US2015433A - Anchor plate for fence posts - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 24, 1935. c w MEYERS 2,@15,433

ANCHOR PLATE FOR FENCE POSTS Filed March 22, 1954 *3 Met CARL W- NEVER attorneys Patented Sept. 24, 1935 PATENT OFFICE ANCHOR PLATE FOR FENCE POSTS Carl W. Meyers, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Republic Steel Corporation, Youngstown, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey 7 Application March 22, 1934, Serial No. 716,795

8 Claims.

This invention relates to metal fence posts broadly, and is particularly concerned with an improved anchoring construction for such posts.

It is of advantage to apply an anchor plate to a metal fence post without welding or employing rivets in the process of securing the plate to the post, since in the case of spot welding there is the uncertainty of getting a good weld and in fusion welding the danger of weakening the steel adjacent the weld due to localized heating and cooling, while in the case of riveting there is a tendency towards weakening of the structure by the formation of rivet holes and ofttimes the rivet heads are inferior and cause the plate to loosen on the post. an anchor plate to a metal fence post without the use of auxiliary fastening means and by a process which will leave the post free of weakening strains adjacent the plate and at the same time result in an attachment which is permanent and resists tendency towards loosening when the post is being driven into the ground and during subsequent service; and it is the object of the present invention to accomplish these results in a manner which has marked advantages in simplicity and economy.

In the drawing-- Figure l is a View in front elevation of a metal fence post having an anchor plate applied thereto in accordance withthe features of the. invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 2--2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View in side elevation taken adjacent the anchor plate portion of the post; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of said portion with the plate omitted.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the post, in its preferred form, comprises a face plate 5 and an integral web 6, it being understood that the particular contour of the face plate and web may be varied within certain limits without departing from the scope of the invention. It will be noted that the face plate 5 of the fence post illustrated in the drawing comprises flanges 5a and 5b angularly disposed on opposite sides of the web 6 and which merge into a straight marginal portion.

In the lower region of the post, a slot 1 is formed transversely through the web 6 adjacent the face plate 5. An anchor plate 8, which is preferably of wedge-shaped contour, is inserted in the slot 1 and crimped or pressed inwardly over that portion of the web which lies between the slot and face plate and is pressed snugly against the latter.

The problem, then, is to apply It is preferred to heat the plate and press or stamp it in place while the post is cold. This facilitates the pressing or stamping operation and ensures a tight fit since the plate is in efiect shrunk on the post. greater than the thickness of the anchor plate 8 and when the latter is formed to grip the web 6, flanges 5a and 5b the central region of that portion of the plate disposed within the confines of the slot fits snugly against the front wall of the slot 1. The marginal edges of this portion of the anchor plate are bent rearwardly, causing the plate at this point to take an arcuate shape. These edges engage the rear wall of the slot adjacent the extremities thereof and preclude any relative lateral movement between the anchor plate and the slot.

' The walls of the slot 1 in conjunction with the grip resulting from the crimping operation ensure a rigid association of the anchor plate with the post at all times. The slot 1 is close to the neutral axis of the post so that it does not materially weaken the latter, and since the post is not heated after its original formation, there are no localized strains set up due to a welding or other operation involving heat adjacent the point of attachment of the anchor plate. It is almost impossible to dislodge the anchor plate, due to the fact that it is held against displacement at all points along its length and from every angle, a construction which is far superior to those where outstruck tongues, rivets or analogous means are used to fasten the plate to the post.

It will be understood that certain modifications in structure may be adopted within the scope of 35 the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fence post comprising a metal bar having a face plate provided with a longitudinally extending depressed portion and a reinforcing web 40 projecting at substantially right angles therefrom, said web being formed with a longitudinal slot in the lower region of the post, and an anchor plate positioned in said slot and depressed on each side thereof to conform to the contour 45 of the face plate.

2. A fence post comprising a metal bar having a face plate and a reinforcing web projecting at substantially right angles therefrom, said web being formed with a longitudinal slot in the lower region of the post, spaced from the junction between the face plate and the web and an anchor plate positioned in said slot and formed to grip that portion of the web which lies between the slot and face plate. 55

The width of the slot 1 is 5 3. A fence post comprising an elongated metal bar having a face plate and a reinforcing web projecting at substantially right angles therefrom, said web being formed with a longitudinal slot in the lower region of the post spaced from the junction between the face plate and the web, and an anchor plate positioned in said slot and clamped against opposite sides of that portion of the web which lies between the slot and said face plate and pressed against the surface of said latter plate.

4. A fence post comprising an elongated metal bar having a face plate and a reinforcing web projecting at substantially right angles therefrom, the face plate on opposite sides of the web lying in an inclined plane, said web being formed with a transverse slot in the lower region of the post, and an anchor plate positioned in said slot and pressed inwardly against said face plate and crimped over that portion of the web which lies between the slot and said latter plate.

5. A fence post comprising an elongated metal bar having a face plate and a slotted reinforcing web projecting -at substantially right angles therefrom, an anchor plate disposed in said slot and crimped over a portion of said web and bearing against the surface of said face plate, said anchor plate being so disposed within the slot as to engage the opposite walls thereof and prevent dislodgment of the anchor plate transversely with respect to the post.

6. A fence post comprising a metal bar having a face plate and a reinforcing web projecting at substantially right angles therefrom, said web being formed with a transverse slot in the lower region of the post, an anchor plate extending through said slot and so positioned therein that the central region of that portion of the plate within the confines of the slot engages one wall of the slot and the extremities of said portion engages the opposite wall adjacent the ends of the slot.

'7. A fence post comprising a metal bar having a face plate and a reinforcing web portion projecting at substantially right angles therefrom, said web being formed with a transverse slot in the lower region of the post, and an anchor plate positioned in the slot in such a manner as to engage the opposite walls of the slot at spaced points,

8. A fence post comprising a longitudinal metal bar substantially Y-shaped in cross section, the web of the Y joining. the two diverging sides being formed with a longitudinal slot, an anchor plate positioned in said slot and depressed on each side of the slot to clamp the diverging sides of the Y therebetween.

CARL W. MEYERS.

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