Fig. 156.—Bottom Of Driver.
For a farmer who has a large number of posts to set, a special apparatus for driving them will be found useful. The accompanying illustrations show a machine of this kind. An axle, a, [figure 155], of hard wood, eight and one-half feet long; a hickory sapling will do. It has spindles shaved to fit the hind wheels of a wagon, which are fastened by linch-pins, leaving about six feet space between the hubs. A coupling-pole, b, thirteen feet long, is framed in and strongly braced at right angles with the axle, and connects in front with the forward axle of a common wagon. The main sill, d, [figure 156], is one stick of timber, six by eight inches, by fourteen feet long and has a cross-piece, e, framed in the end. Two side-pieces, f, two by four inches by five feet long, are pinned or bolted to the main sill at g, and cross-pieces framed into them, as shown in [figure 156], so framed that the lower edges of the side-pieces will be two inches from the axle, when the main sill rests on the axle. The side-pieces, f, should be twenty-two inches apart at the ends. The front end of the main sill rests on the front axle, in place of a bolster, and the “king-bolt” passes through it at h; the upright guides, i, are two by four inches by fourteen feet long, bolted to the side-pieces, f, with a space of fourteen inches between; a cap, j, two by three by twenty-six inches long, is framed on top. Two braces, k, two by four inches by sixteen feet long, are bolted to the upright guides, two feet below the cap, and connect at the bottom with a cross-piece, l, two by eight by twenty-two inches long, between the braces. It has rounded ends passing through two-inch holes in the braces, and fastened by a pin outside, to form a loose joint. This cross-piece, l, is held down on the main sill by a strip, m, and steadied by cleats; it is free to slide back or forward, and is held in place by a short pin. By moving this cross-piece, the upright guides, i, are kept perpendicular when going up or down hill. A small windlass, o, [figure 155], is placed under the axle, a, between hangers framed into the axle, close to the hubs. Two brace-ropes, or wires, p, are fastened to this windlass at the extreme ends, and wound around it a turn or two in opposite directions, drawn tight and fastened to the main braces near the top. By turning the windlass, o, slightly, by means of a short bar, the machine may lean to either side, to conform to sliding ground, thus being adjustable in all directions.
Fig. 157.—Top Of Upright.
The maul, r, [figure 157], of tough oak, fourteen by eighteen inches, by two feet long, weighs about two hundred pounds, is grooved to fit smoothly between the guides; the follower, s, is more plainly shown in the engraving, also the simple latch, by which the follower and maul are connected and disconnected. The square clevis, t, is of three-quarter inch iron, suspended from the same iron pin, u, on which the pulley, v, is placed. It is partly imbedded in the wooden casing, w, which is eight by eighteen inches; this casing serves to inclose the pulley, v, and also to trip the latch when brought together; the clevis, t, is caught under the hook fastened in the maul, is pressed into place by a small hickory spring, y, acting on a small iron pin, z; when it reaches the top, the crotch, 1, suspended from the top, comes in contact with the pin, 2, and the clevis, t, is pressed back, and releases the hook, x, when the maul drops. The windlass, 3, [figure 155], has two cranks, and a ratchet for convenience. The rope passes from the windlass over the pulley at the top, down and under the pulley, v, then up, and is fastened at 7, on the cap, j, wire braces at 8. By releasing the cranks and ratchet, the follower will run down the guides, and, striking the maul, will “click” the latch into place, ready for another hoist. For two men it is easy work, and can be handled quite rapidly. Drive astride the proposed line of fence; lay a measuring-pole on the ground to mark the spot for the next post; drive forward with the post driver, having the maul partly raised, set up a post, and proceed to drive it.
SETTING A GATE POST.
Fig. 158.—A Gate Post Set In Cement.
No matter how strong or how well braced a gate may be, it will soon begin to sag and catch on the ground, if the gate post is not firmly planted. Sometimes, owing to the soft nature of the ground, it is almost impossible to plant the post firmly, but in such cases the work can generally be done satisfactorily by packing medium-sized stones around the post, in the hole, as shown in [figure 158]. If it is thought that this will not insure sufficient firmness, add good cement. Place in a layer of stones, then cement enough to imbed the next layer of stones, and so on, until the hole is full and the post planted. Do not cover up the stones with earth or disturb the post for a few days, until the cement has “set.” Remember that the post must be set plumb while the work is going on, as it can never be straightened after the cement has “set.” Only durable posts should be used, and this method of setting should only be followed with gate posts which are supposed to be permanent, and not with posts liable to be changed.
