Improvement in Slip Hooks.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Slip Hooks.
CHARLES BROWNE HARTT of 42 Park Road, Bromley, Kent, Accountant' and
SPALDING WATSON of 100 Walworth Road, Surrey, Dentist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The slip book is a double hook made in the shape of a pair of tongs, with one
shunk shorter than the other. The legs are connected by a rivetted pin which
forms a pivot for them to work on. The jaws close firmly together by means of a
slip ring which works up and down the legs, & either secures them or permits them
to open as occasion requires. The whole is attached by means of a shackle and
bolt at the top end to what is the kidney link of the hames (which encircle the
horse's collar) and hangs down on the animal's chest thereby always within reach
when required to release the pole chain &c. in case of accident.
The above hook is for the purpose of releasing horses instantly in case of falling
down, or any accident, and is made without any springs or complications of any
kind, which are constantly breaking or getting out of order.
Dated this Sixth day of April 1892.
C. B. HARTT..
SPALDING WATSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Slip Hooks.
We, CHARLES BROWNE HARTT, of 42 Park Road, Bromley, in' the County of
Kent, Accountant, and SPALDING WATSON, of 100 Walworth Road, in the
County of Surrey, Merchant, 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 an improvement in slip hooks, and is intended and
especially adapted to be used in combination with the pole chains of double harness
for the purpose of providing a ready, reliable and easily used device for releasing
the collar of a horse-e.g., one that has fallen-from the pole chain.
At the same time, it is to be distinctly understood that our invention does not
limit the use of slip hooks made according to it to pole chains.
In order that the invention and the best means by which it can be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, we will now describe it and them in
detail, referring in so doing to the accompanying figures which are to be taken as
part of this Specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a slip hook made according to our invention. The
full-lines shew it closed'; and the dotted ones open.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation corresponding with the full lines of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view of the slip hook illustrating the shape of the pivotted jaw and its
connection with the fixed jaw.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation illustrating the position of the slip hook with reference
to the pole chain' and the collar.
a is the fixed jaw of the slip hook, and a', its shank. 6 is the second jaw;
and b, its shank. The latter is pivotted upon the fixed shank a¹ by the pivot c.
For the sake of compactness and to provide stops for the pivotted jaw, the shank a'
has a recess formed in its side, large enough to receive the shank b¹. The outer

page_text: face of the latter is, consequently, in the same plane as the respective face of the
former, and the jaw b works in the same plane as the fixed jaw stands in.
The end surfaces a³, a³ of the recess are inclined so as to act as abutments
adapted, by standing in the path of the relative surfaces 6, 63 of the pivotted jaw
when the latter is shut, to serve as stops and steadying surfaces. The surfaces of
each pair are set at the same angle.
When the pivotted jaw is closed to its fellow, the shank 6 lies in the recess flush
with the shank a'. The cross section of the two may be of any desired shape. It
is illustrated as rectangular and nearly square. This is the one which we prefer.
We also prefer that the sides of the two shanks when they are shut together should
be parallel, to serve as a guide for the locking ring next described.
d is the locking loop. It is of the same shape internally as the shut-to shanks,
upon which it is adapted to slide in either direction. The outside of this loop is
milled or tapered or corrugated so as to provide a good grip when it has to be
moved up or down the shut-to shanks, especially up.
e is a shackle. It is pivotted by a bolt e¹ to the outer end of the fixed jaw, far
enough from the abutment a² to leave room for the locking loop to stand on clear
of the pivotted shank. The axis of the shackle bolt e', that of the pivot c and the
meeting plane of the jaws a and b are aligned, or at any rate nearly so.
We prefer
that they should be truly aligned.
The slip hook is made fast to the collar by passing a ring f through the shackle e
and the kidney link g of the hames.
It therefore goes with the collar after the team has been unyoked and is kept dry
and clean, whereas if it were made fast to the pole chain, it would share the latter's
exposure to wet and dirt.
Moreover, it hangs downwards from the collar, and the locking motion of the
loop d is downwards. Consequently, as the motion of the horses cannot produce
any tendency to unlock the loop, but rather the reverse, no spring devices for
maintaining the lock are necessary.
The absence of all spring devices is a distinguishing feature of the present
invention, and it must be understood that under the circumstances, their absence is
a useful feature, inasmuch as they are so liable to destruction by rust and corrosion
that their presence in a slip hook is frequently prohibitive.
If the horse is down, or in the event of any other accident which renders
unyoking necessary or advisable, the pull is on the meeting line of the jaws a and b
outwards. The locking loop is then pulled from the position shewn in Figures 1, 2
and 4 into the position shewn in Figure 3 and by the dotted lines of Figures 1
and 4, whereupon the hook flies open.
The collar is made fast to the pole by closing the hook in the end or other link
of the pole chain, and pushing the loop down over the pivot c.
We have described the use of a slip hook made according to our invention with
collar and pole chain because that is one for which its distinctive features peculiarly
adapt it, although it is to be distinctly understood that the slip hook made as
illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and described therewith may be applied to any
other use for which its construction in any way adapts it.
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 slip hook consisting of a shank having a jaw fast to one end, a shank
pivotted upon the said shank and having a jaw fast on the end thereof adapted to
work opposite to the first mentioned jaw, a locking loop adapted to embrace the two
shanks when they are in a shut-to position, a free portion of the first mentioned
shank of the proper size to receive the said loop clear of the pivotted shank, and a
shackle pivotted on the end of the first mentioned shank at the end of it opposite to
the jaw.
2. A slip hook consisting of a shank having a jaw fast to one end, a shank

page_text: pivotted upon the said shank and having a jaw fast on the end thereof adapted to
work opposite to the first mentioned jaw, a locking loop adapted to embrace the
two shanks when they are in a shut-to position, a free portion of the first mentioned
shank of the proper size to receive the said loop clear of the pivotted shank, and a
shackle pivotted on the end of the first mentioned shank at the end of it opposite to
the jaw and adapted to serve as a means by which the slip hook can be attached to
and hang from the collar, as set forth.
Dated this 25th day of November 1892.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.