IMPROVEMENT IN HOOKS FOR MARINE AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raymond Balans, of Abingdon Chambers, in the
City of Westminster, and No. 24, Rue de Dunkerque, Paris, in the
Empire of France, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT
Sealed the 9th December 1864, and dated the 30th June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Raymond Balans at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th June 1864.
I, RAYMOND BALANS, of Abingdon Chambers, in the City of Westminster,
and No. 24, Rue de Dunkerque, Paris, in the Empire of France, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
HOOKS FOR MARINE AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the application to hooks for marine and other uses
of a stop spring, by means of which the cord, chain, or other object to be
secured is prevented from quitting its hold.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing is a vertical section of the improved
hook; Figure 2 is a cross section of the same.
A represents the eye or stalk of the hook; B, the free space; C, C, cheek
pieces, formed at each side of the neck below the eye, and serving as bearings
to a square pivot a, to which is fixed one end of the spring D. The bar a'
checking the expansion of this spring forces the free extremity of the latter to
press against the point 6 of the hook, which is hollowed out for its reception.
If so required a hole may be drilled in this end of the spring corresponding
with a stud set in the hollow of the hook, so as to prevent displacement. The
hook closed, as in the Drawing, is opened at will by simple finger pressure on

page_text: the outer face of the spring, or (when of considerable size and strength) by
aid of a small chain or other pull piece set near the head of the latter. The
spring may be formed of either steel or brass, as desired, but in the larger
sizes the latter will generally be found most efficient, from its non-liability to
oxidation. The hook above described may be substituted to all other hooks
of the ordinary forms in their several applications, as, for instance, in different
parts of ship rigging, railway couplings or connexions, saddlery, mechanical
gearing or tackle, and in general to every purposes for which holdfast hooks
may be required, the dimensions and material being varied according to
circumstances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Raymond Balans in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RAYMOND
BALANS, of Abingdon Chambers, in the City of Westminster, and 24, Rue de
Dunkerque, Paris, in the Empire of France, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Raymond Balans, Her special licence that I, the said Raymond
Balans, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Raymond Balans, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IM-
PROVEMENT IN HOOKS FOR MARINE AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Raymond Balans, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the, same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Raymond Balans, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Figures of the accompanying Drawing, and to the
letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in the application to hooks for marine and other
uses of a stop spring, by means of which the cord, chain, or other object to be
secured is prevented from quitting its hold.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing is a vertical section of the improved
hook; Figure 2 is a cross section of the same.
A represents the eye or stalk of the hook; B, the free space; C, C, cheek
pieces formed at each side of the neck below the eye, and serving as bearings
to a square pivota, to which is fixed one end of the spring D. The bar a
checking the expansion of this spring forces the free extremity of the latter to
press against the point 6 of the hook, which is hollowed out for its reception.
If so required a hole may be drilled in this end of the spring corresponding
with a stud set in the hollow of the hook, so as to prevent displacement. The
hook closed, as in the Drawing, is opened at will by simple finger pressure on
the outer face of the spring, or (when of considerable size and strength) by
aid of a small chain or other pull piece set near the head of the latter. The
spring may be formed of either steel or brass, as desired, but in the larger
sizes the latter will generally be found most efficient, from its non-liability to
oxidation. The hook above described may be substituted to all other hooks
of the ordinary forms in their several applications, as, for instance, in different
parts of ship rigging, railway couplings or connexions, saddlery, mechanical
gearing or tackle, and in general to every purposes for which holdfast hooks
may be required, the dimensions and material being varied according to
circumstances.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
carrying it into effect, I declare that I claim and desire to protect by Letters
Patent, the application to hooks for marine and other uses of a stop spring,
arranged in manner and for the purpose substantially as above specified and
shown in the Figures of the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Raymond Balans, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
RAYMOND BALANS. (L.s.)