Posted 13 years ago
railman
(30 items)
1. An ingenious patent but with no number or name to go with the design. Barbs are riveted on a ribbon wire and oriented parallel to the main line for easy transport. They are then deployed by rotating 90 degrees and bending two small barb cuts to lock the barb into place. Known in a flat and twisted form, there are 2 barbs per 18". The ribbon was originally galvanized but most has weathered away. Hagemeier lists this as 199 G.
2. A relatively rare variation of the Stubbe Plate (747 B). Patent #287,337 by John Stubbe of Pittsburgh, PA in Oct. 1883. Two barbs per 18".
3. Albert Potts patented this wire on April 1, 1884. Patent #296,060. The two point wire barbs are applied in opposite directions down the wire. My example has 5 barbs per 18" but is not notched at the barb site and does not have a ribbon as the main line, it has a very heavy oval rod. The only one Dan Sowle has ever seen, which says a lot. Hagemeier lists it as 932 B.
4. Benson Link (1356 B). Patent #391,502 by John J. Benson of Troy, NY in Oct. 1888. The links are 4 3/4" long. A very neat parallel link wire.
Well done! Hope we can see more soon.
I love the Benson, reminds me of the steel spring in clothespins.