Fence clip locking tool

Abstract

A fence clip locking tool for bending a wire clip to secure a fencing wire to a fence post includes an elongated rod and an angularly projecting handle. The elongated rod includes an arcuate portion for engaging the wire clip. The handle includes a center shaft, a rotatable handle cover and an end cap for retaining the cover in a longitudinally fixed position relative to the shaft. A method of using the tool includes inserting the rod through a loop opening defined by the pre-positioned clip and swinging the rod from an initial position to a final position.

1 . A fence clip locking tool for bending a clip to secure a fencing wire to a fence post, said fence clip locking tool comprising: 
 an elongated rod presenting opposite spaced apart ends and being configured to engage the clip between the ends and to facilitate bending of the clip during securement of the fencing wire to the fencing post; and    a handle angularly projecting from the rod,    said handle including a rotatable handle cover to be grasped by a user.    
   
   
       2 . The tool as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said handle projecting from one of the rod ends.    
   
   
       3 . The tool as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said handle and rod being generally transverse relative to one another.    
   
   
       4 . The tool as claimed in  claim 3 , 
 said handle projecting generally perpendicularly relative to the rod to present an approximately ninety-degree angle therebetween.    
   
   
       5 . The tool as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said rod further presenting an arcuate clip engaging portion between the ends.    
   
   
       6 . The tool as claimed in  claim 5 , 
 said rod presenting a rod length,    said portion presenting an arc-length not less than about seventy-five percent of the rod length.    
   
   
       7 . The tool as claimed in  claim 6 , 
 said rod length being approximately equal to five inches.    
   
   
       8 . The tool as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said handle including a center shaft presenting opposite spaced apart handle ends, wherein one of said handle ends is adjacent the rod,    said cover being rotatably supported by the center shaft.    
   
   
       9 . The tool as claimed in  claim 8 , 
 said handle further including an end cap removably attached to the handle end opposite from said one of said handle ends,    said cap being configured to cooperatively retain the handle cover on the center shaft.    
   
   
       10 . The tool as claimed in  claim 8 , 
 said center shaft and rod being integrally formed to cooperatively present a bent unitary bar.    
   
   
       11 . The tool as claimed in  claim 10 , 
 said bar being formed of cold rolled carbon steel.    
   
   
       12 . The tool as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said handle being about three inches in length.    
   
   
       13 . The tool as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said handle cover being formed of non-conductive material.    
   
   
       14 . The tool as claimed in  claim 13 , said handle cover consisting essentially of wood, rubber, or plastic.  
   
   
       15 . A method for fastening a fencing wire to a fence post using the tool as claimed in  claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing a fencing wire adjacent the fencing post at a desired position and orientation;    (b) placing a yieldably rigid clip, having oppositely spaced latching end sections, in a partially circumscribing relationship with the fence post and adjacent the fencing wire, so that one of the latching end sections engages the wire and the other end sections forms a loop opening with the wire;    (c) inserting the rod into the loop opening; and    (d) exhorting a bending force upon the handle to swing the rod and thereby bend the wire clip to secure the fencing wire to the fence post.    
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , 
 step (a) including the step of tensioning the fencing wire.    
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , 
 step (d) including the step of swinging the rod about an arc of about one-hundred-eighty degrees.    
   
   
       18 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , 
 step (d) including the step of progressively inserting the rod into the loop opening, while the rod is swung.    
   
   
       19 . A fence clip locking tool for bending a clip to secure a fencing wire to a fence post, said fence clip locking tool comprising: 
 a handle for grasping by a user; and    an elongated rod angularly projecting from the handle, said rod presenting opposite spaced apart ends and an arcuate clip engaging portion extending between the ends,    said clip-engaging portion being configured to engage the clip and facilitate bending of the clip during securement of the fencing wire to the fencing post.    
   
   
       20 . The tool as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 said handle projecting from one of the rod ends.    
   
   
       21 . The tool as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 said handle and rod being generally transverse relative to one another.    
   
   
       22 . The tool as claimed in  claim 21 , 
 said handle projecting generally perpendicularly relative to the rod to present an approximately ninety-degree angle therebetween.    
   
   
       23 . The tool as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 said rod presenting a longitudinal rod length,    said portion presenting an arc-length not less than about seventy-five percent of the rod length.    
   
   
       24 . The tool as claimed in  claim 23 , 
 said rod length being approximately equal to five inches.    
   
   
       25 . The tool as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 said handle including a center shaft and a handle cover supported by the center shaft,    said center shaft presenting opposite spaced apart handle ends, wherein one of said handle ends is adjacent the rod,    said cover being rotatable relative to the center shaft.    
   
   
       26 . The tool as claimed in  claim 25 , 
 said handle further including an end cap removably attached to the handle end opposite from said one of said handle ends,    said cap being configured to cooperatively retain the handle cover on the center shaft.    
   
   
       27 . The tool as claimed in  claim 25 , 
 said center shaft and rod being integrally formed to cooperatively present a bent unitary bar.    
   
   
       28 . The tool as claimed in  claim 27 , 
 said bar being formed of cold rolled carbon steel.    
   
   
       29 . The tool as claimed in  claim 19 , 
 said handle each being about three inches in length.    
   
   
       30 . The tool as claimed in  claim 25 , 
 said handle cover being formed of non-conductive material.    
   
   
       31 . The tool as claimed in  claim 30 , 
 said handle cover consisting essentially of wood, rubber, or plastic.    
   
   
       32 . A method for fastening a fencing wire to a fence post using the tool as claimed in  claim 19 , said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing a fencing wire adjacent the fencing post at a desired position and orientation;    (b) placing a yieldably rigid clip, having oppositely spaced latching end sections, in a partially circumscribing relationship with the fence post and adjacent the fencing wire, so that one of the latching end sections engages the wire and the other end sections forms a loop opening with the wire;    (c) inserting the rod into the loop opening so that the arcuate portion engages the clip; and    (d) exhorting a bending force upon the handle to swing the rod and thereby bend the wire clip to secure the fencing wire to the fence post.    
   
   
       33 . The method as claimed in  claim 32 , 
 step (a) including the step of tensioning the fencing wire.    
   
   
       34 . The method as claimed in  claim 32 , 
 step (d) including the step of swinging the rod about an arc of about one-hundred-eighty degrees.    
   
   
       35 . The method as claimed in  claim 32 , 
 step (d) including the step of progressively inserting the rod into the loop opening, while the rod is swung.