An Improved Shackle.
Year: 1897

page_text: An Improved Shackle.
I, HENRY EDWARD BOWRING, of Mole Bank, East Molesey, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
This invention has reference more especially to shackles of the nautical type, but
it will be obvious that the improvements herein specified may be applied with
equal utility to other types substantially similar and used for a similar purpose,
such, for instance, as that used to connect two portions of the hoisting chain or
cable of a crane.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved method of securing the
cross-bolt in the clevis, in order to facilitate its removal or insertion when it is
desired to open or close the clevis.
The methods now commonly employed of securing the cross-bolt of the clevis,
namely, by means of a threaded nut screwed on the projecting end of the said bolt;
or by inserting a gib and cottar or pin through a hole made in the said bolt-end,
are found in practice to occupy considerable time to disconnect, after being in use
for some time, owing chiefly to the parts having rusted together, and this is
especially so in the case of shackles for use in connection with ships' anchor chain-
cables. In such cases the bolt can only be driven out by blows from a hammer
which burrs up the end of the bolt and thus presents a further obstacle to its
removal.
、
My invention consists in providing slots, notches or grooves in either or both of
the eyes of the clevis, disposed both longitudinally and transversely so that they
intersect and constitute a lock, the wards of which are formed by the abutments
or walls of the said slots, notches or grooves. I also provide snugs or projections
on the cross-bolt at either or both ends thereof, so arranged, (each pair preferably
at right angles to the other), that they will engage with the aforesaid locks in the
eyes of the clevis. The swivel-block also has two longitudinal slots cut therein.
Thus, to insert the cross-bolt having, say, two snugs or projections at each end,
the snugs on that end of the bolt first inserted pass straight through the longitu-
dinal slots in one of the eyes of the clevis, through the hole in the swivel block, to
the opposite eye of the clevis; it is then necessary to give a quarter turn to the
bolt in order to cause the snugs or projections to enter the longitudinal slots in the
said eye, and after inserting a short distance to give another quarter turn to cause
the snugs or projections to engage behind the wards formed by the transverse slots
in the said eye; this latter quarter turn brings the snugs on the bolt again opposite
the longitudinal slots in both eyes and so enables it to be thrust home, and a final
quarter turn of the bolt completes the locking of the same securely in the clevis;
no other fastening whatever being necessary.
To disengage, it is only necessary to reverse the above named actions.

page_text: The cross-bolt of the clevis may have a hole bored in one end thereof through
which a key or spike may be inserted to assist the hand in turning the said bolt if
necessary.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.
An improved snacкіе.
I, HENRY EDWARD BOWRING, of Mole Bank, East Molesey, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, 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 more especially to shackles of the nautical type,
but it will be obvious that the improvements herein specified may be applied with
equal utility to other types substantially similar and used for a similar purpose,
such, for instance, as that used to connect two portions of the hoisting chain or
cable of a crane.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved method of securing the
cross-bolt in the clevis, in order to facilitate its removal or insertion when it is
desired to open or close the clevis.
The methods now commonly employed of securing the cross-bolt of the clevis,
namely, by means of a threaded nut screwed on the projecting end of the said bolt,
or by inserting a gib and cottar or pin through a hole made in the bolt-end, are
found in practice to occupy considerable time to disconnect especially after being
in use for some time, owing chiefly to the parts having rusted together, and this
is especially so in the case of shackles used in connection with ships' anchor chain-
cables. In such cases the bolt can only be driven out by blows from a hammer
which burrs up the end of the bolt and thus presents a further obstacle to its
removal.
My invention consists in providing slots, notches or grooves in either or both
of the eyes. of the clevis, disposed both longitudinally and transversely so that they
intersect each other and constitute a lock the wards of which are formed by the
abutments or walls of the said slots, notches or grooves. I also provide snugs or
projections on the cross-bolt at either or both ends thereof, so arranged, (each pair
preferably at right angles to the other), that they will engage with the aforesaid
grooves in the eyes of the clevis. The swivel-block also has two longitudinal slots
cut therein. Thus, to insert the cross-bolt having, say, two snugs or projections
at each end, the snugs on that end of the bolt first inserted pass straight through
the longitudinal slots in one of the eyes of the clevis, and through the hole in the swivel
block, into the opposite eye of the clevis; it is then necessary to give a quarter
turn to the bolt to cause the snugs or projections to engage behind the wards
formed by the transverse slots in the said eye; this quarter turn brings the snugs
on the bolt again opposite or in alignment with the longitudinal slots in both eyes
and so enables it to be thrust home, and a final quarter turn of the bolt completes
the locking of it securely in the clevis, no other fastening whatever being necessary.
To disengage the bolt from the clevis, it is only necessary to reverse the above
named actions, when it may be withdrawn with facility.
The cross-bolt of the clevis may have a hole bored in one end thereof through
which a key or spike may be inserted to assist the hand in turning the said bolt,
if necessary.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating my invention:-Figure 1

page_text: shows the cross-bolt about to be inserted into the clevis. Figure 2 is a view of the
eye of the clevis of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Figure 3 is
an end view of the cross-bolt detached. Figure 4 shows the bolt thrust home and
locked in position, connecting the clevis with a swivel hook. Figure 5 is the
section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. A is the clevis, a and a¹ are the eyes therein,
band 6 are the longitudinal and transverse slots in the eyes. B is the cross-bolt,
e and c¹ being the projections or snugs thereon. C is the swivel-block and D the
swivel hook. x is a hole through the head of the cross-bolt for the insertion of a
tool by which to turn the bolt if necessary. d and d¹ are the grooves in the
swivel-block.
The operation of the invention is as follows:-The cross-bolt B (see Figure 1)
is inserted in and pushed through the eye a of the clevis, with the snugs c, on the
bolt in alignment with the slots 62, the swivel block with its attached hook is then
placed in position between the two eyes, also with its longitudinal slots or grooves d
and d in alignment with those 62 in the eyes of the clevis; the bolt is then thrust
straight through it, and into the opposite eye a¹ of the clevis, until the snugs c are
opposite the slots it is then given a quarter turn to cause the snugs e to enter
the said slots b¹, this quarter turn brings the snugs c¹ at the other end of the bolt
in alignment with the slots 62, the bolt is then pushed again forward up to its
head, when snugs c and c¹ will be in alignment with and are turned into the trans-
verse slots and 61 which completes the locking action, securing the bolt in the
position shown in Figure 4.
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
claim is:-
1. A clevis of a shackle having transverse and longitudinal slots or grooves
formed in the eyes thereof substantially as and for the purpose herein described
and shown.
2. A cross-bolt for a shackle having projections or snugs formed thereon to
engage in slots or grooves formed in the eye or eyes of the clevis, substantially as
described and shown.
3. A swivel block for a shackle having longitudinal slots formed therein from
end to end, substantially as and for the purpose herein described and shown.
4. A shackle comprising the combination of the clevis having transverse and
longitudinal slots or grooves, the cross-bolt having projections thereon to fit the
slots in the clevis, and the swivel-block slotted longitudinally, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described and set forth.
Dated the 10th day of January 1898.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.