Improvements in Draught or Retaining Hooks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Draught or Retaining Hooks.
We, GEORGE AUGUSTUS SHAW and CHARLES HAMMOND, Clerks, both of 85 Great
Tower Street, in the city of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to draught hooks for Omnibuses, Cabs, and other
vehicles, and also to hooks for other drawing and retaining purposes, from which the
traces, draught chains, or retaining cords can be readily disengaged, without the
necessity of slacking the trace or retaining rope.
The main object of this invention is to provide a means for readily disengaging the
traces, when a horse, fallen in a vehicle, is unable to rise, being held down by his
harness, which cannot be released owing to the tension of the traces on the draw
bolts, and in this connection the hook will be described.
According to our invention, we construct and mount the hook to which the trace is
to be attached, in such a manner that it is capable of a rotary movement, so that
in one position the trace cannot be disengaged therefrom without slackening, and in
another position the trace can be released without difficulty, no matter how great may
be the strain on it.
The hook is preferably of form, pivotted in pairs, or sets of four, as the case
may be, to the carriage splinter bar or shafts, so that one arm stands out in a plane
transverse to the line of the draught. The pivot is arranged in the same plane
with this outstanding arm, which forms the draught pin, so that the turning of
the hook about its pivot is effected readily, whether there is strain upon the trace or
not. The outstanding arm or draught pin is curved somewhat at its upper part, to
prevent the too easy removal of the trace when not required; the other arm, which
lies near the splinter bar or shaft, is provided with a clip or other device for retaining
the hook against rotary movement when in use.
When it is desired to release the traces from the carriage, on account of an
accident, or for other reason, the catches of the retaining arms of the books are
removed, and the hooks turned upon their pivots, so as to bring the curved parts into
the same direction as the line of draught, in which position the traces are readily
lifted off the draught pins.
Among the other uses to which this pivotted hook may be adapted, is the attach-
ment of boats and ships to wharves and quays, where it is often necessary to effect a
quick release of the boat when getting under way, in order to secure a good start
in the proper direction, and thus avoid possible danger by collision and otherwise.
Under ordinary circumstances, a quick release is somewhat difficult, for usually a
loop at the end of the rope for holding a vessel alongside is passed over a post, from
whence it cannot be raised while there is a strain upon the rope.
By substituting, however, for the ordinary post, a pivotted hook, such as we have
described, on a suitable scale, the rope can be released by a mere turning of the hook
upon its pivot.
Do
A 1 1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Draught or Retaining Hooks.
We, GEORGE AUGUSTUS SHAW and CHARLES HAMMOND, Clerks, both of 85 Great
Tower Street, in the City of London, 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 present invention relates to draught hooks for omnibuses, cabs, and other
vehicles, and also to hooks for other drawing and retaining purposes, the object of the
invention being so to provide that the traces, draught chains, or retaining cords, can
be readily disengaged from their hooks without the necessity of slacking the trace or
retaining rope.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 represents, in plan, part of the off-side shaft of a van or similar vehicle,
with a draught hook constructed according to our invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.
Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of the near-side shaft, with the hook somewhat
differently mounted.
Figs. 5 and 6 are plan and side views of a pole head provided with our releasing
hooks.
Fig. 7 shows the invention applied to a portion of a splinter bar, and
Fig. 8 shows it applied to a fixed platform or post upon a wharf or quay, where
the ropes or cables of boats and ships are required to be firmly attached and quickly
released.
A is the hook, which consists of the hook proper a, whereon the trace, chain, or
rope is caught or hitched, and the spindle or pivot a¹ in line with the part of the
hook which sustains the pull, and whereon the hook is capable of rotation. The
spindle or pivot a¹ is mounted in a suitable bearing, which may be variously arranged.
In Figs. 1 and 2, and also in Fig. 7, the spindle passes completely through the
shaft or splinter bar, to which it is applied, and a fixed collar screwed thereon, and is
secured against withdrawal by a split key. In Figs. 3 and 4, the bearing is formed
in a bracket screwed upon the shaft. The hooks applied to a pole head are
double, a a (see Fig. 5), at either end of the spindle a', which lies between them
embedded transversely in the pole; a fixed part is provided for completing, with
the hooks a a, the metal loops. The bearing for the pivot may be a metal casting,
as in Fig. 8, which is a convenient arrangement, where a vertically upstanding
retaining hook is required.
The hook may be conveniently maintained in working position by a pin or key b in
the manner illustrated. The spindle a', being slightly grooved or flattened, the
key passed through holes in the bearing or fixed collar at right angles to the spindle,
will lie in the groove, and prevent the hooks from turning. The drawn position
of the hooks illustrated shows the working position. Should it be found desirable to
release the traces, chains, or ropes from the hooks, on account of a horse falling
in harness, for instance, when it would be frequently impossible to slacken the tension
sufficiently to unhook in the ordinary way, it will only be necessary to withdraw
the retaining key b, and rotate the hook into the dotted position; it will then be
simple, owing to the pivot and the part of the hook which sustains the pull, being
in a line, to slip off the loop of the trace or other attachment, and thus obtain instant
release.
It will be understood that the form and construction of hooks such as we have
described, may be modified to suit various positions and requirements, without
departing from the principle of the invention.
1
1

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
Hooks for draught and retaining purposes, which, by rotation upon their pivots in
the manner above explained, facilitate the release of traces, chains, or other attach-
ments therefrom, without necessitating the slacking of the latter.
Dated this 18th day of January 1890
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.