science · 25 June 1867 · 157 years ago
In 1867, barbed wire was patented by Lucien B. Smith of Kent, Ohio (U.S. No. 66,182). His simple idea that was an artificial "thorn hedge" consisting of wire with short metal spikes twisted on by hand at regular intervals. For prairie farmers and cattlemen natural fencing materials were scarce, so the invention met the need to keep their cattle safely away from crops. The barbs were set on spools threaded on and spaced along the fence-wire. Four projecting nail-like points radiatiated from the spools of the at right angles to each other and the fence-wire. The spools were spaced 2 to 3 feet apart, and could revolve loosely on the wire. It is not known if this variety of barbed wire was actually manufactured; simpler twisted wire forms followed.
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