Improved Apparatus for Applying Stay or Cross Wires to the Longitudinal Wires of Wire Fencing.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1897-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1898
Improved Apparatus for Applying Stay or Cross Wires to the
Longitudinal Wires of Wire Fencing.
We, SHERMAN GRANT MOONEY and WILLIAM JOHNSON MOONEY, Mechanics, both
residing at Pattonsburgh, in the County of Daviess and State of Missouri, one of
the United States of America, 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:-
The invention relates to an apparatus for applying stay or cross wires and
weaving them upon the longitudinal wires of a fence, the object being to apply
the stay wires to longitudinal wires that have been previously stretched upon and
secured to the fence posts, by wrapping said stay wires upon the longitudinal
wires at each intersection of the said stay wires therewith.
It consists in a construction and arrangement of the parts of the apparatus or
machine, whereby the above object is attained in a simple and effective manner by
means adapted for use by the farmer or others without the aid of an expert in
wire weaving, and will be understood from the following description and clainis,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine or apparatus.
Figure 2, a front elevation of the same, showing a section of the fence wires
with the apparatus in operative relation thereto.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the apparatus.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the spool winding lever detached, and
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the shuttle shaft and spools, detached.
1, indicates the upright frame made preferably in inverted U-shape, or rather
with its cross bar in right-angled relation to the upright frame bars 1-1 which
are made preferably solid and in one piece with the upper transverse bar thereof.
The lower ends of these uprights are secured to a suitable transverse beam, 1*
which at its ends is secured to longitudinal bars forming a suitable support for
the upright frame 1. 2-2 indicate blocks perforated or mortised vertically and
adapted to slide upon the upright frame bars 1, said bars forming bearings for
the transversely arranged shaft carrying the wire weaving journals. The blocks 2
are divided preferably longitudinally at points indicated at 3, the line of separa-
tion between the upper and lower parts of the blocks being inclined, as shown, for
adapting the said parts to be separated for the introduction of the journals of the
shuttle shaft 5 which is made in the crank form shown, intermediate between its
journals which rest in bearings in the block 2. The journals 6 are fast on the
arms of the crank axle portion, the bearing for the journals 6 being slotted at 4,
preferably at the point of junction of the divided portions of the bearing blocks,
to permit the passage between them of the longitudinal fence wires, and the
journals 6 are slotted upon one side to receive the said longitudinal wires. The
ends of the crank arms of the axle are made substantially in disc form, as indicated,
and are also slotted for the reception of the longitudinal fence wires in line with

page_text: the slots 7 in the shaft journals. The outer ends of the journals are provided
one with a disc 8 and the other with a pinion 9 which serve in connection with
the disc ends of the crank axle, to prevent longitudinal movement of the journals
in their bearings in the block 2. On the opposite side of the center of the jour-
nals 6 from that provided with the slot or groove 7, the journals are provided with
longitudinal perforations 10 through which wires pass from spools 11-11 mounted
on suitable journals secured to the crank portion of the axle, upon which the wire
is wound for forming the stay rods connecting the longitudinal wires of the fence.
These spools are provided with perforations or eyes upon their forward flanges
upon opposite sides of their journals to receive a crank arm for operating the spools
for unwinding the wires thereon, préparatory to the operation of the machine in
applying the stay wires. These spools are arranged at right angles to the journals
and upon one side of the slots for receiving the longitudinal fence wires so that
they may be carried around said longitudinal wires in wrapping the stay wires
thereon. The pinion 9 upon the outer end of one of the journals engages with a
spur gear 12 mounted on a stud shaft 13 fast on the horizontal arm 14 rigidly
secured to the gear block to move therewith. Upon the shaft 13 is pivoted a bi-
furcated arm or lever 15, which at or near its outer end carries a pawl 16 adapted
to engage with the teeth 12 for actuating the latter, and with it the pinion 9 fast
on the shuttle shaft 5. The lever 15 at the end of its outer throw rests. upon &
stop 17 limiting its throw in that direction, its movement in the opposite direction
being limited by a transverse shaft 18 mounted in suitable uprights 19, fast on
the gear block to move therewith.
The shaft 18 is provided intermediate between the uprights with a sleeve or
collar 20 which serves to steady the movements of the shaft, said shaft being pro-
vided at its ends with curved pendent arms 21, adapted to be thrown forward for
removing the longitudinal wires from the grooved journals of the shuttle shaft and
the slots thereof in the journal bearings after the stay rods or wires have been
wound upon the longitudinal fence wires. The end of the shaft adjacent to the
gear wheel 12 is squared, and carries a pawl 22, which, as the arms 21 are moved
forward to discharge the wires from the slots of the journals and the journal
bearings as described, is thrown into engagement with the toothed wheel 12 for
holding the latter in position until the lever 15 with its pawl is retracted for
engaging again said wheel for operating the same. The journals 6 and the ex-
panded ends or discs on the ends of the crank arm thereof, have also a disc and
pinion, on their outer ends, and the said journals are perforated to permit the
passage through them of the wires from the spools 11-11, one upon each side from
the spool adjacent thereto, as shown in Figure 2.
The frame supported upon the bearing blocks to which the transverse shuttle
shaft is journaled, may be of any suitable construction, simply serving to connect
the bearing blocks and to be adjusted therein as the said blocks are moved up
or down on said frame standards 1. The upper, movable portions of the divided
bearing blocks may each be provided with lugs 23, perforated to receive set
screws 24 engaging with similar lugs on the lower portions of the blocks, for
holding the upper movable portions of the blocks in engagement with the lower
portions thereof, the arrangement being such as to permit the upper portions of
the blocks to be readily removed for permitting the removal of the shuttle journals
and shaft from the divided blocks, "when required for any purpose.
In operation, the frame carrying the shuttle shaft is moved up or down on the
standards 1 until the open slots in the jaws and in the shaft journals fall into
engagement with one of the longitudinal wires of the fence after the ends of the
spool wires have been connected with the upper or lower wire of said fence as
preferred. As soon as the journals are engaged with the longitudinal wires de-
scribed, a rotary movement is imparted to the shuttle shaft by means of the gear
wheel 12 and the pinion 9 fast upon said shaft, a quarter of a revolution of the
wheel 12 serving to impart an entire revolution to the shuttle shaft, and in so
doing to wrap the stay wires around the longitudinal wires engaged by the shuttle

page_text: shaft journals. If more than one wrapping is required; the lever 15 is retracted
and another quarter revolution given to the wheel 12 thereby imparting another
revolution to the shuttle shaft and wrapping the stay wires once more around the
longitudinal wires, and this operation may be repeated for wrapping the stay wires
around the longitudinal wires as many times as may be deemed necessary, after
which the shuttle bearing frame is adjusted up or down on the frame standards I
to the next longitudinal wire, according as the direction of the adjustment is
determined beforehand, and the stay wires may be wrapped upon said longitudinal
wires as above described, two stay wires being wrapped upon the longitudinal
wires at each revolution of the shuttle shaft. 25 indicates a suitable lever handle
for engaging the socketed forward face of the spools for rotating the same and
winding from each a supply of wire to be used in the operation of the apparatus.
By the construction described, a simple and effective apparatus is provided which
is alapted to be used by the farmer or his assistant for readily applying stay
wires to longitudinal fence wires that have already been stretched upon and
secured to posts in the usual manner, thereby obviating the necessity of purchasing
a woven wire fence or of procuring the services of an expert for applying and
weaving the stay wires upon the longitudinal wires of a fence.
In practice the shuttle, including the crank shaft 5, the slotted journals 6, the
slotted and perforated end discs and pinions 9, are all cast in one piece, thereby
greatly reducing the cost of manufacture as compared with forming said parts
separate and then securing them to each other, and obviating all liability of relative
movement or displacement of the parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
-
1. In an apparatus for applying stay wires to longitudinal wires, a revoluble
shaft made in crank form and provided with slotted journals for engaging the
longitudinal wires, substantially as described.
2. In a wire weaving apparatus, the revoluble shaft made in crank form and
provided with slotted journals for the reception of the longitudinal wires and with
longitudinal perforations for the stay wires passing through said journals, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In a wire weaving apparatus, the revoluble shaft or shuttle made in crank
form and provided with slotted journals, and spool spindles secured to the crank
portion of said shuttle shaft at right angles to and upon one side of the centre of the
axis of said shaft, substantially as described.
4. In a wire weaving apparatus, the revoluble shaft or shuttle made in crank
form and provided with slotted journals, the crank portions intermediate said
journals carrying stay wire spools, and means for rotating said shaft, substantially
as described.
5. In a wire weaving apparatus, the revoluble shaft or shuttle made in crank
form and provided with slotted and perforated journals, spool spindles secured to
the crank portion of said shaft intermediate said journals and at one side thereof,
slotted bearings for said journals, a pinion fast on one journal, and means for
actuating said pinion and shaft, substantially as described.
6. The combination in a fence wire weaving machine or apparatus, of the up-
right frame, the revoluble shaft journaled in divided bearings adjustable on
said frame, said shaft journals and bearings being slotted to receive the longi-
tudinal fence wires, a pinion fast on one of said journals, a gear wheel engaging
said pinion, and a lever for actuating said gear wheel, substantially as described.
7. A suitable shaft having slotted journals for engaging the longitudinal fence
wires and longitudinal perforations for the passage of stay wires. on opposite sides
of the journal centers from the longitudinal wires, means for actuating said
shaft, and pivoted arms for removing the longitudinal wires from the slotted
shuttle shaft journals, substantially as described.

page_text: 8. The combination with a wire fence weaving machine of a crank axle pro-
vided with slotted and perforated journals for receiving the longitudinal and stay
wires, stay wire spools mounted on the crank portion of the said shuttle shaft, a
pinion fast on one journal of said shaft, a gear wheel and lever for actuating said
pinion, the arms for removing the longitudinal wires from the slots in said
journals, and a pawl connected therewith for engaging the pinion actuating gear
wheel and holding the same while the lever actuating said wheel is being retracted,
substantially as described.
T
1007
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.