IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SAFETY HOOKS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Carter, of the Firm of J. Carter & Co., of Salford,
in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING
SAFETY HOOKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Carter at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th November 1881.
JOHN CARTER, of the Firm of J. Carter & Co., of Salford, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SAFETY Hooks."
These improvements refer to that class of books used for coupling wagons and a
variety of other purposes, in which a spring latch or lip is employed to prevent
the hook becoming accidentally uncoupled when in use. Inconvenience has
hitherto been experienced in using these hooks owing to the liability of the hand
or fingers of the attendant being caught by the latch or lip when in the act of
coupling or uncoupling to his serious injury.
Now these improvements refer to the addition to all hooks of this class of means
whereby they can be operated without endangering the attendant, as hereinbefore
described, and consists in employing a metallic strap, hinged or otherwise connected
to the said latch or lip, and passing round to the back of the hook where it is
shaped in a convenient manner to receive the hand or fingers of the attendant, so
that in using the said hook he can pull open the latch or lip without bringing his
hand near the working part of the hook. Instead of the before mentioned strap I
sometimes arrange a piece of metal projecting from the side of the lip or latch,
forming a handle for the same purpose, or the piece might project from the back of
the lip or latch.
And to protect the springs used in this class of hooks from the influence of the
weather I box or enclose the said spring in the boss of the hook.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th May
1882.
JOHN CARTER, of the Firm of J. Carter and Company, of Salford, in the County
of Lancaster. "LMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SAFETY HOOKS."
These improvements refer to that class of hook used for coupling wagons and a
variety of other purposes, in which a spring latch or lip is employed to prevent the
hook becoming accidently uncoupled when in use.
Inconvenience has hitherto been experienced in using these hooks owing to the
liability of the hand or fingers of the attendant being caught when in the act of
coupling or uncoupling to his serious injury.
Now these improvements refer to the addition to all hooks of this class of
means, whereby they can be operated without endangering the attendant, as
herein before described, and consist in employing a metallic strap hinged or other-
wise connected to the said latch or lip, and passing round to the back of the hook
where it is shaped in a convenient manner to receive the hand or fingers of the
attendant, so that in using the said hook he can pull or push open the latch or lip
without bringing his hand near the working part.of.the.hook..
Instead of the beforementioned strap I sometimes arrange a pieco of metal
projecting from the side of the lip or latch forming a handle for the same purpose,
or the piece might project from the back of the lip or latch.
And to protect the springs used in this class of hooks from [the influence of the
weather I usually box or enclose the said spring in the boss of the hook.
And in order that this my said Invention may be the more readily understood
and carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed a Drawing illustrative of
my improvements as applied to spring safety hooks, and will now proceed to
describe the same by the letters of reference marked thereon.
Figure 1 represents a side view, partially in section, of a spring safety hook
having my improvements applied thereto, and Figure 2 represents the same
description of hook having a modification of my improvements applied thereto.
In both Figures A is the hook and B the spring latch or lip, which by preference
is retained in the closed position, as illustrated by the action of the coiled spring C
enclosed within the boss of the hook marked D.
This spring acting upon the head of the guide pin E presses constantly against
the arm or projection F forming one piece with the latch or lip, and so keeps the
same closed.
By thus enclosing the spring in the boss, as illustrated, I protect the same
effectually from the influence of the weather.
In Figure 1, G is a metallic strap connected by means of the rivet or pin H to
the spring latch or lip B, as illustrated, and which strap being curved so as to be
out of the way passes round to the back of the hook where it is conveniently
shaped to receive the hand or fingers of the user.
It will be apparent that in using this improved hook the attendant can by means
of this strap G pull open the latch or lip B without bringing his hand near the
working part of the hook.
In Figure 2 I shew another mode of opening the spring latch or lip B, which
consists of a projection or finger J formed at the back or side of the spring latch,
and which being pushed in the direction of the arrow opens the spring latch with
perfect safety to the attendant.
It will be obvious that a metallic strap might be connected to the projection J

page_text: and be carried across the outside of the boss to the back of the hook, and so that
by pushing such strap the latch could be opened or a lever handle might be applied
to the hinge pin B₁, which could in this caso be keyed or otherwise fastened to the
spring latch for the same purpose, but these I should consider to be modifications
of my Invention.
Having thus particularly described the nature of this my said Invention,
together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying the same
into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details, relative proportions, or dimensions of the various parts of
the improved spring safety hook, herein before described and illustrated on the
accompanying Drawing, as the same may be considerably varied without departing
from my Invention, but what I claim is,
The use and application to spring safety hooks of means whereby the spring
latch may be operated without endangering the hands of the user, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Carter, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this 28th day of April 1882.