Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Hame Fastener.
1, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agont, do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Thomas Friend Vose, Bishop Block,
Main Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.A., Salesman, 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 for its object to produce a device of this class which shall be
simple in construction, inexpensive to make, easy to operate, positive, and which
may be readily attached to and detached from. any hames at any time without
requiring skilled labor and without recessing or changing the hames or adding any
parts thereto.
With these ends in view I have devised the simple and novel construction, of
which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a
specification, numbers being used to indicate the several parts.
Fig. 1, is an elevation of a horse collar with bames in position thereon, illustrating
my improved fastener in the unlocked position.
.
Fig. 2, a similar view illustrating my improved fastener in the locked position.
Figs. 3, and 4, are enlarged views of the two members of the fastener
detached; and
Fig. 5, is a view upon the same scale as Figs. 3, and 4, illustrating the position of
the folding member of the fastener when locked upon a relatively smaller-sized
collar than that shown in Fig. 2.
1, denotes a horse collar, and 2, hames, of ordinary construction, connected together
by a strap 3, at the top. 4, denotes the ordinary metallic loops at the bottom of the
hames for the attachment of the fastening straps which have heretofore been ordinarily
.

page_text: used. To one of these loops, preferably the one upon the left hame, I attach one
meinber of my improved fastener, which consists simply of a short chain 5. This
chain may be attached in any ordinary simple manner. I preferably use a small
hook 6, which is made the full width of loop 4, and is closed about it with a hammer
to secure this member in place. The other member of the fastener consists of two
folding plates 7, and 8, joined together by a pivot 9. At the upper end of plate 7,
is a hook 10, similar to hook 6, but made integral with the plate, which is closed
about the loop on the hame in the same manner as loop 6, whereby this member of
the fastener is secured in place. 11, denotes a hook pivoted to plate 8, and adapted
to engage any of the links of chain 5.
By providing a number of links I insure ready adjustability, so that the device may
be used upon collars of any size without change.
In use the hames are placed upon the collar in the usual manner, and hook 11,
engaged with one of the links of chain 5. Plate 8; is then folded over plate 7, that
is swung around from the position shown in Figs. 1, and 4, to the position shown in
Figs. 2, and 5, which clamps the hames firmly together.
It is an essential feature of my invention that pivot 9, which connects the two
plates and the point of attachment of hook 11, to plate 8, should be so located
relatively to each other that when the plates are folded or swung to the locked
position, as in Figs. 2, and 5, the said point of attachment of hook 11, will be carried
upward past a horizontal line drawn through pivot 9, so that it will be impossible for
the fastener to become detached in use, as the tendency of strain is to draw it tighter,
it being wholly impossible to disconnect the members from each other without
swinging plate 8, downward until the point of attachment of hook 11, thereto, shall
have passed below a horizontal line drawn through pivot 9.
In Fig. 2, I have shown my improved fastener as applied in connection with what
is relatively a medium sized collar, and in Fig. 5, I have shown the locked position
of the folding member when the fastener is used upon a smaller sized coller. In all
cases the parts are so constructed that in the folded or locked position the line of
strain is above pivot 9, so that accidental disconnection of the parts cannot take place
on any sized collar.
12, denotes the outer edge of hook 10, which in use is engaged by the tail piece 13,
of plate 8 the hook itself serving as a stop to limit the upward movement of plato 8.
The tail piece also serves as a finger piece for convenience in manipulating the
fastener.
The special advantages of my improved fastener are that it can be readily attached
to either metallic or wooden hames of any size without any cutting or change in the
hames and without any additional parts, and when worn out it may be readily
detached and a new one substituted in its place. It will of course be understood
that the exact shape of the parts and details of construction are not of the essence of
my invention, and may be considerably varied without departing from the principle
thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;
1st. A hame fastener consisting of a chain adapted for attachment to one hame, a
plate adapted for attachment to the other hame, and a folding plate hinged to the
lower end thereof which is provided with a hook adapted to engage the chain, the
point of attachment of said hook when in the folded position being above the pivotal
point of the plates, so that the parts are locked in position, substantially as
described.
2nd. A hame fastener, consisting of a chain having a hook for attachment to one
hame, a plate 7, having a hook for attachment to the other hame, a plate 8, pivotal
thereto, and a look 11, pivoted to plate 8, and adapted to engage the chain, whereby
when said plates are folded, the chain and hook 11, are caused to swing above the
pivotal point of said plates, and lock the hames firmly together.

page_text: 3rd. The combination with a pair of hames having the ordinary loops 4, of a chain
having a hook for attachment to one loop, and a plate 7, having a hook for attachment
to the other loop, a plate 8, pivoted to plate 7, and a hook 11, pivoted to plate 8,
and adapted to engage either of the links of the chain, as and for the purpose
set forth.
4th. Chain 5, having hook 6, in combination with plate 7, having hook 10, plate 8,
hinged to plate 7, and having a tail piece adapted to engage hook 10, to limit the
movement of said plate when thrown to the folded position, and a hook 11, pivoted
to plate 8, and adapted to engage the chain, as and for the purpose set forth.
5th. In a hame fastener, a folding member consisting of a plate 7, having a hook 10,
for attachment to a hame, and a plate 8, pivoted to plate 7, and having a pivoted
hook for engagement to the other member, and a tail piece to engage hook 10, and
serve as a finger piece for convenience in operation.
Dated this 25th day of May 1888.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.