is formed with a mortice o' to
receive the projecting rail of the panel (when there is such a rail), and has
strips p, p, p, projecting from it, which are inserted between the rails of the
panel and pinned on the inside of the double batten at the end of the panel.
When thus pinned it cannot sag. A triangular brace, like that before
described, is inserted between the end battens and the gate post.
Ilaving now described my Invention and its advantages, what I claim under
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
In the manner of constructing and erecting a fence composed of sections or
panels by means substantially as described.

page_text: In the mode of combining with and fitting to the fence constructed a post
by the means substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James George Hunt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, on this Fifteenth day of September, Anno Domini One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JAMES GEORGE HUNT. (L.B.)