Year: 1888

page_text: I, HENRY SMITH, of the Brierley Hill Iron Works, near Dudley, in the County
of Worcester, Fencing Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to that class of metal fencing in which vertical bars or
uprights are employed at certain distances for supporting horizontal or other wires or
rods, and this invention consists of improvements in the horizontal top bars and in the
means of securing the same to the uprights, the objects being to so construct the said
top bars and the upper ends of the uprights that by merely sliding the top bars
endwise on the tops of the uprights the top bars and uprights will engage and be
securely fixed together and so as to protect the tops of the uprights to prevent injury
to cattle.
According to one method of carrying out this invention I employ a top bar of
T-iron (by preference that kind known as "round-backed ") which has a bulb or swell
along the edge of the web or single member. In the top of each of the uprights
I provide a vertical slot the lower part of which is swelled out or enlarged, these slots
being of similar shape to the cross-section of the web or single member of the top bar
which they will admit easily. The extreme top ends of the uprights are preferably
squared off or otherwise shaped so as to abut against the T-head or flanges of the
top bar.
When a certain number of these uprights have been erected in position the end of
the web or single member of a length of top bar is threaded through the said slots in
the uprights one after the other. The bulbed or swelled edge of the web engaging
with the enlarged part of the slot securely holds the top bar and uprights together;
and the tops of the uprights being covered by the top bars are protected from
injuring cattle. The meeting ends of the top bars are secured together by fish plates
and cottars or by other means.
The edges of the T-head or flanges of the top har are sometimes turned down for a
short distance parallel with the centre web so as to embrace the uprights and connect
thai mara caouzalyv

page_text: Instead, of the top bar being of T section with a bulbed web as above described, a
top bar of angle section with a bulb along one edge, or a bar of channel or other
-section-may-be-used which will engage-with-the uprights as above described. When
a channel section top bar is used the channel is underneath and its edges are turned
inwardly and engage in corresponding slots in the sides of the uprights.
Dated this 12th day of March 1888.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Fencing.
I, HENRY SMITH, of the Brierley Hill Iron Works, near Dudley, in the County
of Worcester, Fencing Manufacturer, 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 reference to that class of metal fencing in which vertical bars or
uprights are employed at certain distances for supporting horizontal or other wires or
rods, and this invention consists of improvements in the horizontal top bars and in the
means of securing the same to the uprights, the objects being to so construct the said
top bars and the upper ends of the uprights that by merely sliding the top bars
endwise on the tops of the uprights, the top bars and uprights will engage and be
securely fixed together and so as to protect the tops of the uprights to prevent injury
to cattle.
"
According to one method of carrying out this invention I employ a top bar of
T-iron or steel (by preference that kind known as round-backed") which has a bulb
or swell along the edge of the web or single member. In the top of each of the
uprights I provide a vertical slot the lower part of which is swelled out or enlarged,
these slots being of similar shape to the cross-section of the web or single member of
the top bar which they will admit easily. The extreme top ends of the uprights are
preferably squared off or otherwise shaped so as to abut against the T-head or flanges
of the top bar.
When a certain number of these uprights have been erected in position the end of
the web or single member of a length of top bar is threaded through the said slots in
the uprights one after the other. The bulbed or swelled edge of the web engaging
with the enlarged part of the slot securely holds the top bar and uprights together;
and the tops of the uprights being covered by the top bars are protected from injuring
cattle. The meeting ends of the top bars are secured together by, fish plates and
cottars or by other means.

page_text: The edges of the T-head or flanges of the top bar are sometimes turned down for a
short distance parallel with the centre web so as to embrace the uprights and connect
to them more securely.
Instead of the top bar being of T-section with a bulbed web as above described a
top bar of angle section with a bulb along one edge, or a bar of channel or other
section may be used which will engage with the uprights as above described. When.
a channel section top bar is used the channel is underneath and its edges are turned.
inwardly and engage in corresponding slots in the side of the upright.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shews how a T iron or steel top bar for metal
fencing is formed and fixed to the uprights according to my invention; Fig. 2 shews
the upper part of. the upright bar and the cross section of the top.bar separately;
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but with a modified form of top bar and Figs. 4, 5
and 6 illustrate further modifications of my invention.
Referring firstly more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a is the T iron or steel top bar
which is by preference "round-backed" having the bulb or swell a' along the edge of
the web or single member a². bis the upper part of one of the uprights having at
the top a vertical slot c the bottom of which is swelled out to fit the bulb a' so that the
single web a of the T-iron or steel top bar with its bulb a' will fit easily in the
slot c.
When the web or single member a² with its bulb a' has been threaded through the
slot c in the uprights, the bulb or swelled edge al of the web a² engaging with the
enlarged part of the slot c securely holds the top bar a and the uprights 6 together,
and the tops of the uprights being covered by the top bar are protected from injuring
cattle. Ordinary fish plates and cottars or other usual means are employed for
securing the ends of the top bars together.
Fig. 3 shews the modification of my invention in which the edges of the top bar are
turned down at a³ parallel with the centre web so as to embrace the uprights and
connect to them more securely.
In the modification illustrated by Fig. 4 the top bar is made of angle iron or steel
with a bulb or swell rolled along one edge to engage in the slot c in the uprights b.
Fig. 5 illustrates a further modification of my invention in which the top bar is
of channel section the channel being underneath and its lower edges turned
inwardly to engage in corresponding side slots or notches & in the uprights b.
Fig. 6 shews another form of channel section top bar in which the sides of the
channel incline towards each other, the tops of the uprights being made of a
dovetail form to fit between them and prevent the top bar being lifted off.
Various sections of uprights are shewn on the drawing in connection with the
different top bars but it is to be understood that different kinds of uprights can
be used with any particular cross bar as the sections of the uprights employed forum
no part of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In metal fencing, securing the top bar to the upright bars by means of a
projecting longitudinal rib or ribs rolled integral with the top bar engaging in a
corresponding slot or slots in the uprights, for the purposes and substantially as
herein before set forth.
2nd. In metal fencing, the employment of a T-section top bar a having a bulb or
rib along the central web engaging in a corresponding slot c in the tops of the
uprights, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of
the accompanying drawing.
3rd. In metal fencing, the employment of an -section top bar having a bulb or
rib along one edge engaging in a corresponding slot c in the tops of the uprights,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Fig. 4 of the accompanying
drawing.

page_text: 4th. In metal fencing, the employment of a channel section top bar having an
inwardly projecting rib along each of the sides engaging in corresponding side slots d
in the uprights, substantially as. berein before described and illustrated by Fig. 5 of
the accompanying drawing.
5th. In metal fencing, the employment of a channel section top bar having the side
ribs inclined towards each other engaging with corresponding dovetailed ends of the
uprights, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Fig. 6 of the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 8th day of D
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agont for the Applicant.