Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6830211
-
Patent Number
6,830,211
-
Date Filed
Monday, June 24, 200221 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 14, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Polson; Margaret
- Patent Law Offices of Rick Martin, P.C.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 242 5731
- 242 5739
- 242 5761
- 242 557
- 242 5737
- 242 573
- 242 3907
- 242 394
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A fence winding reel device including a rotatable frame with a slotted groove along its length and a pair of curved plates, together which comprise an expandable core. In an expanded position, a pair of expanders holds the pair of curved plates away the frame. An end of fence wire is placed into the slotted groove of the frame. The reel device may be connected to any standard earth auger mounted on a skidsteer loader. As the auger motor rotates, fence wire is wound around the expandable core to form a wound fence coil. Removing the fence coil from the reel device involves contracting the core, which narrows the distance between the expanders and the frame, and sliding the coil off the core and out of the frame groove. The reel device may also be used to lay down fence wire by operating the auger motor in a reverse rotational direction. A hydraulic core expander is also depicted.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to farm equipment for handling wire fences, especially for laying or retrieving wire fences. An auger fixture on a Bobcat® or other skidsteer loader is used to rotate a reel having an expandable core, wherein the reel retrieves a wire fence off the ground, or lays a roll of fencing down.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the most difficult farm tasks is the unwinding, laying and stretching of woven wire prior to its fastening onto the posts. While wire strand fence and barb wire may be extended over a ground area by two men using a shaft rod through the wire spool and then walking the proposed fence line, woven wire presents almost insurmountable problems due to its weight and inherent stiffness which resists unreeling. Obviously, the rewinding of the woven wire, if it is desired to take up the fence, presents even more of a problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,912,183 (1959) to Hull discloses a two-wheeled carriage towed behind a farm tractor. The carriage carries a spool that can wind up or lay out barbed wire or straight wire fencing. The device consists of many parts to accomplish its tasks.
The present invention is a spool that is placed onto an auger attachment on a Bobcat® or other skidsteer loader. The auger attachment is generally used to rotate a drill into the earth. The present invention uses the auger attachment to rotate the spool. The spool has an expandable core that uses wedges to expand the core while reeling the fencing in or out. When the fencing roll is ready to be disengaged, the core is reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main aspect of the present invention is to implement a fence winding system to lay or retrieve wire fences using a rotatable reel having an expandable core, the reel being driven by an auger drive assembly on a tractor.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an operator the ability to pick up and wind fence into a compact cylindrical coil for disposal or recycling without the need of hauling a trailer.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a fence handling attachment that may be easily attached or detached from a Bobcat® or other skidsteer loader.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a fence handling attachment that is economical in manufacture and durable in use.
Other aspects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a left side perspective view of a fence winding reel, the preferred embodiment mounted on a Bobcat®.
FIG. 2
is an exploded view of the fence winding reel shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is a frontal end view of the fence winding reel of
FIG. 1
showing the placement of an end of a wire into a starter groove.
FIG. 4
is a side plan view of the reel apparatus of
FIG. 1
with the core in the expanded position.
FIG. 5
is the same view as
FIG. 4
showing the removal of the wedges and narrowing of the core to the contracted position.
FIG. 6
is a side plan view of the preferred embodiment showing the removal of a wound fence coil from the reel apparatus which is in the contracted position.
FIG. 7
is an exploded view of a wedge and a wedge runner guide assembly.
FIG. 8
is a close-up side plan view of the wedge runner guide.
FIG. 9
is a side plan view of the fence winding reel apparatus using hydraulic cylinders, an alternate embodiment shown with the core in the expanded position.
FIG. 10
is the same view as
FIG. 9
with the core in the contracted position.
FIG. 11
is a side perspective view of an adapter for adapting the reel for use in conjunction with a specific auger drive assembly.
FIG. 12A
is a front view of backing plate P
B
which has been modified to engage auger fixture A.
FIG. 12B
is a side perspective view of reel
10
mounted to auger fixture A.
FIG. 13
is a side perspective view of reel
10
mounted to round shaft earth auger fixture C.
Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a left side perspective view of the fence winding reel
10
mounted on a skidsteer loader B. In this example, the skidsteer loader B employs a McMillan® brand earth auger A fixture to retrieve a wire fence
20
off the ground surface S or lay a roll of fencing down depending on the direction of the auger rotation R
A
. Wedges
30
,
31
of the fence winding reel
10
hold expanders
40
,
41
out at a winding diameter, d
1
, the expanded core position. A starter groove
60
holds one end of the wire fence
20
.
FIG. 1
also shows the earth auger fixture A mounted to a backing plate P
B
which attaches universally to the skidsteer loader B.
To use the fence winding reel
10
in conjunction with the earth auger fixture A, the backing plate P
B
may need to be modified. Auger fixture A is mounted to backing plate P
B
by inserting mounting pins
70
,
71
(See
FIGS. 12A
,
12
B) through mounting pin holes
75
,
76
located on two adjacent plates of a trapezoidal front portion
300
of the backing plate P
B
. As seen in
FIGS. 12A and 12B
, a stopper plate
80
may be welded onto backing plate P
B
at a location between the plates of front portion
300
and below pin holes
75
,
76
to support auger A out in a horizontal position.
When backing plate P
B
is tilted in a forward position on the skidsteer loader B, an operator may remove fence winding reel
10
, install a different auger fixture, e.g., a post hole driller, and proceed to drill holes. To alternate to a fence winding function, an operator tilts backing plate P
B
in a forward position, removes the auger fixture in use, installs fence winding reel
10
, and proceeds to spool up the fence wire
20
. Various functions may be performed through the use of the same backing plate P
B
and the same auger head, in this case, the auger fixture A.
Other types of earth augers may be used to perform the fence winding function. For example, a skidsteer loader operator may employ a round shaft earth auger fixture C (See FIG.
13
). The round shaft earth auger fixture C is mounted to backing plate P
B
by inserting mounting pins
90
,
91
(See
FIGS. 11
,
13
) through mounting pin holes
95
,
96
located on an auger adapter
200
. Auger fixture C is mounted between two adjacent plates of trapezoidal front portion
300
of the backing plate P
B
.
FIG. 2
is an exploded view of a fence winding reel
10
. Expanders
40
,
41
having hinged ends
113
,
114
, are connected through a hole in backing plate
100
and hinged to mounting flange
110
by means of expander hinges
115
,
116
and expander hinge pins
117
,
118
.
FIG. 4
shows an assembled view of expanders
40
,
41
. Mounting pin
120
is inserted into a mounting pin hole
125
to connect fence winding reel
10
to an auger motor
130
.
Expanders
40
,
41
are positioned adjacent to main frame
50
of fence winding reel
10
. Main frame
50
is connected to backing plate
100
and mounting flange
110
, preferably by welding. Expander springs
140
,
141
provide tension spacing between expander
40
and a top portion of main frame
50
while expander springs
142
,
143
provide tension spacing between expander
41
and a corresponding bottom portion of main frame
50
. Wedges
30
,
31
of the fencing winding reel
10
are used to hold expanders
40
,
41
away from main frame
50
. Wedge
30
is inserted into a wedge runner guide assembly
160
which includes a first portion
161
located along the length of main frame
50
and a second portion
162
located along the adjacent length of expander
40
(See FIG.
3
). Wedge guide assembly
160
is located in the spacing provided by expander springs
140
,
141
between main frame
50
and expander
40
. Wedge
31
is inserted into a wedge runner guide assembly
170
which includes a first portion
171
located along the length of main frame
50
and a second portion
172
located along the adjacent length of expander
41
(See FIG.
3
). Wedge guide assembly
170
is located in the spacing provided by expander springs
142
,
143
between main frame
50
and expander
41
. Starter groove
60
having a mounting flange end and an opposite open end is located along the length of main frame
50
. The mounting flange end of groove
60
begins at backing plate
100
.
FIG. 3
is a front end view of fence winding reel
10
wherein the dotted lines depict wire fence
20
. An end of wire fence
20
is placed into starter groove
60
of main frame
50
. Fence winding reel
10
is rotated in direction R to retrieve a wire fence
20
off ground surface S. Wedge
30
is shown inserted into wedge runner guide
160
between a first portion
161
and a second portion
162
. First portion
161
is located along the length of main frame
50
. Second portion
162
is located along the adjacent length of expander
40
. Wedge runner guide
170
having a first portion
171
and a second portion
172
holds wedge
31
(not shown) in place. First portion
171
is located along the length of main frame
50
and second portion
172
is located along the length of expander
41
FIG. 4
shows reel
10
in an assembled configuration. Expanders
40
and
41
are connected through backing plate
100
and hinged to mounting flange
110
at expander hinges
115
and
116
, respectively at hinged ends
113
,
114
. Mounting pin
120
is shown in an inserted position connecting fence winding reel
10
to auger motor
130
. Fence wire
20
is inserted into starter groove
60
. Wedges
30
,
31
hold expanders
40
,
41
away from main frame
50
. Fence winding reel
10
is used to spool or unspool fence
20
depending on the direction of auger rotation R
A
.
FIG. 5
is the same view of reel
10
as FIG.
4
. Here, the dotted lines depict wire fence
20
in a spooled configuration. Wedges
30
,
31
, which are used to hold expanders
40
,
41
away from main frame
50
, are shown being removed from fence winding reel
10
in direction F. The spacing provided by expander springs
140
,
141
between main frame
50
and expander
40
is narrowed as wedge
30
is removed in direction F. The spacing provided by expander springs
142
,
143
between main frame
50
and expander
41
is narrowed as wedge
31
is removed in direction F.
FIG. 6
is a side plan view of reel
10
showing the removal of spooled fence
20
which is depicted by dotted lines. After wedges
30
,
31
have been removed from reel
10
, narrowing the spacing between main frame
50
and expanders
40
,
41
, wherein the core is in a contracted position, d
2
, fence
20
is slid off reel
10
in direction F. The end portion of fence
20
, which is engaged in starter groove
60
, is slid out of the open end of groove
60
located along the length of main frame
50
.
FIGS. 7 and 8
illustrate how a wedge is placed into a wedge runner guide assembly.
FIG. 7
shows wedge
31
and second portion
172
of wedge runner guide assembly
170
located along the length of expander
41
.
FIG. 8
shows first portion
171
of wedge runner guide
170
located along the length of main frame
50
. In operation, wedge
31
is inserted in direction P into a guide space created when the first and second portions of the wedge runner guide align so that it is positioned between expander
41
and frame
50
. Expander springs
142
,
143
connect expander
41
to main frame
50
by means of spring loops
182
,
183
. Although not shown, wedge
30
engages expander
40
in a similar way. Therefore, expander springs
140
,
141
connect expander
40
to main frame
50
by means of spring loops
180
,
181
(not shown). Hinged end
113
acts as a stopper when inserting wedge
31
. Similarly, hinged end
114
acts as a stopper for wedge
30
.
FIGS. 9 and 10
are side plan views of another embodiment of reel
10
. In this example, hydraulic means are used to facilitate the fence winding operation.
FIG. 9
shows reel
10
in an expanded position. Hydraulic means
150
are used to hold expanders
40
,
41
out at an expanded core position, d
1
, of main frame
50
having starter groove
60
.
FIG. 10
shows reel
10
in an unexpanded or contracted position, d
2
.
FIG. 11
is a side perspective view of adapter
200
for adapting reel
10
for use in conjunction with a round shaft earth auger fixture C (See FIG.
13
).
FIG. 12A
is a front view of backing plate P
B
which has been modified to engage auger fixture A.
FIG. 12B
is a side perspective view of reel
10
in which backing plate P
B
has been modified to accommodate auger fixture A. Auger fixture A is mounted to backing plate P
B
by inserting mounting pins
70
,
71
(See
FIG. 12B
) through mounting pin holes
75
,
76
(See
FIG. 12A
) which are located on two adjacent plates of a trapezoidal front portion
300
of the backing plate P
B
. As shown, a stopper plate
80
may be welded onto backing plate P
B
at a location between the plates of front portion
300
and below pin holes
75
,
76
to support auger A out in a horizontal position.
FIG. 13
is a side perspective view of reel
10
mounted to round shaft earth auger fixture C, which is shown mounted to backing plate P
B
by mounting pins
90
,
91
through mounting pin holes
95
,
96
(See
FIG. 11
) located on an auger adapter
200
. Auger fixture C is mounted between two adjacent plates of trapezoidal front portion
300
of the backing plate P
B
.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred.
Claims
- 1. A reel attachable to a rotating drive assembly, said reel comprising:a connector to a rotating drive assembly; a central frame fastened to the connector forming a rotatable assembly; said rotatable assembly having a first hinge base; a first expanding core member pivotally connected to the first hinge base; a first wedge sized to fit between the central frame and the first expanding core member; wherein said first expanding core member, said first wedge, and said rotatable assembly form a reel having a contracted position when the first wedge is removed, and having an expanded position when the first wedge is inserted, thereby providing a fence winding reel that can contract its core size to enable a fence winding to be removed; and wherein the first expanding core member further comprises a longitudinal cylindrical segment having a wedge groove in its inside concave surface.
- 2. The reel of claim 1, wherein the central frame further comprises a cylindrical body having a wedge groove.
- 3. The reel of claim 2, wherein the wedge further comprises a flat, tapered body which slidably engages the cylindrical body wedge groove and the longitudinal cylindrical segment wedge groove.
- 4. The reel of claim 1, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises a backing plate.
- 5. The reel of claim 4, wherein the backing plate further comprises a mount between the first hinge base and a distal end of the rotatable assembly, wherein the first expanding core member moves in an opening in the backing plate.
- 6. The reel of claim 1, wherein the first expanding core member further comprises an expander spring to tension the first expanding core member against the rotatable assembly.
- 7. The reel of claim 1 further comprising a second hinge base connected to the rotatable assembly, a second core member pivotally connected to the second hinge base, and a second wedge.
US Referenced Citations (19)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0096494-A2 |
May 1983 |
EP |
04089131-A |
Mar 1992 |
JP |