Year: 1897

page_text: 1. CHARLES METCALFE, of 16 and 18 Fishwick Street, Rochdale, in the County
of Lancaster, lame and Chain Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings:-
My said Invention relates to improvements in or connected with hames, and
refers more particularly to the fittings of such hames.
In present practice it is customary to secure the draw hook to the hame by
means of staples. These staples are passed through the hames and rivetted on
the other side to secure them in position. This method of securing the draw hooks
to the hame is very unsatisfactory, the constant and heavy strain, particularly in
the case of heavy draught horses; tending to shear off the rivet heads and in
some cases to break the hame across.
The present method too, of securing the connecting chains to the lower ends
of the lames by means of forged links is also objectionable. For instance suppose
the link becomes ruptured in consequence of the prolonged strain, wear and tear,
it is customary for the same to be repaired by a smith. To effect this the smith
is obliged to place the end of the hame in the fire to enable him to weld a fresh
link in the hame. In this operation the end of the hame is necessarily blackened
by the fire and rendered unsightly.
The object of my invention is to overcome these defects.
This effect by providing the interior of the hame with a suitably shaped
metallic bar. To this bar I secure studs to which the draw hook is hinged. The
strain therefore instead of being confined to rivetted staples is distributed over
the area of the metallic bar at the part where the same is in contact with the
interior surface of the hame, and the strain is mutually shared by the hame
and the inner bar.
To facilitate the securing of the connecting chains to the hames I provide a
coupling which is capable of being secured to the hame in a cold state.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I will now describe
the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings.
In the said drawings.
Fig. 1 represents the lower portion of a hame with my improvements applied.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the bar broken off in length for want of space showing
the studs in position.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 3 at right angles to the same through
the line A B.
Fig. 5 is respectively elevation and plan of the stud.
Fig. 6 represents a modified form of bar and stud.
Fig. 7 is a view of the bar looking in the direction of the arrow Fig. 6.

page_text: Fig. 8 shows my improved method of securing the chain to the lower end
of the hame.
I will refer in the first place to Figs. 1 to 7.
During the course of manufacture of the hame I introduce within the interior
of the hame a a liner or bar which I will hereafter refer to as the draw
bar. The hack face of the draw bar is curved in cross section to correspond
to the interior curve of the hame a. Owing to the curved shape of the hame
and the draw bar b, the draw bar is securely locked in position without any
auxiliary aid. It is impossible for it to move either lengthwise or transversely.
As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 both the hame and the draw bar bare provided with
oppositely arranged slots c. The studs are formed as shown in Fig. 5.
The studs are slipped through the slots as shown in Fig. 1. A quarter turn
is then imparted to them and a wedge or key e inserted in the slot which securely
locks then in position and prevents any accidental displacement, the head № of
the stud acting as a stop to prevent the withdrawal of the stud.
A bolt or the like (not shown in the drawings) is passed through the eyes
of the studs to secure the usual draw hook to the studs d. Figs. 3 and 4 show
clearly the studs and key e in position in the draw har b, the hame a not being
shown in these Figs. In case of breakage of the studs after prolonged wear, all
that is necessary is to withdraw the wedge e and insert a new stud, wedging the
same in after the manner described. This is a comparatively simple task and
can be effected by any unskilled person.
In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the draw bar instead of being
slotted as before is provided with screwed holes, the stud being formed with a
screw thread to engage with the holes f. No wedges would in this case he
necessary and the hame would be provided with screwed holes corresponding to
the screwed holes in the draw bar, or the holes in the hame might be plain.
It will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings that the strain upon the
hame in my improved arrangement is more effectively distributed over the com-
paratively large surface of the draw bar and the portion of the hame against
which it bears.
:
My improved method of securing the chains to the lower ends of the hames
is shown in Fig. 8, which represents an enlarged view of a coupling g.
!
The coupling is shown open in the form in which it is originally made. The
coupling is of wrought iron and is preferably galvanized. The neighbouring
link of the chain having been inserted within the coupling the portion of the
coupling is passed through the hole in the end of the hame a. The coupling is
then knocked together in a cold state, the portion being passed through the
eye of the coupling and headed up to prevent its withdrawal as shown in
Fig. 1. As this is effected in a cold state no discolouration of the hame or chain
takes place. On the breakage of the chain or coupling g, the coupling may be
easily removed from the hame and another inserted by an unskilled person.
This coupling is more particularly adapted for use with hames for heavy
draught horses.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The improved method of securing the draw hooks to harness hames, con-
sisting of a metallic liner or bar placed within the hame and formed with slots
disposed parallel to similar slots in the hame through which slots, studs are
inserted and secured to the bar and hame by removable wedges the draw hooks
being secured to the studs by bolts or the like, for the purposes and substantially
as described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings.
2. The modified method of securing the draw hooks to harness hames con-
sisting of a metallic liner or bar placed within the hame into which studs are

page_text: screwed the draw hooks being secured to such studs in the manner and substan-
tially as described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 6 and 7 of the
drawings.
3. The coupling 9 for securing the chains to the lower ends of harness hames
formed and applied in the manner and substantially as described and illustrated
with reference to Fig. 8 of the drawings.
Taind th 20th law of Navamhan 1907