Improvements in Trace Attachments.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 1st Dec. 1894-Accented 19th Jan.
1445
Date of Application, 1st mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 1st Dec. 1894 --Accented 19th Jan. 1×45
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trace Attachments.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Civil Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad from Edward
Crichton Hawkshaw, of Dinapore, Bengal, British India, Major in the Royal
Artillery,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means for attaching traces to gun-carriages, road-
carriages and ether vehicles, and consists in a releasing hook of peculiar
construction, and a locking bar, which, by preference, controls both the books
appertaining to a pair of traces, so as to admit of both being released at one
operation. The hook comprises a body-piece carrying at its forward extremity a
pivoted loop, which extends backwards and ends in a tail-piece resting upon the
body-piece. At the after extremity of the body-piece is pivoted another arm,
which extends forwards and folds down upon the tail of the aforesaid loop. The
overlapping portions of the pivoted pieces are slotted so as to permit the passage of
a staple, which is fixed erect upon the upper surface of the body-piece; and through
the projecting loop of the staple is passed a bar which secures the hook in its locked
position. Upon the bar being withdrawn, the hook opens and the trace to which it
is attached is instantly released.
Dated the 28th day of February 1894.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM.
Improvements in Trace Attachments.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Civil Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication to me from Edward Crichton
Hawkshaw, of Dinapore, Bengal, British, India, Major in the Royal Artillery,)
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 means for attaching traces to gun-carriages, road-
carriages and other vehicles, and consists in a releasing hook, of peculiar
construction, and a locking bar, which, by preference, controls both the hooks
appertaining to a pair of traces, so as to admit of both being released at one
operation.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan and Figs. 3 and 4 front and back end
views of a trace attachment and releasing hook constructed according to the
improved method.
Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatically and by way of example the mode of applying
the invention to a gun-carriage.
The improved releasing hook comprises a body-piece a carrying at one extremity

page_text: a pivoted loop b, which extends backwards and ends in a tail-piece b¹ resting upon
the body-piece a. At the other extremity of the body-piece a another pivoted arm
may be mounted to fold down upon the tail-piece 6' of the aforesaid loop b; but I
do not regard this addition as essential or of material advantage. The portion 61
of the pivoted loop 6 is slotted at 62 so as to permit the passage of a staple c, which
is fixed erect upon the upper surface of the body-piece a. Through the loop of the
staple c is passed a bar or keep d which secures the hook in its locked position.
Upon the bar d being withdrawn, the hook opens and with the trace, to which it is
attached at the eye e, is instantly released.
The mode of operation in effecting the release of a team of horses by means of
the present invention, will be readily understood on reference to Fig. 5. In this
fig., A is the splinter-bar and B B the shafts which are usually applied to gun-
carriages or waggons. CC are the traces to which the releasing hooks are
attached by the rings D at the eyes e. The books are connected with the splinter-
bar by inserting the loops b b through the eyes of the collars E E, and secured by
passing the locking bar d pertaining to each set of hooks through the staples c.
The bars d d are held in position by means of the spring hooks d¹ d', these hooks
being suitably attached to the splinter-bar to prevent their being lost. The
releasing hook shown at 6x is intended for use in breeching the hand horse and
may be attached to the shaft B. by means of a bolt; a spring hook being
employed in this case for securing the tail-piece b' of the pivoted loop & in position.
On detaching the spring hooks d d' and withdrawing the bar d (the spring hook d
pertaining to the breeching hook having been previously disconnected), the
releasing hooks will open, and the team will be free to move forward.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved means for attaching and releasing traces to and from gun-
carriages, road-carriages and other vehicles, arranged and operating substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. A releasable trace attachment for gun-carriages, road-carriages and other
vehicles, constructed substantially as herein described, and comprising a body
piece (a) whereon is mounted a pivoted loop (b), terminating in a tail-piece (61)
through which a staple (c) passes, the latter being traversed by a locking bar or
keep (d).
Dated the 30th day of November 1894.