Improvements in Hooks, chiefly designed for use on Wearing Apparel.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1891-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JOHN KILLINGER, of Wayne, Delaware, Pennsyl-
vania, United States of America, Gentleman.]
Improvements in Hooks, chiefly designed for use on Wearing
Apparel.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has relation to hooks and particularly to those which, in conjunction
with eyes, are used on wearing apparel, and has for its object to improve the con-
struction and increase the efficiency thereof.
My invention consists of a hook provided with a spring-tongue which, at its main
portion, is coextensive with the main portion of the hook and which is bent or
turned upon itself, at a point outside the bend of the hook, and brought into close
relation with its main portion, leaving a slight space at such point, through which
is forced, against the inherent resiliency of the tongue, the eye or other device,
forming, in effect, a snap-hook.
The advantages of this construction are: The entering of the eye into the hook
at a point adjacent to the shank, instead of the free end, of the latter, prevents the
widening of such entrance by the forcing outwardly of such end, as heretofore,
under strain at the bend of the hook, also, the bending of the spring-tongue outside
of and not coincident with the bend of the hook, prevents strain on such tongue and
the consequent widening of the space through which said eye enters, as has resulted
from the coincidence of the bends of the hook and tongue.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved hook in engagement with an eye, the
latter being partly in section;
Figure is a plan view of the improved hook and an eye in engagement; and
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the improved hook applied to a buckle.
A represents the improved hook, formed of a continuous piece of spring wire
turned and doubled upon itself into the proper shape. Instead, however, of bringing
the parallel side portions of the hook into close relation, as in the ordinary and
well known form of hook, such portions are arranged at a distance apart, leaving a
central longitudinal space between them, which allows of freedom of play for the
spring tongue A, which latter is formed of a continuation of the wire after the
formation of the eye a, as shown in Figure 2, instead of terminating at such eye,
such continuation extending parallel with and between the side portions a a³ of the
ook to a point beyond the bends a of the latter, where it is bent upwardly, as
at a and similarly to a', and then extends backwardly for a short distance parallel
with the side portions as a of the end of the hook, whereupon it is bent down-
vardly almost close to the straight or main portion of the tongue, leaving a slight
ntermediate space, then upwardly again, forming the elbow a", terminating just
vithin the end of the hook, the portion of the elbow nearest the end a being more
nclined than the other side, which facilitates the entrance of the eye or other
evice through said space, against the resistance of the spring of the tongue, the
ccidental disengagement of said eye or the like being prevented by the more abrupt
ide of the elbow.
B represents an eye of the usual form in engagement with the hook A, having
een forced, through the space, past the elbow and resting at its centre against the
ner side of the bends of the hook, which bends receive all the strain exerted
ereon by the eye, while the bend of the tongue, being beyond or outside the line

page_text: of said inner side, is entirely clear of such strain and free from contact with the
eye B. Owing to the independence of tongue and hook and the entrance to the
latter being adjacent to the shank thereof, the tongue always remains in its normal
state, no matter to what extent the end of the hook is forced outwardly, therefore
its usefulness is not impaired.
In Figure 3 is shown a modification of my invention showing the improved hook
applied to a suspender buckle C the tongue d being formed integral with the buckle-
frame, as are the sides of the hook D, such sides and tongue being first stamped or
otherwise formed flat and then turned or bent into proper shape.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a hook, the combination of a hook portion and a spring tongue, the latter
being bent back, at a point outside of or beyond the bend of the former, and having
therein an offset in close relation with its main or shank portion, substantially as
specified.
2. In a hook, the combination of a hook portion formed of substantially parallel
side bars, and a spring tongue intermediate said side bars, said tongue being hent
back, at a point outside of or beyond the bends of the side bars, and having therein
an offset in close relation with its main or shank portion, substantially as specified.
Dated this 3rd day of Fala & D 1801
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.