Wire support for use in installing wire to a fence post
Umted States Patent [1 1 1 1 3,874,640  
 Wagner et al. 1 Apr. 1, 1975 [54] WIRE U T FOR E IN INSTALLING 2,970,798 2/1961 Fritchle et a1. 248/124 WIRE o A FENCE POST 3,342,446 9/1967 Curlett et al 248/ 1 3,411,754 11/1968 Fahrenholz 256/48 1 Inventors: Lawrence g 5539 E, 47th 3,572,639 3/1971 Shettel 256/47 Pl., Apt. 218, Tulsa, Okla. 74135;  
  A.M h,Rt.l,Tll, 33 ac a a a Okla Primary Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder Assistant ExaminerConrad L. Berman [22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 410,902  
 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 256/47, 256/37, 256/48, A wire support for use on a fence post including a 24/1 14.5, 24/115 R, 24/128 body adapted to be supported to the fence post, the [51] Int. Cl E04h 17/24 body having an upper surface having a wire receiving [58] Field of Search 256/37, 47, 48, 55, 69; groove therein, such that in stretching barbed wire the 254/82, 83; 403/389, 391, 396, 400; wire may be rested in the groove in the body and after 24/] 14.5, 128, 129, 133, 134 R, R, 129 the wire is stretched it may be raised above the body A; 248/65, 124, and attached to the fence post, the body including means of preventing the stretched wire from pulling [56] References Cited back through the groove in the body.  
 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures ATENTED APR 1 I975 WIRE SUPPORT FOR USE IN INSTALLING WIRE TO A FENCE POST BACKGROUND, SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Barbed wire, the wire most frequently used by farmers and ranchers to enclose fields and pastures, is tightly stretched between fence posts. Loose wire is easily pushed aside by livestock. Stretching barbed wire is a difficult procedure. Normally, the wire is attached to a secure corner post and stretched by means of some mechanical device, such as a rope and pulley arrangement. After the wire is thoroughly stretched it is attached to fence posts. When the wire is intalled over short distances, that is, distances of less than a hundred feet or so, the wire can be laid on the ground prior to stretching and pulled into position during stretching so that there is little problem in positioning and securing the wire to a desired height on fence posts. However, in most agricultural applications, wire must be stretched for long distances. Frequently wire is stretched in runs of a quarter mile length or more. A difficult problem encountered is that when a length of wire is laid on the ground along a series of fence posts for a long distance and then pull is applied &#39;to it, the wire frequently becomes entangled with vegetation on the ground or with other wires which have already been attached to the posts. A person installing barbed wire is required, after applying tension to the wire, to walk back along the length of wire being stretched and untangle the wire so as to allow it to be raised in position and so that more stretch can be applied to the wire before it is anchored in position. Frequently it is necessary for an installer to apply tension to a long length of wire fence, such as a quarter mile or more, walk back along the fence to untangle the wire, apply more tension to the wire and walk back again along the full length of the fence to untangle wire again as it rises into position. This sequence of steps may have to be repeated several times. Thus a great amount of walking back and forth along the fence as the wire is being tightened is required.  
  This invention provides a device for removably attaching to a fence post to which wire is to be installed. The device is used by attaching it to the post just below the point where the wire is to be ultimately affixed. When wire is to be installed on a series of posts a device is attached to each post preparatory to stretching the wire. the wire is then laid in the device on each post for the full length to be stretched. The wire is then stretched tight and the installer then raises the wire at each post above the support and attached the wire to the post. In this way the wire does not become entangled with vegetation, with the posts themselves, or with other wire during the stretching operation.  
  In addition, the device includes means so that as the wire is stretched barbs on the wire pass over the device but if for any reason tension is removed inadvertently from the wire the barbs are intersected by the device to prevent the wire from returning towards the unstretched condition.  
  It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a wire support for use on fence posts as an aid in stretching wire.  
  More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a support for removably attaching to a fence post for use as an aid in stretching barbed wire.  
  Still more particularly, an object of this invention is provide a device adaptable to-be removably attached to a fence post at a point below that at which barbed wire is to be attached to the post to support the wire while it is being stretched, and including improved means of preventing the barbed wire from inadvertently returning to the unstretched condition by intersecting barbs tending to pass in the opposite direction.  
  Another object of this invention is to provide a wire support for use on a fence post which may be utilized to support wire while it is being stretched in either direction, that is, from left to right or from right to left, and which serves to intersect the movement or passage of barbs on the wire in the unstretched direction.  
  These general objects as well as more specific objects will be fulfilled in the apparatus to now be described in the following description and claims, taken in connection with the attached drawings.  
 &#39; DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the device of this invention as shown secured to a metal fence post.  
  FIG. 2 is a top view of the device as shown secured to a metal post.  
  FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the device attached to a metal fence post.  
  FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the device attached to a metal fence post.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings and to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The device is shown affixed to a metal fence post 10 shown in dotted outline. As shown in FIG. 2, typical metal fence posts 10 have a tee shaped cross section including a tee base portion 10A and a tee bar portion 108. The wire support includes a body generally indicated by the numeral 12, preferably formed of metal, such as steel or aluminum. The body 12 has an upper surface 14, a back surface 16, a lower surface 18, a rearward surface 20 and a front surface 22. In the illustrated arrange ment the upper surface 14 and lower surface 18 converge to intersect each other at 24 so that the embodiment illustrated is more or less in the shape of an arrow.  
  The wiresupport 12 is removably attached to a post 10. One means of attachment as illustrated includes the provision of a first boss portion 26 and a second boss portion 28 spaced from the first. The boss portions 26 and 28 extend from the support rearward surface 16 and are inclined towards each other. The Second boss portion 28 has a threaded opening therein (not seen) which threadably receives a screw 30. The first boss portion 26 engages one edge of the post tee portion 108 and the inner end of screw 30 engages the other edge so that by threadably advancing the screw 30 the device is secured to the post and by threadably retracting screw 30 the device is easily removed from the post.  
  This illustrated arrangement is that which may be used in attaching the device to a metal post. Spaced apart openings 30A may be provided in the support extending from the front surface 20 to the rearward surface 1.6. When the device is to be used to support wire to be attached to a wooden post nails may be driven through the holes 30A and 308 into the wooden post. After the wire is attached the nails can be removed so as to remove the wire support.  
  The upper surface 14 of the support includes a wire receiving groove generally indicated by the numeral 32 formed therein. As shown best in FIGS. 3 and 4, the groove includes two portions. The upper portion of the groove is V-shaped providing opposed walls 34A and 34B slanting towards each other. The second portion of groove 32 includes lower walls 36A and 36B which are generally parallel to each other; The width between lower walls 36A and 36B is sufficient to easily slidably pass wire (shown in dotted outline and generally indicated by the numeral 38) to be stretched therethrough, but of a width less than that of barbs 40.affixed to the wire. Wire 38 of the type commonly called barbed wire is shown in dotted outline. The wire 38 commonly includes two twisted strands 38A and 38B. At spaced intervals the wire is provided with barbs 40 which are typically in the form of short lengths of wire pointed at the end and wrapped around one of the strands 38A or 38B. The barbs are typically spaced such as approximately every 6 to 12 inches along the wire.  
  The lower surface 18 of the support 12 has, in the illustrated arrangement, a configuration the same as the upper surface 14. The drawing illustrates the use of the support 12 to stretch wire in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2. When used in stretching wire as shown in this direction the lower surface 18 performs no function. However, if it is desired to stretch wire in the direction opposite that shown by the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is necessary to invert the wire support 12. Thus by the provision of the upper and lower surfaces 14 and 16 the support can be used to stretch wire in either direction. The lower surface 18 includes a groove generally indicated by the numeral 42 having the same dimensions and characteristics as described for the groove 32 in the upper surface 14.  
  The bottom 44 of groove 32 is generally parallel the bottom 46 of groove 42 as shown in the dotted lines of FIG. 1.  
  The rearward surface 20 is preferably concave as shown in FIG. 1 so that barbs 40 tending to pass in the direction opposite that the wire is being stretched intersect the concave surface and are directed downwardly, forcing the wire more securely into the lower portion of groove 32.  
  Metal posts as currently manufactured typically include spaced boss portions 48. To receive the boss portion 48 a recess 50 is provided in the wire support back surface 16.  
 APPLICATION When a barbed wire is to be stretched and secured to a line of fence posts the installer first attaches a wire support 12 to posts at a position directly below the point where the wire is to be ultimately affixed. It is not necessary that a wire support be attached to every post. In practice a support attached to every eighth or tenth post is adequate to support wire being stretched. The wire is then laid in the upper groove 32 in each wire support. With one end of the barbed wire secured to a corner or anchor post the installer stretches the wire. With the barbed wire supported in the groove 32 in each of the supports 12 the wire is free from being entangled with vegetation, fence posts, or other wires. The installer may then stretch the wire to the full tension desired. As the wire is stretched it advances towards the point at which stress is applied. Barbs 40 on the wire pass through the V-shaped upper portion of the groove 32, engaging the groove sides 34A and 34B. Thus stretch of the wire is unimpeded by the device.  
  After a barb passes over a support body 12 the strands 38A and 38B of the wire ride in the lower portion of the groove between the parallel walls 36A and 36B. If for any reason tension is released from the wire the wire would tend to withdraw in the direction opposite that at which it has been stretched. The concave rearward surface 20 of the support engages the barbs 40 and thereby prevents the stretched wire from recoiling towards the unstretched direction. Safety is thereby provided which tends to prevent injury to an installer if the pull is inadvertently relieved from stretched wire.  
  It can be seen that the actual appearance of the support body in practice of the invention may vary considerably from that illustrated herein. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment set forth herein for purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.  
 What is claimed is:  
  1. A wire support for use on a fence post adapted to removably support fence wire of the type having barbs at spaced intervals, comprising:  
 a body having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface and a rearward surface including side portions, the top surface being inclined downwardly away from said rearward surface, the top surface having a groove therein, said groove having an upper generally V-shaped portion communicating with a lower unobstructed narrow portion of said side portions having generally parallel sides, the narrow portion at the groove being of a width to freely receive fence wire vertically into and out of the groove and to slidably receive fence wire therethrough, the narrow portion of the groove adapted to be of less width than the fence wire barbs, the groove communicating with said rearward surface, said groove being adapted to freely permit the barbed wire to slide through in a first direction but prevents the barbed wire from sliding through in the opposite direction by the engagement of the barbs against said rearward surface side portions; and  
 means adapted to removably support said body back surface to a fence post.  
  2. A wire support according to claim 1 wherein said groove in said body upper surface has in the lower portion thereof walls spaced apart of sufficient width to slidably receive the wire therein and of width less than the barbs. v  
  3. A wire support according to claim 1 adaptable for use on a post having a T-shaped cross-sectional configuration providing a crossbar portion and wherein said means of removably supporting said body to the fence portion includes:  
 a first and second spaced apart integral boss portions protruding from the body back surface, the boss portions being spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the width of a fence post crossbar portion, the integral boss portions being inclined towards each other, the first boss portion having a threaded opening therein; and  
 a screw received in the threaded opening in said first, boss portion whereby said second boss portion and said screw are adaptable to removably receive a fence post crossbar portion therebetween.  
  4. A wire support for use on a fence post according to claim 1 wherein said body has at least one opening therethrough perpendicular said reareward surface, said opening adaptable to receive a nail, therethrough serving as said means adapted to support said body to a fence post.  
  5. A wire support for use on a fence post adapted to removably support fence wire of the type having barbs at spaced intervals, comprising:  
 a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first side, a second side, and a rearward surface including side portions, the first and second sides being inclined towards each other away from said rearward surface, each said first and second sides having a groove therein, each groove having a first generally V-shaped portion communicating with an unobstructed co-planar narrow portion of said side portions having generally parallel sides, the narrow portion of the grooves being of a width to freely receive fence wire vertically into and out of the grooves and to slidably receive fence wire therethrough, the narrow portion of the grooves adapted to be of less width than the fence wire barbs, the grooves communicating with said rearward surface, said groove in said first side being supported such that when the first side isupward and the second side downward, said groove freely permits the barbed wire to slide through in the first direction but prevents the barbed wire from sliding through in the opposite direction by the engagement of the barbs against said rearward surface side portions,  
 and said groove in said second side, when supported such that the second side is upward and the first side downward, freely permits the barbed wire to slide through in the second direction but prevents the barbed wire from sliding through in the opposite direction by the engagement of the barbs against said rearward surface side portions.  
  6. A wire support according to claim 5 wherein said rearward surface is generally concave.  
  7. A wire support according to claim 5 adaptable for use on a post having a T-shaped cross-sectional configuration providing a crossbar portion and wherein said means of removably supporting said body to the fence portion includes:  
 a first and second spaced apart integral boss portions protruding from the body back surface, the boss portions being spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the width of a fence post crossbar portion, the integral boss portions being inclined towards each other, the first boss portion having a threaded opening therein; and  
 a screw received in the threaded opening in said first boss portion whereby said second boss portion and said screw are adaptable to removably receive a fence post crossbar portion therebetween.  
  8. A wire support for use on a fence post according to claim 7 wherein said body has at least one opening therethrough perpendicular said rearward surface, said opening adaptable to receive a nail, therethrough serving as said means adapted to support said body to a fence post.