IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONNECTING AND SUSTAINING THE INTERSECTING BARS OF IRON FENCES, HURDLES, GATES, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Andrew Ramsay Main, of No. 5, Renfield
Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, (N.B.), Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONNECTING AND SUSTAINING
THE INTERSECTING BARS OF IRON FENCES, HURDLES, GATES, AND OTHER
ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES."
Sealed the 23rd May 1864, and dated the 27th November 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Andrew Ramsay
Main at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 27th November 1868.
I, JAMES ANDREW RAMBAY MAIN, of No. 5, Renfield Street, Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, (N.B.), Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONNECTING AND SUB-
TAINING THE INTERSECTING BARS OF IRON FENCES, HURDLES, GATES, AND OTHER
ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved mode of securing together and
wedging up" the horizontal and vertical or otherwise intersecting rails of
those descriptions of iron fencing, hurdles, gates, and similar structures, in
which one or more bars pass horizontally or obliquely through vertical or
oblique standards.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawing represents in elevation a range of con-
tinuous fencing, comprising the present improvements; Figure 2 is a cross

page_text: section of one of the standards of the same, traversed by one of the horizontal
bars or rails.
a, a, a, a, are standards or uprights of the ordinary form, pierced at given
distances in their length, to give passage to the horizontal bars b, b, b,
through each of which at the points of intersection with the standards is cut an
oblong aperture c, c, of greater length than the thickness of the latter; d, d,
are wedges tapered off on the outer side only, and which when the fence is
set up, are driven into the free ends of the above-noted apertures as seen in
Figure 2, thus securing the connection between the crossed bars, while main-
taining the required verticality of the standards. The system of wedging
above described may either be applied to all the intersecting bars of the struc-
ture or only to a certain number thereof, according to the degree of solidity
and efficiency required. If so desired, wedges of the ordinary description
tapered on both sides may be substituted to those above noted, which should
however always be preferred. In certain cases the two wedges may be
replaced by a single staple, as in Figure 3, embracing the standard, and
occupying by its branches the cross bar apertures on either side, the points
being either clenched at the back or left free, as may be required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Andrew Ramsay Main in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
ANDREW RAMSAY MAIN, of No. 5, Renfield Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, (N.B.), Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Andrew Ramsay Main, Her special licence, that I, the
said James Andrew Ramsay Main, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Andrew Ramsay Main, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONNECTING.

page_text: AND SUSTAINING THE INTERSECTING BARS OF IRON FENCES, HURDLES, GATES, AND
OTHER ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Andrew Ramsay Main, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, 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
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the James Andrew Ramsay Main, 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 annexed Drawing, in all
the Figures of which the similar parts of the arrangement are represented by
the same indicatory letters, that is to say:-
"
My Invention relates to an improved mode of securing together and
'wedging up" the horizontal and vertical, or otherwise intersecting rails of
those descriptions of iron fencing, hurdles, gates, and similar structures, in
which one or more bars pass horizontally or obliquely through vertical or
oblique standards.
Figure 1 of the Drawing represents in elevation a range of continuous
fencing, comprising the present improvements; Figure 2 is a cross section of
one of the standards of the same, traversed by one of the horizontal bars or
rails.
a, a, a, a, are standards or uprights of the ordinary form, pierced at given
distances in their length to give passage to the horizontal bars b, b, b, through
each of which at the points of intersection with the standards is cut an oblong
aperture c, c, of greater length than the thickness of the latter; d, d, are
wedges tapered off on the outer side only, and which, when the fence is set
up, are driven into the free ends of the above-noted apertures, as seen in
Figure 2, thus securing the connection between the crossed bars while main-
taining the required verticality of the standards. The system of wedging above
described may either be applied to all the intersecting bars of the structure
or only to a certain number thereof, according to the degree of solidity and
efficiency required. If so desired, wedges of the ordinary description tapered
on both sides may be substituted to those above noted, which should however
always be preferred. In certain cases the two wedges may be replaced by a
single staple, as in Figure 3, embracing the standard, and occupying by its
branches the cross-bar apertures on either side, the points being either
clenched at the back or left-free, as may be required.

page_text: Figure 4 represents another mode of connexion, which will in many cases
be found to offer certain advantages over those above described. d, d, is a
pin or bolt of square iron, set in the horizontal bar 6, 6, at one side of the
standard a, a, and corresponding with a wedge d¹, d¹, of such length that
when driven home at the opposite side, its point, projecting beyond the edge
of the standard, may be bent over in e, as seen in the Drawing.
Figure 5 represents a modification of this arrangement, in which a second
wedge, set in contrary direction to the first, is substituted to the square pin d, d,
and bent by its point over the corresponding edge of the standard in the
manner above indicated. Among the advantages realised by the application
of
my Invention may be noted,―
1stly. Permanent verticality of the standards or uprights in continuous
fences, resulting from the intimate connection existing between these standards
and the horizontal bars, and consequent impossibility of deviation so long as
the wedges remain in position.
2dly. Security of the wedging, more especially in the arrangements shewn
by Figures 3, 4, 5, which cannot by any possibility be displaced without the
aid of suitable tools.
3dly. Continuity of resistance throughout the fence, the standards and
horizontal bars being so bound together from end to end that the pressure of
cattle or other force brought to bear on any given point of the structure is
distributed over a wide range thereof, and thus almost entirely annulled.
4thly. Economy, celerity, and facility of construction.
The preceding
remarks apply in a greater or less degree to hurdles, gates, and other struc-
tures, composed of intersecting bars or rails.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said improve-
ments, and the manner in which they are or may be carried into effect,
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
of construction and arrangement above laid down, as these may obviously be
modified in many respects without deviating from the principle or charac-
teristic features of my Invention. On the other hand I lay no exclusive claim
to the application of wedges or cotters as a means of securing the intersecting
bars of fences and similar structures, many arrangements based thereon being
already to my knowledge generally known and used; but what I do claim,
and desire to protect by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the
peculiar mode of connecting and sustaining the intersecting bars of iron fences,
hurdles, gates, and other analogous structures, by means of wedges or key
pieces, as in d, d, inserted at each end of an oblong aperture c, c, formed in
the cross bar b, b, at its point of junction with the standard a, a, so as to form

page_text: a permanent stay at each side of the latter, the said arrangement being repeated
at such intervals of the structure as may be found advisable, in manner and
for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and represented in the different
Figures of the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Andrew Ramsay Main, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
ADAM TURNBULL.
JAMES A. R. MAIN. (L.S.)