Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 15th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 18th Jan., 1887.
I RICHARD MATTHEWS RUCK of Prospect Row Chathani in the County of Kont
Captain R.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows!:-
This invention has for its object improvements in hooks for shackles for use in
harness and for other purposes.
The hook or shackle is provided with a moveable tongue capable of turning about
a joint to retain or to free the part with which the hook is engaged.
The extremity of the tongue enters a slot or recess in the stem of the hook and a
spring bolt locks it in place. This spring bolt is easily drawn back with the fingers
when it is desired to release the tongue and open the hook or shackle.
The bolt consists of a small block of metal capable of sliding longitudinally in a
slot cut through the stem of the hook or shackle.
Another slot in the stem receives the free end of the tongue it intersects the first
slot at right angles and extends behind the bolt. This part of the slot is filled with a
piece of stout sheet india rubber the thickness of which corresponds with the width of
the slot. The piece of india rubber serves two purposes to retain the metal bolt in the
slot and to act as a spring pressing the bolt forward to retain the tongue but
permitting it to be drawn back when the tongue is to be released.
This piece of India rubber takes somewhat the form of the letter H between its
legs the block or bolt is received and shoulders on the bolt prevent it from escaping
laterally. In closing the hook or shackle the extremity of the tongue enters the recess
in the stem until it bears against the end of the bolt. The two surfaces which thus
come in contact are inclined and consequently a slight pressure upon the tongue
causes the bolt to yield back the cross piece of the India rubber giving way sufficiently
to allow the end of the tongue to pass then immediately the elasticity of the India
rubber causes the return of the bolt.
To release the tongue the ends of the bolt are grasped between the fingers and it is
drawn back.
The end of the hook is forked to receive the tongue and a joint pin passed through
secures it.
The part of the tongue within the fork is so formed as to aid the disengagement
when the other extremity of the tongue is moved out from the recess in the stem of
the hook or shackle.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: other Purposes.
1 RICHARD MATTHEWS RUCK of Prospect Row Chatham in the County of Kent
Major R.E. 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 has for its object improvements in hooks or shackles for use in
harness and for other purposes.
The hook or shackle is provided with a moveable tongue capable of turning about
a joint to retain or to free the part with which the hook is engaged.
The extremity of the tongue enters a slot or recess in the stem of the hook and a
spring bolt locks it in place. This spring bolt is easily drawn back with the fingers
when it is desired to release the tongue and open the hook or shackle.
The bolt consists of a small block of metal capable of sliding longitudinally in a slot
cut through the stem of the hook or shackle.
Another slot in the stem receives the free end of the tongue, it intersects the first
slot at right angles and extends behind the bolt. This part of the slot is filled with a
piece of stout sheet india rubber the thickness of which corresponds with the width of
the slot. The piece of india rubber serves two purposes to retain the metal bolt in the
slot and to act as a spring pressing the bolt forward to retain the tongue but permitting
it to be drawn back when the tongue is to be released.
.
This piece of india rubber is divided and between its legs the block or bolt is
received and shoulders on the bolt prevent it from. escaping laterally. In closing the
hook or shackle the extremity of the tongue enters the recess in the stem until it bears
against the end of the bolt. The two surfaces which thus come in contact are inclined
and consequently a slight pressure upon the tongue causes the bolt to yield back the
cross piece of the india rubber giving way sufficiently to allow the end of the tongue
to pass then immediately the elasticity of the india rubber causes the return of the
bolt.
To release the tongue the ends of the bolt are grasped between the fingers and it is
drawn back.
The end of the hook is forked to receive the tongue and a joint pin passed through
secures it.
The part of the tongue within the fork is so formed as to aid the disengagement
when the other extremity of the tongue is moved out from the recess in the stem of
the hook or shackle.-
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hook or shackle constructed in accordance with my
invention. Full lines show the position of the parts when closed and dotted lines the
position assumed by the tongue or moveable part when the hook or shackle is onen

page_text: gure is a longitudinal section.
Figure 3 is a front view; the parts are shown in the open position.
Figure 4 is a back view of the hook or shackle in like position.
Figure 5 is a separate view of the bolt with the india rubber which serves both to
retain it in place and also acts as a spring; the india rubber is shown in section.
A A is the body of the hook or shackle and B is the moveable part or tongue jointed
to A and capable of turning about the joint pin at B². The body A at its upper end
is provided with a ring A by which it may be conveniently attached to a chain or
rope, or in place of the ring any other convenient form of attachment may be provided
upon the body A. A³ is a double slot provided in the body A to receive the end of the
tongue B; also the bolt C and its india rubber spring and retainer D. The double
slot A³ may be regarded as consisting of two slots crossing each other at right angles.
In one of these the steel bolt C is lodged and the slot is large enough to allow the bolt
to move a short distance longitudinally to and from the joint pin at B' so that it may
either engage with the nib B at the end of the tongue B or be drawn away along the
slot to release the nib and permit the tongue to open away from the body. The other
part of the slot A' serves to accomodate the india rubber spring and retaining
piece D which is cut out from a stout sheet. The india rubber is notched out at D' to
accomodate the cross bar C₁ of the bolt and by pressing on this it holds the bolt in
position to engage with the nib B2 of the tongue as seen in Figure 2. The india
rubber is also cut away at D2 in order to render the part which rests against the cross
bar of the bolt sufficiently flexible to allow the bolt to be readily drawn away and
made to disengage the tongue. The bolt is thus moved by the fingers applied to the
projecting side cheeks C of the bolt which are roughened to enable the fingers to hold
them firmly. The form of the recess D in the india rubber may be varied, the
purpose which it serves being simply to prevent the portion of the india rubber above
the cross bar C from being too rigid as already explained.
The shackle may be made in various forms without departing from my invention so
long as it has a tongue or moveable part retained to a body part by a metal bolt provided
with a spring retaining piece of india rubber such bolt and spring retaining piece being
inserted together into a transverse slot in the body part substantially as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of the parts A B C and D substantially as described.
2. In a hook or shackle, a bolt with a spring retaining piece of india rubber inserted
together into a slot in the body of the hook or shackle; such bolt being pressed forward
by the india rubber and engaging with the moveable part of the hook or shackle but
nevertheless admitting of being drawn back by its ends projecting from the slot
substantially as described.