US469418A - Check-hook - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

T. H. GORDON.

GHBGK BooK.

No. 469,418. Patented Peb. 23, 1892.

WITNESSES:

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' ATTORNE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS Il. GORDON, OF SYRAOUSE, NE-lV YORK.

CHECK-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,418, dated February 23, 1892.

Application tiled December 13, 1890. Serial No. 374,567. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. GORDON, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oheck- Hooks, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved checkhook, arid has forits object the production of asimpleand effective device which is manufactured at a minimum cost of expense and is effective in operation and durable in use; and to this end it consists, essentially, in a supporting-standard adapted to be secured to the saddle ora saddletree of a harness, a tongue or lever pivoted to said supporting-standard and provided with an eccentrieally-shaped bend or loop formed by extending said lever downwardly and outwardly from its pivotal point and then upwardly and backwardly toward said pivotal point, and a spring for retaining the tongue in its opened or closed position.

The invention also consists in a supportingstandard for the check-hook provided with a projecting arm or guard extending above its pivotal point for engaging the cheek hook or strap and preventing its escape from the check-hook; and the invention furthermore consists in the detail construction and ar- -rangement ot the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in all the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the saddletree, a detached central portion of the saddle, and myimproved check-hook mounted thereupon with the tongue or lever in its closed position. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the closed detached check-hook with a portion of a check rein or strap shown by dotted lines. Fig. 3 represents a like View to Fig. 2, illustrating the-tongue or lever of the check-hook as swung backward in its open position to receive the check rein or strap. Fig. 4 represents a sectional view taken on line or x, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a like sectional View to Fig. 4, illustrating the tongue of the hook as partially swung over into its closed position;

and Fig. 6 is an elevation of a modified form of the spring for maintaining the tongue of the check-hook in its opened or closed position.

The supporting-standard A of the checkhook is of desirable form, size, and material, and is secured by screws a or other suitable means to any desirable construction of saddle B or saddletree C, whichis here illustrated in plan view at Fig. 1 and forms no part of my present invention, since this improved check-hook may be secured to any form of harness. The standard A is formed with the projecting arms A between which is pivoted at CZ the tongue or lever D, and in order to render my check-hook attachable to any desirable form of harness the said arms A are preferably elevated above the base of the standard A, so as to allow the tongue t'o swing into its opened position. (Illustrated at Fig. 3.) The tongue D is formed with the eccentrically-shaped bend or loop d', extending below and outwardly from the pivotal or hinge point cl of said tongue and forming a loop adapted to receive the checkrein. The free end of the tongue is then curved upwardly and backwardly from the loop d', with its eX- tremity preferably above the top face of the base or foot of the standard A. Oppositely arranged with the loops d are the projecting arms or guards a', which are elevated above the hinge-point ot' the lever D, and are preferably curved downwardly, forming the top otthe loop d', for preventing the upward movement of the checkrein or strap.

When desired to engage the checkrein with my improved hook, the tongue or lever D is swung to its opened position, as illustrated at Fig. 3, whereupon the checkrein may be quickly forced to its desired position beneath the hooks or guards a. The said tongue D is then swung to its closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the checkrein is interposed between the said guards a of the standards A and the loop el of the tongue or lever D, thus absolutely preventing its escape therefrom, since the guards prevent all upward movement, and the natural strain-occasioned by thel throw of the horses head tends to draw the free extremity of the tongue D more tightly against the top face of the standard A, ,as said eccentric loop d of the tongue is IOO below the pivotal point of the tongue. It will thus be understood that a checkrein may be engaged with my improved device with great ease, and that when the same is in its normal position the escape of the checkrein is absolutely prevented by the peculiar construction of the tongue or lever D and the arms or guards a.

In order to further hold the tongue in its 1o opened or closed position, I retain the same arms A the inwardly-projecting rib a2, which engages with a groove or slot (Z2, formed upon the opposite faces of the hub of the tongue D. Vhen the tongue D is in either its opened or closed position, said projections a2 and grooves zo d2 are so arranged as to register with each other, and when the tongue is forced from either of the said positions the projections are swung from engagement with the slot cl2 and bear against the opposite faces of the hub of 5 the tongue D, thereby slightly forcing apart the arms A of said standard and thus tensioning the metal. These projections a2 and slots d2 are so proportioned that the spring generated is sufficient to irmly retain the 3o tongue in either its opened orclosed position,

but is not suihciently great to excessively retard its operation. The pivotal or hinge pin d of the tongue is preferably secured to the opening in the tongue D,so as to prevent the said pin being forced from its position by the swinging lof the tongue, and in order to effect the operation of said tongue the pivotal openings in the arms A of the standard A are slightly larger than the projecting extremities 4o. of the pin d, so as to allow the said arms to swing outward therefrom, as shown in Fig. 5.

Upon practical operation of my check-hook I have found that in some cases it is very desirable to provide the arms A of the standard with downwardly-extending ears f beneath the pivotal point of the tongue for further preventing the checkrein from swinging the tongue backward under strain from the horses head; but it will be understood1 that 5o these ears are not absolutely essential, al-

though they usually occasion a more perfect operation of the hook.

wardly-extendin g extremity g, bearingagainst the lower part of the loop d of the tongue D; but this construction is not as desirable as that preferably used and shown in the pre- 6o ceding figures.

' The operation of my improved check-hook will be readily perceived from the foregoing, and it is evident that with but few parts an improved article of manufacture is produced which presents features of great advantage,

convenience, and efficiency. It is obvious, however, that changes may be made in the relative construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from its spirit. I-Ience I do not limit myself to its precise form and construction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a check-hook, the combination of a supporting-standard, a lever pivoted to said standard and extending outwardly and downwardly from its hinge-point and then extending upwardly and backwardly toward said hinge-point, and guards formed upon said standard and extended upwardly above and outwardly from the said hinge-point, whereby a loop is interposed between the guards and the hook, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a check-hook, the combination of a supporting-standard, a lever hingedto said standard and extending outwardly and downwardly from its hinge-pointand-then extending upwardly and backwardly toward said hinge-point, guards formed upon said standard and extending above said hinge-point and toward the pivoted lever for preventing the checkrein from moving to the free extremity of said lever, .and a spring for retaining said lever in its opened or closed position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a check-hook, the combination of 'a supporting-standard, a lever pivoted to said standard and extending outwardly and downwardly from its hinge-point and then extending upwardly and backwardly toward said hinge-point, guards formed upon said'standard and extended upwardly above and outwardly from the said hinge-point, whereby a loop is interposed between the guards and the hook, and lateral arms on the standard extending downwardly beneath the hingepoint of the lever, substantially as specilied.

4.. In a check-hook, the combination of a supporting standard, upwardly projecting of said arms on one side of the hinge-point of As illustrated at Fig. 6, a flat spring Gmay be secured at one extremity of the lower face 55 of the base A and be provided with an outthe lever, and a depression in the adjacent surface of the lever for engaging said projection and tensioning the lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting Witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 5th day of December, 1890.

THOMAS H. GORDON.

Witnesses: CLARK H. NORTON, L. M. BAXTER.

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