US888213A - Trace-fastener. - Google Patents

Description

.No. 888,213. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. J. G. WOOD.

TRACE FASTENER- APPLICATION FILED 001215, 1907.

THE NORRJs PETERS ca, wasnmcrou, o. c.

JOHN WOOD, OF PORTSMOUTH, OI-llO.

TRACE-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application filed October 15, 1907. Serial No. 397,593.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. \VOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Scioto and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Trace- .Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for securing traces to whiffletrees, and the principal object of the present invention is to provide novel, simple and eil'ective means for retaining the trace in position on the whil'tletrec, said means being readily operable to permit the trace being detached from the whil'l'letree, and furthermore being so constructed that it will not become clogged with dirt and will not become inoperative by water or snow freezing therein.

The preferred embodiment of the inven tion is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the end portion of a whiflietree showing the novel retaining means in place thereon. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the retaining means showing the hook in inoperative position. .lfi ig. 3 is a similar view but showing the hook in operative position. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the base, and the parts carried thereby. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the hook. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the cover. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the structure without the casing.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings The whi'filetree is designated by the reference numeral 8, and mounted thereon is a support. This support comprises a base piece secured to the whitlletree by screws 10 or other suitable fasteners, and having an outstanding wall'll disposed transversely of the whiffletree and preferably constituting a part of a casing. The wall is provided with rearwardly extending ears 12 which are formed on their outer sides with tapered hooks 13. The wall furthermore is provided with a socket or opening 14 in its upper portion, forming a hinge pintle 15. A trace retaininghook 16 is provided, having a right angularly disposed terminal 17 that is movable into and out of coaction with the whittletree, the hook being formed with a suitable thumb piece 18. This hook is furthermore provided between its ends with an integral under-turned lip 19 that passes through the socket 1 1 of the wall 11, and is bent around the pintle so that the hook is pivotally mounted on the wall. The hook furthermore has a rearwardly extending tail piece 20 terminating in a rounded enlargement formed by coiling the end, as shown. The base 9 is furthermore provided with a spring 21 preferably integral therewith, this spring extending forwardly and upwardly toward the wall 1 1 and terminating in a rounded enlargement 22, against which the enlargement of the tail piece slidably bears. It will thus be evident by reference to Figs. .2 and 3 that the hook may be swung to upright position so that the terminal 17 thereof is out of coaction with the whi'l'lletree, and consequently a trace can be placed on the end of said whiilletree. In this connection it will be noted that the spring maintains the hook in its inoperative position. After a trace has been placed thereupon, the hook is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3, and the rounded portion of the tail piece, riding over the rounded terminal 22 of the spring, will assume a position so that said spring will hold the hook in its operative position.

In order to house the spring and cooperating parts against dirt, moisture and accident, a cover 23 is preferably employed, which, with the wall 1.1 constitutes a casing. This cover is tapered, and has its inner end secured by a screw 2 1 or other suitable fastener. The side walls of the cover at the outer end are 'provided with inwardly turned hooks 25, which as illustrated in Fig. 1, interlock with the hooks 13 of the cars 12, and thus ell'ectively secure the outer end of the cover in position. This cover also has inwardly extending projections 26 that engage over the hooks 13 and tend to prevent any upward movement of the same. By this construction, the cover reinforces the end wall 11 and assists in preventing the same from being bent or distorted from any cause. However, it is to be understood that while the cover is important, and often desirable, it may be dispensed with, and the device without the casing is illustrated in Fig. 8. hen the casing is not employed, the space between the base 9 and spring 21 constitutes a guide through which the reins may be passed, and as the reins are thus held on opposite sides of the animal and away from the same, there is no danger of the tail of such animal being placed over the reins. This also is an important feature.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein described invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be under stood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

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

1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a whiffletree, of a support mounted thereon and comprising a base having a fixed outstanding wall disposed transversely of the whifiietree, said wall being provided at its outer end with an opening or socket forming an outer hinge pintle, a trace holding hook located longitudinally of the whiflietree, said hook being provided with an intermediate lip cut longitudinally from said hook and bent around the pintle of the wall, forming a hinge connection for the hook, said hook extending beyond the hinge connection and having its terminal coiled to produce a rounded end, and a spring projecting from and extending over the base, and bearing against the coiled terminals of the extension of the hook to maintain said hook both in and out of coaction with the whiflietree, said base and spring being spaced apart to permit a rein being passed therethrough and guided thereby.

2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a casing comprising an outstanding end wall, and a cover having a detachable interlocking engagement with the end Wall, of a movable trace retaining device, and controlling means for the retaining device mounted in the casing.

3. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a casing comprising an outstanding wall having hooks, and a cover having hooks that interlock with the hooks of the outstanding Wall, of a movable trace retaining device, and controlling means for the retaining device mounted in the casing.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a whiffietree, of a base secured to the whiffletree, and having an outstanding Wall provided with ears having hooks, a cover secured to the casing and having hooks that interlock with the hooks of the ears, a trace retaining hook pivoted on the outstanding wall and having a tail piece located within the casing, and a spring projecting from the base and arranged to bear against the tail piece to maintain the hook in operative and inoperative relation with respect to the whiffletree.

5. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a whiffletree, of an outstanding wall carried thereby and having a pintle, a trace retaining hook having an intermediate lip cut from one end and coiled about the pintle to form a pivotal connection for the hook upon the wall, the portions of the hook on opposite sides of the lip extending beyond the same and having their free terminals coiled, and a spring having its free end doubled to provide an enlargement that bears against the coils of the hook to maintain said hook both in and out of operative relation with the whiflietree.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. WOOD.

WVitnesses:

ANsELM T. HoLooMB, Jr, EDWARD V. LEICHNER.

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