Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1888
Complete Left, 13th June, 1888
Complete Accepted, 13th July, 1888
I FRANK MCDONALD of Boise City, Ada County, Idaho, United States of America,
Prison Keeper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The shackles or manacles of this invention consists of a pair of U shaped members
or bows fitted to slide the one on the other and upon a box or lock case which is
enclosed between them, the said lock case being provided with spring bolts adapted to
engage with notches or serrations on the bows and hold the shackles in the position
to which they may be set. The arms of the bows are of unequal length and the longer
ones are bevelled at the ends and notched or serrated on their inner surfaces. The
shorter arms have dovetail grooves on their inner surface, in which the longer arms
are received, said grooves extending the whole length of the arms and terminating in
openings to allow the end of the longer arm to pass through. The top and bottom of
the lock case is grooved and the ends of the lock case are of concave form to
correspond with the ends of the bows. The bodies of the bolts are rectangular and
they are provided with springs which are inserted between the top and bottom of the
lock case and the inner ends of the bolts which are recessed to receive the springs.
The outer ends of the bolts pass through holes in the lock case to engage with the
notches on the bows and their extremities are bevelled so as to pass over the notches
when the bows are moved in one direction. There is a recess between the front plate
of the case and the bolt within which the bit of the key turns to engage with lugs or
projections on the bolts and withdraw the latter from the notches on the bows when
the shackles are to be opened.
In using this improved shackle the fingers or wrists of the person to be manacled
are inserted between the ends of the bows and the end of the lock case, both surfaces
of which are preferably roughened, and the bows are then pressed towards one another
so as to close on the wrists or fingers, the notches on the bows forcing the bolts in
against the pressure of the springs.

page_text: I FRANK MCDONALD of Boise City, Ada County, Idaho, United States of America,
Prison Keeper, 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 :-
.
The shackles or handcuffs of this invention consist of a pair of U shaped members
or bows, which slide upon each other and upon a lock case provided with spring bolts,
the thumbs, wrists, or other parts of the body inserted therein being held between the
curved ends of the shackle arms and the sides of the box or frame..
The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying sheet of
drawings forming part of this specification wherein, figure 1 is a sectional side
elevation of my improved shackle or manacle, and figure 2 is a cross section on
line figure 1.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in both views.
A is the lock case consisting of the frame a and the front and back plates >>. c care
the ends of the lock case, which are concave, as shown this concave surface being
roughened. The top and bottom of the case are also made concave or grooved, as
shown at dd, to receive and hold the shackle arms, as hereinafter described. B, B¹ aro
the spring bolts contained in the lock case. The bodies, of these bolts are
rectangular, and have a recess g, at one end to receive the spiral spring. The heads
of the bolts pass through holes e in the case and are cylindrical, the extremities i, i,
being beveled. A part of the front surface of the bolts project slightly, forming a
recess between the bolt and the front plate of the case within which the bit of the key
turns and engages with the lugs or projecting portions k k of the bolts.
The front plate b, has a key hole 1, the central portion of which is enlarged to receive
the slotted end of the stem m. This stem passes through the case between the bolts
and enters the back plate.
The heads of the bolts are forced out of the case by the springs, and are retracted
by means of a key, having a T-shaped bit as shown in figure 2, which engages with
the projecting portions k, k, of the bolts. Any suitable bolts or catches for fastening
the shackles can, however, be used.
C; C, are the shackle arms or bows. These are two in number, and are each
composed of two straight arms n, n', united by a bent portion o. The longer arms n
are beveled on each end toward the inner surface; and the inner surface is serrated
or notched. The shorter arms n', n', are provided with dovetailed grooves P, P, on the
inner side in which the longer arms are fitted, said grooves terminating in the
openings, q, which extend through the shackle arms at the junction of the shorter
arm and bent portion. The inner surface 7, of the bent portion of the arms is preferably
roughened.
The
The parts are put together by slipping one of the shackle arms partly over the lock
case, the arms sliding in the grooves on the upper and lower sides of the case.
other shackle arm is then brought into position, the long arms entering the grooves of

page_text: the short arms. The fingers or wrists are placed in the openings on each side of the
lock case, and the shackle arms are pressed toward each other, whereupon the spring
bolts are forced back, the serrations or notches readily passing over the beveled ends
of the bolts, so that the shackle arms will close upon the parts inserted and hold them
firmly between the roughened surfaces. When closed, the shackle cannot be opened
until the bolts are withdrawn from the notches by the key.
This shackle can be made in different sizes to hold the fingers, wrists &c., but it is
especially adapted as a shackle for the thumbs, fingers or toes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is.
1. In a shackle or manacle, the combination, with a lock case, of shackle arms
sliding upon each other and upon the lock case, and bolts or catches for locking the
same, substantially as described.
2. The combination, with a lock case having grooved upper and lower surfaces and
provided with bolts, of the shackle arms C, C, adapted to slide in the grooves on the
lock case, and having the straight serrated portions n, n, to engage with the bolts as
set forth.
3. The shackle arms or bows C, C, each of which is provided with a central curved
portion and two straight arms, one of said arms being notched or serrated and the
other grooved, in combination with a lock case upon which the shackle arms are
adapted to slide, and bolts for fastening the same, substantially as herein set forth.
4. In a shackle or manacle, the combination, with a lock case provided with spring
bolts, of the shackle arms C, C, having the curved portions o, o, the straight arms n, n,
provided with serrations or notches, for engagement with the spring bolts, the grooved
arms n', n', in which the serrated arms move, and the openings 7, 9, at the ends of
the grooves, for the passage of the serrated arms, substantially as specified.
5. In a shackle or manacle, the combination, with a lock case provided with spring
bolts, and having a concave surface on its sides and a groove on its upper and lower
surfaces, of the shackles having the serrated or notched arms, the grooved arms in
which the serrated arms move, and the curved portion uniting the two arms, the said
shackles being adapted to engage with and slide in the grooves on the upper and
lower surface of the lock case, substantially as described.
1
20 1
11000