Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6360984
-
Patent Number
6,360,984
-
Date Filed
Thursday, July 15, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, March 26, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 242 557
- 242 2983
- 242 5985
- 242 403
- 242 3965
- 242 397
- 242 1252
- 242 580
- 256 37
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
An apparatus for handling woven wire fencing which in use is attached to a farm tractor. Disposed vertically between upper and lower horizontal framing members within a rectangular frame are a removable shaft, a hinged gate, and a vertical guide bar. The shaft is used to hold the roll of woven wire fencing uprightly atop the metal disk. In use, the wire fencing is simultaneously unrolled and pulled rearwardly through the nearly-closed gate, straightening the fencing material. Guide rails within the gate direct the fencing material towards a pair of horizontal fingers, each rigidly connected to the vertical guide bar and the rear vertical frame member. Once enough fencing material has been unrolled to span at least the distance between two fence posts, the gate is swung shut, clamping the wire against the rear vertical frame member.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention is in the art of woven fence wire handling and installing equipment.
BACKGROUND
Interest in apparatus which is attachable to a farm tractor for handling rolled woven wire fencing is evident as far back as 1959. In that year, Parker and Taylor patented a rather complicated apparatus capable of picking up a roll of woven fence wire on the ground and then rotating it into a vertical position. As also disclosed by Parker and Taylor in U.S. Pat. No. 2,914,270, a tractor's power take-off can be used to turn the roll so as to stretch the wire during installation.
Griffin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,348, which issued Aug. 7, 1962, discloses a fence stringing and stretching implement which provides a frame on which a reel of woven fence wire is mounted and a hydraulic cylinder which provides the force for stretching the woven fence wire.
Holub, U.S. Pat. No. 2,416,585, which issued Feb. 25, 1947, discloses a reel for fence wire which is mounted on a drawbar of a tractor. Holub uses a spring bias arm for stretching the wire.
Moon et al., U.S. Pat. No 5,163,634, disclose a fence stretching apparatus also mounted on the rear of a tractor. In Moon's combination, a reel of fencing material is held by a shaft in a vertical position in a triangular frame; and an hydraulic cylinder is used to stretch the fencing material just prior to securing it to the fence post.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved fence handling and installing apparatus which is low in cost and easy to use both in open fields and in wooded areas,
A further object of the present invention it to provide such an apparatus which does not require the use of an hydraulic cylinder in order to stretch woven fence wire. Not only is the cost lowered when an hydraulic cylinder is no longer needed but also its elimination simplifies the installation of the apparatus on a tractor.
A still further object is to provide an improved fence handling and installing apparatus which, during the installation process, straightens the wire fencing, overcoming its natural tendency to roll up again;
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tractor-pulled apparatus having a rectangular frame, a hinged gate and structures rigidly attached to the frame for guiding wire fencing as it is being pulled through the gate, while it is partially open, from a roll mounted on a shaft within the apparatus. The gate and guiding structures help to straighten the wire fencing and keep it from reverting to a curved shape as it is being unrolled. The stretching of the fencing material is accomplished by attaching a section of wire fencing, which has been pulled rearwardly of the gate, to a fence post, locking the gate so as to prevent any further discharge of wire fencing therethrough, and then moving the tractor slowly forward until the desired amount of tension has been applied to the wire fencing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a right side frontal perspective view of the field fence unroller and stretcher apparatus according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a top plan view of the apparatus according to
FIG. 1
, the apparatus being shown in position to be pulled by a farm tractor, the tractor, which forms no part of the claimed invention, being shown in dashed lines for illustrative purposes only;
FIG. 3
is a left side rear perspective view of the apparatus according to
FIGS. 1
, in which a gate therein is partially open and a roll of wire fencing material held in the apparatus is being unrolled and fed through the gate, the wire fencing which does not form part of the claimed invention being shown in dashed lines for illustrative purposes only;
FIG. 4
is an exploded view, on an enlarged scale, of a fragmentary portion of the apparatus according to
FIG. 1
, showing a portion of the gate;
FIG. 5
is a left: side rear perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a fragmentary portion of the apparatus according to
FIG. 1
, in which a gate closure bar and a vertical framing member therein are clamped together so as to hold a segment of wire fencing securely in place and prevent further unrolling of a roll of woven fence wire mounted in the apparatus, the wire fencing and roll, which do not form any part of the claimed invention, being shown in dashed lines for illustrative purposes only; and
FIG. 6
is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of a fragmentary portion of the apparatus according to FIG.
1
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, an improved fence handling and installing apparatus, indicated generally by the reference numeral
10
, comprises a generally rectangular frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members
11
,
12
, as well as front and rear vertical frame members
13
,
14
, and a hinged gate
30
(FIGS.
1
and
2
). In the preferred embodiment, the upper and lower horizontal frame members
11
,
12
are made from 4×4 inch square, hollow metal sections with ¼ thick walls; each frame member
11
,
12
measures, by way of example, about 6 feet in length and is spaced apart from the other a distance of about 5 feet. The front and rear vertical frame members
13
,
14
, on the other hand, are fabricated, respectively, from a 3×3 inch square, hollow section and a 3×3 inch angle section, both with ¼ inch thick walls.
With its mid-section disposed contiguous with the lower end of the front vertical frame member
13
, a cross beam
15
extends perpendicularly to and laterally from the lower horizontal and front vertical frame :members
12
and
13
(FIGS.
1
and
2
). Rigidly attached to both frame members
12
,
13
, the cross beam
15
includes mounting pins
16
, which extend laterally from distal ends of the beam
15
. The pins
16
are provided so that the beam can be easily attached to a tractor
40
with a three-point hitch (FIG.
2
). In the preferred embodiment, the total length of the cross beam
15
measures, by way of example, about 26 inches. The pins
16
, which are preferably category
1
or
2
pins, measure about
5
inches in length and about 1 inch in diameter.
The apparatus
10
, which is otherwise free to rotate about the pins
16
, also features a bracket
18
located about midway up the front side of the vertical frame member
13
(FIG.
1
). Used, alternately, to stabilize the rectangular frame or to rotate it either upwardly or downardly about the pins
16
, the bracket
18
holds a pin
19
to which a chain
43
or hydraulic cylinder (not shown) linked to the tractor
40
can be attached (FIG.
2
). When a tension force is applied to the bracket
18
, the rear of the apparatus
10
tends to rotate upward.
Holding a roll
4
of woven fence wire
42
in an upright position between the upper and lower frame members
11
,
12
is a removable shaft
21
arid a circular disk
22
fixedly attached to the lower frame member (FIG.
3
). The disk
22
, which serves as a platform on which to rest the roll
41
, preferably measures about 22 inches in diameter. A collar
24
, through which the shaft
21
can be slid, is attached to the upper surface of the frame member
11
and is aligned with an opening formed therein and with a hole
23
in the disk
22
(FIGS.
1
and
3
). Both the opening in the frame member
11
and the hole
23
are sized to slideably receive the shaft
21
. In the preferred embodiment, the opening and the hole
23
aligned therewith, as well as the shaft
21
, measure, by way of example, approximately 1 inch in diameter. In an alternate embodiment, in which the disk
22
is not welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the lower horizontal frame member
12
, a hole formed therein of approximately the same size as the hole
23
and disposed directly beneath it is also provided. A pinch bolt
25
, which threadedly engages the collar
24
, is employed to hold the shaft
21
in a fixed position.
In preparation for use, the shaft
21
is raised upwardly through the collar
24
until its lower end is high enough above the disk
22
for one to place a roll
41
of woven fence wire
42
in an upright position on this disk, The shaft
21
is then lowered through the collar
22
and into the hollow core (not shown) of the roll
42
. Once the lower end of the shaft
21
has been inserted into the hole
23
, a pinch bolt
25
on the collar
22
can be tightened, securing the upper end of the shaft (FIG.
3
).
In order to control the escape of wire
42
from the roll
41
, a gate
30
is incorporated into the apparatus
10
, as shown in
FIGS. 1 through 6
. The gate
30
includes a riser
31
, an elongated closure bar
36
spaced apart from the riser, and two horizontal guide rails
34
,
35
. Both the rear vertical frame member
14
and the closure bar
36
are fabricated from angle bar stock (FIG.
3
). Distal ends of the guide rails
34
,
35
are affixed to the riser
31
and closure bar
36
(FIG.
3
). Hinges
32
and
33
mounted on the upper and lower frame members
11
and
12
, respectively, pivotally connect the riser
31
to the rectangular frame (FIG.
3
).
Means for holding open the gate
30
includes sleeves
29
,
28
rigidly attached to the upper horizontal frame member
11
and the closure bar, respectively, and a removable, U-shaped spacer
38
which can be slideably inserted into both sleeves at once. In use, the gate
30
is held open by the spacer
38
while wire
42
is pulled from the roll
41
and passed rearwardly between the horizontal frame members
11
,
12
(FIG.
3
).
Means for straightening the wire
42
as it is being pulled from the roll
41
includes a guide bar
26
, the rear vertical frame member
14
and a plurality of horizontal fingers
27
which connect them, as well as the gate
30
(
FIGS. 1
,
3
and
5
). With the gate
30
partially ajar, the guide bar
26
directs the fencing material
42
, which otherwise has a tendency to curl back on itself as it is being unrolled, into an elongated vertical's lot between the vertical frame member
14
and the gate closure
36
(FIG.
3
).
When the desired amount of fencing material
42
has been discharged, the spacer
38
is removed; and the gate
30
is rotated about the hinges
32
,
33
so as to bring the gate closure bar
36
into abutment with the vertical frame member
14
. In this closed position, with the closure bar
36
partially nested within the rear vertical frame member
14
, the gate
30
is clamped shut (FIG.
5
). In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 5
, this clamping is accomplished by squeezing the vertical frame member
14
between the closure bar and one jaw of each of a plurality of locking pliers
37
, where each pair of pliers has an opposing jaw rigidly affixed to the closure bar
36
itself.
As the gate closure
36
presses against the vertical frame member
14
, the latter puts a small crease in the wire
42
. This small crease keeps the wire
42
from slipping out of the closed gate
30
when the tractor
40
is subsequently used to stretch the wire between a pair fence posts. Moreover, the apparatus
10
can form this crease in woven fencing material
42
fabricated from any one of a wide variety of weaves as well as from wire in a range of gauges.
A summary of the steps involved in a fencing operation using the apparatus
10
is as follows:
1. A roll
41
of woven wire fencing
42
is secured in an upright position atop the disk
22
with the use of the shaft
21
.
2. A tractor
40
is driven to the approximate location of the start of a line of fence posts.
3. The U-shaped spacer
38
is installed to hold the gate
30
open.
4. A few yards of the fencing material
42
is pulled from the roll
41
as it turns on the disk
22
about the shaft
21
.
5. The fencing material
42
is attached in the normal manner to the first fence post.
6. The tractor
40
is then driven forward to the second fence post as the fencing material
42
simultaneously unrolls.
7. The fencing material
42
is brought manually over to the second fence post.
8. The gate
30
on the apparatus
10
is locked to prevent any additional fencing material
42
from escaping therefrom.
9. The tractor
40
is then driven forward slightly toward the third fence post, until sufficient tension has been put on the fencing material
42
so that it can be attached to the second fence post.
10. The gate
30
is again opened and the tractor
40
is driven to the third fence post.
11. Steps 7 through 10 are repeated for each additional fence post.
The apparatus
10
can be used to install fencing through a forest or brush area without performing extensive clearing. All that is needed is a foot path along the fence line and the capacity to drive a tractor
40
next to a part of the fence line. To use the apparatus
10
in such a situation, a fence installer positions the tractor
40
as close to the fence line as possible and then pulls fencing material
42
manually from the roll
41
. Then, holding the wire, he walks on the foot path along the fence line until he reaches a suitable fence post on which to attach the fencing., Next the fence installer closes the gate
30
and drives the tractor
40
forward, stretching the wire
42
.
When the apparatus
10
is not mounted on a tractor
40
, feet
39
attached to the bottom surface of the lower horizontal frame member
12
stabilize the apparatus
10
, so that it can stand vertically in storage.
It is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive other applications, modifications and/or changes in the invention described above. Any such applications, modifications or changes which fall within the purview of the description are intended to be illustrative and not intended to be limitative. The scope of the invention is limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
Claims
- 1. An apparatus for handling a roll of woven fence wire, unrolling the wire and stretching it during installation, comprising:(a) a generally rectangular frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members, which are spaced apart, and front and rear vertical frame members; (b) a platform :mounted atop the lower frame member, the platform being sufficiently large in size to hold the roll of woven fence wire in an upright position; (c) the platform and the upper frame member defining first and second holes, respectively; the first and second holes being aligned vertically with each other; (d) a removable shaft which is slip-fitted into said first and second holes, the shaft, when so slip-fitted, spanning at least a distance from the upper horizontal frame member to said first hole, so that the roll of woven wire can be placed upright on the platform and held in position by the shaft; (e) means for temporarily clamping a segment of woven fence wire across its entire transverse width against the rear vertical frame member, so that unrolling of the roll of wire held by the shaft can be temporarily halted wherein said means is pivotally connected about a vertical axis.
- 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for temporarily clamping said segment of woven fence wire further comprises a gate having an elongated closure bar, the closure bar being partially nested within the rear vertical frame member when the gate is clamped shut, so that when the closure bar is pressed against the vertical frame member, a small crease is formed in the woven fence wire, thereby preventing the wire from slipping out of the gate when the apparatus is being moved forward.
- 3. An apparatus, mountable on a farm tractor, adapted for handling rolled woven fence wire, unrolling the wire and stretching it from a first fence post to which the wire has been already been attached to a second fence post, which comprises:(a) a generally rectangular frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members, which are spaced apart, and front and rear vertical frame members; (b) a platform mounted atop the lower frame member, the platform being sufficiently large in size to hold the roll of woven fence wire in an upright position; (c) the platform and the upper frame member defining first and second holes, respectively; the first and second holes being aligned vertically with each other; (d) a removable shaft which is slip-fitted into said first and second holes, the shaft, when so slip-fitted, spanning at least a distance from the upper horizontal frame member to said first hole, so that the roll of woven wire can be placed upright on the platform and held in position by the shaft; (e) means for temporarily clamping a segment of woven fence wire across its entire transverse width against the rear vertical frame member wherein said means is pivotally connected about a vertical axis, so that unrolling of the roll of wire held by the shaft can be temporarily halted whenever the tractor is moved in a direction away from the first fence post and toward the second fence post.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the means for temporarily clamping said segment of woven fence wire further comprises a gate having an elongated closure bar, the closure bar being partially nested within the rear vertical frame member when the gate is clamped shut, so that when the closure bar is pressed against the vertical frame member, a small crease is formed in the woven fence wire, thereby preventing the wire from slipping out of the gate when the apparatus is being moved forward.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
177460 |
Jun 1917 |
CA |