Improvements in Hooks and Eyes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hooks and Eyes.
ALFRED ERNEST JOSEPH BALL, 4 Higher Hooe near Plymouth, Watch-
maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce a dress hook so constructed as to
ensure that it will not be liable to become unfastened by the buckling or crumpling
of the garment or dress of the wearer whilst bending, stooping, or on the body
being otherwise in motion. My improved contrivance constituting what may be
termed a safety snap spring dress hook.
The device in accordance with my invention consists of a hook made in useful
sizes and somewhat similar in shape to the well known bent up wire hook. It is
stamped out of sheet steel or other suitable springy metal bent up into a suitable
hook shape and the safety snap action is obtained from two simple nibs or
protuberances stamped or punchied partly out of the metallic hook and nearly
meeting each other. These nibs or protuberances are formed in the hook near the
entrance or opening so as to cause a slight obstruction to the eye in passing, the
hook having to spring open to a slight extent to allow it to pass.
This obstruction is hardly noticed whilst hooking up and unhooking by hand,
but is quite sufficient to prevent accidental unhooking.
The nibs may be of any suitable shape to permit of more readily fastening than
of unfastening or vice versa, but, by preference they may be of an elliptical or an
elongated oval shape in which case the nibs or protuberances should stand length-
ways relatively to the hook. It is also advisable that the point of hook (especially
in the large sizes of my improved hook & eye device should be bent slightly down
so as to be less liable to catch or tear anything, this formation also improves the
appearance of the hook. The ordinary wire eye may be used and must be of
suitable size to freely snap into hook.
Dated this 24th day of December 1890.
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hooks and Eyes.
I, ALFRED ERNEST JOSEPH BALL 4 Higher Hooe near Plymouth Watch-
maker 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 :---
The object of this invention is to produce a dress hook so constructed as to
ensure that it will not be liable to become unfastened by the buckling or crumpling
of the garment or dress of the wearer whilst bending or stooping, or on the body.
being otherwise in motion.
My improved contrivance constituting what may be termed a safety snap spring
dress hook.
The device in accordance with my invention consists of a hook made in useful
sizes and somewhat similar in shape to the well known bent up wire hook.
It is stamped out of sheet metal or other suitable springy metal bent up into a
suitable hook shape and the safety snap action is obtained from two simple nibs or
031

page_text: protuberances stamped or punched partly out of the metallic hook & nearly meeting
each other. These nibs or protuberances are formed in the hook near the entrance
or opening so as to cause a slight obstruction to the eye in passing, the hook having
to spring open to a slight extent to allow it to pass. This obstruction is hardly
noticed whilst hooking up and unhooking by hand, but it is quite sufficient to
prevent accidental unhooking. The nibs may be of any suitable shape to permit
of more readily fastening than of unfastening or vice versa, but, by preference they
may be of an elliptical or an elongated oval shape in which case the nibs or
protuberances should stand lengthways relatively to the hook.
It is also advisable that the point of hook (especially in the large sizes of my
improved hook and eye device) should be bent slightly down so as to be less liable
to catch or tear anything, the formation also improves the appearance of the hook.
The ordinary wire eye may be used and must be of suitable size to freely snap
into hook.
Referring to the annexed drawings
Figure 1. is a view of a hook blank, or in the flattened' state the notches or
nib a, a, being formed in same bare the holes for sewing to the garment & c. are
points or notches formed at this part to receive the thread which secures the
hook to the garment at this point, the said notches affording a good hold for the
thread.
Figure 2. is a side elevation of the finished hook, bent to shape showing the
nibs a, a, in position the point of the bill being bent down at d as shown.
Figures 3, 4, & 5, represent on an enlarged scale, in side elevation three different
methods of making the nibs or protuberances a, Fig. 3 is a nib in which the metal
forming it is stretched in every direction in the act of punching it out.. In Fig. 4
the nib is cut through at the sides and only stretched lengthways. Fig. 5. shows
a nib formed by cutting a crescent in the material & bending the resulting tongue
at right angles thereto.
.
Fig. 6 & 7, are front & side elevation of an improved form of eye in which the
eye is bent at right angles at e.
Fig. 8 & 9 are also modified arrangements the eye being hent at f. & g. as shown.
In these forms of eye much less difficulty is experienced in hooking up as the raised
part of the eye enters the hook more conveniently than a flat eyc.
Fig. 10 & 11 are front & side elevation of a modified form of hook. In this hook
the bill, is punched up out of the back instead of being bent round as shown in
Fig. 2. & the nibs a' a' are formed by bending up the back of the hook on each side
of the slot, the bill h being provided with a nib a. The hook may be simplified by
bending the bill closer to the protuberances a¹, a', and dispensing with the
nib a; or by dispensing with the protuberances & employing only the nib a on
the bill.
Fig. 12. & 13. are side & front elevation of an arrangement in which the bill h,
is at i made wider than the remainder, the object of this is to prevent the bill from
being pressed down into the slot from which it is formed, for by reason of the
shortening of the bill which takes place when it is bent up into hook shape, the
wide part of the bill is brought over the narrow part of the slot. The protuberances
on the hook are formed as in the previous illustration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
(1) An improved hook having two nibs or protuberances a, a, substantially as
described.
(2) An improved hook having notches points corrugations or equivalents c for
holding sewing thread in addition to holes substantially as described.
(3) An improved hook having two nibs or protuberances a, a, in combination
with notches or equivalents c substantially as described.

page_text: (4) An improved eye having a bend at e substantially as described.
(5) An improved eye, cranked or curved at ƒ & g substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of September 1891.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.