An Improved Slip Hook for Automatically Coupling and Instantaneously Releasing Ships' Boats, Cargo Slings, Railway Trucks, and for all Purposes where Automatio
Year: 1884

page_text: An Improved Slip Hook for Automatically Coupling and
Instantaneously Releasing Ships' Boats, Cargo Slings,
Railway Trucks, and for all Purposes where Automatio
I. JAMES CONRAD COLE of 7 Bell Yard, Temple Bar, London in the County of
Middlesex; do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for AN IMPROVED SLIP
HOOK FOR AUTOMATICALLY COUPLING AND INSTANTANEOUSLY RELEASING SHIPS
BOATS, CARGO SLINGS, RAILWAY TRUCKS, AND FOR ALL PURPOSES WHERE AUTOMATIC
COUPLING IS DESIRABLE to be as follows:-
A "Pocket" having a Concave Entrance, is formed upon the end of a Bar or
Rod of Iron and is." forked" similarly to the end of an Engine Connecting Rod, to
admit of a Moveable Bar being pivotted between its Jaws one end of which is bent
to form a Hook which retains the link within the Pocket and the other end is
provided with a Counterbalance weight for the purpose of retaining the Hook in
its desired position.
When the link enters the Pocket, the Hook is momentarily pushed aside, and
upon becoming seated, the Hook returns to secure its "hold" by the falling of the
Counterbalance weight.
The object of the Pocket, is, to form a guide for the admission of the Link to the
underside of the Hook, and is so designed that it forms a V shaped entrance between
its side and the outer curve of the Hook, so that the action of dropping the shackle
into the Pocket causes an automatic opening and closing of the said Hook.
The manner in which I "let go" the load, is by pulling a trigger line attached
to the said Counterbalance weight, and by thus "taking up" the pressure exerted
by the weight, the opposite or hooked end is correspondingly thrown out, making
way for instantaneous detachment.

page_text: I JAMES CONRAD COLE of 31 Snow Hill-Holborn Viaduct, London in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for AUTO-
MATICALLY COUPLING AND INSTANTANEOUSLY RELEASING SHIPS BOATS, CARGO
SLINGS, RAILWAY TRUCKS, AND FOR ALL PURPOSES WHERE AUTOMATIC COUPLING
IS DESIRABLE-A communication from abroad by William Mills of High Southwick
in the town of Sunderland-temporarily residing in the island of Fiji-and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates essentially to an improved Coupling whereby ships-boats
may be more successfully secured to davits--or vehicles "Coupled-up" with the
least danger of failure-by the use of hollow wedge-shaped jaws, which serve as a
means for guiding the shackle or link into its coupled position.
Upon reference to the accompanying drawings the several parts referred to will
be identified.
Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation in which one hollow wedge shaped jaw
has been removed for the purpose of shewing more clearly the position of the hook.
Fig. 2. is a perspective view shewing the position of the hook within the hollow
shaped Jaws.
A. A. are the two hollow wedge-shaped jaws forming the pocket or guide for the
shackle. B is the division between the two sides of the pocket which sides being
united at the section C form the stancheon or bolt S to be secured to the keel of
the boat, or if used for a Cargo sling the said bolt will be attached to the chain of
the Crane. D is the hook which is carried between the sides of the pocket,
pivotted at E, with a long arm F the end of which is weighted.
By the action of inserting a shackle within the jaws of the pocket the hook D
will be thrown aside, until the shackle has reached the base of the socket formed
by the two sides of the hollow jaws, at the same time the weighted arm will be
raised but will fall immediately the shackle is "home," and the hook D which being
formed upon the opposite side of the eye E has an opposite movement, will return
to its normal position, and couple itself to the shackle just dropped in.
When a boat has been lowered, and it is desired to "let go" the weighted ends
of the hooks are lifted by means of trigger lines, attached to the eyes upon the
weights, such lines being led along the keel and connected by a ring or any other
means in the centre of the boat to ensure an equal amount of "pull" upon each
hook at the same time at the head and stern.
As soon as the weighted arms are lifted a corresponding movement takes place
with the hook which having only a slight internal radius gives an immediate release
to the shackle.
When the hook is used for a Cargo-sling the stem S. is inverted and attached to
the chain of the crane, the hook remains in the same position but the weighted
arm is reversed and carried upon the opposite side to that where the hook receives
the sling.
When a load has been landed the trigger line which may be run through a link
of the chain is an eye upon the stancheon S. is pulled and the weighted arm
disposed somewhat at right angles with the hook is thereby raised, and the hook
radiating upon the same centre "lets go " at any desired moment.

page_text: 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 use of a hollow Jaw or pair of Jaws, wedge shaped or otherwise, formed
in such a manner that they act as a guide to admit a shackle or link to the desired
position for coupling-for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The use of an oscillating hook pivotted in any convenient position and
working between a pair of hollow Jaws shaped in such a manner that it may be
displaced by the act of passing a link or shackle between its exterior surface
nearest the opening of the hook and the inside surface of the Jaws which face the
same opening.