Improvements in "Snap Hooks."
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in "Snap Hooks."
We, LOUIS AUGUSTUS WALKER, residing at Port Jefferson, Suffolk County,
Long Island, in the State of New York, United States of America, Engineer, and
CORNELIUS SMITH MITCHILL, No. 545 to 549 West 22nd Street, in the City of
New York, State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in snap hooks of that class which employ
a pivoted tongue to close the space between the free end and the base of the hook.
The snap book which forms our present invention is more particularly intended
to form a part of the equipment of sailing or racing vessels and for use in connection
with stays and light sails, although the hook is well adapted for use in other arts
and relations where a snap hook is desirable or necessary.
The principal object of this invention is to so construct and arrange the tongue
that a single motion in one direction will fasten the hook to a stay, and to enable
the tongue to move to a position clear back to and against the solid back part of
the hook, whereby a stay or other article may be quickly, or almost instantly, fitted
in the hook and the necessity for using a hook larger than is required to fit the
stay is entirely overcome.
In some styles of snap hooks, the pivoted tongue cannot be moved far enough
back for the object to pass through the throat or space left open by pressing the
tongue inwardly, because the inward movement of the tongue is limited by a spring
or other obstruction in the path of the tongue, hence it is necessary in that style of
snap hooks to use a hook larger than is required to fit the stay or accommodate the
article; but with a snap hook constructed as contemplated by this invention, it is
not necessary to use a hook larger than the stay because the tongue is capable of
moving to a position practically flush with the rear part of the hook and thereby
producing a throat sufficiently wide and large enough for the stay to quickly pass
into, or from, the hook without hindrance from the pivoted tongue.
A further object of this invention is to stiffen or strengthen the pivoted tongue
by devices which also prevent the tongue from being twisted out of place and
which relieves, to a considerable extent, the strain on the pivotal pin of the tongue,
which stiffening devices when the tongue is closed also fill that portion of the hook
between its base and that portion next to the sail or stay and thereby prevent
unnecessary play, or back and forth motion, of the stay in the eye or loop of the snap
hook.
A further object of the invention is to provide the tongue with a thumb picce
arranged to project from the back or rear edge of the hook and to be convenient
to operate from the back side of the hook, for the purpose of easily opening the
congue without having to press against the front side of the said tougue.
A. further object of the invention is to so construct the hook and tongue that the
movements of the tongue in either direction will be positively arrested to prevent
be tongue from being strained and from passing outside of the point of the hook
hould the hook be drawn or sprung from sudden strain.
A further object of the invention is to conceal the tongue-actuating spring within
he hook, whereby the spring is out of the way, is protected by the hook, and does
ot interfere with the backward or inward movement of the tongue, thus enabling

page_text: the tongue to move clear back against the hook and form a large throat or space
for the stay to pass into the body.
The hook is cast in a single piece with a saddle plate or ring at the base, and
said base is made broad to extend clear across the saddle plate or ring. The hook
is substantially made, to stand the strain and rough usage and from its broad base
the hook rises a suitable height and curved over upon itself to terminate in a free
point or extremity, the face of the point being inclined or beveled backwardly and
upwardly from the front edge to the rear edge of the overhanging part of the hook.
The broad base is curved or made convex at its front edge, and in this curved
edge is cut or preduced a recess, the upper edge of which recess forms an abrupt
shoulder about half way up the vertical part of the hook, the lower end of the
recess merging into the advanced forward part of the base of the hook, at which
point there is produced rounded ears.
A slot is formed in the base and in the lower part of the hook, which slot
extends up to the abrupt shoulder, and entirely through from the front to the back
of the hook and the base, said slot also extending through the front edge of the
base and between the rounded ears on said front edge of the base, whereby
the front part of the slot serves to divide or separate the rounded ears. Qn the
advanced front edge of the base is formed abrupt shoulders which lie below
the rounded ears.
The tongue of the hook is formed with a rearwardly extending web which serves
to reinforce the tongue, to obviate undue strain on the pivot of the tongue, and to
fill the lower part of the hook, so as to prevent too much play of the stay, or other
object, in the hook. This tongue and its web are cast in a single piece in a form
to properly fit in the hook, the transverse slot therein, and in the base of the hook.
The width of the tongue is equal to the width of the hook, and it is curved to
correspond to the curved recess in the upright part of the hook, whereby the tongue
is adapted when pressed inward to fit closely up against the upright part of the
hook because the tongue is then received within the recess in said upright part of
the hook. The web is of considerably less thickness than the tongue, and the upper
edge of this web extends above the upper, beveled edge of the tongue to form a lip,
from which lip the upper edge of the web slants downwardly toward a thumb piece
provided at the rear edge of the web. An ear is formed at the lower front edge
of the tongue and this ear is fitted between the rounded ears on the front edge of
the base. A pivotal pin is passed through the ears on the front edge of the base,
and through the ear on the lower end of the tongue, to pivotally connect said parts
and permit the tongue to swing inward and backward. The web on the tongue
fits snugly in the vertical slot in the base and the hook, and the length of the web
is such that its rear part is contained in the transverse slot in the upright part of
the book when the tongue is closet or seated against the beveled extremity of the
free overhanging part of the hook.
A uotch is cut in the shoulder above the recess in the upright part of the hook,
and into this notch takes or fits the lip on the free edge of the tongue. A similar
notch is cut or formed in the beveled free end at the overhanging part of the hook,
to receive the lip when the tongue is pressed forward or seated against the hook,
whereby the lip and web of the tongue serve to relieve the tongue and its pivotal
pin from a large measure of sudden strain.
The lower end of the tongue is adapted to abut squarely upon the shoulders
below the rounded ears when the tongue is closed against the overhanging end of
the hook, and as the tongue is substantially made and rests firmly on the stop
shoulders, it is well adapted to stand the wear and work and its free end is prevented
from passing outside of the point of the hook, should it be suddenly drawn or sprung
while in use.
One of the important features of the improvement is the tongue having the
convex front side and pivoted back of its front curved face to swing clear back to,
and rest upon the upright part of, the hook, substantially flush with the hook.
This enables a stay, or other object, to be passed into the hook while moving in a

page_text: straight line continuously, instead of moving the object against the hook to press
the tongue inward and then changing the direction or line of movement of the
object in order to pass the free end of the tongue. As has been stated, the
tongue when pressed backward against the hook forms a large throat or space,
which enables a stay to easily pass into the hook.
A vertical cavity is cut in the base and in the saddle plate, and across this
cavity extends an arbor, on which is fitted one or more coiled springs. The ends
of these coiled springs form arms, one of which bears against the walls of the
cavity and the other arm fits against a seat on the web of the tongue. Said springs
tend to normally hold the tongue in a closed position, and they are entirely housed
within the snap hook, to be protected thereby, and they do not inferfere with the
iuward movement of the tongue.
Although we have described the web as extending centrally from the rear side
of the tongue and as being fitted in the slot in the upright part of the hook, we do
not strictly limit ourselves to this arrangement because we are aware that the web can
be arranged on the tongue at the side or edge so as to pass on the outside of the
upright part of the hook, in which event we provide a shoulder on the outside
vertical face of the upright part of the hook for the web to bear against when it
is pressed inward.
The thumb piece on the web of the hook always remains on the outside of the
hook, at the back edge of the upright part thereof, so as to be accessible at all
times in order to press against to open the tongue; and when the tongue is closed
against the free overhanging end of the hook, this thumb piece bears against a
shoulder on the back edge of the hook.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
Бар
We, LOUIS AUGUSTUS WALKER, of Port Jefferson, Suffolk County, Long Island,
in the State of New York, United States of America, Engineer, and CORNELIUS
SMITH MITCHILL, No. 545 to 549 West 22nd Street, in the City of New York,
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 improvements in snap-hooks of that class which employ
a pivoted tongue to close the space between the free end and the base of the hook.
The snap-book which forms the subject matter of the present invention is more
particularly intended to form part of the equipment of sailing and racing vessels
and for use in connection with stays and light sails, although the hook is well
adapted for use in other arts and relatious on devices where a snap-hook is desirable
or necessary.
The principal object, that we have in view in this invention is to so construct
and arrange the tongue that a single motion in one direction will fasten the hook
to a stay and to enable the tongue to move to a position clear back to against the
solid back part of the hook, whereby a stay or other article may be very quickly
or almost instantly fitted in the hook and the necessity for using a hook larger than
is required to fit the stay is entirely overcome.
In some styles of snap-hooks the pivoted tongue cannot be moved back far
enough for the object to pass through the throat or space left open by pressing the
tongue inwardly because the inward movement of the tongue is limited by a spring

page_text: or other obstruction in the path of the tongue. Hence it is necessary in that style
of snap-hooks to use a hook larger than is required to fit the star or accommodate
the article; but with a snap-hock constructed in accordance with our invention it
is not necessary to use a hook larger than the stay because the tongue is capable
of moving to a position practically flush with the rear part of the hook and
thereby produce a throat sufficiently wide and large enough for the stay to quickly
pass into or from the hook without obstruction or hindrance from the pivoted
tongue.
A further object of our invention is to stiffen or strengthen the pivoted tongue
by devices which also prevent the tongue from being twisted out of place and
relieve to a considerable extent the strain on the pivotal pin of the tongue, which
stiffening devices when closed also fill that portion of the hook between its base
and that portion next to the sail or stay and thereby prevent unnecessary play or
back and forward motion on the stay in the eye or loop of the snap-hook.
A further object of the invention is to provide the tongue with a thumb-piece
arranged to project from the back or rear edge of the hook and to be convenient
to operate from the back side of said hook for the purpose of easily opening the
tongue without having to press against the front side of said tongue.
A further object of our invention is to so construct the hook and tongue that the
movements of the tongue in either direction will be positively arrested to prevent
the tongue from being strained and from passing outside of the point of the hook
should the hook be drawn or sprung from sudden strain thereon.
A further object of our invention is to conceal the tongue-actuating spring
within the hook, whereby the spring is ont of the way, is protected by the hook,
and does not interfere with the backward or inward movement of the tongue, thus
enabling the tongue to move clear back against the hook and form the large throat
or space for the stay to pass into the hook.
With these and such other ends as pertain to a device of this character our
invention consists in the combination of parts and in the novel construction of parts,
which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.
To enable others to understand our invention, we have illustrated the preferred
embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
specification, in which,-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved snap-book, showing the tongue
closed against the point of the hook.
Figure 2 is a side elevation with the tongue in its opened or pressed-back
condition.
Figure 3 is an edge view looking at the front side of the hook with the. tongue
pressed back in the position shown by Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the hook.
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the tongue.
Figure 6 is a view of a modified construction.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings, referring to which,
A designates the hook, and B is the swinging tongue thereof. The hook A is
all cast in a single piece with a saddle-plate C at the base thereof, or said hook
may have at its base the usual ring, and the base a of said hook is made broad to
extend clear across the saddle-plate, as shown. This hook is substantially made
to stand strain and rough usage, and from the broad base a the hook rises to a
suitable height and curves over upon itself to terminate in the free point or
extremity a', the face of the point being inclined or curved backwardly and
upwardly at a 2 from the front edge to the rear edge of the overhanging part of
the hook.
The point of the hook is provided, on the outside face or edge thereof, with a
rounded enlargement or bulb, as shown in the drawing, and this rounded or bulb
shaped enlargement serves, in connection with a hollow or recess in the web of the
tongue, to prevent the stay from slipping by, so that the sail can be set in less

page_text: time; said bulb shaped end of the book also serving to prevent tearing holes in
the sail if caught in a fold, either on deck or when being stored.
The broad base a of the hook is curved or made convex at its front edge, as at b,
and in this curved edge of said base is cut or produced a recess c, the upper edge
of which forms an abrupt shoulder c' about half-way up the vertical part of said
hook, the lower end of the recess merging into the advanced forward part of the
hook-base, where there is produced the rounded ears d.
A slot is formed in the base and lower part of the upright hook, which slot
extends up to the abrupt shoulder entirely through from front to back of the
hook and base a and through the front edge of said base a and between the ears d,
the front part of said slot e serving to divide or separate the cars. On the advanced
front edge of the base a are formed the abrupt shoulders f, f, which lie below the
ears d.
The tongue B has a web B', which serves to reinforce the tongue, obviate undue
strain on the pivot of the tongue, and to fill the lower part of the hook, so as to
prevent too much play of the stay or other object in the hook. This tongue and
its web are cast in a single piece in the form shown by Figure to properly fit the
hook, its slot e, and the base a.
The tongue proper, B, is equal in width to the width of the hook A, and it is
curved to correspond to the curved recessed part c and base a of the hook, whereby
the tongue B is adapted when pressed inward to fit closely up against and practically
flush with the upright part of the hook, because said tongue is then received in the
recess c. The web B' is of considerably less thickness than the tongue B, and it
projects centrally from the rear side of the tongue. The upper edge of said web
at the front of the tongue extends above the upper beveled end of the tongue to
form the lip g, and from this lip g said upper edge of the web slants down toward
the thumb-piece h. At the lower front side of the web B' it projects below the
tongue to form the ear i, and back of this ear the lower edge of the web B' is
inclined abruptly up toward the thumb-piece h. The web fits snugly in the vertical
slot e in the base a and hook, and the length of the web is such that its rear part is
contained in the slot e of the upright part of the hook when the tongue B is closed
or seated against the beveled extremity a 2 of said hook, the thumb-piece h
protruding from the rear or back side of the upright part of the hook, as shown.
The ear of the tongue is fitted between the ears d, d on the base a, and through:
said cars d, d, i is passed the pivotal pin I, which serves to pivotally connect the
tongue to the hook-base a and to permit the tongue to swing inward and outward.
The vertical slot e is extended up into the shoulder c to form the notch e' into.
which the lip g takes or fits when the tongue B is pressed inward against the
upright part of the hook, and a notch d' is cut in the free end of the overhanging
end of said hook, which notch opens through the beveled face a 2 and through the
inner edge or side of said overhanging end of the hook. When the tongue is
pressed forward to close the throat and its upper beveled end abuts against the
beveled face a 2 of the hook, the lip g takes or fits in the notch d, whereby the lip g
and the web B', fitting in the slot e, relieves the tongue and its pivot I from a large
measure of sudden strain.
The lower end of the tongue is adapted to abut or rest squarely upon the
shoulders f,f, when the tongue is closed against the overhanging end of the hook,
and as the tongue is substantially made and rests firmly on the shoulders fit is
well adapted to stand the wear and work and its free end is prevented from
passing outside of the point of the hook should it be suddenly drawn or sprung
while in use.
One of the important features of the improvement is the tongue having the.
convex front side or face and pivoted back of its front curved face to swing clear
back to and rest upon the upright part of the hook substantially flush therewith,
the web being projected through the slot e in the hook. This construction and
organization of the parts enables a stay or other object to be passed into the
hook while moving in a straight line continuously, as indicated by the arrow in

page_text: Figure 2, instead of moving the object against the hook to press the latter inward
and then changing the object to move in a different direction or angle to pass the
hook, and said tongue when pressed back also forms a large throat or space in
the hook, which enables a stay to easily pass into the hook, whereby the necessity
is avoided of using a hook larger than the stay which is to be fitted therein, which
objectionable requirement has been made compulsory in using ordinary snap-hooks
because the tongues thereof are capable of moving inward only part way toward
the upright part of the hook.
A vertical cavity J is cut in the base a and the saddle-plate C, and across this
cavity extends an arbor or spindle j, the ends of which are suitably fastened in the
base a or
saddle-plate C. On said spindle is fitted one or more coiled springs K,
although we prefer to use two of said springs. The ends of these coiled springs
are extended to form the arms k, k', of which arms those lettered k are arranged
to bear against the walls of the cavity, while the arms k' are fitted against a seat l
on the web of the tongue B, whereby the springs tend to normally press the tongue
to its closed position against the free end of the overhanging arm of the hook A.
These springs are entirely housed within the snap-hook so as to be protected
thereby, and the springs do not in any way interfere with the inward movement of
the tongue, as is the case in some snap-hooks.
In Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings we have illustrated the snap-hook
as provided with a central narrow slot e and the web B1 as arranged centrally on
the tongue B and adapted to pass through and to play in the slot e, and while this
is our preferred construction we do not strictly limit ourselves thereto, because we
are aware that the web B¹ can be arranged at one side or edge thereof so as to
pass on the outside of the hook A, as shown by Figure 6, in which event we
provide a shoulder o on the outside of the hook A for the web B' to bear against
when it is pressed inward.
The thumb-piece always remains on the outside at the back edge of the
hook A, so that it is accessible at all times in order to press the tongue inward,
and when the tongue is closed this thumb-piece bears against a shoulder h¹ on the
back of the hook A.
We may provide the snap-hook with the curved saddle-plate C for convenience
in fastening it rigidly in place; but it is evident that the base of the hook may be
provided with a ring or eye in lieu of the saddle-plate.
We may provide the web of the tongue with a transverse aperture p, through
which may be passed a thong or cord P by which the tongue may locked to adapt
the hook for use as a permanent jib hank, and in other places. When the tongue
is locked, ropes cannot be drawn when sails are allowed to remain on stay after
being lowered.
It is thought that the operation and advantages of our improved snap-book will
be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description taken in
connection with the drawings.
Changes in the form and proportion of parts and in the details of construction
herein shown and described as an embodiment of our invention may be made by a
skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of
our invention as, for example, the thumb-piece may be omitted and the web on
the tongue arranged to abut against the upper end wall of the slot, or the arrange-
ment relative to the tongue varied somewhat-and we therefore reserve the right
to make such modifications and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of our
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. A snap-hook having the front face of its upright part curved downwardly
and forwardly substantially to the front edge of the base and provided with the
slot which extends through soid lawan naxt of the book in combination wich

page_text: curved tongue equal in width to the width of the hook and shaped to conform to
the curved face of said hook, said tongue being pivoted to the base to swing back
to, and rest against, the curved face of the hook, an a vertical web B' rigid with
the tongue and extended rearwardly therefrom through the slot e iu the hook,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. A snap-hook having its upright part made broad at the lower end where it
joins the base and provided with the recess e in its front face and with the trans-
verse slot, e, combined with a curved tongue B equal in width to the width of the
hook and pivoted to the base to swing back against the recessed part c of, and rest
substantially flush with, the upright part of the hook, a reinforcing vertical web B₁
rigid with the tongue and extending rearwardly therefrom through said transverse
slot, e, and a spring supported on an arbor or pin within the base of the hook
independent of the tongue-pivot and seated at one end against the web, substantially
as and for the purposes described.
3. A snap-hook having its upright part curved downward and forward substan-
tially to the front edge of the base and provided with the transverse slot e and
with the stop-shoulders ff, which shoulders lie below the pivota! ears and on the
front edge of the base, in combination with a curved tongue B equal in width to
the width of the hook and provided with a vertical reinforcement-web B' which is
extended backwardly through the slot in said hook, a pivotal pin which connects
the tongue and web to the base and causes the lower end of the tongue to rest
firmly upon the stop-shoulders when its free end abuts against the overhanging
end of the hook, and in connection with web B keeps the tongue in position should
the overhanging end or point of the hook be drawn or sprung beyond the upper
end of the tongue, a pin or arbor I supported in the base, and a spring fitted to
said pin or arbor and seated against said web, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
4. A snap-hook having its broad upright slotted part provided with the recess c
and with the notch e¹ and its free beveled end provided with the notch d', in com-
bination with the curved tongue B equal in width to the hook and pivoted to the
base thereof to swing back into the recess c to lie against the front face of the
hook, said tongue having at its free end the lip, g, which, when the tongue is
opened, fits in the notch d', the vertical reinforcement-web B' rigid with said
tongue B and extended rearwardly therefrom through the slot e, and a spring
seated against the web B', substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. A snap-hook having the lower end of its upright part curved forward and
downward to the front edge of the base, and provided with the vertical cavity J
in the base, the shoulders on the front edge of said base, and the transverse
slote combined with a curved tongue equal in width to the hook and provided
with a vertical web B₁ which has an ear fitted between the pivotal ears d, d, on
the base, a pivotal pin I passing through the ears d, i, an arbor, j, extending across
the cavity in the base, and a spring fitted on the arbor j, and seated against the
web, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 17th day of June 1806
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.