An Improved Spring Clip or Device for Fastening Strings for Training Hops.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Spring Clip or Device for Fastening Strings for
Training Hops.
ROBERT YOUNG ARDAGH, Oakland Villa, Bransford Road, Worcester, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improved form and design of a spring clip device
for holding the strings in position upon which hop plants are trained to grow in
connection with what is known as wire work systems, so that when the string enters
the clip and is pulled the spring actuates and holds it securely for all practicable
purposes.
The contrivance is devised to take the place of hooks as now used upon the top
and bottom wires, also as a peg where the bottom wire is dispensed with.
The device is made out of spring metal wire, preferably tempered steel suitably
galvanized or otherwise preserved to prevent rust and decay, and is in the form of
a convoloid spring with a shank forming a suitable aperture for the insertion of
the string, which becomes locked by the tension of the spring and thereby held
securely.
When applied as hooks are now applied to the wires, there is a suitable eye
made the size of the wire it is intended to be fastened or clipped to, formed out of
the shank part in such a manner that it can be most readily adjusted and clipped
on to the wire instantaneously, where it will remain tight, and is therefore essentially
a spring clip device both in its capacity for clipping the string and the strand wire
to which it is attached.
When used as a ground peg the end of the shank may be turned acutely back
so as to form a barb to give it a better hold in the ground.
Dated this Tenth day of November 1893.
ROBERT YOUNG ARDAGH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Spring Clip or Device for Fastening Strings for
Training Hops.
I, ROBERT YOUNG ARDAGH of Oakland Villa Bransford Road, Worcester,
Timber Agent and Factor, 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 :-
My invention consists of an improved form and design of a spring clip device
for holding the strings in position upon which hop plants are trained to grow in
connection with what is known as wire work systems, so that when the string enters
the clip and is pulled the spring actuates and holds it securely for all practical
purposes.
The contrivance is devised to take the place of hooks as now used upon the top
and bottom wires, also as a peg where the bottom wire is dispensed with.
The device is made out of spring metal wire, preferably tempered steel, suitably
galvanized or otherwise preserved to prevent rust and decay and is in the form of
a convoloid spring with a shank formed so as to provide a suitable aperture for the
insertion of the string which becomes locked by the tension of the spring and
thereby held securely.

page_text: When applied to the wires as hooks are now applied a suitable eye is made the
size of the wire onto which it is intended to clip or fasten it formed out of the
shank part in such a manner that it can be readily adjusted and clipped onto
the wire instantaneously where it will remain tight and is therefore essentially a
spring clip device in its capacity for clipping both the string and the strand wire to
which it is attached.
When used as a ground peg the end of the shank is turned acutely back so as to
form a barb to give it a better hold in the soil.
I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully by the aid of the
accompanying drawings upon which similar letters of reference refer to similar
parts.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of my clips hung upon the wire with the
string entering it.
Fig. 2 a front view of the same with the string drawn down and gripped by
the clip.
Fig. 3 a side view of the clip with the eye open ready to fix upon the wire.
Fig. 4 a side view of the same closed over the wire and
Fig. 5 a view of the clip for use as a ground peg.
One end (a) of the clip is bent over as shewn in Fig. 3 with the eye (b) formed
so as to clip the wire (d) and having been placed over the wire (d) is closed down
against the shank (e) of the clip as shewn in Figs. 1 & 4. The other end of the
clip is formed into the convoloid (c).
To attach the string (f) it is only necessary to pass it over, between the stem (e)
of the clip and the upper portion (g) of the first coil of the convolved spring or
convoloid (c) as shewn in Fig. 1 and then draw the string down as shewn in Fig. 2
when it becomes firmly gripped between the coils (c') & (c²) Fig. 2.
An advantage in the use of this form of spring clip is that when the old string
is cut down the loose ends remaining in the clips cannot become wedged therein as
the insertion of fresh string simply pushes the portions of old string further along
the coils till they finally drop out at the ends (h)..
In using the appliance for the purpose of a ground peg the spring clip is formed
with a turned back portion at the end of the shank as at (i) Fig. 5, forming a
barb so that when the shank is inserted in the ground it will be firmly held
there.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
claim is:
nature of my said
declare that what I
1. A clip for holding the string used in training hops and the like purposes
consisting of a convoloid or convolved spring for the purpose of gripping the
string between its coils.
2. An improved spring clip or hook for use in fastening strings for training hops
consisting of a piece of spring metal wire one end of which is bent into the form
of an eye to clip the wire upon which the appliance is to be hung the other end
being formed into a convolved figure or convoloid arranged so as to grip the string
between its coils.
3. An improved spring clip or hook having a convoloid form to be used for
gripping the string, used for training hops and such like purposes and a barbed end
for inserting into the ground substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 9th day of August 1894.
HENRY F. TALBOT,
7, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.