Improvements in Spring-links or Fastenings for Pole-straps or Chains, Traces, and other purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring-links or Fastenings for Pole-straps or
Chains, Traces, and other purposes.
I ALFRED WOOD of Fairlight House, Bouverie Road, Folkestone, Carriage
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in spring links, loops, or fastenings for
pole-straps or chains, traces, and other purposes, and has for its object to provide a
simple device which will allow of the traces and the like being more readily
attached and detached than heretofore, while the link or fasteuer is easier to
manipulate and less liable to get out of order or to be loosened and become useless.
The device when used for yoking and releasing horses, can be attached either to
the carriage pole or harness.
In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a sliding tube or barrel which
moves upon a pivoted arm or tongue of the link and contains a spiral spring.
The end of the arm farthest from its pivot, is reduced, and passes through a
perforated partition formed a short distance from the end of the tube or barrel,
and its end is afterwards "burred " over, to prevent the spring forcing off the
spring or barrel when the arm is disengaged from the hooked or curved end of the
link.
When the link or fastening is in its closest form, the reduced end of the curved
part of such link enters and occupies the shallow space between the end of the
tube and the perforated partition, and thus forms the connection between the
movable and the rigid arms.
According to another form of my invention I provide a slip link, hook, or loop
fashioned in such a manner that one end of the link or loop is bent at a right angle,
or even to a more acute angle, and provided at its extreme end with a bevelled lip
and inside with a cavity or recess wherein enters the reduced end of the sliding
tube or barrel. A spiral spring surrounds the arm enclosed within the tube, which
spring forces the reduced end of such tube or barrel into the aforesaid cavity or
recess. A slot is formed either in the barrel or in the arm, through which slot a
small pin passes and is fixed to the barrel or to the arm, according to whichever is
provided with the slot, either of these arrangements allowing the barrel or tube to
slide up and down the arm, and prevent the spring forcing off the tube when the
moveable arm is withdrawn from its recess. The aforesaid pin may have its inner
end extended beyond the tube or barrel until it comes in contact with the inside of
the rigid arm, the protruding pin then acts as a stop to the pivoted arm then closing
the link, or I may employ any other suitable stop that will answer the same
purpose. The above described plan of slotting the tubes or barrels and of providing
the connection between the movable and rigid arms of the slip links is also equally
applicable to the spring hook or link hereinbefore described.
1
1004
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Spring-links or Fastenings for Pole-straps or
Chains, Traces, and other purposes.
I ALFRED WOOD, of Fairlight House, Bouverie Road, Folkestone, Carriage
Builder, 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 iniprovements in links, loops, or fastenings for pole-straps
or chains, traces, and for other purposes, and has for its object to provide a simple
device or devices which will allow of the traces, chains, or the like being more
readily attached to and detached from said links, loops or fastenings than heretofore
the latter being easier to manipulate, less liable to get out of order, and more
effective, and safer than the old form.
My improvements when applied to the purpose of yoking or releasing animals,
can be attached either to the carriage-pole, or harness, the slip-links hereinafter
described being particularly adapted for the purpose of quickly releasing fallen
horses or other animals.
In making a link or loop according to my invention, for attaching to pole-straps
or chains, traces, ropes, or for any other purpose, I make one of the straight arms
of the link or loop slightly shorter than the other arm, or in the case only of a
hinged arm, of just sufficient length to meet the end of the hook, so that, in either
case, whether it be hinged or fixed, the chain or the like may be able to pass over
the end of said arm into the hook of the link or loop.
I also provide a sliding tube or barrel capable of fitting loosely over the said
arm, the top being recessed to fit over a corresponding projection upon the end
of the hooked portion of the link or loop or vice-vers or other equivalent means
may be provided for effecting a firm connection of the two parts when normally
pressed together by the action of a spiral spring or equivalent means, as hereafter
described.
In order to more fully explain my invention I have attached to this Specification
a sheet of drawings whereon:
Fig. 1 is a view of a link with hinged arm upon which is mounted a sliding
spring tube.
Fig. 2 is a slip-link somewhat similar in construction to that shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view of the underside of hinged arm of said link.
Fig. 4 is a slip-link with rigid arm and spring tube, and
Fig. 5 shows the same when opened to admit link, trace, or the like.
Fig. 6 is a modification employing a shorter sliding tube and an external spring.
As shewn by Fig. 1, A is the arm hinged at B to the ring, boss, or eye C and
the thickness of the arm A is reduced a short distance from its pivot end as at a to
admit of the spring G passing over or around the same and bear against shoulder b
at one end and against perforated partition E at its other end.
"
The arm A is still further reduced in thickness at the end farthest from its pivot
as at D and passes through the perforated partition E in the sliding tube F, and its
end "burred over as shewn bye to prevent the spring G forcing off the sliding
tube or barrel when the arm is disengaged from the hooked or curved end H of
the link.
The top of the sliding tube F is held firmly up against and temporarily secured
to the book of the link, by means of a rounded or bevelled projection I formed
upon the sanie, or in other suitable manner. A stop J prevents arm A from being
pressed inwards beyond the projection I when closing the link, and may be made
solid with the rigid arm of the link or attached in any other suitable manner.

page_text: Referring to Fig. 2 which represents a slip-link especially adapted to enable a
fallen horse or other animal to be instantly released,
A is the pivotted arm hinged as before at B, provided with a sleeve or sliding
tube F hollow throughout a portion of its length, and containing a spiral spring G
tending to keep the tube F in close engagement with the hook L, the end of tube
being hollowed out as shown by K, Figs. 2 and 3, so as to firmly grasp the rounded
surface of the hook L.
In order to cause the arm F to slip into place under pressure, a bevelled lip M is
formed on the end of the tube which is thus caused to recede when pressed, until
the lip is released by entering a corresponding cavity N in the hook L under the
action of spring G.
A pin O is fixed in the arm A and a slot P cut out in the tube or sleeve F, thus
preventing the latter from springing off the arm when disengaged from the hook L.
Said pin O also serves as a stop in place of stop J in Fig. 1.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show slip-links or loops with rigid arms Q and tubes or
sleeves F.
The spiral spring G (Fig. 6) is shown surrounding the exposed portion of
arm Q which is reduced in thickness as far as shoulder b against which one end of
the spring bears, the other end bearing against the bottom of sleeve or tube F.
The link or loop is kept normally closed by the action of spiral spring G, and
may be opened when desired by grasping and pulling down the tube F. If desired
I may slot the sleeve or tube F lengthwise for a distance equal to the length of its
travel or thereabouts and then transversely so that it may be held back in its
open position by means of a pin projecting from the side of the arm engaging in
the slot for this purpose.
The pin and slot may if preferred, be employed to retain the link in its closed
position.
Fig. 5 shows the same form of link as Fig. 4 in its open position.
In Fig. 1 have shown a ring, eye or loop C suitable for use with a chain or cord
and in Fig. 2 a loop T adapted to receive the pole-strap or trace of the harness of
a vehicle. The links or loops shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are intended to receive
the chain U or the like direct, as shewn in Fig. 4, but it will he understood that I
may use any form of ring, loop, hook or their equivalent with my link or fastening,
or I
may dispense with the use of them altogether, as shewn in Figs. 4, 5, and 6.
Moreover certain details described in connection with one particular form of my
improved loop or link may be applied separately or together to all or any of
the other forms described besides in the particular combination shown in the
drawings.
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. In links or fastenings for pole-straps or chains, traces and the like, the use
of a sliding-tube or sleeve F, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
2. In the manufacture of links or fastenings for pole-straps or chains, traces and
the like, the application of spiral springs and sliding-tubes or sleeves to the arms
(whether rigid or jointed) of coupling or slip-links, substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 18th day of Sentember 1891