Improvements in or in the Construction of Snap Hooks.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in the Construction of Snap Hooks.
I, JOHN CLARY, of Westfield in the County of Hampden, and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 relates to snap-hooks for harness, etc., and the object in view is
to provide a cheap and simple snap-hook that is easily connected and disconnected,
and that may be securely maintained either open or closed.
With the above object in view the invention consists in certain features of
construction, hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a snap-hook constructed in accordance with
my invention, showing it open.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same when closed.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the hook closed.
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of locking-lever.
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the sliding ring.
Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the spring.
Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
In practising my invention I construct the shank 1 of metal and bend the same
at its front end to form the hook 2, which extends up and over the shank, and at
its rear end said shank is bent either to form the circular eye 3 shown in full lines
Fig. 2 or the lateral loop shown in Fig. 1, in accordance with whether the hook is
to be used in connection with the strap of a harness or a rope. The upper
side of the shank is provided with an oblong recess 4, and through the same near its
rear end is passed a pivot-screw 5.
The snap-lever has its under side curved, as shown, and is tapered upon its front
end to form a finger 6, the opposite sides of which at its front edge are beveled, as
at 7, to engage and fit within a V-shaped notch 8, formed at the extremity of the
hook. Immediately in rear of the finger the lever is provided upon its upper side
with a flat seat 9, in rear of which is a curved shoulder 10, and in rear of the
shoulder, at the rear extremity of the lever, there is an inclined shoulder 12. An
elongated slot 13 is formed in the lever a short distance in front of the inclined
shoulder 12, and through the same a pivot-screw 5 passes.
14 designates a flat bow-shaped spring, the terminals of which rest upon the
bottom of the recess, and the curved upper side of which rests against the under
side of the lever in front of its pivot.
15 designates in this instance a cylindrical ring or ferrule having a milled
outer edge or perimeter, and mounted for sliding upon the shank 1 and the
upper edge of the lever.
In operation, by drawing the ring or ferrule to the rear the same comes in
contact with the inclined shoulder at the rear end of the lever and in rear of the
pivot-screw and causes the lever to tilt to the rear, in which position it is held by
the ring, and thus withdraws the finger of the lever from the hook, and the latter
is opened and ready for engagement with a ring or other device. By sliding
the ring to the opposite end of the shank to the seat 9 the lever is closed against the
hook and the beveled edge of the lever rests within the V-shaped recess of the
hook. In this position the ring is locked by means of the inclined central shoulder
of the lever in rear of the seat, aided by the bow-shaped spring within the recess,
which latter serves to force the lever out of the recess and against the ring, thus

page_text: placing the latter under tension and preventing the same from being slid by
accident either to open or close the hook.
A snap-hook thus constructed will be found to possess numerous advantages, in
that it may be positively locked either open or closed, and cannot by any possible
accident or movements of an animal become disengaged or have its position altered,
so that
many
accidents resulting from such accidental displacements of snap-hooks
may be avoided.
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. The herein described snap-hook, consisting of the shank bent at one end to
form a hook, said shank being provided in rear of and in line with the hook with
a recess, a lever pivoted between its ends within the recess and having its outer
edge extending therefrom and its end adapted to close the hook 1 and a ring loosely
mounted upon the shank and lever and adapted for sliding to opposite sides of the
pivot of the lever, substantially as specified.
2. The herein described snap-hook, consisting of a cylindrical shank terminating
at one end in an eye and at its opposite end in a hook and provided upon its upper
side with a recess, a lever pivoted near its rear end in the recess and having an
elongated opening for the reception of the pivot, said lever having an upwardly
extending finger adapted to close the hook and provided with opposite beveled
edges for engaging with a notch in the end of the hook, and in rear of the finger
provided with a flat seat, in rear of the seat with a rounded shoulder, and at the
rear extremity of the lever with an inclined shoulder, a bowed spring having its
terminals resting on the bottom of the recess and its central portion against the
lower edge of the lever, and a ring loosely mounted upon the shank and the lever
and under tension by the spring, substantially as specified.
3. The herein described snap-hook, consisting of the shank terminating at one
end in a hook, a lever pivoted upon the shank in rear of and in line with the hook
and adapted to close the latter, a spring interposed between the lever and shank,
and a ring mounted for sliding upon the shank and the lever and adapted to
compress the latter against the spring and into a locked position with the hook,
substantially as specified.
·1 נ..
.
1001