Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1887
Specification Accepted, 18th Oct., 1887
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patents Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 a novel snap-hook clasp or buckle adapted for detachably
connecting the ends of straps or ropes with each other, or for detachably connecting
a strap or rope with some other object. The invention consists in matters hereinafter
described and pointed out in the appended claims.
The invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a buckle illustrating a preferred embodiment of
my invention.
Figure 2 is a face view of the same showing the parts thereof separate from each
other, a portion of the main part or shank of the buckle being shown in section taken
upon linex of Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken upon line cx of Figure 2, showing the
parts of the buckle connected with each other.
Figure 4 is a face view of a buckle differing somewhat from the one shown in
Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of the same, taken upon line
of Figure 4.
As shown in said figures of the drawing, A is the main body or "hook" portion of
the device, consisting of a shank provided with a hook a at one end and having a
loop A at the other for attachment to a strap B. C is the "eye" portion of the snap
having an open eye or loop c for engagement with the hook a and a closed loop c¹ for
attachment to a strap B. The open eye c is constituted of two inwardly directed
prongs c2c2 which engage the book a by extending around the opposite sides of the
latter, as indicated in Figure 2. D is a tongue, stop-piece or detent which, in this
Price 77

page_text: instance is pivoted between its ends to the shank of the hooked part A, at a considerable
distance back of the hook, with its front end surface normally standing across the opening
of the hook a and adjacent to the point or edge of the latter, as shown in Figures 1
and 3. The pivot or axis d' of the detent D is so arranged that the front end of the
detent will swing towards and from the shank A in a direction transverse to the point
of the hook a and in a position proximate thereto. D' is a suitable spring arranged
between the detent and the shank of the hook to throw the front end of the detent
inwardly. Commonly, the inward movement of the detent will be arrested by the
striking or resting of the detent against the hook shank, as also indicated in Figures 1
and 3 but any other stop may be provided. The front end of the detent D is in the
form of a cross bar d and the neck or body of the detent just back of this cross bar d
is of suitable width to pass between the free ends of the prongs e² ² of the eye c. As
also shown in these Figures 1, 2 and 3, illustrating this form of the detent, the under
and rear surfaces of the projecting parts of the cross-bar d are bevelled forwardly and
inwardly so that by first dropping the prongs of the open "eye" behind the
cross bar d and then drawing the eye forwardly or towards the hook a, the prongs of
the eye will lift the cross har and pass beneath it into the hook. To release the "eye"
from the hook the rear end of the detent will be depressed thereby raising the front
end or the end adjacent to the hook and allowing the prongs to be moved
backwardly beneath the cross bar and outwardly behind it. In either inserting or
removing the " eve "in the construction above described the detent is not lifted beyond
the end of the hook a and the prongs of the eye do not pass between the detent and
said hook.
To give additional stiffness and rigidity to the hook I have herein shown the
middle part of said hook as provided with an integral web or fillet a¹ which fills the
otherwise unoccupied space between the ends of the prongs 2, as clearly shown in
Figure 2. The employment of the filling piece is not, however, essential to the making
of an operative device of the character shown.
For the purpose of giving a neat and smooth finish to the parts, the main part
of the detent ) is fitted within a recess A² in the shank A with its top surface flush
with the adjacent side parts of the said shank, as clearly shown in Figure 1, and the
spring D is located within the recess of the shank A beneath the detent, in a manner
clearly shown in Figure 3. Such spring D₁ may be arranged in any desired manner,
but as herein shown it has the form of a leaf spring attached at one end to the shank A
and pressing at its opposite or free end upwardly or outwardly against the under
surface of the said detent D. I have herein shown the end of the detent D upon which
the finger is placed for moving the detent as flush with the adjacent sides of the shank
so that said end of the detent is depressed into the recess A² when the finger is pressed
thereon, in the manner indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. If preferred this end
of the detent D may be provided with a knob or projection d³ (as indicated
in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 3) to enable it to be more conveniently actuated by
the finger.
It will of course be understood that as far as the main features of construction shown
and described are concerned the device may be modified in form and details without
departure from my invention, as for instance, the shank A. of the buckle may be
provided with any suitable means for attachment to a rope or to an object with
which it is desired to detachably connect a strap or rope, or the open eye or loop c
may be similarly adapted for attachment to a rope or to a stationary object by means
other than the loop c².
In Figures 4 and 5 is shown a snap or buckle generally similar to that illustrated
in the preceding figures and above described, but differing therefrom in certain
particulars which will be here pointed out. First, the " eye C has a continuous
cross-bar c in place of the separated prongs cc of the preceding figures, giving
a closed loop or eye c³ for engagement with the hook a; Second, the fillet or
rib a¹ of the preceding figures is omitted, and third, the detent, (here marked E) is
not necessarily T-shaped. In this case, in engaging the eye with the hook, the end e
of the detent is raised beyond the hook a far enough to admit the cross bar c* of

page_text: the eye
C between the detent and the end of the hook, as indicated by dotted lines in
Figure 5. The construction shown in said Figures 4 and 5 therefore contains only
part of the improvements illustrated by the preceding figures. The principal feature
common to all figures of the drawing is a detent having at one end an outward and
inward movement with respect to the shank, across and adjacent to the point of the
hook, said detent, when at the inner extremity of its movement standing adjacent to
the shank and with its end surface across the opening of the hook so that by said end
surface it retains the "oye from escape.
::
In a snap, buckle or clasp made as last above described the other parts thereof
than those referred to may be made as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 or otherwise
as desired.
I have shown a spring E' as applied to hold the detent E in its folded
or closed position, said spring being arranged like the spring D' shown in
Figure 3.
A snap or buckle comprising a shank having a lateral hook at one end and a
detent pivoted to the shank at a point remote from the hook and having its end
movable towards and from the shank across the end of the hook and adapted to stand
with its end surface across the hook opening when closed, so as to thereby confine
the eye within the hook, as illustrated in both forms of the device here shown,
has the advantage of heing much thinner and more compact than such hooks as
heretofore constructed, and such improved construction is intended to be embraced
in my following claims.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1: A clasp, snap or buckle constructed substantially as herein set forth, comprising
a shank provided at one end with a hook, a detent pivoted to the shank at a point
remote from the hook and having one of its ends movable laterally towards and from
the shank across and adjacent to the end of the hook, said end of the detent, when the
latter is closed, standing across the hook opening for the retention of the eye within
the hook, substantially as described.
2-A snap, clasp or buckle constructed substantially as herein shown and comprising
a shank provided with a hook, a movable "T" shaped detent mounted on the shank
and adapted to close the opening of the hook, the transverse part or cross-bar of the
said detent being inclined or beveled upon its rear or inner surface, a spring applied
to hold the said detent normally in position to close the opening of the hook, and an
open eye or loop adapted to pass behind and beneath the cross-bar into the hook,
substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of Anost 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.