IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL FENCING
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Ramsay Main and John Dick, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
METAL FENCING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Ramsay Main and
John Dick at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th January
1881.
ROBERT RAMSAY MAIN and JOHN DICK, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL FENCING."
This Invention has for its object to improve the construction of metal fencing,.
and relates more particularly to the standards or uprights and to fastenings or
stops for wire and bar fencing.
In carrying out the Invention the standard is made with the usual two-pronged
foot, but the difficulty ordinarily experienced in obtaining a good and strong
connection between the stem and the foot is overcome by making the foot out of a
bar of about double the width of that employed for the stem. This broad bar is
divided for a suitable distance from the lower end along the middle, and the parts
are separated and bended to form the prongs, whilst the stem is welded to the
upper end. In another modification the foot is made out of a bar. of a double
thickness, which is partly divided to form the prongs, the stem being welded to the
upper part.
According to another modification the metal is rolled into bars, having broader.
or thicker parts at suitable intervals, and is cut into lengths, each having a part of
ordinary width or thickness to form the stem, and a broader or thicker part to be
divided and bended to form the pronged foot.
A fastener for securing the wires or rods in the standards of metal fencing consists
according to this Invention of a clip formed with a groove to receive the wire or
rod, and shaped externally to enter a hole made for it and the wire or rod through
the standard. The clip is in cross section of an elliptical, or oval, or other suitable
oblong form, and the hole in the standard is of a corresponding oblong form,
admitting the clip easily when in one position. When the clip has been entered
into the standard hole it is turned about a quarter round by means of a wrench or
TD 177

page_text: other suitable tool, so that its broader parts being forced into the narrow part of
the hole become tightly compressed, and grip the wire or rod firmly, whilst being
also securely held in the hole. A slight indentation may be formed on the outside
of the clip to prevent end-on movement by catching upon the standard.
In another modification of the fastener a clip made either with a groove or with
a hole through it for the wire or rod is partly split, and is externally tapered and
formed with an external screw thread. A screw nut is provided for screwing upon
the clip, which it closes and tightens upon the wire or rod. This fastener may be
applied by entering the clip through a hole in the standard from one side, and
screwing on the nut on the other side; or the nut may be dispensed with, and the
clip be screwed into a tappet hole in the standard.
In some cases it is intended to apply the screw clips as stops, that is, so as not to
fix a wire. or rod rigidly in a standard, but to allow of a movement through the
standard, such movement being limited by the positions in which the stops are
fixed on the wire or rod. In one modification two separate stops, each consisting
of a screw clip and its nut, will be used, being fixed on the wire at suitable
distances at opposite sides of the standard. And in another modification a single
long clip will be used, made to pass through a hole in the standard, and allowing
the desired amount of movement between a head or projection formed on it on one
side and the nut on the other side..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Ramsay Main and John Dick in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th July 1881.
ROBERT RAMSAY MAIN and JOHN DICK, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL FENCING."
Our said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of metal
fencing, and relates more particularly to the standards or uprights and to fastenings
or stops for wire and bar fencing.
In carrying out our Invention the standard is made with the usual two-pronged
foot, but the difficulty ordinarily experienced in obtaining a good and strong
connection between the stem and the foot is overcome by us in various ways.
One modification of our fasteners consists of a piece or clip grooved to grip the.
wire, and made of such an external shape that it can in one position be entered
easily into a hole in the standard and then become jammed on being turned partly
round. In other modifications the fastener is a grooved or tubular split screw
through which the wire is threaded, and which is entered into a hole in the
standard. A nut screwed on not only secures the screw in the standard, but also
closes its screwed part so as to grip the wire, or the hole in the standard may be
screw-tapped and have the fastener screwed into it.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
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page_text: may be properly understood, we hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing parts of metal fencing as made with
our improvements. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to
mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In making a fence standard according to one modification, the stem 23 is formed
of a bar of the ordinary flat kind, as shown in Figure 1, or it might be of any other
suitable kind or section, and a V-point is made at its bottom end. The foot is
made out of a broad bar, which is divided, as shown in Figure 2, for a suitable
distance from the lower end along the middle, and which has a V-notch formed at
its upper end and two V-points at its lower end. The division is effected by
means of a shearing machine or other suitable tool, and the parts are separated and
bended by suitable machinery to form the prongs 24, whilst the stem 23 is welded
to the upper end at 25. By these means the part which is at the surface of the
ground when the standard is erected or fixed, and which is subjected to the
greatest leverage, is made of a much stronger form than that produced in the
ordinary process of manufacture.
Instead of making the foot out of a piece that is broader than the stem it may
be made out of a thicker piece, which is partly divided to form prongs of half its
thickness, as will be understood from Figures 4 to 8. Figures 4 and 5 are face and
edge views of the stem 23, and Figures 6 and 7 are face and edge views of the foot
piece 24, whilst Figure 8 represents the complete standard.
According to another modification the metal is rolled into bars having thicker
parts 26 at suitable intervals, as indicated in Figure 9 (partly in dotted lines), and is
cut into lengths each having a part 23 of ordinary width or thickness to form the
stem, and a broader or thicker part 26 to be divided and bended to form the
pronged part 24, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. Or bar lengths having stem
parts 23 and foot parts 26 may be formed out of parallel bars of sufficient breadth
or thickness by cutting them by means of suitably shaped shears in the manner
indicated in Figure 12. Each length after separation from the original bar has its
foot part 26 set in line with the stem, then divided, and the parts bended to form
the prongs 24.
In all the modifications the prongs 24 may be shaped as in Figures 3, 8, or 11,
or as in Figure 14, or the parts of the foot may have a cross piece 27 riveted to
their bottom ends, as shown in Figure 15.
One. modification of our improved fasteners is shown in end view in Figure 16,
and in side view in Figure 17. Figure 18 is a face view of part of a standard
showing the hole 28 made to receive the clip or fastener, and Figure 19 is a similar
view, but with the clip 29 in position, the wire 30 being in cross section. The
clip 29 is made with a groove 31 to receive the wire or rod 30, and is in cross
section of an elliptical or oval or other suitable oblong form, and the hole 28 in the
standard is of a corresponding oblong form, admitting the clip 29 easily when in
one position. When the clip 29 has been entered into the standard hole 28, it is
turned about a quarter round by means of a wrench or other suitable tool, so that
its broader parts being forced into the narrow part of the hole, become tightly
compressed and grip the wire or rod firmly whilst being also securely held in the
hole. A slight indentation 32 may be formed, as shown in Figure 17, on the
outside of the clip to prevent end-on movement by catching upon the standard.
In another modification of the fastener a clip 33 made either with a groove, or as
shown in Figure 20 with a hole through it for the wire or rod 30 is partly split, and
is externally tapered and formed with an external screw thread, also with a head 34
for holding or turning it by. A screw nut 35, Figures 21 and 22, is provided for
screwing upon the clip 33, which it closes and tightens upon the wire or rod 30.
This fastener may be applied by entering the clip 33 through a hole in the
standard 23 from one side, and screwing on the nut 35 on the other side, as shown
in Figure 21, or the nut may be dispensed with, and the clip be screwed into a
tapped hole in the standard 23.
In some cases it is intended to apply the screw clips as stops, that is, so as not to

page_text: fix a wire or rod 30 rigidly to a standard 23, but to allow of a movement through
the standard, such movement being limited by the positions in which the stops are
fixed on the wire or rod. In one modification two separate stops, each consisting
of a screw clip 33, 34, and its nut 35 will be used, being fixed on the wire 30 at
suitable distances on opposite sides of the standard, and in another modification,
which is shown in Figure 22, a single long clip 33, 34, will be used, being made to
pass through a hole in the standard 23, and allowing the desired amount of
movement between the head 34 or any suitable projection on one side and the
nut 35 on the other side.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what be believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The making of standards for metal fencing, substantially in the improved
manner herein before described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
2. The making of standards for metal fencing, substantially in the improved
manner hereinbefore described, with reference to Figures 9 to 11 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
3. The making of standards for metal fencing, substantially in the improved
manner hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 12 and 13 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
4. The improved device for fastening the wires or rods to the standards of metal
fencing, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 16 to 19
of the accompanying Drawings.
5. The improved device for fastening the wires or rods to the standards of metal
fencing, or for limiting the movements of the wires or rods through the standards,
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 20 to 22 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Dick, on behalf of the said Robert
Ramsay Main and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth
day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JNO. DICK. (L.S.)