Improvements in Snap Hooks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 19th May, 1894
Improvements in Snap Hooks.
I, RICHARD ALVIN BREUL, of 55 Beach Street, Bridgeport, in the County of
Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved snap-hook ;
Figure 2 is a front view of the same;
Figure 3 is a side view of the hook, with the spring and checks or clamping nuts
removed;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the complete device; and
Figure 5 is a cross section on the line x-x in Figure 2.
Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
This invention relates to snap-books, and my improvement consists in the novel
combination with the rigid hook of a leaf spring and the devices for securing
the same to the rigid hook body, whereby, at small expense, I produce a hook
possessing superior strength and which may be easily applied to or detached from
the chain-link or loop with which it is to be used; substantially as will be herein-
after more fully described and claimed.
On the accompanying drawing, the letter A denotes the body or main part of the
hook, which is preferably stamped out of sheet metal of proper thickness by means
of dies of suitable construction, so as to form a flat hook-shaped body of the con-
figuration clearly illustrated in Figure 3. This body comprises a flat hook a,
terminating in an enlargement e, through which two holes, c and d, are punched or.
drilled; the last-named of which, nearest the bottom of the hook, is for the
permanent attachment of the chain or strap, C, to which the snap-hook is fastened
and of which it forms part.
A slot or notch, b, is cut or sawed obliquely into the head or enlargement e for
the insertion of a flat leaf-spring B, of steel or other metal properly tempered.
The free end of this spring bears against the inner side of the hook a, and its
lower end, where it is inserted into the slot b, is held firmly in place in said slots by
means of the lateral pressure of two circular checks or nuts, D and D', fastened
together on opposite sides of the flat hook body by means of a rivet E, inserted
through the aperture c. The width of the spring B is slightly in excess of the
width or thickness of the flat head or enlargement e, as shown in Figure 2, so that
the checks D D' will bind or press firmly against the edges of the spring where
this is inserted into the slot, and thus hold it firmly and rigidly in place. At the
same time, the spring can easily be removed and a new one inserted into the slot,
simply by removing the rivet and one of the checks or nuts, D or D'.
From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, it will be
seen that this snap-hook is exceedingly simple in construction, so that it will not
readily break or get out of order. The free end of the spring B overlaps the bent
end or lip of the hook a on the inside a sufficient distance to form a firm bearing
against the same, so as to effectually close the hook after the insertion of the link
or loop with which it is to engage or interlock.

page_text: 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
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
In a snap-hook, the combination with the hook A a provided with apertures c, d,
and the oblique slot b, of the spring B, checks or clamping nuts D D', and holding
rivet E substantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.
Dated this 16th day of April 1894.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.