IMPROVEMENTS IN SISTER-HOOKS AND THIMBLES FOR SHIPS' AND BOATS' RIGGINGS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS OR PARTS THEREOF BEING APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER PURPOSES WHERE HOOKS ARE REQUIRED
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Mahon Murton, of 3, Somers Place West,
St. Pancras, in the County of Middlesex, Actuary, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SISTER-HOOKS AND THIMBLES FOR SHIPS' AND BOATS'
RIGGINGS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS OR PARTS THEREOF BEING APPLICABLE ALSO TO
OTHER PURPOSES WHERE HOOKS ARE REQUIRED."
Sealed the 26th October 1855, and dated the 21st May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Mahon Murton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st May 1855.
I, JOHN MAHON MURTON, of 3, Somers Place West, St. Pancras, in the
County of Middlesex, Actuary, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SISTER-HOOKS AND THIMBLES FOR SHIPS' AND
BOATS' RIGGINGS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS OR PARTS THEREOF BEING APPLICABLE ALSO TO
OTHER PURPOSES WHERE HOOKS ARE REQUIRED," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved constructions and arrangements
of the fastenings or attachments known on board ship as "sister-hooks and
thimbles," whereby the liability of the hook being accidentally detached is
entirely prevented, and the necessity for "mousing" or fastening the two sides

page_text: of the hook together with yarn, is dispensed with. The main feature of novelty
in the Invention is, that the hooks are separated or opened broadwise only,
in place of having a universal motion on their lower ends in the thimble, as in
the ordinary "sister-hooks."
According to one arrangement, the lower ends of the hooks are kept
asunder by a small roller, which serves as a thimble, round which a rope
or block strap can be spliced. Through this roller and the ends or eyes of
the hooks a strong pin or rivet is passed, which is rivetted on to washers so as
to allow the hook to open broadwise only. As the two hooks will thus lay
with their sides together, the strain of the thimble attached to them will
tend to keep them always shut without the aid of "mousing."
Another arrangement consists in inserting an eye-piece between the lower
ends of the hooks, an ordinary thimble being attached to such eye-piece in
place of using the roller before mentioned. A pin is then passed through the
lower ends of the hooks, and through a corresponding hole in the eye-piece,
and tightened up by a small nut, having a washer or india-rubber or other
suitable elastic material beneath it, whereby the hooks may be made to move
sufficiently tight on their pivots or joint pin, and still not be liable to set fast.
This elastic washer and nut may be applied, if found desirable, to all the
improved "sister-hooks "herein described.
Another form consists of a somewhat similar arrangement to that herein-
before last described, with the addition of a projecting tail-piece attached
to or formed on the eye-piece, and projecting some distance inside the hook,
so as to prevent the thimble to which the hook may be attached from ever
coming below the points of the hooks. By simply turning the eye-piece and
tail at right angles to the plane of the hooks, the thimble may be readily
detached therefrom. This arrangement is particularly applicable in cases
where there is much motion in the thimble, as, for example, the thimble of a
"jib," since the tail-piece limits its motion inside the sister-hook.
Another arrangement consists in inserting a small block of metal between
the lower ends of the hooks and block, having two holes drilled through it at
right angles to each other and in different planes; one of those holes serve to
pass the joint pin or pivot through, and the other or lower hole allows the hook
to be attached to an iron strapped block. Although these hooks are more
generally employed for nautical purposes, they are equally well adapted to
other purposes where a simple and effective fastening or attachment is
required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Mahon Murton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MAHON MURTON, of 3, Somers Place West, St. Pancras, in the County of
Middlesex, Actuary, send greeting.
r
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Mahon Murton, Her special license that I, the said John Mahon Murton,
my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Mahon Murton, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SISTER-HOOKS
AND THIMBLES FOR SHIPS AND BOATS' RIGGINGS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS OR PARTS
THEREOF BEING APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER PURPOSES WHERE HOOKS ARE REQUIRED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Mahon Murton, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
sail Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Mahon Murton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to certain improved constructions and arrange-
ments of the fastenings or attachments known on board ship as "sister-hooks"
and thimbles and towing-hooks, whereby the liability of the hooks being
accidentally detached is entirely prevented, and the necessity for mousing or
fastening the two sides of the hook together with yarn is dispensed with.
The main feature of novelty in the Invention is, that the hooks are separated
Cor opened broadwise only, in place of having a a universal motion on their
lower ends in the thimble, as in the ordinary "sister-hooks."..

page_text: According to one arrangement, the lower ends of the hooks are kept asunder
by a small roller, which serves as a thimble round which a rope or block strap
can be spliced. Through this roller and the ends or eyes of the hooks a strong
pin or rivet is passed, which is rivetted on to washers, so as to allow the hook
to open broadwise only. As the two hooks will thus lie with their sides
together, the strain of the thimble attached to them will tend to keep them
always shut without the aid of "mousing."
Another arrangement consists in inserting an eye-piece between the lower
ends of the hooks, an ordinary thimble being attached to such eye-piece in
place of using the roller before mentioned. A pin is then passed through
the lower ends of the hooks, and through a corresponding hole in the eye-
piece, and tightened up by a small nut, having a washer of india-rubber or
other suitable elastic material beneath it, whereby the hooks may be made to
move sufficiently tightly on their pivots or joint pin, and still not be liable to
set fast. This elastic washer and nut may be applied, if found desirable,
to all the improved sister-hooks herein described.
Another form consists of a somewhat similar arrangement to that herein-
before last described, with the addition of a projecting tail, attached to or
formed on the eye-piece, and projecting some distance inside the hook, so as
to prevent the thimble to which the hook may be attached from ever coming
below the points of the hooks. By simply turning the eye-piece and tail at
right angles to the plane of the hooks, the thimble may be readily detached
therefrom. This arrangement is particularly applicable in cases where there
is much motion in the thimble, as, for example, the thimble of a "jib," since
the tail-piece limits its motion inside the sister-hook.
Another arrangement consists in inserting a small block of metal between
the lower ends of the hooks, such block having two holes drilled through it at
right angles to each other and in different planes. One of these holes serve to
pass the joint pin or pivot through, and the other or lower hole allows the hook
to be attached to an iron strapped block.
Although these hooks are more generally employed for nautical purposes,
they are equally well adapted to other purposes where a simple and effective
fastening or attachment is required.
And the same principle, namely, that of opening broadwise or laterally, may
obviously be applied to other attachments or fastenings on board ship, such
for example, as towing-hooks, the jaws of which may be made to open
laterally, and when closed they may be held in that state by a suitable spring
catch.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now

page_text: proceed particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall refer
to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings represent a side and corresponding edge
view of the simplest form of hook, the dotted lines in Figure 2 showing the
position of the hook when open. As all the hooks open in the same manner,
I have not repeated these dotted lines in the other Figures. A, A, are the
hooks, which are identical in form and coincide with each other when closed,
and their lower ends are kept asunder by the roller B, which being grooved
serves as a thimble, round which a rope or block strap may be spliced. Through
this roller and the ends of the hooks a strong joint pin C is passed, which is
rivetted on to two circular washers D, D, so as to allow of the hooks being
opened or closed broadwise or laterally only.
An elastic washer E of vulcanized india-rubber is placed under one or both
of the metal washers D, for the purpose of preventing the hooks from sticking
fast, and to enable them always to work smoothly and with slight resistance..
This india-rubber washer I propose to apply in all cases where found ex-
pedient. It will be obvious, that the "mousing" or lapping of the hooks
with yarn as hitherto to keep them closed is dispensed with, as the pull of the
thimble itself will tend to keep the hook closed, whilst they may be readily
shipped or unshipped by hand when requisite.
In the next modification, shewn at Figures 3 and 4, the roller B is dis-
pensed with, and an eye-piece F is substituted in its place, such eye-piece being
fitted with an ordinary thimble G, round which thimble the rope or block strap
may be spliced.
Figures 5 and 6 represent the application of a swivel H to the eye-piece
F, such swivel being also fitted with an ordinary thimble G.
In Figures 7 and 8 the blocks are so modified as to admit of being
readily attached to an iron strapped block, for which purpose a piece I is fitted
between the hooks in place of the roller B, in Figures 1 and 2.
The axes of the holes in this block-piece I may either be at right angles to
each other, as shewn in Figures 7 and 8, and enlarged perspective detail at
Figure 23, or they may be parallel, as in Figures 9 and 10, the hooks being
in both cases attached to an iron strapped block by a pin passed through the
ctrap of the block and through the lower hole J of the piece I. As an
additional security in places where there is much motion or play in the thimble"
of a sail, such as the sheet of a jib, for example, the eye-pieces F herein-before
referred to, may have a projection or tail-piece K formed on them, as shewn in

page_text: Figures 11 and 12, the tail-piece in Figure 12 being shewn turned outwards to
admit of a thimble being placed upon the hooks, after which it is brought into
the centre between the two sides of the hooks, and parallel thereto, as in
Figure 11, in which position it will effectually obviate all undue play of the
thimble on the hooks, and prevent such thimble ever getting below the points
of the hooks. This tail-piece or projection K may also be applied to a hook
fitted with a swivel H, as shewn in Figures 13 and 14; or in place of the
tail-piece an eccentric L (Figures 15 and 16) may be used, the effect being
precisely the same as that obtained by the use of the tail-piece K.
The dotted lines in Figures 15 and 16 represent the position in which the
eccentrics L are turned when the thimble is shipped, and the full lines shew
their position when it is desired to unship the thimble.
A small spike or point M (Figures 21 and 22) may or may not be fitted on
to the periphery of the eccentric, as found desirable, such point being intended
to prevent the strain of the noose which is spliced round the groove of the
eccentric from displacing or turning the eccentric when brought into the posi-
tion shewn by the dotted lines in Figures 15 and 16.
Figures 17 and 18 represent a double sister-hook, constructed on the same
principle as Figures 1 and 2, with the exception that the jaws are double, and
assume the form shewn in Figure 18, when opened.
This form of hook will be found useful in many situations, such as connect-
ing two ropes with thimbles on their ends, or for connecting the links of a
broken chain.
Figure 24 represents a sido elevation, and Figure 25 a plan, of a towing-
hook constructed on the same principle as the sister-hooks, namely, that of
opening laterally or broadwise, the hook being shown open in the plan view.
The two hooks N and O are united by a joint pin P in such a manner that
they will only open laterally from one another.
The ends of the hooks overlap each other at Q for a short distance, and
are so formed that when shut the two combined form a flush junction of
the same transverse section as the jaws of the hook. The ends of the
hooks from R to S are made rather straight, with the lower portion much
longer than the upper one, so that the shorter portion may be opened clear of
the thimble of the towing strap, when the "painter" has a strain upon it,
The ends of the holes at the junction are also cut away in an oblique direction,
so that when shut they may strengthen one another by dividing the strain
equally on both sides, or, rather, on the upper and lower jaws of the hook.
T is a bolt passing through a suitable slot in the arm of the upper hook, and
kept down by a spring U. This bolt is bevilled off at its lower end so as to

page_text: form a sneck, which shuts into a recess or slot in the arm of the lower hook.
By raising the spring attached to the bolt, the latter is released from its
position, and the hooks may then be opened. On the lower arm of these
hooks is fitted a swivel V, to counteract the tendency which the "painter"
may have to twist.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or
restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had
occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles or main features of my said Invention;
but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,―
First, the general constructions and arrangements of fastenings or attach-
ments for ropes, chains, or tackle, as herein-before described.
Second, the peculiar constructions and arrangements of "sister" and towing
hooks, whereby they are made to open and close broadwise or laterally, as
herein-before described.
Third, the application and use of the projection or tail-piece K, and
eccentric thimbles L, for the purpose herein-before described.
Fourth, the application and use of an india-rubber washer placed on one
or both sides of the joints of the sister-hooks herein-before referred to, for
the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Mahon Murton, have hereunto set
hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-five.
my
TAIN ATTON MUIDMAN
JOHN MAHON MURTON. (L.S.)
JOHN MAHON MURTON. (L.S.)