Improvements in Fence, Gate, Telegraph, and other Posts.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 24th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fence, Gate, Telegraph, and other Posts.
I WILLIAM HANNA THOMSON of 7 West 56th Street, New York, in the County and
State of New York United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declaro
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a base or support for fence, gate, telegraph and other posts
which is stiffened and held in place by detachable cross stakes or pins inserted
through the base and driven into the ground.
The invention has for its object to provide a base having detachable anchor cross-
pins which will project laterally from the base into the ground and interlock each
other, thereby preventing them from being displaced and firmly holding the base in
position.
The invention consists in a base having detachable interlocking, anchor cross-pins,
constructed and arranged as hereinafter described for the purpose of a fence post, the
arrangement being similar when applied to the other purposes mentioned.
The base may be of any suitable form or material in a single piece or in
sections fastened together and preferably formed with a pointed or tapering lower
end, whereby it may be driven into the ground. The base has a socket at its upper
end to receive the lower end of the fence post and is also formed with an internal
chamber or cavity, having inclined opposite aligning openings irregularly placed in
its walls for the interlocking anchor-pins to extend through in a downwardly inclined
direction, cross-wise to each other.
The pins are of flat shape with pointed ends, so as to readily enter the ground and
are formed with suitable heads. They may be formed with square heads which rest in
countersunk recesses in the sides of the hase, the recesses having notches in their
edges, by means of which the heads may be grasped with a tool to pull the anchor-
pins out of their slots. The opposite aligning openings are located in the upper part
of the base so that a sufficient length of the base extends beneath the openings to be
driven into the ground.
The base is driven into the ground until the upper openings of each pair of the
openings is about even with the surface of the ground and the lower openings are
beneath the surface.
The pins are inserted through their openings in regular order to interlock each
other, the one pin being first inserted through its openings and driven into the ground
until its head enters its recess, its fellow pin is then passed through its upper
opening through an opening in the first pin, through the lower opening in the base
and driven into the ground until its head enters its recess. The other pins are
similarly introduced.
By this means the base will be held firmly in the ground and will remain steady in
upright position, so as to prevent the post from sagging or tipping. The anchor pins
cannot become separately loosened or displaced, as being interlocked they must move
together. The anchor pin last inserted, may be secured in place by any suitable
means, as by means of a pin passing through a hole therein and extending on each
side of the lower slot adjacent to the base. In order that the pins may clear one
another two of them are notched on their edges. When the anchor pins are in
position, one pair of the pins will be concealed in the base and beneath the ground,
and a portion of the other pair of pins will appear above the ground.
To remove the base, the pins are drawn out in the reverse order from that in which
they were put into place, when the base may be pulled up. It will thus be seen that
the base may be readily secured in the ground, by driving it without first having to-

page_text: excavate a hole, and then securing the anchor pins in place thereby affording a firm
and stable fence post base.
"
It is obvious. that, any number of anchor pins desired, may be employed, and that
they may be made found instead of flat. The base may be also made with any
number of sides.
Dated this 18th day of June 1889 :
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fence, Gate, Telegraph, and other Posts.
I, WILLIAM HANNA THOMSON of 7 West 56th Street, New York in the County and
State of New York, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, 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 may be embodied in posts whose base and body portions are formed,
integrally, or in a base that forms a socket for the post proper.
The Invention consists in a fence, gate, telegraph, or other post having anchor pins
that interlock with the post and with each other. It also consists in the various
constructions as hereinafter defined.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifi-
cation in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of a fence post base in position for supporting a post, with
a portion of the anchor pins in cross section.
Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof on the line x-x Figure 1 with a portion of the
anchor pins broken away, and a portion in section.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the invention with the post in horizontal section on the
line z-z Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail of the invention showing the base broken away and one of the
anchor pins slightly drawn out of the base.
.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the invention on the line y-y, Figure 2.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the invention showing the base broken and
the anchor pins in interlocked position.
away
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a post constructed in accordance with the terms
of my invention, the base and body portions being in one.
Figure 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the post shown in Figure 7, one
anchor pin only being shown in position, parts being broken away.
Figure 9 is a view upon the same scale as that employed in Figure 8, all of the
anchor pins being represented as being in position in this figure, and parts being
broken away..
Figure 10 is a sectional plan view on line 4-4 of Figure 8.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a modified construction wherein four anchor
pins instead of three are employed.
Figure 12 is a cross sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 11, the upper pair of
anchor pins being omitted; and
.
Figure 13 is a sectional plan view of a post made from star shaped metal.
In the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, the invention is embodied in the
base, the same forming a socket for the post proper. The base may be of any
suitable form, either angular or round, of cast or wrought metal, in a single piece or
-in sections fastened together and preferably formed with a pointed or tapering lower
end, whereby it may be driven into the ground.
As here shown the base 1 is formed with sides 2, the tapering lower end 3, and a
socket 4 at its upper end which may be of any desired shape to receive the lower end
of a post 5. The base 1 is also formed with an internal chamber or cavity 6 having

page_text: inclined opposite aligning openings 7. 8. 9. 10 irregularly placed in its walls for the
interlocking anchor pins 71 81 91 10¹ to extend through in a downwardly inclined
direction, crosswise to each other.
The pins 7.81 9 and 10¹ are of flat shape with pointed ends 11 so as to. readily:
enter the ground and are formed with suitable heads. As shown, they are formed
with square heads 12 which rest in countersunk recesses 13 in the sides of the base,
the recesses 13 having notches 14 in their edges whereby the heads 12 may be
grasped with a tool to remove the anchor pins. The opposite aligning openings 7. 8.
9: 10 are located in the upper part of the base 1 so that a sufficient length of the base
extends beneath the openings to be driven into the ground.
In practice, the base is driven into the ground until the upper opening 8 is about
even with the surface of the ground, the lower openings 7 and 8 being beneath the
surface, as shown in Figure 1.
The pins 7 8 9 10 are inserted through their openings in regular order to
interlock each other, the pin 7 being first inserted through its openings 7 and driven
into the ground until its head 12 enters its recess 13; the pin 81 is then passed
through its upper opening 8 through an opening 15 in pin 71 through.its lower
opening 8 and driven into the ground until its head 12 enters its recess 13; the
pin 91 is then inserted through its openings 9 and driven into the ground until it's
head 12 enters its recess 13¹; and lastly the pin 10 is passed through its upper
opening 10 through an opening 16 in pin 9' through its lower opening 10, and driven
into the ground until its head 12 enters its recess 13.
By means of the foregoing described arrangement of interlocking anchor pins, the
base 1 will be held firmly in the ground and will remain steady in upright position so
'as to prevent the post from sagging or tipping. The anchor pins.cannot become
separately loosened or displaced, as being interlocked they must move together. The
anchor pin 10 last inserted may be secured in place by any suitable means. As
here shown, it is fastened by means of a pin 17 passing through a hole 18 in said
anchor pin and extending on each side of the lower slot 10 adjacent to base 1. In
order that the pin 10¹ may clear the pins 71 and 8', the pin 7 is formed with a
notch.19 on one edge thereof, and the piu 8' with a notch 20..
To remove the base, the pins 71 81 9 10¹ are drawn out in the reverse order from
that in which they were put into place, the pin 17 being removed from pin 101 and
the latter withdrawn from place, and so on in succession, ending.with pin 7 when
the base 1 may be pulled up. It will thus be seen that the base 1 may be readily
secured in the ground by driving it, without first having to excavate a hole, and then
securing the anchor pins in place, thereby affording a firm and stable post base.
It is obvious that any number of anchor pins desired may be employed, and that
they may be made round instead. of flat. The base 1 may be also made with any
number of sides.
Referring now specially to Figures 7 to 10 the numeral 10 represents a fence, post
that is made of T metal, preferably iron, and preferably sharpened at the lower end
as shown at a. In the web b of the post 10, 1 form apertures and d that are
arranged to receive anchor pins 20 and 30, such pins being formed respectively, with
heads 21 and 31 that extend at about right angles to the pin body and rest: against
the post web. The apertures c and d are so located that when the anchor pins are in
position, the pin 30 will overlap the head of the pin 20. In order, that the pins may
be held to place, I prefer to aperture the heade of the post 10 to provide for the
admission of locking pins 2.3. and14.
.. Under certain circumstances it would only be necessary to employ anchor pins
arranged as above described, but in order to impart greater stability to the post, I
greatly prefer to form an aperture in the head e; such aperture being slightly below
the aperture c and being arranged to receive a headed anchor pin 40' that is formed
with a notch h arranged to receive that one of the lower edges of the pin 20 that is
adjacent to the post head e, and in connection with the anchor pin 40 I greatly prefer
to arrange a locking pin 5 which passes through an aperture formed in the pin 40,
and also through an aperture formed in the post web b.

page_text: :
In setting up the post, a slight excavation is made at the point where the post is to
stand; and then the post proper is driven into the ground until the aperture dis
slightly below the surface line. When the post has been so driven into the ground
the anchor pin 40 is passed through its aperture and driven downward until its
head 41 rests snugly against the outer face of the post. The pin 20 is then passed,
through its aperture and driven downward, and finally the pin 30 is driven to place,
the locking pins 2. 3. 4 and 5 being applied as most convenient.
After the several pins have been adjusted, as represented in Figure 7, the pin 20
will act to prevent any accidental displacement of the pin 40 and the pin 30 will hold
the pin 20 against upward, movement, greater security being obtained by the use of
the locking pins..
f.
-In Figures 11 and 12 1 illustrate a modified form of the invention. In this form,
in addition to the pins 20, 30 and 40, I employ a pin 50 which passes through an
aperture formed in the post head below the aperture f, and this pin 50 I form with
a head 51 that overlaps the web b and rests within a recess h¹ formed in the pin 40,
the locking pin 5 being arranged to pass through the pin 50 as shown.
This feature of the invention-causing the head of one anchor pin to engage the
web and the recessed shank of the companion anchor pin-will be found very
desirable in practice, as it affords a simple and very effective support for the post.
The post, if desired, may be made of star shaped metal (see figure 13).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1st. A fence, gate, telegraph, or other post and anchor pins therefor constructed
substantially as described and shown.
* 2nd. The combination with a post, of anchor pins interlocked with the post and
with each other, substantially as described.
3rd. The combination with a post having apertures located one above the other,
of anchor pins adapted to said, apertures, the upper one extending across the head of
the lower one, substantially as described.
4th. The combination with a post made angular in cross section, of an anchor pin
extending through an aperture of one web or member of the post and locked to the
adjacent web or member, substantially as described.
5th. The combination with a post made T shaped in cross section and having
apertures located one above another, of headed anchor pins adapted to said apertures,
substantially as described.
6th. The combination with a post made angular in cross section, the webs forming
the post being at right angles to each other, or approximately so, of a headed anchor
pin that extends through one of said webs and engages by its head with the adjacent
web, substantially as described.
7th: The combination with a post made angular in cross section, the webs forming
the post being at right angles to each other, or approximately so, of an anchor pin
passing through an aperture in one web of the post and a second anchor pin passing
through an adjacent web and engaging by its head with the post and with the shank
of the first named pin. substantially as described..
1000
Dated April 18th 1830.
W. H. THOMSON.
By A. M. & Wm..Clark,
58, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.