US543624A - Hitching-post - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 30, 1895y IINrTED STATES PATErrrv OFFICE.

CHARLES A. HANSON, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

HlTeHlNc-Pos'r.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 543,624, dated July 30, 1895.

Application filed September 28, 1894. Serial No. 524,327. (No model.`

To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. HANsoN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hitching-Posts; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention has for-its object to provide a bitching post that will possess strength and durability, enabled to be securely and firmly held in the ground, easy of operation When desired to hitch the horse thereto, and in many respects superior to the posts ordinarily in use.

The invention consists in a bitching-post constructed substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a perspective view of a bitching-post constructed in accordance with my invention, the lower end of the post being shown as broken away; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of the post on an enlarged scale.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a hollow metal post of any suitable diameter and length that may be found best adapted to the purpose, the lower end of which is split, as shown, to form laterally-projecting barbs B. These barbs hold the post in an upright position in the ground when it is inserted therein and the dirt packed around it.

The upper end of the post A has connected I to it a suitable head O, which head may be to improve its appearance.

made to represent the head of some animalsuch asa dogor horse-and, if desired, painted The head is cast hollow and has a tubular neck a, which fits in the upper end of the post and is held stationary therein by means of a set-screw b or by any other suitable fastening device that may be found best adapted to the purpose. The head C has an openingthrough which the bitching-chain D passes, said chain having upon its outer end a snap-hook d or other like'device for bitching it to the horse.

A spiral spring E is located in the hollow post A and has its ends suitably connected to flanged plates e f, respectively. The upper one of these plates forms a stop for the spring when it is contracted by abutting against the lower end 0f the tubular neck a, which forms a shoulder. therefor. The lower one of the plates, as shown at f, forms a guide to the spring E when it is contracted or expanded, and the stop g connected to the chain prevents the chain from passing entirely into the head C and'enables the chain to hold the spiral spring up into the hollow post A, as shown in Fig. 2. The stop also serves to close the opening in the head C when the chain is not in use, thereby providing against the danger of malicious persons throwing pebbles, dirt, or other objects into the post which would prevent the free Working of the spring.

The lower end of the chain D is suitably connected to the hanged guide-plate f and passes up through an opening in the plate e, but is not connected thereto. These plates @fare flanged, so as to better retain them in a horizontal position against any side or un- 'equal pressure of the spring thereon, and the flange upon the lower plate providing a better guide therefor. These lianges upon the plates will not allow them to tip or assume an incline, but are held in a true'horizontal position, thereby compelling the coils to be equally compressed when the spring is contracted.

The inner sides of the head C, near `its opening, are formed with vertical grooves c to receive the ends of a roller G and admit of its rotation and at the same time move up and down, a suitable plate F being connected around the opening to retain the roller in position and form a bearing for the stop g. The essential feature of this roller is to have a compound movement-that is to say, a rotary movement or a movement upon its axis and a movement up and down to adapt itself to the varying equalities of the links of the bitching-chain D, and therefore the roller may be connected to the head in any suitable manner that will admit of this compound movement. As the chain is drawn out for use the eyes of the links thereof will strike in succession the roller h and cause the roller to rotate and also be raised out of the way, and when the eye of the link passes the roller IOO said roller will fall back into position until the eye of the next link comes in contact therewith, when it will be forced up out of the way, thereby providing an antifrictionroller for the chain that will adapt itself to the irregularities thereof.

1When the chain is in the position shown, the plate g closes the opening through which it passes and prevents stones and other such material from being forced into the post by malicious and mischievous persons. When the chain is drawn out and the plate pulled from the opening, it becomes necessary to have seine device which will automatically take the place oi' the plate, and hence the vertically-moving roller is used in addition to the plate. This roller while allowing the chain to be freely drawn back and forth closes the opening by settling down upon the chain, and thus prevents sticks, stones, and dirt from being forced into the post so as to interfere with the working of the chain.

The head C is cast with a circumferential shoulder i to rest upon the end ot the post A and thereby take any strain oll the set-screw or other like fastening.

Any suitable metal may be used iu the con- .havinga horizontal opening through its upper end, and the chain which passes through the opening, combined with a vertically moving roller or device for closing the opening above the chain, substantiallyv as described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

. CHARLES A. IIANSON. Witnesses:

AUGUST H ANsoN, FRANK NUFER.

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