US2484190A - Stretching or pulling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1949.

M. E. SINGLETQN STRETCHING OR PULLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 31, 1947 Q I Q? Q h 1r 1 I fl/a/rahazz Singleiqn m mm W WW A No rney:

Patented Oct. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a novel construction of manually operated apparatus especially adapted for stretching wire, such as fence wire, but which may also be utilized as a pulling implement for moving heavy objects short distances.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of being operated by one man and which may be locked in any desired position so that while stretching a wire fence, or a plurality of strands of fence wire, after the proper tension has been obtained the apparatus can be locked so that the fence or wire strands may be anchored to a fence post.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus the parts of which may be disposed in either a horizontal or vertical plane, or any desired angle therebetween when in use.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a pulling or stretching apparatus having a clamping means of extremely simple construction which will effectively function for engaging and clamping one or a plurality of strands of wire, or a portion of a wire fence, or other flexible member, and which is so constructed and arranged that it will be tightened by the stress exerted thereon when the apparatus is actuated for securely holding the elements clamped therein.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein a common chain may be utilized as the connection between parts of the apparatus which are drawn together or toward one another in the normal actuation of the device.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the apparatus or device in an operative position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, partly in section, of a portion thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational View of another portion of the apparatus shown in an operative position;

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views on enlarged scales, taken substantially along the planes as indicated by the lines 4-4 and 55, respectively, of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view through the actuating lever taken substantially along the plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lever taken substantially along a plane as indi cated by the line 1-! of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a plan view showing the clamp in an open position and looking toward the inner sides of the sections thereof;

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the clamp taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 3, and

Figure 10 is a similar view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line lfl-l0 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the stretching or pulling apparatus or device in its entirety is designated generally l2 and includes an actuating unit, designated generally I3 and a clamping unit, designated generally I 4.

The actuating unit is includes a substantially flat frame l5 which comprises a bar portion 16 having a lateral extension ll which projects from one side edge thereof and intermediate of the ends of the bar portion [6. One end of the bar portion I6 is provided with an integral latch segment l8 which projects laterally therefrom in the same direction as the extension I1 and which is provided with an outer convex toothed edge [9. The bar portion l6, adjacent the ends thereof, has two short lengths of chains anchored thereto and which converge and are joined at their free ends by a ring 2! which is also connected to one end of a chain 22, provided with a hook 23 at its opposite end and which may also be provided, intermediate of its ends, with a second hook 24 for adjusting the length of the chain 22. The chain 22 is adapted to engage around an anchoring member such as the upright post 25; said chain being fastened therearound and the hook 23 being engaged with the ring H for anchoring the frame 15 to the post.

An elongated lever 26 is pivotally connected by a fastening El, adjacent one end thereof to one side of the extension ll, near its free end. As best seen in Figure 2, a bar 28 is secured by fastenings 29 to the same side of the extension I1 and bar portion l6 and has an offset end which overlies the pivoted portion of the lever 26 and through which the pivot fastening 2'! extends so that the lever is pivotally mounted between the extension ll and the offset end 30 of the bar 28. The longer end of the lever 26 extends across the complementary side of the latch segment [8 and to substantially therebeyond and is provided at its free end with a handle or grip portion 3|.

The lever 26, adjacent to but outwardly of the toothed edge 19 of the latch segment i8 is provided with a pair of nut and bolt fastenings 32 which extend therethrough and which are disposed in longitudinally spaced relationship. A bar 33 is disposed on the upper side of the lever 26 thereof and in substantially the same plane as the latch segment I8. As best seen in Figures 6 and 7, the bar 33 is provided with a longitudinal slot 34 for loosely receiving the shanks f the fastening 32 which carry bushings or sleeves which are disposed in said slot for guiding the sliding movement of the bar 33 longitudinally of the lever 25. The bar 33 is provided with a single extension or tooth 33 at its inner end which is adapted to engage between any two of the teeth I9 for locking the lever 25 to the latch segment l8. An expansion coil spring 3'? is disposed in the slot 34, between its inner end and the bushing 35, adjacent thereto, for urging the bar or plunger 33 toward a projected position, as-seen in Figure '7. An elongated plate 38 is secured against the upper, exposed side of the plunger or bar 33 by engagement with. the fastening 32 and overlies the slot 33 for retaining the spring 37 therein. A recessed portion 33 at one end of the plate 33 overlies a portion of the toothed edge IQ of the latch segment r3 and combines with the lever 25 to retain the plunger 33 properly positioned with respect to said latchsegment.

A'conventional grip lever is pivotally mounted on the lever .25 at 4| and is disposed adjacent the grip portion 3!. A rigid link 42 is pivotally connected at one end'thereof to the grip lever and at its opposite end to the outer end of the plunger 33 whereby when the handle portion 43 of the grip lever 40 is grasped and moved toward the grip 3i, the plunger 33 will be retracted against the action of the spring 37 for moving its tooth or extension 35 out of engagement with the teeth It to permit the lever 26 to swing freely on its pivot 21 and relatively to the frame l5. thus be readily apparent that the lever 26 is normally held by the spring 3? in a latched position with respect to the frame l5.

A pair of corresponding hooks 44 and '45 are pivotally mounted at their shank ends on the lever '25 and at points equally spaced from the pivot 21 and one on either side thereof. Said hooks are each provided with a bifurcated shank end 45 in which a portion of the lever 26 is received; A nut and bolt or other suitable fastenthe outer side of its associated hook for urging the free ends of the hooks inwardly or toward one another. The hooks 44, 45 are provided with inturned, bifurcated claws or bills 5! at their opposite, free ends the spaced furcations of which form slots 52 which are disposed in substantially the same plane, for a purpose to hereinafter become apparent.

The clamp unit l 4 as best seen in Figures 3, 8, 9 and 10 includes a pair of elongated bars 53 and 54 having substantially flat inner, adjacent faces 55 and 56, respectively and outer surfaces 51, and 58, respectively, which converge toward corresponding side edges of said bars so that the bars are thicker adjacent one side edge thereof than adjacent the opposite side edge. A heavy gauge wire strand 59 is secured transversely across each of the outer sides 57 and 58 adjacent each end thereof and intermediate of said ends by staples 63. The strands 59 have complementary hook shaped ends 6i which interlock intermediate of It Will 4 the wider edges of the bars 53 and 54 and the strands 59 of the bar 53 are provided with eyes 62 at their opposite ends which project outwardly from said side 51 thereof, adjacent the narrow edge of said bar. The strands 59 of the bar 54 are provided with hooks or open rings 53 at their opposite ends and which are correspondingly disposed to the eyes 62.

A ring 54 is connected to corresponding ends of three lengths of chains including two outer and longer lengths of chains 65 and an intermediate and shorter length of chain 66 said lengths of chain are each provided with a ring 67 at the opposite-end thereof, to each of which rings 61 two links 68 are separately connected. One of the links 58 of the chain 66 is connected to the eye 62 of one of the intermediate strands 59 and the other link 68 of the chain 55 is detachably connected to the open ring or hook 63 of the other intermediate strand 59. The links 38 of the chain lengths 55 are connected to complementary eyes and hooks of the other strands 53, as :best illustrated in Figure 3. It will thus be readily apparent that when a pull is exerted on the ring 64 in a direction away from the clamp bars 53 and 54, the links 58 of the chains 55 and 66 will tend to draw the inner faces 55 and 55 of said bars into abutting engagement with said bars pivoting on the interengaged hooks 6|. The abutting face 55 is provided with a series of diagonally disposed grooves 63 which combine to form a serrated surface thereof, as clearly illustrated in Figure 8 and which functions with the smooth surface 55 to eifectively grip one or a plurality of strands of wire 13 or other flexible member or members or a portion of a wire fence, notshown.

The bar 53 is also provided with longitudinally spaced transversely disposed closed slots ll, located adjacent the narrow edge thereof and which register with similarly disposed slots 12 of the bar 54 and which slots 12 open outwardly of the narrow edge of said last mentioned bar. The slots ll loosely receive the shanks of nut and bolt fastenings 33 which may be loosened for de-.

tachably engaging the slots 12 and thereafter tightened to afford additional means for holding the clamping bars 53 and 54 in clamping engagement with the strand or strands l3 and which may be readily loosened and swung out of engagement with the slots 72 to permit the bars 53 and 54 to be swung to open, extended positions as seen in Figure 8. In order to permit the bars 53 and 54 to be swung into position as in Figure 8, the links 68, engaging the open rings or hooks 53 are dis engaged therefrom thus leaving the chains 65 and 65 connected only to the bar 53 when the clamp I4 is opened. A pulling chain 14 is provided with a hook '55 at one end thereof adapted to be detachably engaged with the ring 54.

As best seen in Figure 6, the plunger bar 33 is preferably provided with depending side flanges 16 for engaging the side edges of the lever 26 for assisting in guiding the plunger 33 in its sliding movement longitudinally of said lever.

As previously described, the clamp I4 is adapted to be engaged with one or a plurality of strands of wire H1 or with other element or elements to be pulled and one of the links of the chain 74 is then engaged with the slot 52 and one of the claws 5|, for connecting the actuating unit l3 to the clamping unit I4. The actuating unit l3 being anchored by the chain 22 to the post 25 is thus supported, as illustrated in Figure 1, suspended between said post and the chain 14 and through the chain 14 and the member or members 10, to be pulled, supports the clamping unit l4 suspended. The slots 52 of the claw 5| which is engaged with the chain 14, engages a link thereof which is disposed in substantially the same plane as the hook of said claw. Assuming that the hook 45 is engaged with one of the chain links, as illustrated in Figure 1, to exert a pulling force on the draft chain 74, the grip portion 43 is manually moved toward the lever handle 3| to release the lever from the latch segment I8 and said lever is then swung clockwise, as seen in Figure 1, for moving the hook 45 rearwardly or toward the post and for moving the hook 44 in the opposite direction. The spring 48 of the hook 44 will urge the claw 4| thereof toward the chain 74, as said claw is advanced along the chain and thus causing the outer side of said claw to ride over the vertically disposed chain links and into engagement with the horizontally disposed chain links, when it reaches its most advanced position. When the lever 26 is rocked in the opposite direction, the hook 44 will function to draw the chain 74 toward the actuating unit l3 and will also cause the hook 45 to be cammed out of engagement with the chain link, previously engaged thereby, and to be advanced past the hook 46 for thereafter engaging another horizontal disposed link of the chain 14. By this step by step movement, the chain 14 is drawn toward the actuating unit I3 for pulling the clamping unit l4 toward the post 29 for pulling or tensioning the strand or strands 10. If the strand Ill forms a part of a wire fence, after it has been tensioned to the desired extent, the hand grip 43 can be released to permit the lever 26 to be automatically latched to the latch segment l8 for retaining the parts in a position to which they have been manually moved and in which positions they will be retained while the strand or strands I0 are secured to a fence post, not shown.

While the unit l3 has been illustrated in a horizontal position and the unit l4 in a vertical position, it will be obvious that these parts can be disposed at any angles desired.

It will be readily obvious that by the same operation, as previously described, the apparatus l2 could be utilized for pulling heavy loads short distances.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A stretching or pulling apparatus comprising,

in combination with a clamping unit adapted to be detachably connected and clamped to an element to be stretched or pulled, an actuating unit including a frame adapted to be detachably anchored to a retaining member, a lever swingably connected to the frame, hooks pivotally connected to the lever on opposite sides of the pivot thereof and having slotted claws, a flexible member connected at one end thereof to the clamping unit and having spaced portions constructed and arranged to be engaged by the slots of the claws, said lever being manually swingable relatively to the frame for advancing the hooks in a step-by-step movement whereby the slotted portions of the claws thereof will be advanced alternately one beyond the other for drawing the flexible member toward the frame for exerting a pulling action on the clamping unit, said frame including a transverse portion to which said retaining member is anchored, a bar portion projecting therefrom in a direction away from the retaining member and to which the lever is pivoted, and a latched segment portion forming an integral part of the frame and disposed substantially parallel to the bar portion thereof and over which a part of the longer end of the lever is swingably disposed, said latched segment portion having an outer convex toothed edge, and a manually retractable spring projected latch slidably mounted on the longer end of the lever for normally latching the lever to the frame to hold said lever against swinging movement.

MARSHALL E. SINGLETON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 779,218 Harlan Jan. 3, 1905 830,553 Adam Sept. 11, 1906 1,126,393 Chrisco Jan. 26, 1915 1,258,598 Monteith Mar. 5, 1918 1,273,889 Logan July 30, 1918 1,359,160 Erway Nov. 16, 1920 1,804,502 Jarvis May 12, 1931 1,888,209 Krebs Nov. 22, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 107,457 Great Britain July 5, 1917

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