HODGE SPUR ROWEL VARIATIONS

At least 15 different variations of the configuration of the 10 point Chester A. Hodge spur rowel wire have been found. It seems that during a period of time there was such a great demand for wire for fencing that the wire manufacturers couldn't keep up so the barbed wire manufacturers used whatever wire was available.

Patented by Chester A. Hodge of Beloit, Wisconsin Aug 2, 1887. Patent #367,398.

Hagemeier Numbers: (top to bottom)
1. # 734B Both strands square, same gauge - twisted - round shaft
2. # 1677B One strand round, one strand flat - parallel - round shaft
3. # 730B Both strands round, different gauge - twisted - round shaft
4. # 1678B One strand round, one strand spiraling square - twisted - flat shaft
5. # 1679B One strand round, one strand spiraling square - parallel - round shaft
6. # 1680B One round, one square, small gauge - twisted - round shaft
7. # 1681B Both strands spiraling triangle - twisted - round shaft
8. # 729B Both strands round, same gauge – twisted - flat shaft
9. # 731B Both strands round, same gauge - parallel - round shaft
10. # 732B One strand round, one line square - twisted - round shaft

The second photo shows additional wires. The bottom wire in this photo is a wire spur experiment - Patent #392,433. Only a few examples of this wire exist. The third photo is a 8 point spur rowel variation. The fourth photo is a factory splice. Early factory splices required the barbed wire machines to stop long enough to allow an operator to manually splice the end of a new spool of wire with the end of the expired spool in the barbed wire machines because the splices would not pass through the barbing mechanism. John D. Curtis of Worcester, Mass invented a wire welding machine in 1893 that made manual splices obsolete and increased production as the spool ends were welded online and the machines didn't have to stop.