Improvements in Connecting Devices suitable for Connecting Lengths of Chain, Rope, Wire, and the like together, or to Eyes, Rings, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Connecting Devices suitable for Connecting Lengths
of Chain, Rope, Wire, and the like together, or to Eyes, Rings, and
the like.
1, VICO VECCHI, of 93, Grange Road West, Middlesborough-on-Tees, in the
County of York, Naval Architect of the Austrian Lloyd Steam Navigation
Company of Trieste, Austria, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improved connecting devices whereby lengths
of chain, rope, wire and the like (hereinafter referred to as chains) can be
easily and quickly connected together or to eyes, rings and the like in such a
way that they cannot become accidentally disconnected from each other, or
from the eyes, rings or the like whilst the devices remain intact.
A connecting device for this purpose according to this invention comprises a
body part having oppositely arranged curved or hook-like ends, and one or two
safety links jointed to the body part in such a way that it or they can be
readily turned into the open position to admit of the adjacent ends of two-
lengths of chain being engaged with the hook-like ends and can afterwards be
turned into the closed position against a stop or stops so as to securely retain
the chain ends in place, the arrangement being such that one or each of the
chain ends must be first passed through the pivotted link, or the corresponding
link when there are two, before it can be properly engaged with one of the
hook-like ends of the body part.
Connecting devices of the kind described can be constructed in various forms
to suit different purposes.
In one construction of connecting device according to this invention the body
part consists of a piece of metal bent approximately to the shape of the letter S
as seen in side view, one of its ends being formed with a hole or an eye and the
other end with a stop, the link being jointed at one end to the said eye and its
other end being arranged to slip closely over the other end of the body part
and rest against the stop thereon, the combined body part and link then some-
what resembling the figure 8 as seen in side view. The exterior of the end
portion over which the link slips, may be in the shape of an arc struck from
the centre about which the link turns, and the stop may be of hook-like shape
formed by turning the free end of the body part partly outward and upon
itself. To connect two lengths of chain together with the device above described,
the safety link is first turned to one side into its inoperative position, the body
portion of the device is then threaded through the end link on one length of
chain until such link enters that hook-like end of the body part to which the
safety link is connected. One end of the other length of chain is then passed
through the safety link and engaged with the other hook-like end of the body
part, whereupon the safety link is turned into its closed position against the stop
on the body part in which position it will serve to effectually secure the chain
ends in place.

page_text: In another construction, the body part of the connecting device is provided
with curved hook-shaped ends formed with stops and the central portion of the
body of the hook is formed with two holes or eye-like portions to which are
connected two safety links, one of which is capable of being turned over one end
of the body part and the other over the other end of the body part. The stops
may be formed by partly turning over the free ends of the hook-like ends of
the body part which is or may be of such a shape as to approximately resemble
the letter S as seen in side view.
To connect two lengths of chain together with the device just described, the
two safety links are turned in opposite directions away from the body part and
into their inoperative positions. One end of each of the two lengths of chain
to be connected is then passed through the corresponding displaced link, and
the end link on the chain is then engaged with the corresponding hook-shaped
end of the body part, after which the two pivotted links are turned back into
their closed positions against the stops in which positions they effectually secure
the chain ends in place.
The arrangement in each case is such that the pivotted link or links serves
or serve as a tie-rod or rods to prevent the hook-like ends of the body part being
pulled outward by strain on the lengths of chain connected thereto.
The safety link, or each such link, may obviously be of various shapes. Thus
it may be of ordinary oval shape and in one piece passing loosely through the
hole or eye in the body part; or it may be in the form of a loop or shackle
jointed to the body part by a cross bolt; or of two bars connected together at the
ends by cross bolts one of which passes through the body part. The link may
be provided with a pin or projection, or be made approximately in the shape
of the figure 8, the pin or projection in the one case, or the crossing portions
in the other, resting against the body part when the link is in its closed
position. Instead of using two links in one of the arrangements above described
there may be employed a single link pivotted at its central portion to the body.
part so that its two ends can move in opposite directions when being turned into
the closed or open attitudes. In each case the safety link must be sufficiently
large to enable the chain with which it is to be used being passed through it.
For connecting lengths of rope, wire and the like, the ends thereof must be
formed into loops to allow of engagement with the connecting device.
1000
Improvements in Connecting Devices suitable for Connecting Lengths
of Chain, Rope, Wire, and the like together, or to Eyes, Rings, and
the like.
I, VICO VECCHI, of 93, Grange Road West, Middlesborough-on-Tees, in the
County of York, Naval Architect of the Austrian Lloyd Steam Navigation
Company of Trieste, Austria, 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:---
This invention has reference to improved connecting devices whereby lengths

page_text: of chain, rope, wire and the like (hereinafter referred to as chains) can be
easily and quickly connected together or to eyes, rings and the like in such a
way that they cannot become accidentally disconnected from each other, or
from the eyes, rings or the like whilst the devices remain intact.
A connecting device for this purpose according to this invention comprises a
body part which may have oppositely arranged curved or hook-like ends, and one
or two safety links jointed to the body part in such a way that it or they can be
readily turned into the open position to admit of the adjacent ends of two
lengths of chain being engaged with the hook-like ends and can afterwards be
turned into the closed position against a stop or stops so as to securely retain
the chain ends in place, the arrangement being such that one or each of the
chain ends must be first passed through the pivotted link, or the corresponding
link when there are two, before it can be properly engaged with one of the.
hook-like ends of the body part."
Connecting devices of the kind described can be constructed in various forms
to suit different purposes.
Referring to the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are views at right
angles to each other of a connecting device according to this invention and
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but viewed from the opposite side.
1 is the body part which consists of a piece of metal bent approximately to
the shape of the letter S as seen in side view (Fig. 2), one of its ends being
formed with a hole or an eye 2 and the other end with a stop 3; 4 is a link
which at one end is jointed to or pivoted within the said eye 2 so that it cau
be turned about its pivot for the purpose of causing its free end to slip, closely
over the other end of the body part 1 and rest against the stop 3 thereon as
shown, the combined body part 1 and link 4 then somewhat resembling the
figure S as seen in side view (Fig. 2). The exterior of the end or hooked portion
of the body part, over which the link slips, is shown curved to an arc struck
froni the centre about which the link turns; this form is adopted in order that
the link may be moved readily over and in contact with said curved surface
and yet serve to support the hooked portion of the body when slipped over it,
and the stop may be of the hook-like shape shown, being formed by turning.
the free end of the body part partly outward and upon itself. To connect two
lengths of chain together with the device above described, the safety link 4
is first turned to one side into its inoperative position, as represented in side
view in Fig. 4; the body portion of the device is then threaded through the
end link on one length of chain () until such end link enters that hook-like
end of the body part to which the safety link 4 is connected. One end of the
other length of chain (b) is then passed through the safety link and engaged
with the other hook-like end of the body part, whereupon the safety link is
turned into its closed position, as represented in Fig. 4", against the stop 3
on the body part, in which position it will serve to effectually secure the chain
ends in place.
Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views to Figs. 2 and 3 of another construction in
which the body part of the connecting device is provided with curved hook-
shaped ends formed with stops 3,3" and the central portion of the body of the
hook is formed with two holes or eye-like portions 2,2" to which are connected
two safety links 4,4", one of which is capable of being turned over one end
of the body part and the other over the other end of the body part The
stops 3 and 3 may be formed by partly turning over the free ends of the hook-
like ends of the body part, which is in the example illustrated of such a shape
as to approximately resemble the letter S as seen in side view.
links 4 and 4 may in some cases be pivoted in a single hole in the middle
of the body.
The two
To connect two lengths of chain together with the device just described and
illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the two safety links 4, 4" are turned in opposite
directions away from the body part and into their inoperative positions. One

page_text: end of each of the two lengths of chain to be connected is then passed through
the corresponding displaced link, and the end link of each chain is then engaged
with the corresponding hook-shaped end of the body part, after which, the two
links 4, 4" are turned back into their closed positions against the stops 3,3" in
which positions they effectually secure the chain ends in place.
The safety links, or each such link, may obviously be of various shapes.
Thus it may be of ordinary oval shape and in one piece passing loosely through
the hole or eye in the body part as shown in Figs. 1 to 6; or it may as shown.
in Fig. 7 be in the form of a loop or shackle jointed to the body part by a cross
bolt 5; or as shown in Fig. 8 of two bars connected together at the ends by
cross bolts 5,5" of which passes through the body part.
In some cases, the link 4 may, as shown in Fig. 9, be provided with a pin
or projection 6 adapted to rest against the body part, when the link is in its
closed position, so as to serve as a stop. Or the link may be made approximately.
in the shape of a figure 8, the crossing portions then serving as the stop.
Fig. 10 shows a modified arrangement in which, instead of using two links
as in the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a single link 4 is pivoted at
its central portion to the body part I so that its two ends can move in opposite
directions when being turned into the closed or open attitudes. Fig. 11 shows
a slightly different arrangement, in which the one chain (a) is permanently
connected to the body part 1 by a shackle or in any other convenient way, the
body being formed with an eye 7 for this purpose. In all cases, the safety
link or links, which must be sufficiently large to enable the chain with which
it is to be used being passed through it, serves or serve as a tie rod or rods
to prevent the hook-like end or ends of the body part being pulled outward
by strain on the lengths of chain connected thereto.
For connecting lengths of rope, wire and the like, the ends thereof must
be formed into loops to allow of engagement with the connecting device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A connecting device comprising a body part formed with a curved or
hook-like end and a safety link so jointed or pivoted to the body part that it
can be caused to occupy an inoperative position in which the end portion of
a length of chain or the like can be first passed through the said safety link
and a link or loop therein then engaged with the hook, and that the said link
can then be turned about its pivot or point to an extent limited by means of
a stop into such a position that it will close the mouth of the hook and operate
to prevent accidental disengagement of the chain or the like, substantially as
described.
2. Connecting devices constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
described with reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of January 1900.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.