None.
1. Field of Invention
A hydraulic tool for the installation of fencing T-posts into the ground without bending the T-post or causing damage or deformity to the top of the T-post, installs to the three point hitch of a tractor with hydraulic connections to the tractor hydraulic system, securing the post along its vertical length prior to insertion into the ground, the tool having an upper stationary bracket holding an upper section of the T-post within a T-post slot and a lower sliding ram bracket securing to a lower section of the post, the lower sliding ram bracket forcing the T-post into the ground by use of a hydraulic ram at a chosen depth.
2. Description of Prior Art
A preliminary review of prior art patents was conducted by the applicant which reveal prior art patents in a similar field or having similar use. However, the prior art inventions do not disclose the same or similar elements as the present T-post insertion tool, nor do they present the material components in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the prior art. They also, for the most part, address post insertion devices that push the post into the ground from the top of the post, unlike the lateral insertion means for the insertion of the present T-post installation tool, such top-of-the-post insertion increasing the chance of damage to the top of the post from impact and also the risk of bending the post during insertion.
A first set of post installation tools are found in multiple U.S. Patents, each of this patent applying a striking force on the top of the post being driven, in the same manner as a hammer strike to the top of the post. These striking force post driver patents include U.S. Pat. No. 2,844,006 to Lutz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,635 to Deerkoski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,117 to Aldridge, U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,777 to Boley, U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,636 to Vreeland, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,098 to Tyer. A manual hammer device slipping over the top of a post is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,389 to Smoak.
Another set of patent engage the top of the post being driven and force the post into the ground using a steady vertical force. These patent are identified in U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,919 to Herrmann and two patents to Reid, identified as U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,597,156 and 7,950,470. These patent employ the use of hydraulics to supply the driving force.
Post drivers have also disclosed guides of some nature to support a post during the installation process. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,378,131 to Dirkson, a pair of rollers are use for the smooth movement of the gear driven post long channel member. Another friction pulley is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No 2,348,820 to Jordan which provides engagement with the plate hammer of that driver which is further driven by a belt or chain and sprocket. A guide roller is supplied for contact and security of a post which is driven by the apparatus in the post driver safety latch shown in U.S. patent Publication No. 2006/0113444 to Parson. This latch has a lever which engages and disengages the rollers against the post.
A one person fence post driver is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,569,857 to Farb. In this patent, there are two parts which integrate to form the driving apparatus—a first tube section which is placed over the top of the T-post with a locking dog having a transversely extending head that engages the T-post on the surface having a plurality of projections between two of the projection which can be locked using a bolt. A second component slips over the first tube section and is slid up and down to drive the post into the ground until two hands can be used to complete the T-post installation. This was the only other patent found which has some engagement with the lateral surface of a T-post to avoid a direct and potentially deforming impact to the top of the T-post. It provides basically a type of impact hammering device, however and must be installed over the top of the T-post prior to the driving of the T-post using this manual device.
T-post fencing is currently the most expeditious and cost effective means of supplying fencing in the agricultural industry for containment of livestock using wire fencing. It is also used for roadside marking, for erection of snow fencing and for temporary confinement of animals in small areas using fencing panels. A common T-post, as referenced in the present application, is generally supplied in a length of six to seven feet, defines a T cross-section (hence the name “T-post) with a flat side having a plurality of wire supports (Reid '156 and '470), or flanges (T-post 17 in Herrmann '919) on the flat lateral side indicating the top of the “T” in the T-post cross section. These flanges are used to secure a vertically placed wire tied to the post from being raised or lowered along the vertical axis of the post once secured.
Of the prior art T-post installation tools, most of them involve an impact on the upper end of the T-post or they insert over the top of the T-post to engage some downward force on the top end of the post. These type forces pose two major potential issues during installation—deformation of the T-post and injury to the user. As to deformation, impact on the top of the T-post with some type of hammering tool can misshape the top of the T-post, bending the upper end or causing it to flare. Over time, this can cause to post to decay faster or split longitudinally. Impact removes the paint on the metal T-post and promotes rust build-up. Impact can also bend the T-post at some point between the upper and lower end when the T-post is installed in hard ground. As to the injury potential, there is always a chance for a user to get their hand between the driver and the T-post, to have the impact cause a lateral shift of the T-post while the post is being held, or to bend in the direction of the user's position during installation. There is also the risk of getting a hand or glove caught between the installation tool and the T-post in the devices that insert over the top of the T-post which could lead to a crushing type or pinching type injury to the user's hand.
It would therefore be preferred that the user is no exposed to impact or any requirement to actually hold the T-post during installation. It would also be preferred that the installation tool be presented in a manner that would cause little or no damage to the T-post, preserving the shape and integrity of the T-post.
The following drawings are submitted with this utility patent application.
A T-post installation tool 10, attaching to the rear end of a tractor having a three point hitch and having hydraulic line connections, shown in
The T-post A intended for use with the tool 10 are referenced herein as a common “T-post”, shown in
The tower support member 20 further comprises a hitch tower base 30 defining a pair of opposing lateral three point hitch supports 32, a singular upper three point hitch support 34, the three point hitch supports attaching to the supplied three point hitch of a tractor or other implement having a conventional hydraulic three point hitch using standard hitch pins,
The hydraulic ram assembly 100 further comprises a support encasement 110 defining an upper end 111 providing a plurality of axial end cap bolt holes 112, a lower end 113, a front surface 114, a right side surface 115, a left side surface 116, a rear surface 117 includes a lower vertical slide channel 118, the four side 114-117, defining an inner vertical channel 119 from the upper end 111 to the lower end 113,
Suspended from within the inner vertical channel 119 of the support encasement 110 by the lower hydraulic ram support 126 is an upper pin mount 132 of a hydraulic ram cylinder 130, the upper pin mount 132 and the lower hydraulic ram support 126 connecting by a ram pin 128,
The hydraulic ram assembly 100 further defines an upper stationary T-post latch assembly 200 attached to the rear surface 117 of the support encasement 110 above the lower vertical slide channel 118 and a lower drive T-post latch assembly 300 attaching to the lower pin mount 136 of the ram cylinder 130 through the lower vertical support channel 118, these two latch assemblies retaining a T-post A and providing the active driving means by which the T-post A is installed by force into the ground. The upper stationary T-post assembly 200 does not move in relation to the support encasement 110,
The upper stationary T-post latch assembly 200 is attached to the rear surface 117 above the lower vertical slide channel 118 and further defines a latch base 204 forming a latch assembly grip post 202 extending laterally from the latch base 204, the latch base 204 being welded to the rear surface 117 on an inner conforming margin 203. The latch base 204 further defines an outer T-post slide channel 220 conforming to the profile of a vertical cross-section of a T-post A with an angular groove 222 accepting one of the laterals side sections B and a projection slide slot 224 which allows for the passage of the plurality of extending projections E of the captive T-post A, as indicated in
The lower drive T-post latch assembly 300 further comprises an inner encasement ram bracket 302, conforming to the shape of the inner vertical channel 119 of the support encasement 110 to move freely up and down within the support encasement 110, the inner encasement ram bracket 302 further providing an axial bore 304 through which a ram arm pin 305 attaches the inner encasement ram bracket 302 to the lower pin mount 136 of the ram cylinder 130 suspended within the inner vertical channel 119. The inner encasement ram bracket 302 extends a rear bracket channel extension 306 through the lower vertical slide channel 118 beyond the rear surface 117 of the support encasement 110, as shown in
A latch member 310 is presented between the T-post drive channel 320 on a margin opposite the T-post drive channel 320 from the attachment between the rear bracket channel extension 306, the latch member 310 further defining a slide pin cylinder 314 attached to the latch base 308, the slide pin cylinder 314 retaining a slide pin 316 having a rotational slide pin lever 318 and projecting a latch catch 312. The latch catch 312 spans a portion of the T-post drive channel 320 in a closed position which intrudes into a portion of the T-post A, formed by the lateral side section B and the rear section C and fully clearing the T-post drive channel 320 in an open position, the selection of the open and closed position being determined by the position of the slide pin lever 318, as seen in
The T-post installation tool 10 can be used by a single user or by a user and a tractor driver as a team. Prior to attachment of the T-post installation tool 10 to a tractor, it is recommended that the tractor be turned off. Installation involves the steps commencing by connecting the tower support member 20 to the three point hitch and ensuring that all safety pins are engaged. The locking ball hitch 65 is opened and the hydraulic ram assembly 100 is placed in a vertical position with the upper hitch ball 124 up, the hitch ball 124 being installed within the locking ball hitch 65, further engaging the locking ball hitch 65 to capture and secure the upper hitch ball 124 within the locking ball hitch 65 and further installing and securing any hitch pin to lock the locking ball hitch 65 in a closed position. The rear surface 117 of the hydraulic ram assembly 100 is directed away from the tractor and the front surface 114 of the hydraulic ram assembly 100 is directed towards the tractor. At this point, the hydraulic connector lines 142 are attached to the tractor hydraulic system. It is advisable at this point that the user directs the horizontal support arm 60 away from the tractor and that the spring locking pin 53 locks the support arm 60 in this position by engaging the spring lock pin 53 in the appropriate location within the pivotal locking gear 52. At this point, the user may start the tractor. It may also be recommended that at this point that a chain be used to connect the optional chain anchor bracket 37, where supplied, to a sturdy section of the tractor, perhaps an extending hitch plate on the tractor, to prevent the T-post installation tool 10 from sudden rise during the start up of the tractor, commonly resulting in an upward lurch of the three point hitch and/or pressure in the hydraulic lines that might present unintentional movement to the hydraulic ram assembly 100. At this point, the T-post installation tool 10 is ready for use to install T-posts A. The chain may be left in place during use of the installation to retain the three point hitch at a certain level.
Installation of the T-post A using the T-post installation tool 10 requires a mere few steps. Caution should be taken in keeping hands away from any moving component during use of the tool 10. A user will position the tractor and attached tool 10 at the location where the T-post A is to be installed, placing the lower end 113 of the hydraulic ram assembly 100 adjacent to a T-post insertion site. The lever 145 of the hydraulic valve controller 140 is elevated until the lower drive T-post latch assembly 300 is at the top of the lower vertical slide channel 118, retracting the ram cylinder 130 to its most compressed state. A T-post A is then inserted into the T-post slide channel 220 and T-post drive channel 320 of respective upper stationary T-post latch assembly 200 and the lower drive T-post latch assembly 300 while each respective latch catch 212, 312, is in the open position, FIGS. 11 and 14. The projection drive margin 324 must be between two extending projections E of the inserted T-post A. The slide pin levers 218, 318, are then rotated to close the latch catches 212, 312,
It is intended that the inner encasement ram bracket 302 is confined within the support encasement 110 at all times and that the design of the tool 10 be such that the return of the ram cylinder 130 be consistent with the length of the support encasement 110 so that the inner encasement ram bracket 302 is never completely pushed beyond the lower end 113 of the support encasement 110. At full extension, if the T-post A requires further insertion, the T-post A would be released from both respective angular grooves 222, 322, by unlatching the latch members 210, 310, and maneuvering the hydraulic ram assembly 100 using the latch assembly grip post 202 to release the T-post A, retracting the ram cylinder 130, reapplying the hydraulic ram assembly 100 to a higher point of the T-post A and repeat the driving of the T-post A until installed to the proper depth in the ground.
In addition to installation, the tool 10 may be used to remove a T-post A which is in the ground using the reverse installation steps, or by connecting a chain to the T-post A or any other post for that matter, further attaching the chain to a lateral slotted chain extension 328, shown in
While the T-post installation tool 10 has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1569857 | Farb | Jan 1926 | A |
2348820 | Jordan | May 1944 | A |
2378131 | Dirkson | Jun 1945 | A |
2593186 | Richardson | Apr 1952 | A |
2844006 | Lutz | Jul 1958 | A |
3073571 | Wunsch | Jan 1963 | A |
3117635 | Derrkoski | Jan 1964 | A |
3442338 | Broderson | May 1969 | A |
3447613 | Lisenby | Jun 1969 | A |
3605912 | Fisher | Sep 1971 | A |
3712389 | Smoak | Jan 1973 | A |
3783953 | Kopaska | Jan 1974 | A |
4002210 | White | Jan 1977 | A |
4124081 | Deike | Nov 1978 | A |
4130168 | Deike | Dec 1978 | A |
4139067 | Craig | Feb 1979 | A |
4193459 | Engstrom | Mar 1980 | A |
4494612 | Bell | Jan 1985 | A |
4665994 | Snider | May 1987 | A |
5375664 | McDowell | Dec 1994 | A |
5494117 | Aldridge | Feb 1996 | A |
D372177 | Hansen | Jul 1996 | S |
5558169 | Madgwick | Sep 1996 | A |
5819857 | Rohrer | Oct 1998 | A |
6234260 | Coast | May 2001 | B1 |
6305480 | Franklin | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6591919 | Herrmann | Jul 2003 | B1 |
6702037 | Thiessen | Mar 2004 | B1 |
6889777 | Boley | May 2005 | B2 |
7063172 | Marentette | Jun 2006 | B1 |
7111690 | Kleinert | Sep 2006 | B2 |
7296636 | Vreeland | Nov 2007 | B1 |
7407017 | Robson | Aug 2008 | B2 |
7597156 | Reid | Oct 2009 | B1 |
7686098 | Tyer | Mar 2010 | B2 |
7950470 | Reid | May 2011 | B2 |
20060113444 | Parsons | Jun 2006 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20160326770 A1 | Nov 2016 | US |