US2811333A - Fence post installing tool - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1957 V. L. BISHOP FENCE POST INSTALLING TOOL Filed Dec. 20, 1954 UnitedStates Patent FENCE POST INSTALLING TOOL VemonL. Bishop, Des Moines, Iowa Application December 20, 1954, Serial No. 476,359 3 Claims. (Cl. 2541) This invention relates to a fence post tool and more particularly to a means for facilitating the installing of the post in the ground and its removal therefrom.

In recent years, metal fence posts have become very popular. This is especially true in temporary fence setting, inasmuch as the steel posts are driven into the ground instead of the usual herebefore digging of post holes. Such posts are usually driven into the ground by pounding downwardly on their tops by suitable hammer means. When it is desired to change the position of the fence or remove it from use, the posts are pulled usually by a rather complicated reverse jack means. Obviously, such method of post installation and removal, while a decided improvement over the older method, is very slow. Also, the posts were often bent, broken or damaged.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a fence post driving and removal tool that is rapid in operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fence post installing tool that is easy to use.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a tool for installing fence posts in the ground, and removing the same therefrom, that does not damage the posts.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a metal fence post installing tool that makes possible the use of lighter and more fragile posts.

Still further objects of this invention are to provide a fence post tool that is economical in manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my fence post tool,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device in the act of facilitating the manual forcing of a post into the ground,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the device, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and more fully illustrates its construction, and

Fig. 4 is a side view of my device and illustrates its position on a post when it is desired to pull a post up from the ground.

In the drawings I have used the numeral to designate a metal rod fence post, having its bottom end 11 sharpened and the earth anchor plate 12. By the use of my tool the post rod may be of minimum diameter because it does not have to bear the burden of being hammered on or driven from its top to cause it to penetrate the ground. The method of fastening a wire fence to such a rod post is not a part of this invention, but one way of doing it is illustrated in my co-pending application on a Fence Post Structure.

` I will now describe my device as used for installing posts. My fence post tool has an elongated metal tubular body 13. .At near the bottom end of the body tbe 13 is a radially extending horizontal spur 14. This lateral extending spur 1'4 is the operators shoe pedal rest when using the tool and is similar in use to that of a spade. At the top portion of the body 13 is a slot opening in its wall at 15. Extending laterally and at each siderof Ythe slot area is a bearing ear 16, as shown in Fig. 3. These two bearing ears are in parallel spaced relationship and between them is the lever bar 17. vA rivet, bolt, or like18'extends through the ears 16 and the bar lever 17, thus pivotally securing the lever 17 to the top portion of the tubular body. rThe pivot point ofthe bar lever is near the top inner end of the bar lever as shown in Fig. 2. The inner end of the bar lever extends downwardly and forwardly and penetrates the hollow longitudinal plane of the body 13. The forward end of the lever bar is vertically grooved 19 as shown in Fig. 3. When the bar lever is lifted as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, its inner end will clear the hollow longitudinal plane of the tube 13, but when lowered to approximately a horizontal position it will penetrate this plane and if a post 10 be within the tubular body 13, will wedge thereon as shown. The tubular body 13 should be of strong tubular metal. Thus, to use my device for installing a post in the ground the rod post 10 is threaded through the tubular body 13. The lever bar is manually grasped and pulled downwardly to engage and wedge the rod post within the tubular body 13. The point 11 of the post is placed on the ground 2t), and by placing the footonto the spur rest 14, and with manual downward pressure on the bar lever, the post rod is forced into the ground; the tool being used substantially the same as a spade is used. However, by the elongated tubular body 13 embracing substantially the entire length of the rod post, the rod post cannot bend under the driving force, and, therefore, a rod post of minimum Weight and thickness may be used. Also it will be noted that there is no hammering on the top of the post to drive it into the ground and, therefore, there is no damage to the post. An operator can force a post into the ground by one single downward thrust, thus making for speed and ease of operation.

To remove a post, my device is merely turned over to bring the spur 14 to the top and the bar lever to the bottom. The device is threaded downwardly over the rod post as shown in Fig. 4. By grasping the bar lever and pulling it upwardly it will wedge onto the post, and with the operators shoulder under the spur l14, it is a simple and quick matter to raise it upwardly bringing the post with it and out of the ground. A movement of the bar lever away from the spur will release the post and it will slide easily from the tool.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my fence post installing tool without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a fence post tool, an elongated tubular body adapted to slidably embrace a fence post, a slot in the side of said tubular body at one of its ends, two parallel bearing ears secured to the edges of said slot and extending outwardly from said tubular body, a lever bar pivotally connected by its inner end to said bearing ears, said inner end of said lever bar extending downwardly and forwardly with its tip penetrating the interior of said tubular body when said lever bar is in a horizontal position, and a spur foot rest on the other end of said tubular body.

2. In a fence post tool, an elongated tubular body adapted to slidably embrace a fence post, a slot in the side of said tubular body at one of its ends, two parallel bearing ears'secured to the edges of s'aidsiotandjextendingV outwardly from said' tubularbody, a lever bar .eccennically and pivotally connected by lits inner end to said bearing ears, said inner end of` said lever barextending downwardly and forwardly:with'itsI tip pene# trating lthe interior of saidV tubulary body when said lever' bar is in a horizontal position, and a spur foot rest on the other end of said tubular body.V *n ,Y

3. In a fence post tool, an elongatedtubularrbody adapted' to slidably embrace a fence post, a slot Ain the side of said tubular body at one of its ends, two-parallel bearing ears secured to the edges of said slot and extending outwardly from said tubular body, a lever bar eccentrically and pivotally connected by the'upper portion of its inner end to said bearing ears, said inner end of said lever bar extending downwardly and forwardly with its tip penetrating the interior of said tubular body when said lever bar is in a horizontal position, and a spur foot rest on the other end of said tubular body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 976,60()V Rhodes Nov. 22, 1910 2,033,227 Brown Mar. 10, 1936 2,432,650 Bezzindes Dec. 16, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 329,923 Germany Dec. 1, 1920 334,161 Germany Mar. 5, 1921

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