IMPROVEMENTS IN SHACKLES OR SLIP HOOKS FOR POLE CHAINS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bezer, of St. John Street, Smithfield, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SHACKLES OR SLIP HOOKS FOR POLE CHAINS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bezer at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th February 1881.
HENRY BEZER, of St. John Street, Smithfield, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHACKLES OR SLIP HOOKS FOR POLE CHAINS AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention has referenco more particularly to the shackle described in the
Specification of Hooker and Wright's Letters Patent dated 25th March 1876,
No. 1297. This shackle has been found in practice to possess several defects; one
of these is that when applied to pole chains the ring at the end of the latch by
which the latch is pulled out and disengaged from the curved arm or link is liable
to catch in projecting parts, such as a hook on the hames; another defect is that the
edges of the body or frame of the shackle in which the latch works are liable to
become burred through frequent knocking against other parts, so that the latch
cannot be moved without great difficulty; a third defect is that as there is no limit
to the outward inovement of the latch, its spring or other portions are apt by undue
pressure to get overstrained or broken.
Now the object of my Invention is to overcome these defects, and the improve-
ments consist in so placing the device by which the latch is pulled out that it is not
liable to catch in extraneous objects, and in so fitting the latch in the frame that
the parts which move inwards lie within projecting parts of the frame, and that the
parts which move outwards project beyond the frame, thus no burring can interfere
with the proper working of the latch; also in so limiting the movement of the
latch that it can only be moved far enough to ensure the complete release of the
curved arm or link.
In carrying out the Invention I form the frame of the shackle with an opening
in which the tail end of the latch lies, this end being ring shaped or of other

page_text: .
form which will allow it to be easily taken hold of by the finger or otherwise, and
moved sideways when it is required to release the latch; the end of the opening
constitutes a stop which limits the movement of the latch, and thereby prevents the
spring being overstrained. The latch and the frame are so shaped relatively to each
other that the part of the latch from the pivot on which it works to the head, which
part has to move outwards, projects beyond the frame, while the part from the
pivot to the tail, which has to move within the frame, has the frame projecting
beyond it. By this arrangement any burring of the exposed parts will not interfere
with the proper movement of the latch.
I prefer to make the frame in three pieces, viz., an inner piece stamped or cast so
as to receive the spring and at the same time form a distant piece between, and
strengthen as much as possible the two outer pieces, which consist of wrought iron,
steel, or other plates; these plates form jaws to receive the link and latch, and are
held together by rivets passed through them and through the inner piece.
My improved shackle is applicable to various purposes. In applying it to cases
where two or more catches have to be released simultaneously, such, for instance, as
slip looks for boat lowering purposes, I connect the rings of the latches in the
several shackles by a rod passed through them, so that by giving a sideways motion
to the rod all the shackles will be released simultaneously. This rod should be
protected in any convenient manner, so that when moved to release the shackles it
cannot be moved back again except by a voluntary action. This will prevent any
of the ropes being again held in case the motion of the boat does not immediately
clear them from the shackles:
The improved shackle can also be made to act as a catch hook as well as a slip
hook by elongating or enlarging the hole or recess for the loose ring or hook, in
order that the link or curved arm can move backwards when pushed against the
ring.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Bezer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th August
1881.
HENRY BEZER, of St. John Street, Smithfield, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHACKLES OR SLIP HOOKS FOR POLE CHAINS AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention has reference more particularly to the shackle described in the
Specification of Hooker and Wright's Letters Patent, dated 25th March 1876,.
No. 1297. This shackle has been found in practice to possess several defects; one
of these is that when applied to pole chains, the ring at the end of the latch by
which the latch is pulled out.and disengaged from the curved arm or link is liable
to catch in projecting parts, such as a hook on the hames; another defect is that
the edges of the body or frame of the shackle in which the latch works are liable,
to become burred through frequent knocking against other parts, so that the latch
cannot be moved without great difficulty; a third defect is that as there is no
limit to the outward movement of the latch, its spring or other portions are apt by
undue pressure to get overstrained or broken.
Now the object of my Invention is to overcome these defects, and the
improvements consist in so placing the device by which the latch is pulled out
that it is not liable to catch in extraneous objects, and in so fitting the latch in the
frame that the parts which move inwards lie within projecting parts of the frame,
and that the parts which move outwards project beyond the frame, thus no burring
can interfere with the proper working of the latch; also in so limiting the
movement of the latch that it can only be moved far enough to ensure the complete
release of the curved arm or link.
In carrying out the Invention I form the frame of the shackle with an opening
in which the tail end of the latch lies, this end being formed so that it can be easily
taken hold of by the finger or otherwise and moved sideways when it is required
to release the latch; a stop limits the movement of the latch, and thereby prevents
the spring being overstrained. The latch and the frame are so shaped, relatively
to each other, that the part of the latch from the pivot on which it works to the
head, which part has to move outwards, projects beyond the frame, while the part
from the pivot to the tail, which has to move within the frame, has the frame
projecting beyond it. By this arrangement any burring of the exposed parts will
not interfere with the proper movement of the latch.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings is a face view, and Figure 2 an edge view of
one of the improved shackles, suitable for a pole chain; Figure 3 illustrates the
same shackle when open. The body of the shackle may either be cast in one piece
or be made, as shown, in 3 pieces, viz., an inner piece A stamped or cast to
receive the spring B, and at the same time to form a strengthening and distance
piece between the two outer pieces C, D, and a guard for the catches at their point
of junction. The two pieces Ĉ, D, are wrought iron, steel, or other plates, and form
jaws to receive the link and the latch, and are held together by rivets passed
through them and through the piece A. E is the link hinged or pivotted at E¹,
and F is the latch hinged or pivoted at F¹. The link is formed at its end with a
catch G and the latch with a corresponding catch H to engage it, as seen in
Figure 1; these catches are so formed that any strain brought upon the link E
will have no tendency to pull them free from each other, as will be readily under-
stood by reference to the Drawing. The body of the shackle is formed with an
opening I, in which the tail, K of the latch F lies, so that it is not liable to catch in
extraneous objects. The end of the tail has a projection L, against which the

page_text: spring B bears, and there is a stop at M to limit the movement of the tail when
the latch is being released. It will be seen that the latch F and the body of the
shackle are so shaped relatively to each other that the portion of the latch from
the pivot F¹ to its head, which portion has to move outwards, projects beyond the
body, as shown, and that the portion from the pivot F¹ to the tail, which portion
has to move within the body, has the body projecting beyond it. By this
arrangement any burring of the exposed parts either of the latch or of the body
will not interfere with the proper movement of the latch.
In order to release the latch and open the shackle, it is only necessary to
push the tail K with the thumb or finger until it reaches or nearly reaches the
stop M.
Figure 4 represents the improved shackle as it is preferred to make it for
harness traces. Letters of reference the same as those in Figures 1, 2, and 3
indicate corresponding parts.
The improved shackles are applicable to various purposes. In applying them to
cases where two or more catches have to be released simultaneously, such, for
instance, as slip hooks for boat lowering purposes, I connect the latches of the
several shackles together by any suitable arrangement by which they can be
operated and released simultaneously.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bezer, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Second day of August, One thousand eight hundred and eighty
one.
HENRY BEZER. (L.S.)