FENCE POST DRIVING APPARATUS

Abstract

An apparatus for driving a post into the earth has a frame with an upright member in which the upright member has a slot extending longitudinally on a surface thereof, a receptacle translatably positioned in the slot, a hammer member translatably positioned in the slot of a location above the receptacle, a sheave affixed to the frame in a position above the hammer member, and a line affixed to the hammer member and extending over the sheave. The receptacle has an interior adapted to receive an upper end of the post therein. The line has an end opposite the hammer member adapted to be manually pulled so as to lift the hammer member upwardly and to be released so as to cause the hammer member to contact the receptacle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for driving a post, the apparatus comprising: a frame having an upright member, said upright member having a slot extending longitudinally along a surface thereof; a receptacle translatably positioned in said slot, said receptacle having an interior adapted to receive an upper end of the post therein; a hammer member translatably positioned in said slot in a location above said receptacle; a sheave affixed to said frame in a position above said hammer member; and a line affixed to said hammer member and extending over said sheave, said line having an end opposite said hammer member adapted to be manually pulled so as to lift said hammer member upwardly and to be released so as to cause said hammer member to contact said receptacle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said frame comprising: a base, said upright member extending in transverse relation to said base; and a support member affixed to an end of said upright member opposite said base, said sheave mounted to said support member.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, said base having an interior adapted to be attached to a tow hitch of a vehicle, said upright member affixed to an end of said base opposite the tow hitch.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first angle member having one end affixed to said base and an opposite end affixed to said upright member; and a second angle member having one end affixed to said support member and an opposite end affixed to said upright member.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, said upright member comprising: a first tubular member affixed to said base and extending in transverse relation to said base; and a second tubular member mounted in telescopic relation to said first tubular member so as to extend vertically upwardly relative to said first tubular member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, said upright member further comprising: a pin engageable with said first and second tubular members so as to fix a position of said second tubular member with respect to said first tubular member.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, said slot being formed in said second tubular member, said support member affixed to a top of said second tubular member.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an impact surface affixed to a top of said receptacle, said hammer member being translatable so as to impact said impact surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, said impact surface having a top surface having an area greater than an area of a top surface of said receptacle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, said receptacle being open at a lower end thereof and closed at an upper end thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, said line extending vertically upwardly between said sheave and said hammer member.

12. An apparatus comprising: a vehicle having a tow hitch extending therefrom; a frame being affixed to said tow hitch, said frame having an upright member, said upright member having a slot extending longitudinally on a surface thereof; a receptacle translatably positioned in said slot, said receptacle having an interior adapted to receive an upper end of a post therein; a hammer member translatably positioned in said slot in a location above said receptacle; a sheave affixed to said frame in a position above said hammer member; and a line affixed to said hammer member and extending over said sheave, said line having an end opposite said hammer member adapted to be manually pulled so as to lift said hammer member upwardly and to be released so as to cause said hammer member to contact said receptacle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, said frame being removably affixed to said tow hitch.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, said frame comprising: a base, said upright member extending in transverse relation to said base; and a support member affixed to an end of said upright member opposite said base, said sheave mounted to said support member.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, said base having an interior, said tow hitch received in said interior of said base, said upright member affixed to an end of said base opposite said tow hitch.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, said upright member comprising: a first tubular member affixed to said base at extending transverse relation to said base; and a second tubular mounted in telescopic relation to said first tubular member so as to extend vertically upwardly relative to said first tubular member.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: an impact surface affixed to a top of said receptacle, said hammer member being translatable so as to impact said impact surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, said receptacle being open at a lower end thereof and closed at an upper end thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, said line extending vertically upwardly between said sheave and said hammer member.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, said hammer member having a weight of greater than twenty-five pounds.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the post driving apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 2 is an end view of the post driving apparatus of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the hammer member and the operate member.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing the configuration of the receptacle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the post driving apparatus 10 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The post driving apparatus 10 includes a vehicle 12 having a tow hitch 14 at a lower end thereof, a frame 16 having an upright member 18, a receptacle 20 translatably positioned in a slot of the upright member 18, a hammer member 22 also translatably and positioned in the slot of the upright member 18, a sheave 24 affixed to the frame 18 in a location above the hammer member 22, and a line 26 affixed to the hammer member 22 and extending over the sheave 24. The line 26 has an end 28 opposite the hammer member 22 that is adapted to be manually pulled so as to lift the hammer member 22 upwardly and be released so as to cause the hammer member 22 to move downwardly so as to contact the receptacle 20.

[0039] The vehicle 12 is in the nature of a pickup truck. As such, the bed 30 of the vehicle 12 can be utilized so as to carry a large supply of fence posts to a remote location on a property, such as a farm or a ranch. The bed 30 of the vehicle 14 can also be used so as to contain the various components of the post driving apparatus 10 of the present invention. As such, the use of the vehicle 12 allows a very large number of fence posts to be transported to a remote location on a piece of property. A single worker will have a complete supply of fence posts so as to meet the requirements for preparing the construction of a fence at the remote location. The vehicle 12 further includes wheels 32 that are suitable for our allowing the vehicle 12 to move along the earth 34. The use of the vehicle 12 further facilitates the ability to achieve verticality for a fence post 36. For example, if there is an inclination in the earth in the area where it is desired to install the fence post 36, the vehicle 12 can be suitably maneuvered so as to be level with the desired orientation of the fence post 36.

[0040] The tow hitch 14 is in the nature of a conventional tow hitch. The tow hitch 14 is typically a square tubular member that extends outwardly of the rear end 38 of the vehicle 12. The tow hitch 14 will extend in generally parallel relationship to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 12. Typically, the tow hitch 14 will also extend in parallel spaced relationship to the earth 34.

[0041] The frame 16 includes a base 40, the upright member 18 and a support member 42. The upright member 18 extends in transverse relationship to the base 40. The support member 42 is affixed to an end of the upright member 18 opposite the base 40. The sheave 24 is mounted to an underside of the support member 42. It can be seen that the base 40 has an interior as adapted to be attached to the tow hitch 40 of the vehicle 12. The upright member 18 is affixed to an end of the base 40 opposite the tow hitch 14. It can be seen that a pin 44 serves to fixedly secured the base 40 of the frame 16 to the tow hitch 14. In this configuration, it is assured that the upright member 18 extends vertically above the earth 34. A first angle member 46 has one end affixed to the base 40 and an opposite end affixed to the upright member 18. A second angle member 48 has one end affixed to the support member 42 and an opposite end affixed to the upright member 18. Angle member 46 serves to distribute forces between the upright member 18 and the base 16. As such, this will maintain the verticality of the upright member 18 in spite of any forces that might be applied to deflect the upright member 18 from its vertical orientation. Furthermore, the second angle member 48 is affixed to the support member 42 so as to maintain the structural integrity of the support member 42 upon the application of forces thereto caused by the pulling of the line 26 and the lifting of the hammer member 22. Once again, this uniquely serves to maintain the verticality of the upright member 18.

[0042] The upright member 18 includes a first tubular member 50 and a second tubular member 52. The first tubular member has one end affixed to the base 40 and extends in transverse relationship to the base 40. The second tubular member 52 is mounted in telescopic relation to the first tubular member 50 so as to extend vertically upwardly relative to the first tubular member 50. As used herein, the term “tubular” can be referred to round tubulars and square tubulars. As can be seen in FIG. 1, there is at least one pin 54 that is engageable with the first tubular member 50 and the second tubular member 52 so as to fix a position of the second tubular member 52 with respect to the first tubular member 50. In FIG. 1, there are a plurality of holes formed in the first tubular member 50 and which extend in vertically spaced relation to each other along the length of the first tubular member 50. Similarly (although not shown in FIG. 1) the second tubular member 52 will also include a plurality of holes formed through the wall of the second tubular member 52. As such, the second tubular member 52 can be manually lifted to a desired elevation relative to the base 40 so at least one hole of the second tubular member 52 is aligned with at least one hole of the first tubular member 50. As such, the pin 54 can be inserted into these aligned holes so as to fix the elevation of the second tubular member 52 relative to the base 50. As used herein, each of these holes can extend diametrically across from one another in each of the tubular members. As such, the pin 54 can be inserted so as to extend entirely across the diameters of the tubular members. This rigidly and securely affixes the tubular members to each other.

[0043] Importantly, it is desirable to be able to fix the elevation of the second tubular member 52 with respect to the first tubular member 50. Under certain circumstances, the post 36 may have an extended length. As such, it would be desirable to maximize the elevation of the second tubular member 52. In other circumstances, the fence post 36 may be relatively short. As such, in order to achieve the maximum efficiency of the post driving apparatus 10 of the present invention, it is desirable to be able to lower the second tubular member 52. Additionally, the elevation of the second tubular member 52 is also important so as to create a desired amount of force applied between the hammer member 22 and the receptacle 20. For example, if the earth is relatively dense, compact, or hard, then the user of the apparatus 10 may desire to achieve a maximum elevation of the second tubular member 52. This will create a larger distance between the hammer member 22 and the receptacle 20. As such, when the line 26 is released, the hammer member 22 will drop and accelerate over a larger distance so as to create greater forces upon the receptacle 24 for the driving of the post 36. This approach, on the other hand, would require more effort on the part of the user in order to lift the hammer member 22 a greater distance upwardly. On the other hand, if the earth is relatively soft, then the second tubular member 52 may be lowered so as to create a smaller distance between the hammer member 22 and the receptacle 20. As a result, less effort would be required so as to carry out the hammering action between the hammer member 22 and the receptacle 20. Under these circumstances, when the second tubular member 52 is lowered, the post 36 can be driven more quickly and efficiently.

[0044] The receptacle 20 has an impact surface 56 formed on a top surface thereof. This impact surface 56 can be a solid block of steel. As such, this will add additional weight to the top of the receptacle 20. As such, when the hammer member 22 impacts on the top surface 58 of the impact surface 56, greater force is applied to the post 36. The top surface 58 will have an area greater than the area of the top surface of the receptacle 20.

[0045] The hammer member 22 can also be a solid block of steel, lead or other material. The hammer member 22, as will be described hereinafter, has a outwardly extending portion received within a slot formed in a surface 60 along a length of the second tubular member 52. As such, the upward and downward movement of the hammer member 22 is effectively controlled by being restricted within the slot. The line 26 has one end connected to an upper end of the hammer member 22. The line 26 extends vertically upwardly therefrom and around the sheave 24. The sheave 24 is mounted to a underside of the support member 42 directly above the hammer member 22. As such, this achieves a maximum amount of force when the line 26 is released. A grip 62 can be applied to the end of the line 26 so as to facilitate the lifting and lowering of the hammer member 22. Grip 22 can be in the nature of a handle, a ring, a bar, or other device which can be easily gripped by a user. The line 26 can be a variety of structures, such as a rope, a wire, a cable, a wire rope, a chain, or similar structure. The hammer member 22 should have a weight of greater than twenty-five pounds. In the preferred embodiment the present invention, hammer member 22 will have a weight of twenty-seven pounds. This amount of weight has been found to be most efficient for the user since it maximizes the amount of force applied to the receptacle 22 while minimizing the amount of effort required by the user.

[0046] In FIG. 1, it is important to note that the variety of components assures the verticality of the post 36. Each of the components is arranged so as to assure a proper vertical orientation. The retention of both the impact surface 56 (along with its attached receptacle 20), along with the placement of the hammer member 22 within the slot on the second tubular member 52, will assure that proper vertical forces are applied to the fence post 36. The surfaces of the first tubular member 50 and the second tubular member 52 can be used so as to allow the user to visually and parallelly align the fence post 36 with the surfaces. The receptacle 20 will have a longitudinal axis which is entirely vertical. As such, this serves to properly maintain the post 36 in a proper vertical orientation. A maximum force is applied in a vertical orientation by virtue of the vertical alignment of the various components.

[0047] FIG. 2 is an end view showing the post driving apparatus 10 of the present invention. In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the upright member 18 is illustrated as having the second tubular member 52 telescopically received over the first tubular member 50. Various pins 54 are illustrated as engaged between aligned holes formed in the first tubular member 50 and the second tubular member 52. As such, the second tubular member 52 is securely mounted with respect to the first tubular member 50.

[0048] In FIG. 2, the support member 42 is illustrated as affixed to a top end of the second tubular member 52. The sheave 24 is mounted to the underside of the support member 42 and extends downwardly in spaced relation to the surface 70 of the second tubular member 52. A slot 72 is formed longitudinally on the surface 70 of the second tubular member 52. The slot 72 bottoms out at end 74 so as to limit a downward travel of both the hammer member 22 and the receptacle 20. The line 26 is illustrated as affixed to the upper end of the hammer member 22 and extends over the sheave 24. The impact surface 56 is illustrated as received within the slot 72 and affixed to the upper end of the receptacle 20. The hammer member 22 is illustrated as positioned in its elevated positioned in spaced relation to the top surface 58 of the impact surface 56.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the second tubular member 52 and the hammer member 22. As can be seen, the slot 72 is formed through a wall 78 of the second tubular member 52. A T-shaped member 80 is affixed to the back of the hammer member 22 and is configured so as to extend through the slot 72. As such, the T-shaped member 52 is configured so as to retain the hammer member 22 adjacent to the outer surface 70 of the second tubular member 52 while allowing a free slidable movement of the hammer member 22 with respect to the second tubular member 52.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the receptacle 20 and the impact surface 56. Once again, there is a T-shaped member 82 which extends outwardly from the back 84 of the impact surface 56. The T-shaped member 82 will be similarly received within the slot 72 in the manner that the T-shaped member 80 is received in FIG. 3. The receptacle 20 has a generally rectangular configuration and an interior 86 that is adapted to receive an upper end of the post 36 therein. Within the concept of the present invention, if the fence post 36 is round, then the receptacle 20 can also be round. Although it is desirable that the receptacle 20 have a width or a diameter corresponding to the width or diameter of the fence post 36, the present invention is suitably adaptable so that a tight fit is not required in order to achieve the proper results. The larger surface of the impact surface 56 further assures a proper distribution of forces achieved when the hammer member 22 is released. Since the receptacle 20 is centered on the impact surface 56, the direct vertical force applied by the hammer member 22 will result in a direct vertical transfer of forces onto the top end of the fence post 36. The repeated lifting of the hammer member 22 by pulling the line 26 and the releasing of the line 26 so as to drop the hammer member 22 will cause the impact surface 56, along with attached receptacle 20, to drive the fence post 36 a desired distance into the earth. After the fence post is properly driven, then the receptacle 20 can be released from the upper end of the fence post 36 and the vehicle 12 can be moved to another location so that another fence post can be driven.

[0051] The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction can be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.