Two IMPROVED HOOKS AND AN IM- PROVED BOW FOR CORVES, BASKETS, BUCKETS, AND OTHER. VESSELS WHICH ARE CONVEYED EITHER. LOADED.OR EMPTY FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER, BY BEING SUS PENDED AND LET DOWN OR. DRAWN UP; MOREY FORARE IN MINES, PITS, WELLS, SHAFTS, QUARRIES, COLLIERIES, WAREHOUSES, FACTORIES, BUILDINGS, DOCK YARDS; ALSO IN AND ABOUT SHIPS, BOATS, AND VESSELS, AND THE TACKLING THEREOF, AND OTHER WORKS; AND IN GENERAL IN ALL WORKS AND CASES WHERE CRANES, COMMON HOOKS, AND BOWS ARE NOW U
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
REED, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom called
England, bearing date at Westminster the First day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, did, for Himself, His
heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Stephen Reed, His
special licence that I, the said Stephen Reed, my exors, adñors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Stephen Reed, my exors, admors, and assigns,
should at any time agree with with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise and vend, within England and Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "Two IMPROVED HOOKS AND AN IM-
PROVED BOW FOR CORVES, BASKETS, BUCKETS, AND OTHER. VESSELS WHICH ARE
CONVEYED EITHER. LOADED.OR EMPTY FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER, BY BEING SUS
PENDED AND LET DOWN OR. DRAWN UP; MORE ESPECIALLY FOR SUCH CORVES, BASKETS,
BUCKETS, AND: OTHER VESSELS AS. ARE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF LETTING DOWN
THEIR CONTENTS TO A LOWER LEVEL, OR OF RAISING THE SAME TO A HIGHER ELEVATION
IN MINES, PITS, WELLS, SHAFTS, QUARRIES, COLLIERIES, WAREHOUSES, FACTORIES,
BUILDINGS, DOCK YARDS; ALSO IN AND ABOUT SHIPS, BOATS, AND VESSELS, AND THE
TACKLING THEREOF, AND OTHER WORKS; AND IN GENERAL IN ALL WORKS AND CASES
WHERE CRANES, COMMON HOOKS, AND BOWS ARE NOW USED;" in which said Lotters

page_text: Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Stephen Reed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within two calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Stephen Reed, do hereby declare that the nature of any said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are described and ascertained by
the Drawings hereunto annexed, the letters marked thereon, and the words
following (that is to say) :-
:-
First, as to my two improved hooks.-The Fig. A represents the old hook,
in which is placed a tongue k, kept in its place by a spring at its back inside
the hook; and bis the point of the hook. The Fig. B is my first improvement
upon the common hook, which I call "the simple hook." The improvement
is made in two parts of it, videlicet, at the point 6 and in the bolt d, Fig. C,
Fig. D, Fig. E, and Fig. R, are four views of my second improvement upon
the common hook, which I call "the safety hook." The Fig. E is a side view
of it when the guard h is down on the shoulder c and the hook is ready to be
used. Fig. D is a side view of it when the guard h is lifted up, thus shewing
the point 6 and the tongue k. Fig. C is a transverse section of it, perpen-
dicular to the horizon, shewing the point b, the tongue k, the catch ƒ of the
tongue, the flat part of the tongue c, the spring 9, and the shoulder c.
Fig. R is also another transverse section of it, perpendicular to the horizon,
showing the point b, the two catches e, the spring g, and the hinge .r. Fig. F
is a front view of the safety hook when the guard h is raised, as in Fig. D;
and Fig. G is also a front view of the safety hook when the guard h is down
on the shoulder c, as in Fig. E, and thus is shewn that part of the tongue k
.which is outside of the hook, and becomes a catch f upon which the finger is
placed to move the tongue. This catch, when the guard is down; prevents its
.motion upwards, and keeps it over the tongue. The Fig. A is the hook now
in use for attaching to the corf bow to let down substances and take them from
the mine; it is a pointed hook, with a tongue in the inside or shank, which,
being acted upon by a spring, is thrown against the point of the hook to pre-
vent the corf bow escaping from it in lowering the corf to the bottom of or
bringing the same to the top of the pit shaft. My improvement thereof con-
sists of the point or end of the hook b, (instead of being sharp and pointed,) being
rounded at the apex point or end in the shape of a cone, so that no substance

page_text: can remain upon it, such as the bow of a corf or bucket. The bow of the corf
or bucket, being placed upon the apex or end 6 of this rounded point hook
(Fig. B), must necessarily slip either within the bend of the hook or slip off
the hook altogether, for the bow cannot remain suspended on the end or apex
of the rounded point and risk falling of the corf or bucket in the transit
between the top and bottom of the pit. The apex or end of this improved
hook stands or protrudes a little outwards, so that the bow of the corf or
bucket, being struck against or placed upon the end, will more readily fall
within the bend of the hook, and be thus secured. Within the shank of the
hook is a tongue k, that is acted upon by a spring, which throws the tongue
forward, and retains it against the inner side of the hook end a little below the
apex. The point of this tongue falls and rests within a groove in the inner
side of the end of the hook. Thus, the bow of the corf or bucket, being once
placed within the bend of the hook, is prevented from escaping from the hook
by the tongue; and when it is necessary to disengage it therefrom, the tongue
is pressed back by the finger against the skank or back part of the hook, and
the bow is then at liberty to be taken out. On removing the finger, the tongue,
by the force of the spring, resumes its position in the groove in the inner side
of the end of the hook, a little below the apex thereof, as before described.
A further improvement annexed to the above-described hook, Fig. B, is a bolt d.
of or about a foot long, instead of the links of a chain, the use whereof is this:-
That the chain annexed to the end of the bolt is thrown aside off from the hook
when tho hook with the corf or bucket arrives at the bottom of the pit or shaft,
and the chain is the less likely to fall upon the tongue k of the hook to press
it back and give liberty to the bow until taken out of the hook in the regular
course. A chain secured to the hook (without the intervening bolt) if let down
when the corf or bucket comes to the bottom of the pit or shaft (or in the
event of the corf or bucket meeting any interruption in its transit down) might
possibly fall or strike upon the tongue of the hook, and thus set the bow at
liberty. This bolt is calculated to prevent that occurrence.
As to my safety hook.--This improvement consists of a hook, similar to
the improved simple hook, Fig. B, above described, with this addition, namely,
that over the check or shank of the hook is a guard or slide h, Fig. E,
being a broad collar or hoop of iron placed round the hook. This collar
or hoop is made to slide up and down the cheek or shank of the hook.
When in its proper situation it comes down over and covers the end of the
point, as in Fig. E, resting on shoulder c, and which position the guard
or slide falls into by its own weight when the hook is perpendicular or
upright. The hook being thus covered by the guard or slide, no external

page_text: substance can come against and consequently press back the tongue of
the hook, so as thereby to set the corf or bucket bow at liberty; the bow
once placed within the bend of the hook is thus securely retained. Under
the guard or slide and in front of the hook shank is an aperture, as seen
in Fig. G at f, through which the upper part of the tongue of the hook
moves, and is thrown into its proper position within the groove at the end, a
little beneath the apex of the hook, as at k, in Fig. D, and is retained in that
position by a spring g, as in Fig. C, acting upon and against the back part of
the upper end of the tongue e, in Fig. C, fastened on a pivot within the top
part of the shank of the hook. This tongue at the top part, when the guard
or slide is down over the point or end of the hook, protrudes through the
aperture in front of the shank of the hook over and above the guard or slide,
and stands a little forward, so as to act as a catch above the guard or slide, as
seen at in Fig. G, and it prevents the same from being thrown up the shank
of the hook. The guard or slide h being down over the end or point of the
hook b, is thus retained there by the front part of the tongue f protruding over
the upper part of the guard or slide, when the guard or slide is to be raised up,
so as to admit the tongue of the hook being pressed back, and the corf or bucket
bow, or other substance retained in the hook to be taken out or disengaged
from it; then the catch on the tongue above the guard or slide is pressed back
by the finger within the shank of the hook, which motion at the same time
forces back the tongue, and the guard or slide being then free, is readily thrown
or slipped up the shank, and the corf or bucket bow, or other substance at
once is freed, and so taken from the hook. This tongue, at the upper end of
it, where it is fastened within the cheek of the hook and works on a pivot, is
of a square flat shape, and the pivot being at the front angle, the weight of the
square part e, in Fig. C, acts as a lever, so that the tongue, in case the spring g
was to break, would from its own weight retain the tongue in its proper position
so long as the hook remained perpendicular and upright. As a further means
of security, when the safety hook is employed and becomes the uppermost hook
of two fastened to the chain, by which position it is inverted, there is placed a
spring, which lies along the surface of the guard or slide; but at the opposite
side to the catch this spring is secured by a screw on the guard or slide, with
the end of it protruding over the guard or slide. Underneath the protruding
end of the spring is a knob, which falls into an aperture or hole in the back
part of the hook shank immediately before and in front of the guard or slide.
The intention of this spring is, that it may be a further security against the
guard or slide being set at liberty, by any substance or force falling against the
catch at the front of the hook, which might possibly be accidentally pressed

page_text: upon, so as to allow the guard or slide to fall down the shank of the hook whilst
in an inverted position, which it would do by its own weight if thus set at
liberty; but the knob on the spring being fixed in the aperture or hole in front
of and before the upper part of the guard or slide will effectually prevent the
guard or slide falling down by its own weight even should the front catch or
spring be accidentally pressed upon by any external force or substance. This
spring on the guard or slide of the hook may be used at the option of the
parties; it is not deemed necessary, but may be the means of additional
security against accidents. It is readily taken off the slide by removing the
screw that secures it to the back part of the guard or slide.
Another improvement of my safety hook, as seen and described in Fig. R,
is as follows:-I altogether dispense with the tongue k, and I depend entirely
on the guard or slide being kept down over the point of the hook by the catche
and spring g, Fig. C, as above described ; but as a further security I have placed
another catch in the shank of the hook, which protrudes through an aperture
at the back part of the shank of the hook above the guard or slide, similar to
the catch and aperture in the front of the shank or hook, as before described, and
which catch is also designated by the letter e, and being similarly acted upon
by the spring g withinside of the shank of the hook, throws the catch forward
through the aperture over and above the guard or slide, and thus, as in' like
manner of the front catch, retains the guard or slide down upon the shoulder
of the hook, thereby. covering the point thereof. The guard or slide is removed
and thrown up the shank of the hook by pressing upon the catch at the back
part of the hook simultaneously with the catch at the front part of it, both the
catches are thrown back within the shank of the hook at the same time and
thereby set the guard or slide at liberty. An advantage arises from these two
catches; both must be acted upon at the same time otherwise the guard or slide
will not. move, and renders the accidental displacing of the guard or slide the
less likely. Both catches are so shaped as to act as a lever, and so long as the
hook is perpendicular the catches will remain in their proper position although
the springs which act thereupon are broken. For nautical purposes this hook
may be used with or without the hinge in the bend of it, as in Fig. R at a,
which hinge in the hook is not my Invention. The guard or slide h is a
sufficient security of itself, and the tongue k, is at Fig. C, might be altogether
dispensed with, for it is impossible that the bow of the corf or bucket should
come off the hook so long as the guard is down as seen in Fig. E: At d, in
Fig. B, I use a bolt, as above described; in all the other Figures at d. I use
either a round link or a shackle.
I now proceed to describe my improved bow for corves, baskets, buckets,

page_text: and other vessels.-The old corf bow is one of iron, describing somewhat of
a half circle, of which a position is shewn, as in Fig. H, which bow is either
round or nearly square, and the under side or concave part of it flat. My
improvement thereof consists of the following alterations:-The circular form
or shape of the bow being as above, the under side or concave part of the bow is
angular pointed, or lozenge, or wedge-shaped, as in Fig. K and Fig P. Sections
of these bows are shewn at m, n, and s.
The use and intention of my improved bow is to avoid the possibility of
its sticking or remaining on the point of the hook, in which the bow or
other substance is intended to be placed, in order to be let down or brought
up the shaft of the pit or otherwise. In the corf bow now in use it fre-
quently occurs that the hook attached to the chain and pit rope is not carefully
put over and upon the corf bow, or, in other words, the corf bow is not care-
fully put and placed within the bend of the hook, and the hook now in use
being pointed out at the end, the consequence is this: the corf bow, from its
flat formation in the under or concave part, rests and remains upon the point
of the hook, and any vibration of the chain and rope in lowering the corf down
the pit shaft, or the corf coming in contact with the ascending corf, or meeting
with any other obstruction in the shaft of the pit, the bow is displaced and
thrown off the point of the hook, and thus the corf is precipitated to the bottom
of the pit.
My improved bow is shewn in Fig. K and Fig. P. This angular, or
lozenge, or wedge-shaped bow in the concave part thereof cannot rest upon
the point of the hook, and must of necessity either slip within the bend of the
hook, or at once fall off and not be suspended on the point of the hook, and thus
risk falling off the same either in ascending from the bottom or descending from
the top of the pit or shaft. Another property in the bow P is its superior
strength with less weight of iron, consequently it may be made at a less cost.
The convex or outside surface of the bow being flat, and the sides thereof also
flat in the proportion to each other as three is to four, the bow is stronger than
can be made in any other shape or proportion, and the strain upon the bow, from
its flat upper surface is more equal than it would be where the upper or
convex surface of the bow is rounded or circular, consequently it will carry a
greater weight. A less substance of iron will therefore be required to make
a bow to carry the same weight as the old corf bow now in use. The concave
part of the bow, as in Fig. P, is angular, lozenge, or wedge-shaped, as in tho
bow, Fig. K.
Thus I have described my improved hooks and my improved bow, and
I claim as my Invention the improvements above described which I have

page_text: nade upon the common hook and the common bow when applied in all cases
et forth in the title of the Patent to me granted and above recited; but
I disclaim the sole use of hooks and bows in general, also the hinge in the
hook, and I confine my Invention to the improvements above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Reed, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the First day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-six.