US628139A

US628139A - Handcuff.

Info

Publication number: US628139A
Authority: US
Inventors: John F Cumming
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1899-03-10
Filing date: 1899-03-10
Publication date: 1899-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1916-07-04

Description

Patented [My 4, I899. J. F., CUMMING.

HANDCUFF.

(Application, filed Mar. 10, 1899.) (Ho Mad'al.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OUMMING, OF WVOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

HAN DCUFF.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 628,139, dated July 4, 1899'.

Application filed March 10,1399. Serial No. 708,469. on model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1, JOHN F. OUMMINc,a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Handcuffs, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to handcuffs for manacling the hands of prisoners, &c. and the object of my invention is to improve upon the construction of handcuifs as now ordinarily made and to provide handcuffs which can be very quickly and readily applied to and securely locked on the wrists of the prisoner.

Heretofore in the ordinary construction of handcufis the two pivoted arms or sections are made plain or without projections or means of engaging or grasping them to open the handcuffs preparatory to placing them on the wrists of the wearer. In order to open the handcuffs and place them on the wrists of the wearer, it has been necessary to use two hands, one for each pivoted arm or section of the handcuffs. In case of an unruly prisoner it is often very difficult for one man to use two hands to manipulate the handcufls and at the same time hold and control the prisoner while the handcuffs are being placed on his wrists.

In my improved handcuffs I have provided means for grasping and holding with one hand each handcuff and opening the same preparatory to placing it on the wrist of the wearer, and also improved mechanism for preventing the handcuff from becoming accidentally locked before it is placed upon the wrist, said mechanism being controlled by a device located in an accessible place near the base or pivot connection of the two arms of the handcufi, so that it can be readily engaged by the thumb or finger ofthe same hand that grasps and opens the handcuffs.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction of my handcuffs as above indicated, and to be hereinafter fully described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of one of a pair of handcuffs embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 corresponds to Fig. 1, but shows the handcuff open. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the upper part of the handcuff, showing thelocking mechanism held in its inoperative position, with the two sections of the handcuff unlocked; and Fig. 4 corresponds to Fig. 3, but shows the locking mechanism in its opposite or operative position to lock the two sections together.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 are the two arms orsections of the handcufi having their ends pivoted together at 3, at which point is also pivoted the swivel-block 4:,forming a means of attachment for the links 5 of a chain connecting the haudcuff to another handcufi of similar construction to make a pair in the usual way. On each arm or section 1 and 2, on the outer edge thereof and near their pivot connection,is a projection or extension 6 on the same side of the pivot connection 3 as the arms 1 and 2. Said projections or extensions 6 are adapted to be engaged by the thumb and forefinger of one hand of the user and moved toward each other to move the sections 1 and 2 on their pivot connection and open'the handcuff, as shown in Fig'. 2.

I will now describe the locking mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and the device for holding the locking mechanism'outof action. Upon the inner surface of the free end of one section or arm, as 1, I provide a series of notches or recesses 1. to be engaged by alatch or hooked lever. Upon the other arm or section, as 2, is a hollow head portion 2 and also a hollow side portion 2", connecting with the hollow head portion 2. Within the part 2' is located the locking mechanism, comprising a latch or lever 7, pivoted on a transverse pin 8 and acted on by a spring 9 to cause the hooked end 7' to engage with the notches 1 in the'arm 1, as shown in Fig. 3, when the opposite end of said lever 7 is released by the locking-lever 10, pivoted on a transverse pin 11 within the hollow part 2". The lockinglever 10 is centrally pivoted and is acted on by a spring '12 to push the lower end 10'- of said lever outwardly, and hold the upper notched end 10 in engagement with the end of the latch 7, as shown in Fig. 3. Athumblatch 13 is pivoted by a transverse pin .14 within the lower part of the part 2", and its outer end extends through an opening in the outer surface or edge of the section 2,'as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. An extension 13' on the thumb-latch13 extends over the lower end of the locking-lever 10, as shown. When the thumb-latch 13 is moved down, as shown in Fig. 3, the spring 12 acts to hold the upper end of the lever 10 in engagement with the end of the lever 7 and hold said lever out of engagement with the notches 1 in the section or arm 1, as shown in Fig. 3, so that said section is free to be moved out to open the handcuifs. When .the thumb-latch 13 is moved up, as shown in Fig. 4, it moves out of the upper end of the lever 10 and allows the end of the lever 7 to drop into the notch 10" in the upper end of the lever 10 and the hooked end 7 of the lever 7 to engage with the notches 1 in the arm 1, as shown in'Fig. 4, to lock the sections or arms 1 and 2 together. The notch 10 in the upper end of the lever 10 limits the movement of the lever or latch 7. After the arms 1 and 2 are locked together, as shown in Fig. 4, a key may be inserted through the keyhole 15, in this instance located on one side of the part 2 to engage the end of the lever 7 and move it to disengage the hook 7 thereon from the notches 1' and allow the lever 10 to be moved by the spring 14 to engage the end of said lever 7 and hold it, as shown in Fig. 3.

In using my handcuffs one hand grasps the end of the chain where it is connected to the two sections or arms 1 and 2, and the thumb is placed on one extension 6 and the first finger on the other extension 6 and said extensions moved toward each other to move the two sections or arms 1 and 2 apart to open the handcuft', as shown in Fig. 2, preparatory to placing it on the wrist of the prisoner, the

thumb-latch 13 being in the position shown in Fig. 3 to hold the hooked lever or latch 7 out of engagement with the notches or recesses 1 in the arm 1 and prevent the accidental locking of the handcutf before it is placed on the wrist; but as soon as the handcnff is on the wrist the thumb-latch 13 is moved into the position shown in Fig. +1 to allow the lever or latch 7 to engage the notches or recesses 1 in the arm 1 when the handcuif is closed on the wrist.

The advantages of my improvements in handcnds will be readilyappreciated by those skilled in the art.

By placing the thumb-latch controlling the locking mechanism near the pivot connec tion of the two arms 1 and 2 it is accessible to the hand holding the handcuit and engaging the projections 6 6 thereon.

It will be understood that some of the details of construction of my handcnfi may be varied, if desired, and the keyhole 15, instead of being located on the side of the handcuif, as shown, may be located on the outer edge of the part 2.

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

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a handcuff having two arms or sections pivoted together at their ends, and each arm having a projection or extension thereon nearits pivot connection, and on the same side of the pivot connection as the arm, said projections to be engaged and moved toward each other to open the handcuffs, substantially as shown and described.

2. In handcuffs, the combination with one section or arm, having a series of notches or recesses on the inner surface of its free end, of a second section or arm pivoted to the firstmentioned arm, and having a hollow head and a hollow side portion for the locking. mechanism, and said locking mechanism, comprising a spring-actuated hooked lever or latch pivoted in the hollow head portion, to engage the notches or recesses in the firstmentioned arm, and a spring-actuated locking-lever pivoted in the hollow side portion for engaging and holding said hooked lever out of engagement with said notches, said locking-lever provided with a notch therein to limit the motion of said hooked lever or latch, and a thumb-latch pivoted within the lower part of the hollow side portion, to engage and operate said locking-lever, and with its outer end extending through an opening in the outer surface of said second arm orsection, at the side thereof and near its pivotal connection, substantially as shown and described.

JOHN F. CUMMING.

Witnesses:

J. C. DEWEY, M. J. GALVIN.