Improvements in Snap Hooks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Snap Hooks.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, which
has been communicated to me from abroad by The Bridgeport Chain Company, a
corporation located at Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, U.S.A., and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object to provide a combined snap hook and swivel that
shall be strong and practically indestructible and in which the cost of production
shall be reduced to the minimum.
With these ends in view, I have devised the simple and novel construction of which
the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a speci-
fication, numbers being used to denote the several parts.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a piece of chain illustrating the use in connection therewith
of one of my novel snap hooks;
Fig. 2, a view illustrating the steps in the process of making the swivel heads;
Fig. 3, an elevation of the snap hook detached, the swivel, head and base of the
spring being in section;
Fig. 4, a view of the spring detached ;
Fig. 5, a sectional view showing two of the swivel heads used together to form a
double swivel; and
Fig. 6 is a view of the shank and washer of a double swivel detached.
The chain forms no portion of my invention, it being of course apparent that any
suitable chain may be used, although in practice I preferably use and have illustrated
in the drawing the chain described and claimed in British letters patent No. 11,598,
A.D. 1887.
My novel snap hook consists essentially of a hook denoted by 1; a spring denoted
by 2; a swivel head denoted by 3; a washer within the swivel head denoted by 4;
and a rivet through the ears of the swivel head denoted by 5. The bow of my novel
snap hook is preferably flattened on its sides as at 10 so as to give the greatest
possible strength at just the point. where it is required, and the shank which I have
denoted by 1 is squared at the end as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The spring is formed
from a T-shaped blank (see Fig. 4), the arms forming the base of the spring being
clasped around the squared end of the shank, the inner end of the base of the spring,
when clasped about the shank, resting against a shoulder 9 at the inner end of the
squared portion thereof. The swivel head is preferably made more or less cup-shaped
as shown in the drawing. When formed to shape, each swivel head is provided with
a pair of ears 6 having holes 7 through them and, at the bottom of each head, is
a round hole 8 of just sufficient diameter to receive the squared end of the shank
and permit the latter to turn within it. The washers which lie within the swivel
heads are provided with squared openings 11 which just receive the shank so that
the washer must turn at all times with the shank.
The parts are assembled as follows: The base of the spring is clamped about the
squared end of the shank, the inner end of the base resting against shoulder 9.
The end of the shank is then passed through the swivel bead, a washer having a
squared opening placed over the shank within the swivel head, and then the end of
the shank is headed down upon the washer as at 12. This leaves the swivel head
held between the washer and the outer end of the base of the spring but free to turn
upon the shank. This locking of the washer against turning on the shank insures
hat all the wear shall be upon the washer, thereby preventing the possibility of the
heading being worn away and allowing the parts to become separated. The chain
1

page_text: is connected to the snap hook by placing the end link between ears 6 of the swivel
head, and then passing a rivet 5 through both cars and the link and heading down
the rivet upon the outer side.
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 --
A snap hook consisting of a hook proper having a squared shank, a T-shaped spring
the base of which is clasped about the squared end of the shank, a swivel head having
a pair of ears and a round opening through which the shank is passed, a washer in
the base of the swivel head having a squared opening to fit the shank so as to turn
with it, said shank being headed down upon the washer, and a rivet through the ears
of the swivel head by which the snap hook is attached to a chain.
Dated this 27th day of May 1890.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.