Improvements in and connected with Attachment Hooks for Elastic or Extensible Cords and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th May, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in and connected with Attachment Hooks for Elastic
or Extensible Cords and the like.
I, GEORGE HENRY SHEPHERD, of 1 and 21, Rue Caumartin, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel attachment hook designed to be applied to
the ends of clastic or extensible cords, etc., generally formed of strands of india-
rubber and which have for some years been very generally used, particularly
in the manufacture of gymnastic apparatus known as "Exercisers."
The hook attachments, ligatures and the like hitherto employed for this pur-
pose do not possess the necessary strength required for this kind of apparatus;
a cord provided with such hooks becomes deteriorated and to a certain extent
cut or worn at the end after it has been more or less used and it eventually,
becomes useless by breaking at the part where the hook is attached.
My new or improved attachment hook obviates this disadvantage inasmuch
as the part of the cord or the like to which it is attached is not weakened, but
is, on the other hand, strengthened. A cord, therefore, which is provided with my
hooks, no longer has a tendency to rupture at the point of attachment of the
said hooks as such rupture always takes place at the weakest point.
In carrying out the invention I make the hook attachment of metal wire pre-
ferably of circular section, the said wire being wound in spiral coils similarly
to a spiral spring and having one end bent back to form a hook.
The coils are pressed as closely as possible together so as to form a tubular
portion, the inside diameter of which is practically equal to the diameter of the
cord or rope to which the hook is to be fitted.
The hook is secured in position as follows, that is to say, the cord to which
it is to be secured is turned back at its end for a length a little greater than that
of the tubular part formed by the coils of the hook; the doubled end of the cord
is then gripped in a suitable clip so that a loop is formed. A wire then is passed
through the loop and through the tubular part of the hook attachment and is
pulled so as to stretch or elongate the portion of the cord forming the loop. As
a result of this elongation, the diameter of the cord is reduced sufficiently to
enable the tubular part of the attachment hook to be passed over the doubled or
looped end thereof. The wire is then released and the looped end of the cord
increases in diameter and is strongly compressed in the tubular part of the hook.
The attachment hook is thus fitted in position with great speed and it is after-
wards only necessary to cut off the end of the cord which extends beyond the
tubular part of the hook.
This method of attachment affords the best protection against the tearing off
of the hook. It is evident that the coils of the hook will form around the ends
of the cord a series of strangulations which prevent the cord sliding. The
pull upon the cord can therefore, be increased until the said cord breaks with-

page_text: out detaching the hook and without causing the cord to rupture at the point
of attachment of the hook.
The hooks are manufactured according to the different diameters of the cords
to which they are to be attached in such a manner that they can be secured as
above indicated in a very short time, thus effecting a notable economy in the
time employed for this operation.
It will be obvious that the hook attachments can be made in any suitable
known manner and that the hooks proper can be made of any desired shape.
Dated this 9th day of March 1899.
G., F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury. London; Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Attachment Hooks for Elastic
or Extensible Cords and the like.
Í, GEORGE HENRY SHEPHERD, of 1 and 21. Rue Caumartin, Páris, in the.
Republic of France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion 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 to a novel attachment hook designed to be applied to
the ends of elastic or extensible cords, etc., generally formed of strands of india-
rubber and which have for some years been very generally used, particularly
in the manufacture of gymnastic apparatus known as "Exercisers."
The hook attachments, ligatures and the like hitherto employed for this pur-
pose do not possess the necessary strength required for this kind of apparatus;
a cord provided with such hooks becomes deteriorated and to a certain extent
cut or worn at the end after it has been more or less used and it eventually
becomes useless by breaking at the part where the hook is attached.
My new or improved attachment hook obviates this disadvantage inasmuch
as the part of the cord or the like to which it is attached is not weakened, but
is, on the other hand, strengthened. A cord, therefore, which is provided with my
hooks, no longer has a tendency to rupture at the point of attachiment of the
said hooks as such rupture always takes place at the weakest point.
In the accompanying drawing:-
:―
Figure 1 is a side view of an attachment hook made 'according to the invention
and shewn fitted to a cord:
Figure 2 is a plan view and
Figure 3 an end view of the hook; and
Figure 4 is a view drawn to a smaller scale shewing the method of securing
the hook to the cord.
The hook attachment is made of metal wire preferably of circular section, the
said wire being wound in spiral coils a, a similarly to a spiral spring and having
one end bent back to form a hook or eye b.
The coils a, a are pressed as closely as possible together so as to form a
tubular portion, the inside diameter of which is practically equal to the diameter
of the cord or rope c to which the hook is to be fitted.
The hook is secured in position as follows, that is to say, the cord 'c to which
it is to be secured is turned back at its end for a length a little greater than
that of the tubular part formed by the coils a, a of the hook; the doubled end
of the cord is then gripped in a suitable clip such as that shewn at d, Figure 4,

page_text: so that a loop e is formed. A wire f is then passed through the loop e and
through the tubular part of the hook attachment and is pulled so as to stretch
or elongate the portion of the cord forming the loop c. As a result of this clon-
gation, the diameter of the cord is reduced sufficiently to enable the tubular
part of the attachment hook to be passed over the doubled or looped end thereof.
The wire is then released and the looped end e of the cord increases in diameter
and is strongly compressed in the tubular part of the hook. The attachment
hook is thus fitted in position with great speed and it is afterwards only neces-
sary to cut off the end of the cord which extends beyond the tubular part of the
hook.
This method of attachment affords the best protection against the tearing off
of the hook. It is evident that the coils of the hook will form around the ends
of the cord a series of strangulations which prevent the cord sliding. The
pull upon the cord can, therefore be increased until the said cord breaks with-
out detaching the hook and without causing the cord to rupture at the point
of attachment of the hook.
The hooks are manufactured according to the different diameters of the cords.
to which they are to be attached in such a manner that they can be secured as
above indicated in a very short time, thus effecting a notable economy in the time
employed for this operation.
It will be obvious that the hook attachments can be made in any suitable
known manner and that the hooks or eyes proper can be made of any desired
shape.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. An attachment hook or the like for elastic or extensible cords, the said
attachment being formed of wire wound spirally to form a tubular portion and
having one end bent to form the hook or the like, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated.
2. The described method of fixing the attachment claimed in the preceding
claiming clause upon an extensible or elastic cord, such method consisting in folding
back the end of the cord to form a loop which is held in a clip and through which
is passed a stretching wire or the like to facilitate the introduction of the looped
end into the spiral tube of the attachment, substantially as herein before described
and illustrafed.
3. The manufacture and use of attachment hooks for elastic or extensible
cords, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.