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N. PETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER,' WASHINGTON. 0. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM T. DEWEY, OF SANDUSKY CITY, OHIO.

FENCE-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,905, dated May 10, 1859.

To dll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hiram T. Dewey, of Sandusky city, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented a new and 5 useful Improvement in Fence and other

Posts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of a fence post, with the improvement attached, and in an erect position. Fig. 2, is a vertical section of ditto. Fig. 3, is a view of the same 15 inverted.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

This invention consists in combining with, and attaching to the lower portion of ribbed 20 fence and other posts, horizontal ribbed plates, flanges or arms, at such a distance from the lower ends of the same, as will cause them when the posts are planted, to be situated about a foot below the surface 25 of the ground, in such a manner¹ as will enable the said plates, flanges or arms, when properly buried and packed in earth, to assist in sustaining the posts in an erect position.

The post A, may be made of cast metal or other suitable material and is formed of four vertical ribs, arranged at right angles to each other, and tapering from a point about a foot above the extreme lower end 35 of the post to the top of the same, where they are surmounted with a ball or other ornamental object. The lower parts of the ribs, at the points whence their upward taper commences are reduced slightly in width so as'to form shoulders B', from the inner corners of which their outer edges are tapered downward to a sharp point at their extreme lower ends. This lower tapered end of the post, is inserted in corresponding 45 right angled slots, formed in the center of a horizontal plate C, made in the shape of a maltese cross, and having inclined, radial ribs D, formed on the upper surface, the inner ends of which extend upward from the surface of the said plate, C, immediately 50 next the outer ends of the cross slots in the same, in continuation of the taper of the lower parts of the ribs of the post, while their upper edges extend downward to the outer edges of the arms of the plate C, in 55 such a manner as to cause the shoulders B'. of the ribs of the post A, to come upon the upper edges of the ribs D, of the horizontal plate C, and the tapering portion of the said ribs of the post, immediately next the 60 shoulders, to exactly fit against the corresponding tapering ends of the ribs D, and the right angled slots in the said plate C. In this position in relation to each other, the ribbed post A, and horizontal ribbed 65 plate C, are firmly secured by pins E, passing through the ribs of the post immediately below the under surface of said plate. It is obvious that, when a post having a horizontal plate thus secured to its lower part, 70 is planted in the ground, with said plate properly covered with earth at a suitable distance below the surface, it will be firmly rooted and difficult to sway from its erect position. . . 75

The combination before described is alike adapted to picket fence,, grape vine trellis, and hitching posts, and in fact to all posts requiring a firm support from the earth surrounding them. When designed for 80 picket fences they have mortise pieces F, cast or otherwise secured on them, and when for grape vine trellis fences, they may have pins G, cast on them, and openings H, formed in their ribs, for attaching the wire 85 of the fence to them.