An Improved Hook for Whiffle-trees and other like purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hook for Whiffle-trees and other like purposes.
We, CHARLES WASHINGTON BLACKBURN, Saddler, JoHN JEFFERSON PATTON,
Saddler, and BYRON SQUIRES COFFMAN, Mining Superintendent, all of Tomb-
stone, in the County of Cochise and State of Arizona, United States of America,
lo hereby declare the nature of our invention for AN IMPROVED WHIFFLETREE-
HOOK, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention is an improved whiffletree-hook, or hook intended especially for
use on whiffletrees; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and
combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.
In the drawings.
Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device as in use.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof.
Fig. 3 is a section on about line 33 of Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 and 6 are detail views, and
Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, all of which will be described.
to
The improved hook comprises a frame A, having at one end a hook a, and
a keeper-plate B, fitted in said frame A, and having at one end a tongue
close the hook a. The plate B is journaled to or upon the end of the whiffle-
tree, so that it may tilt vertically thereon. The frame A is pivoted at C to the
plate B, so that it may be set to the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the
tongue will close its hook, or the plate B may be turned upward, as shown
in dotted lines, Fig. 3, to enable the frame A to be tilted to open its hook a, as
presently described, the plate and its tongue being so arranged that when the
frame rests in the plane of the plate the tongue of the plate will close the hook
of the frame.
The described construction is simple and inexpensive, and the tongue operates
to efficiently secure the trace-strap ring, cockeye, or other construction desired to
be held in contact with the hook.
Together with the above-described construction it is preferred to employ locking
devices by which the frame may be held with the tongue in position to close its
hook. While various forms of locking devices may be employed it is preferred
to use that shown, and which will be now described, as it is simple, easily
operated, efficiently serves its purpose, and operates in a convenient manner in con-
nection with the parts A and B.
The keeper-plate is journaled to a support D, which may be a ferrule fitted on
the end of a whiffletree, as shown, or be the body of the whiffletree, or other
suitable construction. This support has a locking projection or portion d, which
when in one position of plate B projects along the inner side of the frame A and
locks the said frame from tilting on its pivots, but which when the said frame and
the plate Bare partially rotated from said position permits the tilting of the frame
and the removal or application to hook a of the trace-strap or the like. This is
effected by journaling the plate B eccentric to the opening in frame A, so that in
one position the projection d will lap alongside said frame, while in a different
position the said portion will rest within the line of said opening, so it may move
therethrough in the tilting of frame A.
It will be noticed that stops E E are arranged for abutment by the projection d,
such stops being disposed to abut the projection d in such manner as to stop the
plate and frame in position with the tongue closing the hook, while intermediate
said stops the projection will escape into the opening of the frame as the frame A
is tilted. By making the frame with these two stops the same hook may be applied
to either end of a whiffletree.

page_text: While the invention is especially designed for use as a whiffletree-hook, it is
manifest that we do not desire to be limited to such use, but desire to be protected
in all uses to which the invention may be applied.
In operation on a whiffletree the draft straight ahead will hold the hook and
tongue with the latter closed, while by slacking up the trace and turning the hook
upward it may be tilted outward to permit the renioval of the trace.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. An improved device, substantially as described, comprising a frame having a
hook at one end, and a keeper-plate fitted in said frame and pivoted between its
ends thereto, and provided at one end with a tongue to close the hook of the frame,
all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. In a device, substantially as described, the combination of the frame having a
hook, the plate pivoted in said frame and having a tongue to close said hook, and
the support to which the keeper-plate is journaled, such support having a locking
projection or portion arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
3. In a device, substantially as described, the combination of the frame having
the hook, the keeper-plate pivoted in the frame and having,
a tongue to close said
hook, and locking devices by which the said parts may be locked with the tongue
in closed position, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination, in a device substantially as described, of the frame having
a hook, the keeper-plate pivoted between its ends in said frame and having a
tongue to close the hook thereof, and the support to which said keeper-plate is
journaled, such support being provided with a locking portion or projection
arranged in one position of the parts to project alongside the frame and hold the
said frame from tilting on its pivotal connection with the plate B, and when such
plate and frame are partially rotated from such position to permit the tilting of
such frame, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of the frame A, having hook a and stops E, the plate B,
having tongue & to close hook a and pivoted at C in the frame A, and the support
having a projection d, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 25th day of November 1890.
F. W. BARKER,
Applicants' Agent.