US374710A - Isaac a - Google Patents

Description

I. A. SHERMAN;

dHAIN ook.

No. 874,710. Patented Dec. 13,1887.

WITNESSES WW IX/Ema BY 7 ATTOHNZ%SJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC A. SHERMAN, OF ONONDAGA, NEW YORK.

CHAIN-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,710, dated December 13, 1887.

Application filed September 2'2, 1867. Serial No. 250,384. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC A. SHERMAN, of Onondaga, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Chain-Locks or Wagon- Brakes, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa full, clear, and exact description.

Myinvention relates to improvements in chain-locks for use upon vehicles and analogous devices as a brake, or in connection with a brake-shoe for the purpose of locking the wheel in descending inclines, and the object is to provide a simple and efficient device to accomplish the desired result, said device being so constructedas to be easily attached and detached without slacking the chain-lock in order to effect its release from its locked position; and to this end the invention consists, essentially, in a chain-lock wherein an elongated link provided with a keeper-ring is secured to a stopper-plate, the brake-chain being connected to the stopper-plate in line with the main chain, and the end of the brakechain provided with a link or ring which passes over one portion of the stopper-plate, and a locking-lever pivoted to the stopperplate for locking the brake-chain thereto, as hereinafter described.

It consists, also,in the detail construction of the parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, ahd pointed out in the claims.

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

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved chain-lock, illustrating the general construction and arrangement of the parts, the holding-lever being shown secured to the elongated link of the main chain by the keeperring. Fig.2 is a like view with the holdinglever released from the keeper-ring, showing the manner of disconnecting the brake-chain from the stopper block or plate. Fig. 3 is a detached detail of the holding-lever, illustrating the manner of connecting the same to the stopper-plate.

Heretofore in chain wagon-brakes and chainlooks it has been customary to employ hooks provided with links connected to the main chain of the device,and keeper-rings for locking the hooks to the links; but all of such devices were inefficientin use, for the reason that when strain was applied thereto the tendency ofthe strain was to tighten the hold of the keeper-ring and thus prevent the detaching of the look when the vehicle reached the bottom of the descent, and in'order to detach the chain lock or brake it was frequently necessary to back the vehicle in order to relieve the lock from the strain and thus slack the parts to release the keeper-ring. It will thus be observed that while a chain lock or brake is Very desirable for use to block the wheel of a vehicle or the runner of a sleigh in teaming, such device, unless it can be easily released, is very difficnlt to operate and is very severe upon the team, since itfrequentl y necessitates the hauling of the load some distance before the strain can be relieved to detach the lock. My invention is designed to overcome these difficulties, and I accomplish the desired result and provide an efficient device for the purpose by the device "which I will ,now describe.

A denotes the main chain of my chain-lock, which is provided with an elongated link, a, having a contracted portion, a, and a ring, 7), depending from the lower end thereof. Into the ring I), I connect the oamshaped stopper block or plate 13, which is constructed of any suitable material having sufficient strength for the desired purpose. Opposite to the connection b, I provide the link d, which serves as a connection for the brake-chain D. The object in thus connecting the two parts of the chain opposite to each other is to bring the strain of the two parts in line with each other, and the cam-shaped stopper block or plate B serves to break the connection between the two portions of the device, and at the same time the camsurfaces 1 and 2 serve another purpose which will be presently explained.

The chain D terminates in an enlarged link or ring, 6, which is sufficiently large to slip over the cam-shaped sides 1 and 2 of the stopper block or plate B freely, and the holdinglever c is pivoted between the two cam-shaped edges 1 and 2 of the block B, and serves to lock the ring or link 6 to the block when the holding-lever is placed in the position shown in Fig.1, and the keeper ring I). is slipped over the bill or point of the holding-lever c.

It will be observed that the ring or link 0 is thus detachably connected to the cam-shaped stopper block or plate B, and that the same may be readily detached therefrom by simply releasing the keeper-ring b from the holding lever c, which is accomplished by slipping the keeper-ring over the point of the lever.

In the devices heretofore constructed, which 1 have already described, there was no intermediate connection between the link a and the brake-chain D; hence when the strain was applied to the hook or holding-lever it was impossible to release the keeper from the holding-lever until the strain was taken off in some manner. My invention overcomes this defect entirely, for the reason, as will be observed, that the cam-stopper block or plate B is so connectedto the two parts of the chain A and D as to bring the strain in a direct line, and consequently the intermediate plate, B, takes the strain while the cam sides or edges 1 and 2 converge to a point opposite the pivotal connection of the holdinglever c, and cause the ring or link 0 to ride downward and exert its draft on the pivotal point of the lever c, which acts as a fulcrum on the plate or block B, and therefore SllfliClBIll] leverage is attained on the point of the holding-lever c to force the end toward the elongated link a with great ease, and the keeper-ring is readily detached therefrom without difficulty.

When the keeper-ring b is moved up on the elongated ring a, the holding-lever c is released and falls back, as shown in Fig. 2, and the link or ring 0 slides off of the cam-edges l and 2 of the block B freely, thus releasing the chain-lock from its locked position.

In practice my invention is preferably secured to abrake-slioe'; but it will be apparent that the device may be applied in the wellknown manner directly to the wheel itself, and the wheel blocked thereby. The device may also be used on sleighs for the purposes of a brake, or it may be applied in any position where a chain-lock is desired and the strain is sufficient to render a device which may be readily attached and as readily detached desirable.

I do not restrict myself to the specific construction of the device as illustrated in th s example of myinvention, which, however, is my preferred form, since the cam block or plate may be of any suitable shape, and the links a b d 6 also differ in form.

The salient characteristic of the invention resides in interposing the block or plate betweentlie two parts of the chain and providing a slipstopper lock for locking one part to the other, so that the same may be easily detached without easing up the strain on the main part of the device.

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

1. In a chain-lock, the combination, with a block or plate of substantially triangular form, and the main and locking chains secured to opposite corners of said plate, of a large link or ring on the end of the last-named chain,and a locking-lever pivoted upon the lower side of the plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination ofthe chain A,provided with the elongated link a, contracted at a, the keeper-ring b, stopper block or plate B, and chain D, having link or ring 0, and the holding-lever a, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. L

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 19th day of September, 1887.

ISAAC A. SHERMAN.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK H. GIBBS, O. W. H. BROWN.

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