IRON FENCE POSTS.
Fig. 170.—Post.
Fig. 171.—Disc.
The advent of wire fences was followed by a call for posts in the prairie regions, where timber is scarce. Several forms of iron posts have been devised, of which the leading ones are illustrated herewith. [Figure 170] is of iron, one-quarter of an inch thick and two and a half inches wide, rolled to a curve and pierced at the proper intervals for the staples, which are to be clinched on the concave side. The disc, [figure 171], is swedged out of one fourth inch iron. It is sunken a little below the ground, and the post driven through the curved opening, into which it fits closely. [Figure 172] is a flat iron bar, with slots cut diagonally into one side to receive the wire. The post is supported by two tiles with holes to fit the post, which is thrust through them.
Fig. 172.—Post With Tiles.
Fig. 173.
[Figure 173] is made of angle iron braced at the surface of the ground, with an angular iron plate rolled for the purpose, and driven to its place. [Figure 174] shows an iron post, with the ground-piece and driving tube to the left of it. The post is a round iron bar or tube, with notches for the wires, which are held in place with short pieces of binding-wire, wound around the post. The ground-piece, which is shown in the middle of the engraving, is of cast iron, eleven inches long, and five inches across the top, with two loops for inserting the iron post. This is driven into the ground, and the iron post driven through it. At the left of the engraving is shown the device for driving the post. It is a piece of common gas-pipe, just large enough to slip easily over the top of the post, and provided on the top with an iron cap to receive the blow of the large hammer or maul used in driving.
Fig. 174.—Post With Iron Ground Piece.
Fig. 175.—Cast-iron Ground-piece.
[Figure 175] shows a cast iron ground piece, and at the right is the lower end of a post resting in one of them. The three flanges are cast in one solid piece, with a hole through the centre of any desired form and size. The wings or flanges are three inch plates, running to sharp edges on the bottom, so that they can easily be driven into the ground. They may be of any desired size, larger sizes being required for a light yielding soil than for a stiff one. [Figure 176] is an iron post on a wooden base, for situations where the ground is soft and wet. The base is preferably of cedar, three to four feet long, four inches thick, and four to six inches wide. It is to be sunken in the ground crosswise with the line of fence. The post is of iron, set and stapled into the end-piece, as shown in the engraving. Before being put in place, the whole is saturated with hot coal tar, as a preservative. There is less call for iron posts than was anticipated when wire fences first came into general use. It is found that wooden posts can be delivered in any location reached by railway at less cost than iron posts.
Fig. 176.