Improvements in Fish-hooks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1899--Accepted, 10th Feb., 1900
Improvements in Fish-hooks.
We, JAMES YELVERTON PAYTON, Teacher, and HUBERT JACKSON HALL, Legis-
lator, both of Waldron, in the County of Scott and State of Arkansas, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to automatic spring hooks which are adapted to sud-
denly close and catch the fish when the latter seizes the bait.
The chief characteristic of our invention is the connection and arrangement
of bait hooks and auxiliary or grab-hooks in such manner that by setting the
former in a certain position they hold the grab-hooks distended and under
tension so that the latter are ready to close upon and pierce the head of the
fish when the bait is tampered with. In other words, the two pairs of hooks
are held, when set, in unstable equilibrium, which may be destroyed by
traction of a fish on one or both of the bait-hooks.
The pairs of bait-hooks and grab-hooks lie practically in the same horizontal
plane, and when the hook is set, the curved ends of the bait-hooks opposing
and pressing against each other hold the grab-hooks, spread and under tension.
Each bait-hook is composed of a hook proper which is formed on the end of
a spring steel rod or wire of bow shape. Thus each two hooks of a pair are
formed of one integral and curved spring wire, the hooks proper being turned
outward or from each other.
The grab-hooks are formed of a similar piece of spring steel terminating at
each end in a hook proper. These hooks are clamped firmly at the centre of
the bows and pivoted loosely to the bait-hook. A short flattened twisted and
pointed piece of iron is arranged horizontally and symmetrically with relation
to both sets of hooks and a piece of soft wire is coiled tightly one or more
times around the central part of the grab-hooks and the intervening bar thus
forming a rigid clamp binding them firmly together. The free ends of the wire
are brought together below and twisted on themselves extending downward and
attached to a metal ball which sustains the hooks in a horizontal position and
also serves as a sinker.
The hook is easily set by taking hold of the bait hooks at the bends and
pulling laterally so as to separate the points, until the bait hooks are made to
abut against each other. They are thus on a line of unstable equilibrium, as
is evident by supposing the abutting hooks to be pressed a little too far inwards
so as to project backward which is however resisted by the central piece of
iron on which the hooks rest lightly. Having a quarter twist, this central
piece presents a forward slope thus facilitating the forward while offering
resistance to a backward projection of the abutting hooks.
The "set" of the hait-hooks holds the grab-hooks distended as shown by
full lines and tripping is accomplished by breaking the equilibrium of pressure,
and is easily effected by the fish in three different ways.
1 B
dicht forward null or ark

page_text: 2. By simply clamping or biting, thus causing a movement of bait-hooks
along the forward slope of the twisted central piece.
3. By a twist or shake causing displacement of abutting ends.
The hooks' action depends on the tendency of the springs to free themselves
from tension when released. Following this tendency the external grab-hooks
simply approach each other, moving through a curve, while the bait-hooks project
forward, preserving their terminal juxtaposition at all points along the line of
motion unless one of them be forcibly obstructed. The forcible obstruction of
one, however, in its forward movement has no effect on its mate, since each
hook acts independently of the other by the tension of its own spring.
When the abutting hooks are thrown on one side, the corresponding hooks
on the other side are thrown at practically the same instant, this simultaneous
action of both sides when only one side is disturbed being very advantageous
in counter-acting rebound of hook. The bait-hooks project forward into the
mouth of the fish, thus doubly securing it.
Dand : 001 do of 1800
We, JAMES YELVERTON PAYTON, Teacher, and HUBERT JACKSON HALL, Legis-
lator, both of Waldron, in the County of Scott and State of Arkansas, United
States of America, 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:―
Our invention relates to automatic spring hooks which are adapted to sud-
denly close and catch the fish when the latter seizes the bait.
The chief characteristic of our invention is the connection and arrangement
of bait hooks and auxiliary or grab-hooks in such manner that by setting the
former in a certain position they hold the grab-hooks distended and under
tension so that the latter are ready to close upon and pierce the head of the
fish when the bait is tampered with. In other words the two pairs of hooks
are held, when set, in unstable equilibrium, which may be destroyed by
traction of a fish on one or both of the bait-hooks.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved
fish-hook showing the same (in full lines) as set for use. Figure 2 is a detail
section of the same.
The two bait-hooks A and two grab-hooks B lie practically in the same
horizontal plane, and when the hook is set as shown by full lines, the curved
ends of the bait-hooks A opposing and pressing against each other hold the
grab-hooks B, spread and under tension. When this equilibrium is destroyed,
the two sets of hooks, change position as shown by dotted lines.
The details of construction and operation are as follows.
Each bait-hook A is composed of a hook proper which is formed on the end
of a spring steel rod or wire. Thus each two hooks of a pair are formed of one
integral and curved spring wire, the hooks proper being turned outward or
from each other.
The grab-hooks B, are formed of a similar piece of spring steel terminating
at each end in a hook proper. The two hooks B are clamped firmly at D and
pivoted loosely to the bait-hook A at b. C indicates a short flattened twisted

page_text: and pointed piece of iron arranged horizontally and symmetrically with relation
to both sets of hooks A, B, and
D represents a piece of soft wire whose central part is coiled tightly one or
more times around the central part of hooks B, and the intervening bar C, thus
forming a rigid clamp binding them firmly together. The free ends of the
wire D are brought together below and twisted on themselves and are extended
downward as shown in Figure 2 and attached to a metal ball E, which sustains
the hooks in a horizontal position and also serves as a sinker. F represents the
line attached to the clamp.
The hook is easily set by taking hold of the bait hooks A at the bends a and
pulling laterally so as to separate the points, until the bait hooks are made
to abut against each other as shown. They are thus on a line of unstable
equilibrium, as is evident by supposing the abutting hooks A, to be pressed
a little too far inwards so as to project backward, this backward projection,
however, being prevented by the central piece C on which the hooks rest
lightly. Having a quarter twist, this central piece C presents a forward slope,
thus facilitating the forward while offering resistance to a backward projection
of the abutting hooks A.
The "
full lines.
set" of the hooks A holds the grab-hooks B distended as shown by
Tripping is accomplished by breaking the equilibrium of pressure, and is
easily effected by the fish in three different ways.
1. By a slight forward pull or jerk.
2. By simply clamping or biting, thus causing a movement of bait-hooks
along the forward slope of the twisted central piece C.
3. By a twist or shake causing displacement of abutting ends.
The hooks' action depends on the tendency of the springs to free themselves
from tension when released. Following this tendency the external grab hooks B
simply approach each other, moving through a curve, while the bait hooks A
project forward, preserving their terminal juxtaposition at all points along the
line of motion unless one of them be forcibly obstructed. The forcible obstruc-
tion of one, however, in its forward movement has no effect on its mate, since
each hook acts independently of the other by the tension of its own spring.
The dotted lines in Figure 1 represent the hook in the act of closing in on
a fish. It is easy to see that when the abutting hooks are thrown on one side
the corresponding hooks on the other side will be thrown at practically the
same instant, the simultaneous action of both sides when only one side is
disturbed being very advantageous in counteracting rebound of hook.
bait hooks project forward into the mouth of the fish, thus doubly securing it.
This forward movement of the bait hooks A is a very important feature. The
hook is easily tripped and the rapidity of the action is very great.
The
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An automatic spring fish-hook consisting of a pair of hooked and pointed
ends restrained in unstable equilibrium in close juxtaposition to each other,
and having a range of movement when disturbed by the fish directly outward
and down the throat of the fish, substantially as shown and described.
2. An automatic spring fish hook consisting of two pairs of hooked and
pointed ends connected by how springs each pair restrained in unstable equili-
brium on opposite sides, and with an opposife thrust, and the two points of each
pair having a range of movement when disturbed by the fish directly outward
in opposite direction, one of the pairs thrusting directly into the mouth of the
fish. and the other holding by its recoil the first pair up to its work and thus
neutralizing reactionary movement substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. An automatic fish-hook, comprising spring bait-hooks and spring grab-

page_text: hooks whose shanks are pivoted together substantially as described, whereby the
grab-hooks are held open or distended by abutment of the curved free ends of
the bait-hooks as specified.
4. An automatic fish-hook comprising spring grab-hooks and bait hooks
whose shanks are pivoted together, one set lying flat upon the other and a
weight or sinker attached at the central point, substantially as specified.
5. An automatic fish-hook, comprising spring bait and grab-hooks, the latter
being rigidly connected at their central bends, and their shanks loosely pivoted
to the bait-hooks and both sets of hooks being symmetrically arranged as shown
and described, whereby when "set" the bait-hooks abut and hold the grab-
hooks distended, and a cross bar arranged to support the bait-hooks substantially
as specified.
6. An automatic fish-hook, comprising two spring grab-hooks, which are con-
nected at their central bends, and two spring bait-hooks, symmetrically arranged
with relation to each other and the grab-hooks, whereby, when set, the hooks
all lie in practically the same horizontal plane, the bait-hooks holding the grab-
hooks distended, and their points projecting outward or in opposite direction,
and the opposite points of the grab-hooks projecting inward toward each other,
substantially as shown and described.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
- Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.