Improvements in Haulage Clips for Wire Ropes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Haulage Clips for Wire Ropes.
I, JOSEPH MARTIN, of Holly Bank, Walsall Wood, near Walsall, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to clips used in connecting colliery wagons or corves and
the like with wire haulage ropes by which they are moved along tracks or ways.
Such clips as sometimes heretofore constructed, namely those formed with one
portion which is hinged to close up against the other portion, are liable to be
imperfectly fixed to the rope; and it occasionally happens that when such a clip
is imperfectly fixed the lad whose duty it is to make the attachment endeavours
to complete it properly although at the time the wagon, corve, or the like with
which the clip is connected is travelling, and thus if the attachment is at the front
of the wagon, corve, or the like, as is commonly the case, considerable risk is
incurred by the lad. In the clips also in which the rope is clipped between a
pair of jaws which are tightened up thereagainst by means of a screw, a sufficient
time elapses during the tightening up of the clip between the moment when the
clip holds sufficiently to cause the wagon, corve, or the like, to commence moving
forwards, and the moment when the clip is fully tightened up, to constitute an
element of danger to the lad whose duty it is to make the attachment, and he
runs also a risk of injury in unfastening such a clip.
Now, the object of this invention is the construction of a clip, for the purpose
described, which will be completely and securely fastened to the rope by a single
movement of the hand in one direction which may be performed so rapidly as to be
practically instantaneous, and which may be as readily unfastened from the rope.
A clip constructed according to this invention consists, in its main features, of a
jaw formed with or fixed to a suitable shank, of a moving jaw, of an excentric or
cam and lever for operating same by means of which the moving jaw is operated.
According to a convenient manner of carrying out the invention, the shank or a
portion thereof is formed as a dovetail slide along which the moving jaw is
capable of sliding, such jaw being formed with a pair of guides which fit against
the dovetail sides of the shank. The excentric or cam and lever are formed in
one piece of metal, and are pivoted to the shank by means of a stud fixed
thereto. As the lever is depressed the excentric or cam presses down the moving
jaw and causes the rope to be gripped between the jaws; and an important
feature of the invention consists in forming the excentric or cam with a stop or
abutment which, coming against a part of the moving jaw, prevents the lever
from being further depressed when the portion of the cam which is of greatest
projection from the centre has passed somewhat beyond the centre of pressure
between itself and the moving jaw. The moving jaw thus, after having been
pressed as tightly against the rope as the construction of the clip admits of,
yields slightly back as the stop on the excentric comes against the moving jaw,
and locks the excentric and prevents the clip from being unfastened until a
sufficient force is exerted to raise the lever and thereby force the excentric back
again. To facilitate the locking of the excentric by a slight return of the moving
jaw in the manner described, it is preferred to form the gripping faces of both the
jaws somewhat curved in shape longitudinally, so that as the jaws are tightened up
the portion of the rope which passes between them is bent somewhat out of line.
The tendency of this portion of the rope to straighten itself causes the slight return

page_text: of the moving jaw necessary to lock the excentric to be effected under a con-
siderably elastic strain resembling that caused by a spring; and the longitudinal
curvature of the jaws is, preferably, such that the portion of the rope which passes
between them remains somewhat out of line while the excentric locked. The
excentric will be locked, even though the portion thereof of greatest projection
from the centre has passed very slightly beyond the centre of the pressure between
the excentric and the moving jaw, and thus an almost inappreciable return of the
moving jaw is sufficient to lock the excentric. It is not, therefore, essential to
curve the jaws longitudinally, as the elasticity of the material of the rope will be
sufficient to cause the locking of the excentric and the rope to remain firmly
gripped between the jaws. The excentric works between the sides of an opening
formed in the upper portion of the moving jaw, and the pressure of the excentric
is brought upon the jaw through the medium of a pin which passes through the
hollow formed therein. The excentric is formed with a guard piece which passes
outside the pin and is concentric with the portion of the excentric which presses
upon the pin; and thus as the lever is raised up the inner face of the guard bears
against the underside of the pin and raises the moving jaw. The guard piece
produces the effect that the pin passes through a curved slot; and the hinder end
of this slot forms the stop or abutment aforesaid.
The clip may be formed with a hook fixed firmly to or formed in one piece of
metal with the shank, whereby it may be hung on to the draw link at either end of
the wagon, corve, or the like; or such hook may be pivoted to, or connected by
means of a universal joint with, the top of the shank so that it may yield at the
joint to allow of the clip rising to pass over a pulley or to move somewhat sideways
to clear an obstruction. Or the clip may have a rod pivoted to a lug or ear, or
within a jawed projection, formed with the shank, or with the moving jaw if
desired, so that the clip may be connected with the draw link at the front or back
of the wagon, corve, or the like by means of such rod, as clips are frequently now
attached to the wagons or corves.
Dated this 26th day of January 1894.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Haulage Clips for Wire Ropes.
I, JOSEPH MARTIN, of Holly Bank, Walsall Wood, near Walsall in the County
of Stafford, Engineer, 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 :―
This invention relates to clips used in connecting colliery wagons or corves and
the like with wire haulage ropes by which they are moved along tracks or ways.
Such clips as sometimes heretofore constructed, namely those formed with one
portion which is hinged to close up towards the other portion, are liable to be
imperfectly fixed to the rope; and it occasionally happens that when such a clip is
imperfectly fixed the lad whose duty it is to make the attachment endeavours to
complete it properly although at the time the wagon, corve, or the like with which
the clip is connected is travelling, and thus if the attachment is at the front of the
wagon, corve, or the like, as is commonly the case, considerable risk is incurred by
the lad. In the clips also in which the rope is clipped between a pair of jaws of
which one is capable of sliding towards and from the other and which are tightened
up against the rope by means of a screw, a sufficient time elapses during the
tightening up of the clip between the moment when the clip holds sufficiently to
cause the wagon, corve, or the like, to commence moving forwards, and the moment
when the clip is fully tightened up, to constitute an element of danger, in the case

page_text: of attaching the clip to the rope in front of the wagon corve or the like, to the lad
whose duty it is to make the attachment, and he runs also a risk of injury in
unfastening such a clip.
Now, the object of this invention is the construction of a clip, for the purpose
described, which will be completely and securely fastened to the rope by a single
movement of the hand in one direction which may be performed so rapidly as to be
practically instantaneous, and which may be as readily unfastened from the rope.
A clip constructed according to this invention consists, in its main features, of a
jaw formed with or fixed to a suitable shank, of a moving jaw capable of being
pressed towards and moved away from the other jaw, and of an excentric or cam
and lever for operating same by means of which the moving jaw inay be jammed
tightly against the rope and locked in position with the rope securely clipped
between itself and the other jaw, and by means of which the inoving jaw may be
unlocked and drawn back from the rope.
A convenient method of carrying out the invention in practice is illustrated by
the drawings herewith, of which
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a haulage clip constructed according to this
invention, but with the jaws shewn in longitudinal section. In this view the jaws
are shewn as moved apart or open.
Figure 2 is a corresponding view to Figure 1, but shews the jaws to be closed up
and gripping a rope between them.
Figure 3 is a corresponding view to Figure 2, except that the jaws are shewn in
front elevation.
Figure 4 is a plan or top view of the clip.
Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line of Figure 3 looking in the
direction of the arrow a; and Figure 6 is an edge view of the clip looking also in
the direction of the arrow a Figure 3.
In several of the figures the lever is shewn with its outer end broken off, for
convenience of illustration; but in Figure 2 the whole length of the lever is
shewn.
In the clip illustrated, the lower jaw A is formed in one piece with a shank B.
The moving jaw C is capable of sliding up and down along the shank B, and for
this purpose the shank is conveniently formed as a dovetail slide and the moving
jaw is formed with a pair of guides 6b which fit against the dovetail sides of the
shank. The excentric 1) and lever E are shewn as formed together in one piece of
metal, and are fitted to the shank B by means of a stud c fixed thereto. As the
lever is depressed from the position shewn by Figure 1 into the position shewn by
Figure 2, the excentric or cam D bears upon a pin d which is carried by the two
sides e of an opening formed in the upper portion of the jaw C, and thus presses
the moving jaw tightly against the rope and causes the rope to be gripped between
the jaws A and C. The excentric or cam D has formed therewith a guard piece f
which passes outside the pin d and is concentric with the portion of the excentric
or cam which presses upon the pin, the pin d thus passing through a curved slot g
formed between the bearing surface of the excentric or cam D and the bearing
surface of the guard f. The excentric and guard work between the sides ee of
the opening formed in the upper portion of the moving jaw C.
As the lever is raised from the position indicated by Figure 2 to the position
indicated by Figure 1, the inner face of the guard f, bearing against the underside
of the pin d and being struck to a curve which is excentric with the pin c, raises
the moving jaw C, and the clip may then be removed from the rope.
An important feature of the invention consists in forming the excentric or cam D
with its bearing face carried backwards some distance beyond the part thereof
which has the greatest projection from the centre of the pin c, the portion carried
backwards being nearer to such centre than the portion of greatest projection
from the centre, and in forming or providing the excentric or cam with a stop
or abutment, which cousists conveniently of the inner end k of the slot g, and
which coming against a part of the moving jaw (namely against the pin d, when

page_text: the abutment consists of the end of the slot g) prevents the lever from being
further depressed when the portion of the excentric or cam which is of greatest
projection from the centre of the pin C has passed somewhat beyond the centre of
pressure between itself and the moving jaw. The moving jaw thus, after having
been pressed as tightly against the rope as the construction and the adjustment
of the parts of the clip admit of, yields slightly back as the end of the slot g
approaches still nearer to the pin d, and locks the excentric and prevents the
clip from being unfastened until a sufficient force is exerted to raise the lever
and thereby cause the excentric first to press the jaws more tightly against the
rope and then, as the backward movement of the excentric is continued, to allow
the jaws to open, and thus release the rope. To facilitate the locking of the
excentric by a slight return of the moving jaw in the manner described, the
gripping faces of both the jaws may be curved in shape longitudinally, as shewn
in the drawings, so that as the jaws are tightened up the portion of the rope
which passes between them is bent somewhat out of line. The tendency of this
portion of the rope to straighten itself causes the slight return of the moving
jaw necessary to lock the excentric to be effected under a considerably elastic
strain and the longitudinal curvature of the jaws is, preferably, such that the
portion of the rope which passes between them remains somewhat out of line while
the excentric is locked, that is to say, the curvature is such that the portion of the
rope between the jaws is not quite straightened by the tension of the rope. If, as
is convenient, the jaws are made about four and a half inches long, the curvature of
the jaws may be about one eighth of an inch in the length. The excentric will be
locked, even though the portion thereof of greatest projection from the centre has
passed very slightly beyond the centre of pressure between, the excentric and the
moving jaw, and thus an almost inappreciable return of the moving jaw is sufficient
to lock the excentric. It is not, therefore, essential to curve the jaws longi-
tudinally, as the elasticity of the material of the rope will be sufficient to cause the
locking of the excentric, the rope remaining firmly gripped between the jaws. In
order, however, to guard more effectually against the moving jaw becoming
accidentally unlocked, whether jaws with straight or longitudinally curved faces
are used, the portion i of the bearing surface of the excentric which is between
the part of greatest projection thereof from the centre of the pin C and the hinder
end of the slot g may be curved inwards slightly towards the centre of the pin c
before joining into the curved end of the slot g (that is to say, the bearing surface
of the excentric at the part indicated may be formed to a quicker curve than the
remaining or main portion of such surface), and in such case the recoil of the
moving jaw will press the pin d into the shallow recess thus formed in the face of
the hinder end of the excentric.
The pin c has a collar / which bears against the front of the shank B, and the pin
is held in place by means of a nut and washer at the back, as shewn. The hole m
in the shank through which the pin passes is slotted lengthways of the shank to
allow the centre of the pin to be adjusted to suit the diameter of the rope for which
the clip is used.
The upper end of the shank has a hole; therethrough by means of which it may
be pivoted to one end of a rod or link of which the other end may be connected
with the draw-link at the front or back of the wagon, corve or the like, just as rods
having clips pivoted thereto are frequently now attached to the wagons or corves;
or the clip may be formed with a hook fixed to or formed in one piece of metal
with the shank B, whereby it may be hung on to the draw-link at either end of the
wagon, corve or the like; or such hook may be pivoted to, or connected by means
of a universal joint with, the top of the shank B so that it may yield at the joint to
allow of the clip rising to pass over a pulley or to move somewhat sideways to
clear an obstruction. The clip may, however, be connected with the wagon, corve
or the like, in any manner in which clips are now connected therewith or in other
convenient manner, the method of connection not forming in itself any feature of
the invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A haulage clip for wire rope, having a pair of jaws which are caused to grip
the rope under pressure imparted through the medium of an excentric or cam
and lever, substantially as described.
2. A haulage clip for wire rope, having a pair of jaws which are caused to grip
the rope under pressure imparted through the medium of an excentric or cam and
lever, said jaws being capable of being locked in position gripping the rope by
turning the excentric or cam such distance in the direction in which it is turned to
press the jaws against the rope that its portion of greatest projection passes
somewhat beyond the centre of pressure between the excentric or cam and the part
against which the surface of the excentric or cam bears, said excentric or cam
being prevented from moving further in such direction by means of a suitable stop,
substantially as described.
3. A haulage clip for wire rope, having a pair of jaws which are caused to grip
the rope under pressure imparted through the medium of an excentric or cam and
lever, the said excentric or cam being provided with a guard-piece which causes
the jaws to be moved apart as the cam is turned in the direction the reverse to
that in which it is turned to press the jaws against the rope, substantially as
described.
4. A haulage clip for wire rope, having a pair of jaws A C which are caused to
grip the rope under pressure imparted to one of the jaws through the medium of an
excentric or cam D and lever E, the said jaw which is directly operated by the
excentric or cam carrying a pin d against which the excentric or cam bears to
press the moving jaw inwards against the rope, said excentric or cam being
provided with a guard f which, as the excentric or cam is turned in the reverse
direction to that in which it is turned to press the jaws against the rope, bears
against the said pin d and draws the moving jaw away from the other jaw,
substantially as described.
5. A haulage clip for wire rope, constructed and operating substantially as
described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
Dated this 26th day of October 1894.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.