Improvements in Safety-hooks, Rings and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety-hooks, Rings and the like.
I, HORACE GEORGE WOODFORD, of 11, Raines Mansions, Old Gravel Lane,
St. Georges-in-the-East, in the County of Middlesex, Waterman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to hooks, rings and the like, which require a portion
of the hook or ring to be moveable in order that a link of a chain, a ring or
other article may be inserted in it, the moveable part afterwards closing to
render the holdfast secure. These are specially applicable to the hooks which
are attached to the end of chains used for hoisting or hauling with cranes and
the like, in which the accidental engagement of the weight with the hook, or its
disengagement therefrom, might result in the fall of a cask or other heavy
weight in such manner as to cause serious damage to property and injury to
the men employed; but it is equally applicable to any purpose in which the
hold of a hook or ring is required to be made certain such as in harness, dog-
chains, watch and other chains for personal use, and the like.
This invention consists in forming the tongues which close the openings in
the hooks or rings double and pivoting them to the hook or ring and so con-
necting them that one opens outwardly and the other inwardly, the movement
of the one being necessarily accompanied by a corresponding movement of the
other in the opposite direction. A spring, preferably of a spiral shape is gener-
ally employed to hold the tongues together in their normal closed position,
but in some cases I make the outer tongue of such a weight that gravity causes
it and the inner tongue to remain closed until they are opened by hand or other-
wise.
In ordinary hooks for hoisting, for use with watch and dog chains and the
like, the tongues are pivoted at points near the hook shank, and when closed
form a continuation of the solid part of the hook itself.
It will be seen that by the employment of these hooks. accidental slip is
rendered impossible as pressure upon either the inner or outer tongues tends
to close both.
The pivoted ends of the tongues may be connected or geared to each other in
any manner which secures that the movement of one shall be accompanied by:
a corresponding movement of the other in the opposite direction.
Doted thin 4th dex of Juonst
1800
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75, Chancery Lane, Agent for the Applicant.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75, Chancery Lane, Agent for the Applicant.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75, Chancery Lane, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.

page_text: tongue is moved the other is forced to make a corresponding movement in
the opposite direction; thus when open as in Fig. 1 an external pressure upon
the outer tongue, or an internal pressure upon the inner tongue moves both to
the closed position shewn in Fig. 2.
The tongues may be connected in any other suitable manner than that illus-
trated in Fig. 1; such for instance as by means of a link 1) and pins d and di
as shewn in Fig. 5.
It will be seen that when the tongues A and B occupy the open positions
shewn in Fig. 1, rings, links, or the ends of a sling or slings may be inserted
by passing through the opening Z into the interior of the hook; when the tongues
being closed, these will be held safely, and any possibility of accidental slipping
obviated.
In some cases both tongues may be pivoted to the hook on a single pin a
as shown in Fig. 3; in this case the pivoted ends of both tongues and the hook
shank must be formed of a suitable shape. The connection between the two
bosses may be of any suitable description which ensures the tongues moving
in opposite directions simultaneously. Thus for instance a lever disposed
parallel to the pin a may have one end engaging with the boss of the tongue A
and the other with the boss of the tongue B, the lever being pivoted at the
centre to any convenient part of the hook shank.
The tongues are preferably held in the closed position by a spring or springs;
in Fig. 6 a spiral spring Cis shewn, but any suitable description of spring may
be employed, which produces the effect of normally closing the tongues.
In Fig. 4 the tongues A and B are shown as applied to a ring V, these being
pivoted at a and b in a similar manner to that shown with the hook. The ring
and the tongues are illustrated in Fig. 4.
In Fig. 5 is shown a hook, the two tongues of which instead of being opera-
tively connected by cogs or teeth (as shown in Fig. 1) have pins and fixed
to the pivoted end of the tongues and these are connected by a link or rod D
in such manner that the movement of either tongue is necessarily accompanied
by a corresponding movement of the other tongue in the opposite direction.
It will be understood that I do not confine myself to any particular shape
configuration or design of the hooks rings and tongues but construct these of
a shape suitable to each particular purpose; always retaining the essential
feature of my invention which consists in closing an opening or gap in a hook
ring, or the like, by means of two tongues pivoted and connected in such
manner that the movement of one tongue is necessarily accompanied by a cor-
responding movement of the other tongue in an opposite direction. In like
manner when springs are employed for the purpose of causing the tongues to
assume and retain their normal closed positions, these may be of any descrip-
tion which serve to attain their purpose.
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 A safety hook, ring, or the like, formed with an opening or gap which is
closed by two tongues, one opening inwardly and the other outwardly; the
two being so connected that the movement of one tongue is necessarily accom
panied by a corresponding movement of the other in an opposite direction,
substantially as described and shewn.
2 The combination with a hook consisting of a shank and a body, of two
tongues pivoted to the hook in such manner that they may be caused to close
the opening or gap formed in the hook; the two tongues being so geared or
connected together that the movement of one is nécessarily accompanied by a
corresponding movement of the other in the opposite direction, substantially
as described and shewn.
3 The combination, with a hook, ring or the like, of two tongues A and B