Improvements in Handcuffs and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1899
Improvements in Handcuffs and the like.
I, LOUIS FRANKLIN MALTBY, of Waterbury, New Haven County, Connecticut,
United States of America, Blacksmith, 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:-
·
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in police nippers, such
as are used to grasp and lead prisoners from place to place, or which may be used
as a handcuff to chain one prisoner to another.
It is the object of my invention to generally improve the construction of
devices of this kind, and particularly to provide a nipper which automatically
adjusts and locks itself to various sizes of wrists, said jaws not requiring to
entirely close in order to become locked, as is the case with all the nippers of
this class upon the market.
With the above objects in view, my invention resides and consists in the novel
construction and combination of parts shown upon the accompanying drawing
forming a part of this specification, upon which similar characters of reference
denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures and of which,
Figure 1 is a central horizontal sectional plan view of my nipper, the same
being in anclosed position.
Figure 2, is a similar sectional plan view, the jaws, however, being in an open
position.
Figure 3 is a similar sectional plan view with the jaws and handle broken
away, the trip pressed in to release the dogs, and allow the jaws to close.
Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of the case with some of the mechanism
removed, said view being intended to more clearly illustrate the dogs and their
relation to the spring actuated bell crank levers.
Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon the drawing,
A indicates the casing, B its barrel or stem, and C the handle thereon. D repre-
sents the slide within the stem and E a spring which acts upon the slide to
thrust it forward. A pin F serves to connect the slide through slots of the stem
with a movable handle G, which latter slides upon the stem and serves as a
means whereby said slide is drawn backward against the resistance of the spring E
before mentioned. The forward end of this slide has pivoted to it a pair of spring
actuated dogs H (see Figure 4) which as shown serve to engage an inclined lug I
which is pivoted to the interlocking end of one of the bell crank levers J. These
levers are pivoted to studs K secured to the casing and are normally thrown
outward as shown in Figure 1, by means of the springs L. The link M connects
these levers to a shoulder of the jaws N, which latter are fulcrumed on stud. O,
secured to the casing.
From the foregoing it will be noted that in their normal position the jaws N
are closed by reason of the action of the springs L and E, and that said jaws are
opened by the handle. and its slide 1) being drawn back to the position shown
in Figure 2, after which in order to close said jaws the handle must be

page_text: released or the dogs H disengaged from the lug 1, whereupon the springs L will
throw the jaws closed.
Upon each of the dogs H is a pin 1' which in practice is engaged by an inclined
recess of the pivoted levers It, pivoted at S. Said levers are further provided
with links T connecting them with a central sliding trip U, which is normally
extended by reason of the spring E, and is provided with an engaging plate V.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be apparent that when the handle G
is drawn back upon its stem, it carries with it its central slide and the dogs, and
swings the bell crank levers upon their pivots in a manner to open the jaws N,
which movement of the dogs brings their pins P back into the recesses of the
levers R, whereupon by an inward thrust against the plate V of the trip_U, the
free ends of said levers R are forced outward, causing the dogs to be spread apart
and releasing the inclined lug as shown in Figure 3, whereupon the bell crank
levers are free to assume their normal position and close the jaws. It will thus
be apparent that by means of proper contact of a prisoners wrist with the trip U,
the jaws of my instrument may be closed without releasing the handle G, which
feature makes it substantially automatic in its closing operation.
•In addition to the above features of my invention, I provide a lock which is
intended to secure the jaws in position at any point of their closing operation.
This is desirable, since it provides for the positive engagement with large wrists
as well as small ones, and will hold the prisoner should he be imperfectly grasped,
by reason of the jaws being prevented from expanding, and will gradually close
tightly upon him. This locking device consists in providing the forward ends
of the bell crank levers J with a serrated face as shown in Figure 4, and pro-
viding a serrated yoke X for engagement therewith. This yoke is provided with
a stem Y which is mounted in bearings Z and is provided with a small spring a,
the tendency being to thrust the yoke forward into contact with the serrations
of the bell crank levers. A small pin 6 is secured to the yoke and engages an
orifice in the trip U. The adjustment of these parts is such that the spring
actuated trip holds the yoke out of the path of engagement with the bell crank
lever until said trip is forced completely inward, at which time the bell crank
levers are swung in the path thereof.
The free ends of the jaws of my instrument are substantially parallel whon
closed and their extremities swing in over the line of their pivotal points O,
which features release them when closed from any tendency to open should a
lateral strain be exerted on the instrument. It will further be noted that owing
to the special shape of the jaws, they assume the same relative shaped opening
when partially expanded as they do when closed, and consequently will accommo-
date large and small wrists in the same proportion.
It will be obvious that this locking mechanism is only required for locking
the jaws at an intermediate point, since the bell crank levers and their link or
toggle connection with said jaws are so arranged that said connections form a
positive lock when the jaws are closed.
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:
In a police nipper of the class described, the combination with a pair of
hinged jaws, of means for opening the same, a trip for closing said jaws and means
for locking said jaws in an intermediate or partially closed position.
2-In a police nipper of the class described, the combination with a pair of
hinged jaws, of mechanism for opening said jaws, means for releasing and closing
the same, mechanism for locking said jaws at any intermediate position, and
separate means for locking said jaws in a closed position.
3-The combination with a pair of spring actuated hinged jaws, of a central
slide and connections for opening said jaws, a trip adapted to disengage the con-
nections between said slide and the jaws, whereby the latter may be closed by

page_text: the action of the springs, means for engaging the connections of the jaws during
their closing operation, whereby they are locked against an open movement,
and mechanism for automatically looking said jaws in a closed position.
4 The combination with a pair of spring actuated jaws, of bell crank levers
linked thereto, a central slide to engage said levers and retract the jaws, a trip
to disconnect the slide and the levers, whereby the jaws are automatically closed.
5 The combination with a pair of hinged jaws, of spring actuated bell crank
levers connected therewith, a spring actuated slide bearing dogs to engage an
intervening piece of said levers, a trip connected with said dogs whereby the latter
are automatically expanded to release the levers and a locking device controlled
by the trip, for the purpose specified.
6-The combination with a pair of hinged jaws, spring actuated bell crank
levers connected with said jaws and having interlocking arms, an inclined piece
secured to one of said interlocking members, dogs to engage said piece, a spring
actuated slide to which the dogs are hinged and bearing a handle by means of
which the slide and dogs are drawn backward to open the jaws, mechanism for
automatically expanding the dogs to release the levers and jaws, substantially
as desoribed.
7-In a nipper of the class described, the combination with a pair of hinged
jaws, spring actuated bell crank levers connected thereto bearing serrations upon
one arm, a serrated slide for engagement with the serrations of said arms, whereby
the latter is retained against backward movement a trip for operating said slide,
and means for opening the jaws, substantially as described.
8-The combination of a pair of hinged jaws, of spring actuated bell crank
levers, links connecting the same with said jaws, a slide for operating the levers
to open the jaws, means whereby said jaws may be closed by a relaxing movement
of the slide, substantially as described.
9 The combination with a pair of jaws, hell crank levers, and links
connected therewith in a manner to form a positive lock when the jaws are closed,
means for opening and closing said jaws.
10-In a police nipper of the class described, the combination with a pair of
hinged jaws, of bell crank levers connected therewith and bearing interlocking
members, an inclined lug secured to one of said members, a spring actuated
slide bearing dogs to ride up said incline and engage the shoulder of the lug
whereby the latter and its levers may be drawn back to expand the jaws with a
retracted movement of the slide, a central trip including levers for engagement
with pins of the dogs, and links connecting said levers with a central trip slide
whereby the dogs are expanded by an inward thrust of the trip, as, and for the
purpose described.
11-The combination with a pair of jaws, bell crank levers and links con-
nected therewith, means for locking said jaws in an intermediate or partially
closed position, links connected with said levers in a manner to form a positive
lock when the jaws are closed, and means for opening and closing said jaws.
Dated this 7th day of November 1899.