Improvements in the Construction of Hurdles, Fencing, Gates, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
Improvements in the Construction of Hurdles, Fencing, Gates, and
the like.
I, WILLIAM HAYWARD, Senior, of the Firm of William Hayward and Sons,
of Brunswick Works, Bilston Road, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Hurdle and Feucing Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its objects to lessen the cost of manufacturing metal
burdles, fencing, gates aud the like, to facilitate putting together the vertical and
horizontal members thereof so that they may be packed separate or disconnected
from one another to lessen bulk, and thus reduce cost of carriage, and be readily
put together in situ even by unskilled labour, and to constitute the hurdles and
fencing, and other like structures if required, flexible so that they may readily.
adapt themselves to follow varying inclinations of the surface of the ground or
other part over which they are placed.
A vertical-bar hurdle, fence, gate or the like, constructed according to this
invention, bas the horizontal members thereof formed of hoop metal or otherwise of
a section which is broad and thin, and such members are placed, when in use, with
their breadths vertical. Each horizontal member is prepared to receive the.
vertical bars by forming two parallel slits running lengthways of the horizontal
member at each part where a vertical bar is to be engaged therewith, and setting
the portion of metal between the slits outwards from one face of the horizontal
member and the two widths of metal at the outer sides of the slite outwarde fromi
the horizontal member in the opposite direction, and each vertical bar is engaged
with each horizontal member by passing it between the band or portion of metal
which has been set outwards from one face of the horizontal member and the two
bands or portions of metal which have been set outwards in the opposite direction:
from the outer face of such member. The vertical bars may be pushed sufficiently:
tightly into place between the portions of the horizontal bars which have been.
prepared to receive them to be held fairly firmly thereby, and the connection thus
made between the vertical bars and horizontal members renders the structure
flexible so that it may be fixed with the horizontal members at any desired angle
with the vertical bars. In the case of a gate made in this manner, and if desired:
also in the case of burdles and fencing and other like structures, the connections
between the vertical bars and the horizontal members may be made rigid, or
sufficiently so, by closing in somewhat the portions, or certain portions, of the metal
which are adjacent to the slits immediately beyond the edges or sides of the
vertical bars, and this may be accomplished by the aid of a suitable tool formed
with portions which may be held in position to press against the parts which are to
be closed in while the back of the tool is struck with a hammer, or is pressed
forwards.
A horizontal-bar hurdle, fence, gate, or the like, constructed according to this
invention, has the vertical members formed in the manner of the horizontal members
above described, the horizontal members being engaged with the vertical members.
in the manner above described in which the vertical bars are engaged with the
horizontal members.

page_text: In the case both of vertical and horizontal bar hurdles, fencing, gates and the
like, made in the manner above described, the bars which are engaged with the
portions of metal which have been divided by slitting may be formed with notches
therein into which the middle bands of the shit portions are tightened or set to
securely prevent the bars moving endways.
Standards of vertical-bar fencing and the like made in the manner above
described may be connected with the horizontal members in the manner in which
the vertical bars are connected therewith; and in the case of horizontal-bar fencing
and the like made in the manner above described, if the standards are made of
Bheet metal, they may be connected with the horizontal bars in the manner in
which the vertical members are connected with such bars.
When the horizontal or vertical members, as the case may be, are made of hoop
metal, or otherwise. sufficiently thin, they inay, when of considerable length, be
rolled or coiled up for transport.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1896
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Hurdles, Fencing, Gates, and
the like.
I, WILLIAM HATWARD, Senior, of the Firm of William Hayward and Sous,
of Brunswick Works, Bilston Road, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Hurdle and Fencing Manufacturers, 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 has for its objects to lessen the cost of manufacturing metal
hurdles, fencing, gates and the like, to facilitate putting together the vertical and
horizontal members thereof so that they may be packed separate or disconnected
from one another to lessen bulk, and thus reduce cost of carriage, and bo readily
put together in situ even by unskilled labour, and to constitute the hurdles and
fencing, and other like structures, if required, flexible so that they may readily
adapt themselves to follow varying inclinations of the surface of the ground or
other part over which they are placed.
A vertical-bar hurdle, fence, gate or the like, constructed according to this
invention, has the horizoutal members thereof formed of hoop metal or otherwise of
a section which is broad and thin, and such members are placed, when in use, with
their breadths vertical. Each horizontal member is prepared to receive the
vertical bars by forming two parallel slits running lengthways of the horizontal
member at each part where a vertical bar is to be engaged therewith, and setting
the portion of metal between the slits outwards from one face of the horizontal
member and the two widths of metal at the outer sides of the slits outwards from
the borizontal member in the opposite direction, and each vertical bar is engaged
with each. horizontal member by passing it between the band or portion of metal
which has been set outwards from one face of the horizontal member and the two
bands or portions of metal which have been set outwards in the opposite direction
from the other face of such member. The vertical bars may be pushed sufficiently
tightly into place between the portions of the horizontal bars which have been
prepared to receive them to be held fairly firmly thereby, aud the connection thus
made between the vertical bars and horizontal members renders the structure
flexible so that it may be fixed with the horizontal members at any desired angle
with the vertical bars.

page_text: If it is desired that hurdles or fencing or other like structures shall have the con-
nections between the vertical bars and horizontal members rigid, or more so thau
they can be made by simply passing the bars between the set-out portions of the
horizontal members, the portions of the metal between which the bars pass may be
closed in somewhat so as to grip the bars tightly, and this may be accomplished by
the aid of suitable tools properly shaped for the purpose. The joints between the
vertical bars and horizontal members of gates may be made rigid in this mauner, or
sufficiently so.
A horizontal-bar hurdle, fence, gate, or the like, constructed according to this
invention, has the vertical members (including the standards if made of sheet metal,
or otherwise of suitable section) formed in the manner of the horizontal members
above described, the horizontal members being engaged with the vertical members
in the manner above described in which the vertical bars aro engaged with the
horizontal members.
In the case both of vertical and horizontal bar hurdles, fencing, gates and the
like, made in the mauner above described, the bars which are engaged with the
portions of metal which have been divided by slitting may be formed with notches
therein into which the middle bands of the slit portions are tightened or set to
securely prevent the bars moving endways.
Standards of vertical-bar fencing and the like made in the manner above
described may be connected with the horizontal members in the manner in which
the vertical bars are connected therewith.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe
practical applications thereof, by reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shews in elevation, and Figure 2 in plan, means, according to this
invention, which may be used in connecting vertical bars, and standards or end
uprights of fencing and hurdles, and vertical bars of gates, with the horizontals;
and Figure 3 is a sectional elevation takeu transversely of the fence, hurdle or
gate, at a point between two of the vertical bars, the standard or end upright being
omitted to avoid confusion of lines.
A is one of the borizontals, B B are vertical bars, and C a fencing standard or
the end upright of a hurdle, or it may be taken to represent one of the vertical
sides of a gate. The horizontal A is shewn as a thin broad metal band. The
vertical bars B are shewn of square section placed anglewise to the horizontal; an
the standard C is shewn as a fint metal bar of which a portion c, which is placed
flat against the face of the horizontal A, has been twisted a quarter turn in relation
to the portion below which, for the sake of strength, stands edgeways us one looks
towards the fence. a a are bands loops or straps which are pressed out from the
middle of the depth of the horizontal A, and bb etc. are bands or straps forming
the portions of metal of the horizontal which are immediately above and below the
loops a, and are pressed out in the opposite direction to the loops a. The parts a
and b are so shaped, as shewu, that the bars B inay be pushed up between them in
the manner shewn, and preferably by the exercise only of some force, which tends
to force apart slightly the apices of the parts a and b which are opposite to one
another as seen on plan, so that the bars will be held with some degree of grip when
in place. When the bars are thus connected with the horizontal, the joints are of
course flexible to a considerable degree. It will froquently be found desirable, and
in some cases perhaps necessary, to make the joints rigid, or substantially so, and
this may be effected by the ineaus illustrated by Figures 4 and 5, of which Figure 4
is a detached view of one of the joints shewn by Figure 2, shewing also, by broken
lines, the operative ends of a pair of tools DE by means of which the parts a b
may be caused to grip the bar B more securely. Figure 5 is a corresponding view
to Figure 4, but shews the joint to have been tightened up by means of the tools.
It will be observed that in Figure 4 the bar B bears only against the opposite
apices of the parts a b, and that both the tools DE are formed with hollow V-shaped
ends, of which the angle of the V is a right-angle, or approximately so, to corre-
spond with the angles of the bar B. (The angle of the tool E is not shewn to bo

page_text: sharp in the illustration, but rounded for a purpose which will be presently shewn,
but for the purpose of immmediate description may be regarded as sharp.) The
tool D is held against one side of the horizontal A with the V-part bridging the
pressed-out portions b, and the tool E is driven up against the outside of the part a
so as to drive back the bar into the parts and cause it to drive the apex formed by
the sides of such parts into the apex of the tool D, thus sharpening the angle such
sides make with each other and causing the bar to close up against such sidos, the
incliued sides of the V-shaped portion of the tool E at the same time causing
the inclined sides of the part a to close up against the bar. This operation of tho
tools causes the apices of the parts a b to more securely grip the angles of the bar.
To increase the security of the joint, the angle d of the bar may be notched, and
the apex of the part a be driven into the notch by the tool E. The standard Cis
connected with the horizontal similarly as the bars B, but in this case the loop or
strap al and straps are shaped to suit the section of the standard, and if tools are
employed to tighten up the joint they are adapted to close in more tightly the
portions of the parts a¹ and 6' which are adjacent to the edges of the standard.
One of the edges of the standard may be notched and one end of the part a' be
driven into the notch, to increase the security of the joint.
b
Figure 2 illustrates in plan viow a joint similar to that shewn by Figure 1 to 5
inclusive as adapted for the purpose of connecting a vertical round bar B with a
horizontal bar A. In this case, of course, the band or loop a and the bands or
straps are curved around the opposite sides of the vertical bar instead of being
made augle-shape as when square bars are used placed anglewise to the horizontal
bar. A notch may be formed in the bar B into which a portion of the band u may
be pressed.
Figures 6 and 7 illustrate in front elevation and edge view, respectively, a form
of joint which may be adopted, according to this invention, between a horizontal
bar A¹ of horizontal bar fencing, hurdle or gate, and a standard, upright, or
dropper, B. The bar A' is connected with the bar B' in the manner in which the
standard C above described is shewn to be connected with the horizontal A. The
portion of the horizontal A which passes behind the loop a' of the standard,
upright, or dropper B', may be formed with a notch d' at its lower edge into which
a portion of the loop a' is forced to strengthen the joint. If the part B is used
as a standard, it may be strengthened by means of a back stay, as will be readily
understood. In this instance the loop a only is shown as pressed outwards from
the face of the upright B', and not the portions of the upright B' at each side
thereof, as when a thin flat member A' is to be passed behind such a loop the metal
of the loup may be stretched sufficiently for the purpose.
A horizontal of vertical bar fencing hurdle, gate, or the like, may be connected
with the standard, end uprights, and also, if desired, with flat vertical bara, in a
manner similar to that iu which the horizontal A' is shewn to be connected with
the standard B'; and the uprights or vertical members of horizontal bar fencing,
hurdles, gates and the like, may, if desired, when of suitable shape in section, be
connected with horizontal members in the manner in which the vertical members of
vertical bar fencing, hurdles, gates, and the like, are described above as connected
with a horizontal member.
Figures 8 and 9 illustrate, respectively, in front elevation and plan view, means
which may be adopted, according to this invention, for joining together, and to a
standard, overlapping ends of horizontal bars. The overlapping ends efare passed
through a loop a (corresponding to the loop a above described) and are keyed
tightly therein by ineaus of a tapered key g driven in between the top of the loop
and the upper edges of the ends ej. To increase the security of the joint, however
it is preferred to form notches d in the lower edges of the overlapping ends e
which engage with the lower portion of the loop a
Figures 10 and 11 illustrate in front elevation and plan view, respectively, incans
which may be adopted for joining together two overlapping ends of the horizonta
bars of a fence. A loop a, which is pressed out from the face of one of the bars

page_text: projects through a corresponding opening formed in the other bar, and a key h is-
driven down between the outer face of the bar through which the loop a projects.
and the inner face of the loop. This form of joint is convenient for joining
together the horizontal bars of continnons fencing, the ends of hurdles, and the
halves or other segments of tree guards and the like.
Figures 12 and 13 illustrate in elevation and in plan view, respectively, means
by which the horizontal bars of fencing and hurdles may be readily joined together
and to a standard of round (or it may be other) section. The ends of the two
horizontals F and G are bent round on to themselves in a manner each to form a
loop which will pass down over the standard H, and their beat-back ends are
riveted to the bars. The two loops thus formed are made (when for use with a
round standard) to act as a hinged joint, conveniently by forming one of the ends
with the portion i, which passes around the standard, shallower than the depth of
the horizontal bar, and by forming the portion of the other horizontal which
surrounds the standard with a middle opening into which the part i is passed
previously to the ends being placed around the standard. The necessary punching.
or notching ont is performed before the ends of the bars G F are bent round to.
form the loops which are to surround the standard. This form of joint is very
convenient for use with portions of fencing intended for sheep pens and the like,
but it may be used for fencing generally, and the hinged joint enables portions
which are hinged together to be folded up.
When the horizontal or vertical members, as the case may be, are made of hoop
mictal, or otherwise sufficiently thin, they may, wheu of considerable length, be
rolled or coiled up for transport.
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 :-
1. Improvements in the construction of hurdles, fencing, gates and the like,
according to which portions of vertical or horizontal members thereof pass behind
or between bands or straps which have been pressed outwards from horizontal or
vertical members thereof, substantially as described.
2. Improvements in the construction of hurdles, fencing, gates and the like,
according to which portions of vertical or horizontal members thereof pass behind
or between bands or straps which have been pressed outwards sufficiently from the
horizontal or vertical members thereof to admit of the portions of the vertical or-
horizontal members being pussed behind or between them and which have been
securely tightened up against the vertical or horizontal members by the aid of
suitable tools, substantially as described.
3. Improvements in the construction of hurdles, fencing, gates, and the like,.
according to which portions of vertical or horizontal members are each formed with
a notch and puss behind or between bands or straps, which have been pressed.
outwards sufficiently from horizontal or vertical members thereof to admit of the
portions of the vertical or horizontal members being passed behind or between.
them, and which have been securely tightened up against the vertical or horizontal
members by the aid of suitable tools, and portions of such bands or straps forced
into the notches of the vertical or horizontal members, substantially as described.
4. Thin fat metal vertical or horizontal members of hurdles, fencing, gates and
the like, formed with bands or straps which stand outward therefrom being slit.
away along their sides from other portions of the metal, while they remain joined.
thereto at their ends, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
5. Thin flat metal vertical or horizoutal members of hurdles, fencing, gates and
the like, formed with middle bands or straps, which stand outward therefrom, being
slit away along their sides from other portious of the inetal, while they remain
joined thereto at their ends, the portions along the outer sides of the slits being set.
back in the opposite direction, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth..
6. The improved means by which members of hurdles, fencing, gates and the

page_text: like, may be connected with other members thereof placed at angles therewith,
substantially as described and shewn (by way of example) by the drawings on.
Sheet. 1 herewith, and by Figures 6 to 9 inclusive, of Sbect 2 herewith.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1807
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.