Improvements in Hooks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hooks.
RICHARD JAMES MARKHAM of No. 7 Gladstone Street, Battersea Park Road, in
the County of Surrey, Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
These reversible "release" hooks are made of iron, steel or other hard metal. One
hook has a screw end with a right or left handed thread on it (as required) with the
hole through it, and is fixed or released by a key. The key is inverted & passed
through a plate before being fixed to anything and a stop added to it. The key then
passes into the hole in the screw end. The plate is screwed on to whatever is used
for fixing. The key being reversed is fastened by a stop, the key remaining safe in
the lock. To release the hook the handle is again inverted, pulled out to stop the hook
is released. This hook is made of iron or other metal. One piece of iron being
screwed into the other. The fastenings are released by lifting up point of hook.
Dated this 20th day of November 1889.
RICHARD JAMES MARKHAM.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hooks.
I RICHARD JAMES MARKHAM late of No. 7 Gladstone Street Battersea Park Road
in the County of Surrey but now of No. 9 Crondace Road Parsons Green in the
County of Middlesex Traveller 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 :-
This invention has for its object improvements in hooks for harness and other
purposes whereby the immediate release of fallen or runaway horses is effected in an
efficient and simple manner.
My invention consists in constructing a reversible hook of any suitable metal the
shank end of which may be screw threaded or not as desired and screwed for traces
into the shaft or other desired part of the vehicle this screw threaded part of the hook
has a hole formed at or near the centre thereof for the reception of a key which is
provided with a stop and passes through the side of the shaft in any convenient or
desired manner and into the said hole which effectually locks the hook in the position
required the said key should it be desired to release the horse would on a half turn in
the reverse direction bring the stop opposite a hole in the key plate and allow it to be
withdrawn sufficient to bring the key out of the hole formed in the shank end of the
screw the hook may then be reversed or turned to the position desired to release a
fallen or runaway horse.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same aided by the accompanying drawings
and figures and letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicate similar parts
throughout the drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a hook applicable to traces or other purposes and
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a back view of the same and
Figure 3 is an elevation of the key plate.
Figure 4 shews the hook arranged for pole chains and
Figures 5 and 6 represent respectively a side elevation and plan of another example
of hook constructed according to my invention.
The point of the hook a is constructed of any desired length shape or design the

page_text: shank b of which is screw threaded and has a hole c drilled or otherwise formed therein
for the reception of the point d of the key e said key e is in preference constructed
with a plain shank having at or near the outer end thereof a stop or projection f so
that when it is desired to insert the key to lock the hook a the handle thereof would
be inverted as shewn in dotted lines in Figure 2 which would allow the stop f to pass
through the hole j formed in the platek so soon as the stop f has passed through the
plate k the key e is reversed which effectually keeps the same in position the shank
or point end d passing through the hole c in the shank 6 of the hook a thus locking
the same in the position required. The key e may if desired be in the form of a bolt
and kept in position by a spiral or other spring.
To reverse the hook a to the position shewn in dotted lines Figure 1 so that the
claim or trace would practically drop off to release a fallen horse or for other purposes
the key e would be turned up to the position shewn in dotted lines in Figure 2
which would bring the stop opposite the slot j¹ formed in the upper part of the
key hole thus allowing of the same to be withdrawn from the hole c formed in
the shank end b of the hook a the said hook so soon as the key e is withdrawn may be
reversed or turned round to any desired position and the trace chain or other tackle or
harness removed therefrom.
For pole chains my invention is applied in precisely the same manner as for trace
hooks as herein before described and is fully and clearly shewn in Figure 4 of the
accompanying drawings and therefore further description is unnecessary.
The example of hook shewn by Figure 5 is for supporting the shafts in such cases
as heavy draft and other work and instead of being kept in position by the key e as
before described in reference to trace hooks the point a¹ of the hook a has a slot a²
formed in one side of the same which is countersunk to receive the lower part of a
knob the base plate n of the hook has a hole perforated through it said hole being
threaded at its lower end to about the centre thereof. Through this hole n¹
aping passes which is also threaded to correspond with the threaded portion
of the hole n so that when it is desired to reverse the hook the knob q¹ of
the pin q is given a turn or two which will raise or cause the pin to be withdrawn
a distance sufficient to allow the knob q' to just clear the countersunk portion of
the point of the hook which will allow of the hook being thrown to one side as shewn
in dotted lines in Figure 6.
I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise shape
and construction of hooks as herein described and shewn as other methods of securing
the hook in the shafts of carriages and other vehicles will readily suggest themselves
to persons skilled in that class of manufacture and I also wish it to be understood that
I do not confine myself to the application of reversible hooks to harness and similar
purposes but also to any purpose where a reversible or release hook can be applied.
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
1. A hook constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shewn
and for the purposes stated.
2. A hook so constructed and arranged that it can be reversed by withdrawing a
key or its equivalent from the shank end thereof substantially as herein described
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
3. A hook constructed as herein described and shewn so that it can be reversed or
held in position by a screw pin or its equivalent inserted through the point or other
part thereof for the purposes mentioned.
4. The construction and arrangement of reversible hooks for the release of fallen or
runaway horses and other purposes substantially as herein described and shewn.in the
accompanying drawings.
•
Dated this 18th day of August 1890.