Improvements in Clip Hooks and Double or Sister Hooks.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 23rd Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 25th Mar., 1887.
Improvements in Clip Hooks and Double or Sister Hooks.
I WILLIAM OWEN WALLEY Retired sailor of No. 16 New Street Altrincham in
the County of Chester do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
One form of my improved hook consists in forming together 2 counterpart or sister
hooks in reverse way so that the point of one hook rests against the shoulder of the
other. Each counterpart hook has a ring attached to one end of it so that the 2
counterparts (which are flattened on the inside) may when reversely joined together
as aforesaid form a perfect whole having the form of the figure 8. The flattened sides
are fitted with suitable projections or flanges on the shoulders to fill up the space in
the counterpart hook usually called the swallow of the hook (that is the open space
between the point and the shoulder or neck of each hook.
The 2 counterparts above mentioned are kept together by means of a thimble
compressed into the 2 rings attached to the hooks thus locking the rings together and
forming one complete ring. The 2 counterpart hooks thus united turn upon the
thimble in the completed ring, which thimble acts as a pivot. The hooks can then
be opened laterally like a pair of scissors so as to admit of any ring, hook, link or
other object to which they are intended to be hooked being inserted between the
points of the 2 counterpart hooks. The hooks are then closed & when closed have the
appearance of a solid ring or link since the swallow of each hook is closed by the
shoulder of the other hook having on it the projections aforesaid. The closed hooks
and rings attached then have the appearance of a figure 8.
For Harness purposes inside & across the thimble may be inserted a small metal
bar firmly fixed. A strap can be put through this bar or one half of the ring may be
filled up with metal firmly fixed inside the thimble so as not to interfere with the
opening or closing of the hook. The whole then serves as hook & buckle end
combined.
The second half of my invention consists in using a double hook formed like the
letter Sin 2 counterparts as before. These counterparts are reversed & can either
turn on a pivot through the neck or shoulder in the centre of each hook or a ring can

page_text: be formed between each hook and a thimble inserted in such rings as in the case of
the single hooks.
In either of the above forms of hooks one or both ends may be square or D shaped
or angular or circular & the hooks may be opened like a pair of scissors laterally with
a pivot or thimble at right angles to the face of the hook or opened backwards &
forwards on a pivot or thimble parallel with the face of the hook.
The rings may also be at right angles to the face of the hook. The hooks firstly
described may be formed without either pivot or thimble when the ring end is fixed
inside an eyebolt and the hooks be kept closed by an india rubber ring round the
middle or neck of the hook between the ring parts & the hook part or the sister
hooks may be made without the ring attachment the neck of one hook being connected
with a swivel ring in the usual way & the sister hook turning on a pivot in such neck.
Another pair of sister hooks can be joined to the same ring, by another swivel on
the opposite side of the ring.
I
may make them of any metal or any pattern so as to adapt & use them for all
or any purpose where any other hook is used.
The thimble instead of being a loose piece can be made as an attachment or
projecting ring or collar to one of the counterpart hooks or rings & being put through
the other hook or ring can then be pressed so as to lock the 2 together.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1886

page_text: I WILLIAM OWEN WALLEY Retired sailor of No. 16 New Street Altrincham in
the County of Chester 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 :-
The object of this Invention is to produce an improved kind of locking hook to
take the place of the ordinary spring hook. In the spring hook the strength of the
hook lies entirely on one side and depends on the one hook whereas in my invention
I employ 2 counterpart or sister hooks placed face to face and in reverse way thus
dividing the strength of the hook between the two (and on both sides) resembling
when closed more a ring or link than a hook.
In all my patent hooks the main feature is the joining together of two counter part
or sister hooks (some being double & some single) shewn (single) in the perspective
views Figs. 1. A. & 1. B. in the drawings. It will be seen that these 2 counterpart
hooks are flattened on the inside (where they overlap) so that when the flattened
surfaces are bronght together they form a hook or ring having a round surface.
They are so united that the point of one hook rests against the shoulder of the other
hook. The shoulders of each sister hook are made round (see Fig. 1. A.) forming
projections or flanges which fill up the space on the counterpart hook usually called
the swallow that is the open space (see c. r. Figs. 1. A. & 1. B.) between the point and
the shoulder of the hook through which the rings are inserted.
The 2 sister hooks when so united are kept together by means of 2 rings (attached
to the hooks) also flattened on the inside and intended to form when joined one ring
with round surface and to be united by means of a loose thimble or fixed projecting
collar (shown by a in Fig. 1. A.) which falls into the opening in the other ring and
being hammered or pressed down in the usual way firmly unites the 2 half rings & thus
unites also the 2 hooks which however are free to open and close since the rings are
free to revolve on the thimble or collar before mentioned which acts as a pivot.
Thus the combination forms when closed a pair of rings or links one half of which
is capable of being opened to admit of the insertion of a ring or link. Fig. 1. C.
shows a perspective view of this form of hook & ring when closed & Fig. 1. F. shows
a side view of the same hook showing that the hook and ring parts are at right angles
io each other.
Fig. 1. D. is a perspective view of the same ring with a bar across the thimble to
which a strap can be stitched or the ring may be half filled up with metal as in
Fig. 1. E.
Fig. 1. E. shows a perspective view of Fig. 1. F. with the hooks open and illustrates
the flattened side & projecting flange on the shoulder.
The other way of joining these sister hooks (instead of using a ring & thimble) is
to have a bolt or pivot as shown in Figs. 2. A. 2. C. 3 A. 3 B. &c.

page_text: Figs. 2 A. 2 B. & 20. are different views of the same hooks having a square end as
shown in Fig. 2 B. at right angles with the sister hooks (to be used for a strap or
rein).
Fig. 2 A, shows the same looking full at the hook with end view of the square end.
In Figs. 2 A, & 2 C, the bolt or pivot is shown by the letter e and on this axis the
sister hooks open & close (as shown in Fig. 2 C) like a pair of scissors.
All the specimens of sister hooks here described where a bolt is used may be joined
by a screw boli so that in case they should work loose and come open too easily they
can be screwed tighter. Such screw may be counter sunk or it may project and may
be a screw nut on the projecting end of a bolt.
The square end is made in 2 halves or counterparts or may be made solid.
By using 2 counterparts the strap when drawn tight locks the hooks & prevents
them opening.
Figs. 9 A, 9 B, show another form of the square end rein hook in which the mode
of opening the hooks differs from Fig. 2 C, since (when looking full at the face of the
hooks) they open forward and backwards-in other words the axis on which they turn
is parallel to the face of the hooks whereas in Fig. 2C, they open side ways when
looking full at the hook and the axis on which they turn is at right angles to the face
of the hooks.
In Figs. A & B, there are 2 jaws which embrace the revolving centre shown in
Fig. 2 C and the bolt e is elongated and passes through these jaws.
Thus not only do each of the 2 sister hooks turn on this centre but the square end
(and its jaws annexed) also turn on it.
Fig. 3C, shows the same principle illustrated in Figs. 1 C, 1 D, 1 E, 1 F, namely
hooks turning on a thimble in 2 rings excepting that the sister hooks do not open at
right angles to the rings as in Figs. 1 E & 1 F, but side ways as in Fig. 2 C, and each
sister hook is double, forming an S hook having the appearance when closed shown in
Fig. 3 C, namely 2 closed hooks & a ring in the centre. This form may be used for
jewelry a lady can use the 2 pairs of closing-hooks for joining the ends of a necklace
and suspend a locket from the centre ring. Also for harness purposes it will be
usefull.
It will be seen that a valuable feature in all these double hooks lies in the fact
that each end is closed by the insertion of a ring and when these rings or linksare
drawn tight they must lock the opposite hook.
The hooks can only open when the ring or link is in a particular position—thus
ensuring safety.
Fig. 4 A, represents the same form of double hook (figure of 8 form) with the bolt
parallel with the face of the hooks (which is the form I prefer) whereas in Fig. 2 C.
the bolt or pivot is at right angles to the face of the hooks.
Fig. 4A, is valuable for an immense variety of purposes as for instance it will serve
all the purposes of a double spring hook since it can be opened at both ends & it can
be inserted into a broken chain & will instantly repair it.
Fig. 4 B, represents a side view of Fig. 4 A when closed and Fig. 4 D the same
view opened and Fig. 4.C a perspective view of the same when opened.
Fig. 3 A represents the same as Fig. 4 B, except that one half is at right angles to
the other half and is a combination of Figs. 2 C & 4 B.
Fig. 3 B. is a perspective view of Fig. 3 A when opened.
Figs. 7 A, & 7 B, represent other forms in which the same principle can be applied.
Figs. 5, 6, 8A, 8 B, represent the application of the same principle to swivel
hooks.
Figs. 8A & B, are merely the upper half of Fig. 4 A attached to a pair of jaws
& connected with a swivel ring. Either of these can be duplicated by having another
hook connected in the same way with the reverse side of the swivel ring as shown in.
Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is another form of swivel ring & hook where the hook opens on the
same principle as in Fig. 2C.
In order to prevent the hook firstly described Figs. 1 A, to 2 C, opening too wide
& thus more easily allowing the ring to escape (should they ever work loose) I affix

page_text: a projection on the shoulder of one sister hook (or other suitable place where the
surfaces of the 2 hooks come in contact) made to catch against arrest a projection
on the shoulder of the other when the latter hook is opened to the required distance
and also I can attach a blade spring to one shoulder & cause it to press against the
other & thus force the other back & close the hooks after opening. Such spring can
also be inserted in the circumference of the thimble or collar of the counterpart rings.
In most sister hooks hitherto in use the point of each hook is constructed to cover
only -ths of the complete circle leaving open terminates at the point shown by
the dotted lines e-- ---in Figs. 5 & 4A. The disadvantage of this is found in
practice to be that should the inserted ring or link work round to the parts
1. Figs. 5 & 4A (where the sister hooks do not overlap) then the hooks (if slack at
the first) are liable to open, whereas by bringing the points of hooks down to the
place shown by the letters K and double line across the shoulders in Figs. 4 A & 5 the
risk of epening is greatly diminished as the hook would always be locked by the
inserted ring except such inserted ring is brought down to the party (Figs. 4 A & 5)
which is a position it would be very unlikely to get into of its own accord. This
improvement is an important feature in the construction of my Patent sister hooks and
together with the relative positions of the hooks to their axes, the flattened halves and
projecting flanges firstly described and other features before mentioned constitute
some of the peculiarities of construction intended to be referred to in the words
constructed as before described in my claim.
In order to prevent the hooks working open another means of locking them may
he adopted by inserting a pin with or without a spring or a double flat spring through
a hole pierced through both shoulders of the sister hooks say at the place marked
by the letter Figs. 1. E. 2 A. & 3 A. or a screw bolt or spring back key may be
inserted.
Another way of locking the sister hooks is shown by the drawings Figs.
10. A. 10. B. 11. 12. 13. I make a groove across the circumferences of the central
parts of the sister hooks where they revolve on a pivot & the surfaces work against
each other & into this groove I place a flat spring one end of which is screwed
or otherwise fastened to one of the sister hooks at the point marked S in the drawings
Figs. 10. A. 10. B. 11. 12. & 13. the other end of the spring being free. When this
spring lies flat in the groove (which it fills) it locks the hooks because the two surfaces
of the hooks along which the locking spring works form part of the circumference of
a circle from the points U to S & as the loose end of the spring lies in the other
groove on the sister hook the latter cannot be moved until the loose end of the spring
is raised. This can be done by the thumb nail, whereby the loose end is raised (as
shown in Fig. 13) above the groove in the sister hook (shown by letter t. Fig. 13
& the sister hook is thus free to be opened. When it is closed again the spring S
moves round to and falls into the groove t & locks the hooks again.
Figs. 10. A. & 10. B. show the application of this locking spring to the form of
hook where the face of the hook is parallel with the axis & Fig. 11. shows its
application to the form of hook in which the axis is at right angles to the face of the
hook.
In Fig. 4. A. I have shown a spring extending across the hook from the shoulder W.
to the point of the same hook. This is intended to illustrate one way of closing up
the opening & preventing a ring or other article getting out of the hook should it
work open. In pushing a ring into the hook this spring would be forced back
& would at once spring back again across the opening.
Lastly another important feature in the construction of my sister hooks which
I wish to point out consists in having the points of the hooks tapered as shown in the
end views of hooks in Figs. 1. Fig. 2. B. F. Fig. 3. A. Fig, 4, B. Fig. 4. D. & 9. B.
At the same time such points may be made with thick or square points as shown in
Fig. 4. Fig. 1. E. 3. B. 4. C. In either case the point of each hook lies
embedded in the shoulder of the sister hook & the surface remains round & smooth so
that the points do not protrude when closed & cannot catch against anything. The

page_text: advantage of this tapering is that the metal taken from the points by this tapering
goes to increase the thickness of & to strengthen the shoulder of the sister hook.
In conclusion I wish it to be understood that 1 am well aware that sister hooks
have been used before but I believe they have never been united and constructed in
manner before described.
I claim therefore:
1st. The use of single sister hooks (constructed as before described) with counter-
part rings attached, turning on and united by a loose thimble or by a fixed collar as
shown in Figs. 1 C. & 1F. and with or without the bar or solid half shown on
Figs. 1 D. & 1 E.
2nd. The use of single sister hooks (constructed as before described) turning on a
pivot consisting of a bolt or screw and attached to a square end (double or single) as
shown in Figs. 2 A. 2 B. 2 C. and 9 A. & 9 B.
3rd. The use of double sister hooks or S hooks (constructed as before described.)
turning on a pivot consisting of a loose thimble or fixed collar forming an open ring
between the 2 sets of hooks as shown in Fig. 3 C. or turning on a bolt or screw
without such ring and with the faces of the hooks parallel with or at right angles to
the axis of the pivot as shown in Figs. 3 C. 4-A. 4 B. 4 C. & 4 Dior one half at right
angles and the other half parallel as shown in Figs. 3 A. & 3 B.
4th. The application of the aforesaid sister hooks to swivels as shown in
Figs. 5. 6. 8 A. & 8 B.
5th. The use of sister hooks (constructed as before mentioned) with the projections
for preventing them opening too wide as before described and springs for causing
them to close again.
6th. Any of the hooks may be made of any size, and of any variation in shape or
design and the materials used may be square flat round angular or twisted.
7th. The various modes of locking the sister hooks by the insertion of a pin or by
springs before described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 22nd Fab 1907
FREDK. A. BINNEY,
Agent for the Applicant.