Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1899
I, MOSES GREER, of 93, Peachtree Street, Atlanta, in the County of Fulton
and State of Georgia, United States of America, Manufacturing Jeweller, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements on that class of fish trap hooks which
employ a striker having suitable means for attaching it to the line, prefer-
ably a supporting rod to which the striker is hinged, a yielding clamp holding
the striker normally in elevated position, and a bait hook pivotted to the striker
at a point outside of its hinging attachment to the supporting rod or line, the
parts being arranged so that tension resulting from a fish biting at the bait
hook will draw down the striker and embed its point in the fish.
I have found certain defects to exist in the construction heretofore employed
in hooks embodying the above principles, and it is the object of my present
invention to meet these objections and produce a hook which will be more
effective in its action, and which will permit of readily replacing the bait
hook by one of different size so as to permit the use of a bait hook appropriate
to the character of fish which are being sought.
To these ends, my invention consists in attaching the bait hook to the striker
through the medium of a slide, which will normally hold the hook in proper
relation to effect the release and swinging movement of the striker upon the
biting of the fish but will thereafter move longitudinally toward the point
of the striker, so that tension will not be put upon the bait hook and the striker
will not be prevented from impaling the fish.
The slide is preferably provided with a slight swell or protuberance, which
holds the bait hook at the lower end of the slide when the striker is erect, but
which will yield and allow the longitudinal movement of the bait hook when the
striker approaches alignment with the supporting rod or fishing line to which
it is attached.
The sliding connection between the bait hook and the striker is preferably
provided by forming upon the bait hook an enlarged head with a reduced neck,
such as is readily provided by the use of a rivet passing through an eye in the
bait hook and by bending an extension on the striker so as to bring a part of
its length parallel with the shank of the striker and form a guideway in which
the head of the bait hook is retained.
In bending the extension on the shank of the striker, the hinging eye which
provides means for attaching the striker to the supporting rod or the line, may
likewise be formed at the same time.
The free end of the bent extension of the striker will be attached to the shank.
of the latter either by brazing or by looping it around said shank.
To provide for ready substitution of the bait hook, the enlarged head and
neck which pass through the eye of the hook are preferably provided by using a
rivet or stud and a sleeved burr, which telescope and are secured against separation

page_text: either by screw threading them together or by rivetting a protruding end of the
stem of the rivet.
This feature of my invention is applicable to the old form of trap hook in
which my newly invented feature of sliding connection is not present..
In removably attaching the bait hook to the old form of striker, it is simply
necessary to provide upon the latter a pair of projecting ears through which
the telescoping rivet and burr are passed, and between which the eye of the
hook may work.
9 !
Dated thi Lot do
T
1000
Improvements in Fish Trap Hooks.
I, MOSES GREER, of 93, Peachtree Street, Atlanta, in the County of Fulton
and State of Georgia, United States of América, Manufacturing Jeweller, 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:
My invention relates to improvements on that class of trap-hooks which
employ a striker attached to a supporting-rod, upon which it is held by a
yielding clamp in striking position, and a bait-hook pivotted to the striker in
such a way that upon the application of tension to the bait-hook the striker will
be withdrawn from its retaining clamp and embedded in the fish. I have found
certain defects to exist in the details of the construction of this hook; and it
is the object of my present invention to remedy these defects and to produce a
hook which shall better serve its purpose and permit of using with the trap-
hook bait-hooks of different sizes.
To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features of construction
hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, referénce
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figures 1, 2 and 3 represent hooks involving the principle of my invention,
but varying in details of construction. Figure 4 represents the hook in use.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views showing the slip-joint of the bait-
hook, the spring clamp for holding the striker, and the hinging joint of the
bait-hook, which permits the latter to be changed at will.
1 represents the supporting bar, which has hinging connection at 2 with a
striker 3, which is held normally in elevation by a yielding clamp 4.
5 represents a bait-hook having pivotal connection at will with the striker,
preferably through the medium of a slide 7. The object in providing the slide 7
is to permit the bait-hook to move relatively to the striker and in a direction
to embed the point of the latter, after the striker has performed its swinging
movement, into contact with the fish. With a fixed point of connection between
the bait-hook and the striker, the bait-hook would formerly support the weight
of the fish and render the operation of the striker uncertain. With the sliding
connection, however, the bait-hook continues to be fully as effective in releasing
and causing a striking movement of the striker, but does not prevent the latter
impaling the fish.
In order to steady the bait-hook in the striker, the slide 7 is provided with

page_text: a slight swell at 8, which is sufficient to hold the pivot 6 at the end of the
slide during the ordinary use of the hook; but said swell readily yields to permit
the intended operation after the striker is sprung.
The slide 7 is preferably formed by bending the end of the striker shank
upon itself, so as to form the eye at the joint 2, as well as the slide 7, the end
of the bent portion of the shank being connected as shown at 9 in Figure 1,
or as shown at 10 in Figure 3; the construction of these parts is more clearly
shown in Figure 5.
The second feature of my invention relates to the interchangeability of the
bait-hook 5. so as to permit of using larger or smaller hooks at will. This is
preferably accomplished by constructing the joint as shown in Figure 7, from
which it will be seen that I have employed the loop 5ª on the hook 5, and the
telescoping stud 12 and bur 13, the end of the stud projecting as at 14, for
clenching or otherwise securing the parts against separation. The substitution
of bait hooks may also be provided for by having the joint 10 loose, so as to
permit the engagement of the slide 7, after which the hooks, suitably provided
with a head formed by the stud and bur, may readily be substituted and the
connection 10 re-engaged. The presence of the hinging head 6 of the hook 5
would be in such cases sufficient to hold the connection 10 normally in engage-
ment. As will be evident from Figure 2, the feature of interchangeability is
not inseparable from the feature of the sliding connection of the hook 5 with the
striker 3; but said striker 3 may be provided with the pivoting projection 11,
as shown in Figures 2 and 7, and the hook 5 may be connected with the pro-
jection 11 instead of with the slide 7.
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 trap-hook employing a supporting-bar, a striker hinged to the sup-
porting-bar, a yielding clasp holding the striker normally to the supporting-bar,
and a bait-hook; the provision of a sliding pivotal connection between the bait-
hook and the striker, for the purpose 'set forth.
2. In a trap-hook of the character described in Claim 1, a striker having its
end bent to form an eye for attachment to the supporting-bar, and a slide longi-
tudinal of the striker, and a bait-hook pivotally connected in said slide and
moveable longitudinally of the trap-hook; substantially as set forth.
3. In combination with a trap-hook having a striker, the bait-hook having a
pivotal sliding connection with the striker, and a swell for retaining the bait-
hook with a yielding force against sliding movement on the striker; substantially
as set forth.
4. In a trap-hook having a striker, the bait-hook secured to the striker through
the medium of the telescoping stud 12 and bur 13; substantially as herein set
forth.
נג.
300
י