Fence Installation and Stretch Apparatus

Abstract

A device for transporting, paying out, and stretching fence wire material is designed to be attached to a vehicle such as a tractor. The device has a spindle for supporting at least one roll of fence wire. The roll can be mounted on the spindle and driven to the fence site. The fence roll can be allowed to turn freely on the spindle, as fencing is being payed out along the fence line. It can also be braked so that the wire can be tensioned by moving the vehicle. Multiple rolls (e.g., hog wire and barbed wire) may be handled at the same time.

Description

This application claims benefit from provisional patent application 60/912,191, filed Apr. 17, 2007. The disclosure of the provisional patent is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fence installation and stretching apparatus.

A person building a wire fence usually wants to draw the fence wire taut before he secures it to the fence posts. This is true whether the fence is a barbed wire fence, an anchor fence, or other farm fencing like hog wire. Old wire fencing pliers had a point which enabled the tool to be used as a lever to tighten the wire somewhat, but often it is necessary to apply more force in many situations than can be generated by hand, and it is much less laborious to have the wire held taut by a tractor while one is applying staples or other fasteners to secure the wire to the posts.

The process of installing wire fencing material usually requires that large rolls of fencing be transported to the location of fence posts which have been placed in the ground. The fencing is distributed or unrolled in some manner along the fence line for installation onto the posts. Fence material may be transported in the bed of a truck, with a tractor mounted boom and chain, with equipment mounted fork lift type forks or other means. Some devices exist that mount to the front end of a skid steer type loader (Bobcat) or to the three-point hitch of a tractor that are specifically designed to carry a roll of fence material. However, many such devices serve merely to transport the fence material, and do not facilitate any of the other operations necessary to install it.

Other devices exist which transport, distribute, and stretch the fence material during installation, but these have substantial disadvantages such as being heavy, cumbersome, difficult to load with fence material or unload, or not adapted to distribute fence material along the fence line. Most often, distribution and positioning of the fence material along the fence line require much of the work be done by hand.

To install fencing material onto fence posts, the fencing material is first attached to a starting post, then extended to the next post, positioned into an upright and proper position adjacent to the post, and then stretched tight so that there is no noticeable sag in the fence wire. The wire is then secured to the post. The process is repeated at each additional post along the line until the entire fence is completed. Uprighting, positioning and stretching the fence material at each post is usually an awkward and involved procedure. Positioning the material alongside the post is sometimes done by hand. This is difficult, because of the weight and unwieldy nature of the material. Prior devices that are designed specifically to transport a roll of fence material using a loader or tractor may transport the roll in an upright orientation and some allow for distribution of the material from the roll as well. However, such devices are difficult to use in terms of positioning the material properly due to the lack of adjustability.

Stretching fence material to remove any sag between posts is traditionally accomplished using a “come-along” type device or a “fence-stretcher” tool similar to a vehicle jack. Such devices are operated by hand and attach at one end to the fence post and at the opposite end to the fence material at the location of one of the strands. These tools are designed so that a jacking mechanism draws the two ends together thus placing tension on the fencing material at the point of attachment. Moreover, they are difficult to use and most often multiple tools must be used simultaneously in order to create some degree of uniform tension across the height of the fence material.

Some prior tractor or loader mounted devices can stretch fence material as well. One such device, designed for use on Bobcat type equipment, has hydraulic clamping mechanisms disposed along the roll of wire to prevent rotation. Such hydraulically operated devices are expensive to operate, lack fine control of pressure, lack vertical adjustability, and can be very dangerous to operate. Yet another device uses long bar type clamps connected together by bolts and nuts and placed vertically along each side of the material so as to “sandwich” the fence material between the bars and connected to the equipment so that forward movement of the equipment places tension on the fence material. Such devices have a number of significant disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the “sandwich” configuration of clamping does not always distribute the tension evenly and tends to damage the fence material. Another disadvantage is that these type devices lack vertical or angular adjustability with the equipment in motion rendering proper positioning at the post difficult and further tending to damage the material.

It would be desirable to provide a device designed to transport fencing material or the like using a tractor, loader, truck, SUV, ATV, or other vehicle readily available to the ordinary person. Such a device ought to provide easy and safe loading or unloading of a roll of fencing material or the like, easy distribution of the material along a fence line or other location. It ought to make it easy to orient the material in an upright or angular position along the fence post, and to stretch the material in a uniform manner while minimizing damage to the material. It should minimize necessary manual operations so that one person can perform the complete fence material installation easily, quickly, safely, and relatively unassisted. There is also a need for a fence installation device can transport, distribute, position and simultaneously stretch diverse materials such as individual strand fence wire, electrical wire or the like, cable, rope, chain, water pipe, high fence or other similar materials.

Several inventors have designed devices for tractors with the goal of helping farmers tension fence wire. These devices typically have a spindle for supporting one or more rolls of wire, and some braking arrangement to keep the rolls from turning on the spindle when it is time to draw the wire tight. Representative patents include No. 5582216, No. 5163634, No. 5930718, No. 485-4521, No. 5914270, No. 3048348, No. 4930718, No. 5632470 and No. 58806779. Another such device is shown in published patent application 2004/0065767. None of the prior arrangements is entirely satisfactory, for one or more of the reasons mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide farmers and ranchers with a device which is easily attached to a tractor having a standard three-point hitch. Another object is to provide a braking arrangement for a wire fencing roll which will not damage the fencing or become entangled with it. A further object it to do all this with a simple and versatile device which can stretch both roll fencing such as hog wire, and barbed wire.

These and other objects are attained by the apparatus described below.

The invention provides a spindle support which receives a spindle upon which a roll of fence wire can be mounted. The roll can be allowed to turn freely on the spindle; however, the spindle can be moved by a hydraulic ram to pinch the wire roll against a fixed part of the frame and thus prevent if from turning. The term “ram” as used herein means any linear motor, preferably a hydraulic cylinder and piston.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a fence installation and stretching apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of another portion of the apparatus associated with a barbed wire spool;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus associated with a roll of hog wire;

FIG. 5 is a detail view of a withdrawing ram portion of the apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a brake for controlling unreeling from the barbed wire spool.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A fence installation and stretching apparatus embodying the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus includes a generally rectangular, box-shaped welded framework 10 having four lengthwise edge members 12, four transverse edge members 14 and four vertical edge members 16. At the rear (see FIG. 1), there is an additional rectangular frame 18, whose right vertical member 20 is welded to the top and bottom rear lengthwise members using spacers 22 so that there is a uniform gap “G” between the rear structural members and the additional rectangular frame.

A sliding fence coil support member 30 (shown in detail in FIG. 5) is mounted in the gap. Its top and bottom arms are wider than the gap. One slides on top of the upper horizontal members defining the gap; the other slides below the lower members. This arrangement restricts the coil support member to only horizontal linear motion. The arms are interconnected at their right ends by a vertical crossbar 36, and a short pull link 48 is attached at or near the center of the crossbar. A horizontal ram 40 extends between the pull link and the right rear corner member. A pin connects the cylinder rod 42 to the pull link; the cylinder 44 is secured to the framework. A spindle 46 is passed trough a wire roll “R” and through the holes in the free ends of the arms 32, 34; the spindle is secured in the holes by installing pins 48.

The ram moves the coil support member between a free-spooling position in which the fence roll can turn freely, and a fence-tensioning position where the roll is clamped against the frame. In the latter position, the outer surface of the fence wire roll “R” mounted on the spindle 46 is forced against the edges of the upright members 16, 18 of the framework that defines one side of the gap.

A barbed wire roll “B” can be mounted on the spindle 46 by itself in which case the barbed wire can be distributed and tensioned in the same way as the roll wire. However, the apparatus preferably also comprises a separate attachment 50 for supporting plural spools of barbed-wire “B”. The attachment is attached with bolts to an auxiliary vertical member 52 welded to the frame.

When the attachment is used, the barbed wire spools may be restricted from turning—to keep some tension on the wire and thus keep it from tangling—by spring brakes 54. As shown in the detail view (FIG. 6), each spring brake 54 is formed from a pair of spaced collars 56, each having a set screw or bolt 58, and each welded to a common rod 60 that extends parallel to the common axis of the collars. A torsion spring 62 having a short end 64 bent into a “U” and a long end or tine 66 terminating at a slightly bent tip, is placed between the collars with the “U” around the rod. The collars and spring are installed over a shaft 68 (FIG. 1) which parallels the shaft 70 on which the barbed-wire spool is placed. The tine 66 of the spring tangentially bears against the wire spool with a force that can be altered by twisting the collars on the shaft and then tightening the set screws. The braking force is not intended to be so strong as to prevent movement of the barbed wire altogether; when that is necessary, the coil support may be retracted until the spindle is right adjacent the vertical members and pinches the barbed wire tightly at two spots.

The apparatus preferably also includes a mechanism for driving fence posts into the ground, and for pulling them out. The post driving/pulling mechanism 80 (FIGS. 1 and 4) comprises a second hydraulic ram 82, which is normally vertical, attached at its upper end to elevated, adjustable upright members 84 that are integrally connected to the framework 10. The lower end of the ram (the piston rod) has an attachment 86 designed to engage the top of a metal fence post so that the ram can be used to drive the post into the ground. The post engagement member further has an extension section 88 to provide added reach when required by the terrain. Preferably, the post engagement member has a channel section 90 through which a length of chain may be inserted and secured; the free end of the chain may be wrapped onto a fence post to grip the post; thereafter, the hydraulic ram is extended to pull the post from the ground.

The apparatus has brackets and associated hardware attached to the framework, e.g., by welding, visible at the lower right of FIG. 1, to which three-point hitch of a tractor can be connected.

A system of hydraulic lines and controls, partly visible in FIG. 1, operates the hydraulic rams. Details of the hydraulics are not described in detail inasmuch as they are matters of design choice for a person of ordinary skill in this field. The control unit for the first (horizontal) ram is designated 92, and the control unit for the second (vertical) ram is designated 94 in FIG. 1.

The hydraulic post driver/puller feature shown in FIG. 4 may be provided as a separate unit from the fence stretching apparatus. If used as a separate unit, the post driver/puller can be provided with the three-point hitch mounting brackets similar to the brackets 96, 98, 99 shown in FIG. 5.

A mounting plate (not shown) for mounting the apparatus to a Bobcat or skid-steer type loader may be substituted for the three-point hitch brackets shown in FIG. 5. When the apparatus is to be used on a Bobcat, the hydraulic system may be modified accordingly to accommodate the hydraulic requirements of a skid-steer type loader.

Since the invention is subject to modifications and variations, it is intended that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as only illustrative of the invention.

Claims

1. A device for transporting, paying out, and stretching fence wire material from at least one roll of such material, said device comprising

a frame,

means for attaching the frame to a vehicle,

at least one spindle supported by the frame, the spindle being adapted to support a roll of fence wire material installed over the spindle, and a support structure for supporting both ends of the spindle, the support structure being constrained to move linearly with respect to the frame between a release position in which a roll of wire mounted on the spindle can turn freely, and a clamping position at which the wire is squeezed between the spindle and the frame, whereby the wire material can be tensioned by moving the vehicle.

2. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a barbed wire dispenser attachment.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the barbed wire dispenser comprises a spindle for supporting multiple rolls of barbed wire and independent tensioners for applying a braking force to each roll.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein each tensioner comprises a torsion spring having a tine which can be brought to bear tangentially against the surface of a barbed wire roll, to resist rotation of the roll.

5. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a horizontal ram for driving the support structure between said release position and said clamping position.

6. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a vertical ram, having a portion attached to said frame, for driving and pulling fence posts.