Improvements in and relating to Apparatus or Devices for Suspending Hammocks and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1893-Accepted, 22nd July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus or Devices for
Suspending Hammocks and the like.
I, CHARLES ST. JOHN MCREE, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at No. 5232 Morton Street, in the City of Germantown, County of
Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America,
Marine Draughtsman, 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 hook, catch or fastener for use with hammocks, cots,
swing beds and other things that require to be supported or upheld at one or more
points, and for other purposes, it being especially designed and adapted for adjust-
ment to and connection with various kinds of bulb beams, so called, or similar
structural shapes, of metal or wood, as commonly found or used in ships, bridges,
buildings, etc., the object of the invention being to provide a hook which is portable,
easily detachable, and readily applied for use, and one which is simple, strong, and
cheap, consisting of a few easily made parts and very effective in practice for the
use intended, it being susceptible of practical application in a great variety of ways
by having common structural features, as I shall hereinafter fully specify, and the
invention therefore consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of
parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and then more particularly
pointed out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention―
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved hook or clamp made in double form
and shown as practically employed in engagement with a T-bulb beam;
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the jaw shown in Figure 1, with the hook proper
removed;
Figure 3 is a view of a modified form of my clamp, the same being changed to
suit it to apply to an angle bulb beam.
Figure 4 represents another modification of my improved hook, the same being
constructed so as to adapt it for the purpose of running portable or temporary
wires, pipes, attaching hoisting gear, or performing similar functions.
Figure 5 is a modified form of the clamp represented in Figure 4, the same being
changed to adapt it for use with an angle bulb beam instead of with a T-bulb beam,
which is shown in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is another modification of the device for the purpose of applying it to
an angle bulb beam, the jaw in this instance having a hook or hooks cast thereon
and being supported by means of a key or wedge which engages the beam.
Figure 7 is another modification of the device applied to a bulb angle beam.
Figure 8 is another modification of the device as applied to a bulb angle beam,
the jaw in this instance having a removable hook which enters a slot and acts as a
clamp against the beam.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout all the
different figures of the drawings.
In iron and steel ships, wherein my invention is particularly designed and
intended for use, the metallic beams supporting the various decks are usually of
the types known as the T-bulb or angle bulb beams.
In the drawings A denotes a beam of the T-bulb form and A' a beam of the
angle bulb form, both being shown in section in said drawings. In many cases
it is desirable to swing a cot or hammock in places where fixed hooks either
were not provided, or if provided would have been objectionable. In order
therefore, that the cot, hammock, or other bed may be supported in any desired
place between the various decks of the ships without the use of the fixed hooks
Priced 1

page_text: alluded to, it becomes necessary to provide some kind of a clamping device which
can be readily engaged with the bulb beam or some equivalent suitable part
having a similar protuberance or enlargement around which a jaw may grasp and
bite with a sufficient hold to permit the cot or hammock attached thereto to be
supported safely with its contained weight. Therefore the invention primarily
proposes to provide a clamping hook for engaging bulb beams on board ship, or in
any other suitable locality, but yet it will be observed that I do not intend to restrict
my invention to such a use or purpose, but reserve the liberty of employing it
wherever it can be practically applied with value and utility. I conceive that it
can be used with structural shapes of various kinds and patterns, in various places,
and I am confident also that the hook or clamp will he found of value, not only for
the purpose of upholding cots, hammocks and the like, but also for supporting
hoisting mechanism, wires, cables, weights, and in fact it may be put to a multitude
of different uses for which it will be found fitted in practice. Therefore I reserve
to myself the widest possible liberty of application in the use of the invention.
The T-bulb beam A and the bulb angle beam A' are given here merely as
examples of structures with which the clamp or hook may be engaged.
Referring to Figure 1, B denotes a U-shaped jaw or saddle piece of any desired
size, having a curved lower part which partially surrounds and conforms in shape
to the bulb of the bulb beam and having also the vertical parallel uprights, pro-
jecting upward for a short distance alongside of the bulb and also the web of the
beam so that the saddle piece consequently occupies a depending position relatively
to the beam. This saddle piece B has its vertical parallel uprights bifurcated,
slotted, or cleft at bb, as shown in Figure 2, for the purpose of enabling the
hooks c to be pivoted therein, as indicated in Figure 1.
These hooks c are formed
The
on their inner ends with projections C, C, which are situated inside of the jaw B,
and are so shaped like cams with rounded edges as to fit securely in the bosom of
the bulb of the beam, after the clamping device has been located in place, the
shape of the hook being consequently such that the strain thereon resulting from
the downward pull of the hammock or other article suspended thereby will tend to
tighten the hold of the clamp upon the beam, transferring also a portion of the
strain from the jaw B to the bulb of the beam, as clearly shown in Figure 1.
jaw B can easily be disengaged at any time from the beam by simply lifting the
hooks c into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, when the projections C
will be thrown clear of the bulb and the jaw B will readily drop away from the
bulb. It will be observed therefore that the hooks c which are pivoted in slots in
the opposite sides of the U-shaped jaw have a considerable latitude of movement
from one position into the other. They have a tendency at all times under the
action of gravity to assume the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. Therefore
they are readily engaged with the bulb beam by simply causing the U-shaped jaw
to encircle the beam, which will depress the projections C, C, as said beam enters
within the jaw, and as the jaw seats itself snugly around the curved base of the
bulb, the projections C C will then fall back into close contact with the bosom of
the bulb and the hook or hooks c c will then be in normal position to receive
anything which may be suspended thereon. A very tight and secure clamp is thus
provided, one which is easily applied and is readily disengaged. It will be
observed that it consists essentially of a few simple elements, to wit: a U-shaped
jaw, and a catch or clamp arranged therewith for the purpose of acting as a wedge
to hold the jaw upon the beam. In the particular example of the invention shown
in Figure 1, as I have already described, there are two hooks c c which admit con-
sequently of the attachment of the ends of two hammocks at substantially the same
point on the beam.
In Figure 3 the invention is shown as applied to a bulb angle beam A¹
B' denotes the form of U-shaped jaw shown in this figure, said jaw being somewhat
smaller than the jaw B shown in Figure 1. Jaw B₁ is slotted only on one side
instead of on both sides as in Figure 1. In this slot is pivoted the hook c having
the inner projection C, said hook being the same as that shown in Figure 1, and

page_text: the projection C acting in the same manner with the beam as it does in Figure 1,
fitting neatly and securely into the bosom of the bulb. The opposite side of the
jaw B¹ has an integral or rigid hook c', instead of a pivoted hook.
In Figures 4 and 5 I have represented modifications of the device for running
portable or temporary wires, pipes, or attaching hoisting gear, or sustaining other
articles, and performing various other functions too numerous to mention, for all of
which the device will be pre-eminently adapted. In these figures therefore I do
not use any hooks proper but I employ pivoted clamps C' which are similar in
shape and function to the projections C formed on the inner ends of the hook c,
in Figures 1 and 3. In fact, the clamp C¹ is the same as the clamp in Figures 1
and 3, with the omission of the hook c, said hook not being needed in the modi-
fications shown in Figures 4 and 5, because the engagement of the device with the
supported structure is accomplished in a different way. In Figure 4 B* denotes
the U-shaped clamp, which has an angular base for holding the tube P, or such
other articles as may be attached thereto. The jaw B' has its opposite sides
bifurcated in the same manner as the jaw B in Figure 1, the clamp C₁ being pivoted
between these bifurcations and said clamps act in engagement with the bosom of
the bulb to permit a firm engagement of the jaw to the latter, said bulb in the
present instance shown in Figure 4 being a T-bulb. In Figure 5 the jaw B³ is
similar to jaw B' except that it is bifurcated on one side only and has only one of
the clamps C, and one only being needed because the device is applied to a bulb
angle instead of to a T-bulb beam, as is clearly shown.
In Figure 6 I have represented another modification as applied to a bulb angle
beam, the same comprising a jaw B, similar to the jaw B' shown in Figure 3 and
having a fixed or integral hook c' on one side and dispensing with any hook, either
fixed or pivoted, on the opposite side. Of course it is obvious that the jaw B* may
have one or more hooks cast upon it. It is connected to the bulb angle beam A¹
by means of a horizontal key or wedge D, which is fitted into an angular groove in
one side of the jaw B and which comes into close engagement with the beam,
resting in the bosom of the bulb neatly, as shown in this Figure 6. I preferably
employ a chain d attached to the wedge D and also to one side of the jaw B* for
the purpose of holding the wedge when it is disengaged and keeping it from
getting lost.
In Figures 7 and 8 are shown other modifications of my device as applied to
bulb angle beams. Be denotes the jaw shown in Figure 7, it being U-shaped and
slotted on one side. F denotes the hook hung in said slot. This hook is provided
with a slot H which is engaged by a pin h fixed on the jaw B. The hook F also
has at its upper inner end a pin fand a projection f¹, which when the hook is in
normal position is in contact with the bosom of the bulb. The slot H permits the
hook F to be lifted sufficiently far up to allow the pin to pass over the top of
the jaw so that the hook F may occupy the position shown in dotted lines where it
is entirely disengaged and freed from the beam. When the hook is thrown back
into the position shown in full lines, the pin f comes into engagement with the
vertical edge of the jaw B' on the one side thereof and the projection f¹ comes into
engagement with the bosom of the bulb of the beam, and the result is that a firm
and close connection is made between the jaw B°, the hook F and the beam.
In Figure 8 B³ denotes the jaw which is U-shaped and has one side provided
with a square hole to receive the hook G carrying on its inner end a pin g and
having said inner end shaped at 9' suitably to come into neat and close contact
with the bosom of an angle beam so that a firm and close engagement of the device
with the bulb angle beam may thereby be effected. For the pin g any other
suitable equivalent catch may be substituted when desired.
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. A hanging hook or clamp for obiects to be supported.
consisting in the

page_text: combination of the U-shaped saddle piece which is adapted for use in connection
with a bulb beam or similar structural shape from which it depends, said saddle
piece having its lower part curved to conform in shape to the base of the bulb
around which it fits and having also parallel upright parts and a movably mounted
catch in one of the uprights, having an inner cam-shaped projection which is
adapted to operate upon the bosom of the bulb and thereby prevent removal of the
saddle piece from the beam except when the movable catch is disengaged.
2. A hanging hook or clamp for objects to be supported, consisting in the
combination of a U-shaped saddle piece, which is adapted for use in connection
with a bulb beam or similar structural shape from which it depends, said saddle
piece having its lower part curved to conform in shape to the base of the bulb
around which it fits and having also parallel upright parts, and a pivoted piece in
one of the uprights having its upper portion formed as a hook and its inner portion
formed as a cam-shaped projection which is adapted to bear upon the bosom of the
bulb, substantially as described.
3. A hook or clamp for cots, hammocks, or other objects to be supported, con-
sisting in the combination of a U-shaped saddle piece adapted for use in connection
with a bulb beam from which it depends, said saddle piece having its lower part
curved to conform to the base of the bulb beam around which it fits and also
having vertical uprights and pivoted pieces supported in said uprights, said pieces
having their outer ends formed with hooks and their inner ends with cam-shaped pro-
jections adapted to rest on the bosom of the bulb, all arranged so that the saddle
piece may be attached to the beam when the hooks are in their normal position,
but may be disengaged therefrom by lifting the hooks, substantially as described.
4. A hanging hook or clamp for objects to be supported, consisting in the
combination of a U-shaped saddle piece adapted for use in connection with a
bulb beam from which it depends, said saddle piece having its lower part curved
to conform to the base of the bulb around which it fits, and having vertical
uprights, an integral hook on one of said uprights and a pivoted hook supported in
the other upright and having an inner cam-shaped projection which rests upon
the bosom of the bulb of the beam when the hook is in its normal position,
substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of June 1893.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.