Improvements in Slip-hooks for Pole-straps or Chains, Traces, Reins, Leads, Dog-leashes, and the like, and in Fastenings therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1896-4ccepted, 23rd May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Slip-hooks for Pole-straps or Chains, Traces,
Reins, Leads, Dog-leashes, and the like, and in Fastenings
therefor.
I, ALFRED WOOD, of Fairlight House, Bouverie Road, Folkestone, in the County
of Kent, Carriage Builder, 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 improvements in slip-hooks for pole-straps or chains,
traces, reins, leads, dog leashes, and the like, and in fastenings therefor, and consists
in the construction and arrangement of parts whereby said slip hooks and fastenings
are rendered effectual in operation, easy of manipulation, automatic in the locking
or fastening of action, as well as readily permitting when occasion requires, of
instantaneous yoking or releasing of the horse, dog or other animals from the
harness, or the vehicle, or the leash aforesaid.
And in order that this my invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe same with reference to the accompanying sheet
of drawings and the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, that is
to say:
Figs. 1, 2, 3, are plan views of various arrangements of my slip hook, in which
the locking device consists of a ring or band encircling the arm of the hook and
kept in position by means of a spring coiled around said arm and placed between
the ring and the shackle or loop of the device.
Fig. 4 is a plan partly in section, and Figs. 5 and 6 plan views of modification of
my slip hook, in which the locking device consists of a sliding tube or broad ring
encircling the arm of the hook and operated by one or more coiled or other springs
placed within the arm of the slip hook.
Fig. 7. is a view in plan of a novel form of fastening particularly adapted as a
means of attachment of the slip hook to the pole chain, trace, or other portion of
harness.
Fig. 7 is a view of one of the jaws of the fastening. Fig. 8. is a plan view of a
modification of the fastening shewn in Fig. 7 and Fig. 9. shews a link to be used
with said fastening.
Fig. 10 is a plan of my slip hook formed with a locking notch or recess, aud
Fig. 11 shews a plug to be used in conjunction with the spring within the arm and
Fig. 12. is in plan view a portion of the device shewing the plug in the locking
notch.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout.
I
Now, in accordance with this invention employ any suitable metal and form the
slip hook of two jaws hinged or pivotted together, one of which jaws is furnished
with a projection or arm, around which slides a ring, band, or tube capable of
holding the hinged jaws in their closed position.
To the end of the arm or projection aforesaid is attached a shackle, loop, or eye
for connection to the chain, trace, strap or lead. The ring, band or tube aforesaid
is kept in the locking position by means of a spring which may be arranged
around the arm or projection of the slip hook as illustrated particularly in
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 or be arranged in a groove or channel in the arm or projection
aforesaid as seen particularly in the sectional view Fig. 4. The fastening device

page_text: which I may, when desired, employ for attaching the slip hook to the chain, trace,
strap, or lead, consists of two jaws pivotted together, kept or locked in their closed
position by a chain link placed in a slot formed in rear of the pivot of the jaws.
Whilst the link remains in the slot, the jaws cannot be opened, but when it is desired
to open same the chain link is lifted up into a stot cut at right angles or nearly so
to the first mentioned slot. To prevent the link slipping up accidentally and thereby
causing the fastening to open when not required, I form the releasing slot of a
smaller size than the link, so that the link can only enter the releasing slot when
the notch or groove is brought into position, as will hereinafter more particularly
appear. Or the releasing slot may be of the same size as the locking slot and
be partly covered by the disc or washer rat pivot or joint r (see particularly
Fig. 8).
Fig. 1. shews a slip hook particularly of advantage for use with dogs either
coursing or hunting. It will slip the lightest dog without check by the pull given
to the releasing strap, and it will slip either a pair of dogs or a single dog free of
the collar, and by removing the neck straps it will slip direct from the collar, or it
may when required be used for an ordinary lead.
Referring to Fig. 1 a is one jaw formed with the projection or arm 6 to which is
hinged or pivotted the second jaw d at c; each of these jaws is half the thickness
of the diameter of the arm and overlaps each other as shewn at.. e is a ring
or band capable of sliding upon the arm and of encircling, when in the position
shown in full lines in this figure, an extension f of the jaw d (see dotted lines for
extension f) and so keeping the jaws locked. g is a swivel eye or loop for
attachment to the lead and is a spring placed around the arm 6 between ring
or collar e and swivel g serving to keep ring or band e in its locking position.
i is a T-piece, stud, or hook formed upon ring e to which one end of the releasing
strap is fixed.
This ring with T-piece is also shewn separately upon the drawings. k is a
hook formed upon the fixed jaw a (or a stud, eye, or its equivalent may be formed
in lieu of the hock) upon which are slipped the fixed ends of the straps that pass
around the dogs' necks the free ends of which are clasped between the jaws a and d.
By pulling the releasing strap attached to the hook or T piece i, the collar or ring e
is drawn back sufficiently to release the short extension or arm f of the pivotted
jaw d. The latter then instantly flies open (as seen in dotted lines) and the free
ends of the neck straps escape from between the jaws and thus the dog or dogs,
is or are, released entirely free of the neck strap. When it is desired to slip direct
from the collar the neck straps are removed from the hook, k and the jaws a d are
snapped on to the collar ring. To close the hook the jaws are pressed together,
when the short arm of the jaw d (formed for the purpose with a slanting end)
presses back the ring e sufficiently to allow the jaws to come together, and the
spring acting upon the ring e returns said ring into the position shewn encircling
the arms of the jaws and keeping same locked until the ring e is again forced back.
Fig. 2 shews a similar hook but of lighter construction suitable for attachment
direct to the collar ring or its equivalent and which is not provided with the book
or stud k for the neck straps, nor with the T piece i for the releasing straps, but
the latter may be formed on the ring e if desired; also the hook may be formed
with two pivotted jaws, one at each end, in which case the swivel g is dispensed
with.
h
Fig. 3 shews a hook of similar construction to the last described but is without
the swivel eye or loop. A groove is formed around the arm at i in which a gapped
ring m is forced and squeezed up to act as one bearing for the spring h; or a pin
may be inserted in the side of the arm & in lieu of employing the ring m, and thus
form the bearing. The eye g is left open as shewn at g' to receive the end link of
chain to which it may be affixed.
Fig. 4. shews partly in section a modified construction of my slip hook which is
particularly adapted for use with pole straps or chains, traces, and other portions
of harness, and which will be found of great advantage when desiring to

page_text: instantaneously yoke or release a horse to or from its harness or the vehicle. In
this instance I have at one end of the arm b a loop or eye formed of two jaws a and d,.
the one a being a portion of the arm & and the other d being pivotted at the outer
end of the jaw a at c. These jaws are so shaped as, when closed, to leave a central
aperture of a desired shape and size for holding the link of the pole chain, trace, or
the like; or any suitable eye or attachment on the vehicle, and the hinged jaw dis
formed with a tongue or projection at its free end which fits into a groove or
recess n formed in the arm b aforesaid. The tongue f of the jaw d is held within
the groove n aforesaid by means of a sliding collar or tube e fitted around the arm b-
and capable of being drawn or forced over the end of the tongue f of the jaw d
when closed and within the groove n provided in the arm for its reception as-
aforesaid.
The groove n may be continued in the length of the armn to the head or eye of
the shackle g which allows of a coiled spring or springs à being placed therein (or
other similar grooves may be formed in the arm) one end of which spring or springs
abuts against the end of the groove or channel, and the other end or ends in which
the plug is inserted, will bear against the screw or its equivalent p on the sliding
collar or tube e. The tongue of the jaw d I preferably bevel at its end so that by:
simply closing and pressing the jaw it will act upon the edge of the sliding collar
or tube e and thus cause the same to recede until the tongue lies in the groove of
the arm, when the spring A will impel the collar or tube e back over the tongue f
and so securely lock the two jaws.
A loose shackle g is in this figure shewn as provided at end of the arm for
attachment to pole or trace chains or their equivalent.
In Fig. 10 I have shewn a modification of this hook in which I obtain a double
lock upon the moveable jaw d. This I accomplish by cutting or forming the
notch or recess n' in the channel n.
On turning the tube e in the direction of the recess the shank of the screw p
nearest to the head enters the recess, but the end of the shank having a lesser
radial motion, remains partly in the channel n and continues to act as the bearing.
for the spring h.
Fig. 11 shows a form of plug o for insertion in the spring in lieu of the flat-
headed plugs shewn in Figs. 4 and 10. The portion o' of the cylindrical head is
made flat and then terminates with a cone shaped end o³, and it will be obvious that
when the tube e is turned, it carries therewith the top portion of the screw Pinto,
the recess n' as before described, when the spring forces the apex of the cone,
slightly beyond the shank of the screw p, and thus the lateral pressure of the
conical head of the plug o on the shank of the screw p under the influence:
of spring & prevents any accidental turning of the tube e through the swinging and
vibration of the chains when in use.
Fig. 5. is a similar slip hook, but is shewn as provided with a solid loop g
for attachment to straps in lieu of the detachable shackle for chains shewn
in Fig. 4.
When used for pole straps this hook is attached to the kidney link or ring on the
collar hames. The dotted lines represent the hook in its open position.
Fig. 6 illustrates a manner of pivotting the jaws at the back of the aperture
instead of in front of it as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5.
Figs. 7 and 8 shew the fastening which may advantageously be used with the
slip hooks above described as a means of attaching said slip hooks. to chain harness
and the like. This fastening consists of two jaws 99' (the outline of jaws is shewn
separately in Fig. 74) overlapping one another and pivotted together at r. The
surfaces in contact with each other are flat but' the outside surfaces may be either
flat, round, or otherwise shaped.
The fastening is secured in its closed position by the end links s of the chain to
which it is attached falling into and occupying the slot t formed in the rear-
portion of the fastening, thus preventing the two jaws revolving upon the pivot and
becoming opened. On the outside of the link e and midway of its length, a notch w

page_text: is cut (see also Fig. 9) and to open the fastening it is necessary to grasp the
chain or the fastening, then turn the link s on its side and purposely place the
notch u within one of the small slots v when the jaws are free to be opened.
The locking of the jaws is automatically effected by the notched link dropping
of its own weight into the slot t.
I may provide a special link w when required (see Fig. 7) which is notched at u
and formed with the eye into which the chain is passed and the eye afterwards
closed up.
The link may also be formed thicker at one end y to allow for wear,
and prevent it becoming thin enough to pass into the slot ».
It will of course be obvious that I may apply any of the various eyes, loops or
shackles, or their equivalent, to any of the forms of hooks in the drawings, besides
the particular combination in which they are shewn.
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 improvements in slip hooks for pole straps or chains traces, reins, leads,
dog leashes, and the like, and in fastenings therefor, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn.
2. The slip hook consisting of two jaws, one rigid and the other movable, pivotted
together on an axis in rear of the jaws and constructed as hereinbefore described,
combined with a locking ring, collar or band encircling the arms (or rearward
extensions of the jaws) and kept in position by the action of a spring placed
between said ring, collar or band and the swivel, eye, or loop or other projecting
portion of the device; the T-piece, stud, or hook on the sliding ring or band, and
the hook stud, or eye on the fixed jaw, all arranged and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.
3. In slip hooks having two pivotted jaws and a sliding tube operated by
a spring; the extension of the groove or channel for the reception of the spring
and the lateral recess in the hook arm. in conjunction with the cone-headed plug
within the spring and the screw or pin in the sliding tube for the purpose of double
locking the pivotted jaws, all substantially as herein before described and illustrated
particularly in Figs. 4, 10, and 11 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In slip hooks having two pivotted jaws, and sliding tube operated by
a spring, a loop formed integrally with the arm of the hook to receive a pole piece
or other strap, the channel n, the recess n, the screw p, the plug o within the
spring h, all as hereinbefore particularly described and shewn in Figs. 4, 5, 10
and 11 of the drawings.
5. The slip hook consisting of two jaws one rigid and the other movable pivotted
together on an axis in rear of the jaws and internally constructed with the channel n,
the recess n', the screw p, the spring h, and the plug o, all as hereinbefore
particularly described and shewn in Figs. 4, 6, 10 and 11 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. The fastening device for chain attachment shewn in Figs. 7, 7, 8 and 9
consisting of the two jaws q, q', overlapping each other and pivotted together with
a disc or washer between arranged in such manner that forward of the pivot
a suitable space is left inside the jaws to permit of the holding therein of the loop,
eye, shackle or link; and rearward of the pivot are formed a locking slot and
releasing slots v in which works the notched links as hereinbefore described,
all constructed combined and operating substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 15th day of April 1896
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.