256 
COL. CAPON S IMPROVED WIRE FENCE. 
made of § iron rods. I, I, is a strong log 
chain, for attaching this iron bar to the cylinder C, 
by a bolt passing down through one of the links, 
as represented, by which the chain may be taken 
up or lengthened, as desired. A", K, is a bottom 
** e* M «4 N 
milium 
Fig. 66. 
The above cut. represents an extension of wires in a section of fence, with bottom boards and strips for holding and supporting the same, &c 
A, represents a side view of the permanent iron posts, made of flat bars of iron, 3 inches wide, | inch thick. 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, are holes drill- 
through, about 1 inch from the outer edge, for the wires to pass through. 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, are slits cut into the bars, just over the holes 
slip the wires into their places. These slits are filled with a hard wood key, to keep the wires down, and trimmed off even with the post. 
B, is a solid framework and lever, with fixtures for equalizing the tension of the wires, and to accommodate the contraction and expan- 
Dn — keeping them always the same, under every change of temperature. 
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board, 14 inches wide, Z, L, are strips, 1 inch 
by 3, notched upon the wires, eight feet apart, to 
support the bottom board. 
With this powerful apparatus, the wires being 
irr their places, and properly secured at the other 
extremity of the line, it is evident they can be 
drawn to any required tightness that the strength 
of the wires will permit, and the contraction and 
expansion of the wires be accommodated, by the 
rising and setting of the lever and weight. This 
apparatus, in the fence I have constructed, takes up 
the expansion, and lets out for the contraction, tor 
a line of fence of 3,500 feet, with one bend of about 
30 degrees, and sundry inequalities in the surface, 
or horizontal line. . 
For short 'lines of fence, this apparatus may be 
dispensed with, where hogs are not allowed to run. 
But, even in short lines, the wires may be so slack- 
ened, in a hot day, that a long-nosed Hog may 
wedge his way through. The apparatus itself, 
however, is easily constructed, and of little com- 
parative cost. 
To save trouble in the construction of this fence, 
I will give you a short direction how to proceed, 
which I have learned by experience, and may save 
others some useless expense, which the want of 
experience put me to. 
Put your framework down permanently in 
the ground, and secure both extremities of the line 
beyond the possibility of being moved. Bore out, 
with a post auger, holes 2£ feet deep, 100 feet 
apart, on a perfect straight line, for your perma- 
nent posts. 
Set the, (iron,) permanent posts in, and ram 
round well with stone, and pour in grout. It is 
necessary to have ome very strong post, N, (mine 
is a hollow cast iron, five inches square,) about 
eight feet from the cylinder, and stayed at top with 
wires or rods, made fast to the framework, to hold the 
wires as they are stretched up, one at a time, dur- 
ing the construction. Stretch out one wire at a 
time ; joint it, and make it fast at the further ex- 
tremity of the line;' lay if into its place in the 
posts, and attach the chain to the end of it; then, 
by the use of the lever and cylinder, draw it to 
the desired tension, and key it there in the post N. 
So proceed until all are drawn up. Then attach 
the spiral springs, hooks, and bar to the wires and 
cylinder, by the chain, as shown in the sketch; 
hang on the weight, knock out the keys in the 
permanent post N, and the work is done. 
If the bottom board and strips are used, they 
can now be put on. If large coils of wire are 
used, they should be put upon a reel before they 
are unfastened, or they will kink up and give much 
trouble. In my case, I slipped the coil of wire on 
the cylinder C, and put strong oak pins on each 
side of the coil, to keep it up snug ; it then wound 
off without trouble. 
To remove a line of this fence, knock out the 
keys 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, in the iron posts; throw the 
wires out upon the ground ; attach a horse or other 
power to the end of the wires, and haul them 
round to the new line; set in your framework and 
posts, and put in your wires. In this way, two or 
three hands and a horse may remove a mile of 
fence in a few days. 
1 have a very simple apparatus for taking the 
kinks out of the wires, which 1 will give you a 
sketch of, when I make up the cost of construc- 
tion. Good oak, locust, or cedar posts will an* 
swer in place of the iron. R. 
New York, July 5th, 1849. 
