US57231A - Improved method of driving fence-posts - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. WEST, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVED METHOD OF DRIVING FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,231, dated August 14, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WEST, of Indianapolis,in the county ofMarion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Machine for Driving Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of the same, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the machine; and Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the several tigures.

The object of this invention is to provide a convenient and efficient portable machine for driving fence-posts; and to this end it consists in a frame-work mounted on wheels and having vertical guides in which a weight or hammer for driving the posts is arranged to be raised and dropped by means of a cam on the under side of a lever operated by cog-wheels and crank, the guide in which the weight moves serving also as a guide to keep the post in the line of the direction of the blow from the weight, and also in arranging to adjust the guides perpendicular to a horizontal line when the wheels stand on sloping or inclined ground, so that the posts may be driven perpendicularly.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to (lescribe it.

On the running-gears of any suitable wagon I place a frame-work, A, and erect thereon, at the rear end, vertical guides B, in which is arranged an iron weight or hammer, O, having pins projecting from opposite sides'into vertical slots in the guides B, as shown, to keep the weight properly in the guides. The weight C may be solid, as shown, or thelower end may be solid, and above that, and attached to it, a case to hold stone, pieces of iron, or other heavy substance, to be increased or diminished at pleasure, or as the nature of the ground may require.

Toward the forward end of the frame A two standards, D7 are set, in which the shaft E is hung, to which the lever F is attached. The other end of the lever passes through a mortise in the weight G, though this may be done in any other suitable manner.

G is a cam fixed to the under side of lever F. H is a large cog-wheel, hung on frame A, having pins s s s projecting from its side, on which small friction-rollers are placed. I is a pinion, also hung on frame A, to the shaft of which cranks J J are attached.

By means of the cranks J J the pinion I is rotated, which, in turn, rotates wheel H. The pins s s s raise the lever F by means of the cam G, which raises the weight or hammer C, which drops freely by its own gravity as soon as the pin s passes'the lower point of the cam G. l

It will be seen that by this arrangement I am enabled to raise and drop the weight rapidly without the expenditure ot' great power.

A levereccentrie, L, is xed to each side of the frame A, over the rear axle, by means of which either side of the frame may be raised for the purpose of adjusting the vertical guidesv B perpendicular to a horizontal line while the wheels stand on sloping ground, thus enabling me to drive the posts perpendicular.

Any other mode of raising the side of the frame to adj ust the guides B perpendicularly may be adopted, if desired, as it can be done in various ways.

The arrangement for raising and dropping the weight may be placed transversely to that now shown, and the weight placed at the side instead of the rear, if found more convenient, the arrangement in other respects being essentially the same as shown.

I make no claim to the adjustment of the guides perpendicularly, as this has been done before.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Raising and dropping the weight C by means of the cam G, pins s s s, and wheels H and I, when mounted on wheels and made portable, and arranged and operated in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

GEORGE E. WEST.

Witnesses:

O. F. MAYHEW, A. NIcioLs.

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