I tried the online search at:

http://www.uspto.gov/

US Government Patent and Trademark Office, an agency of the Department
of Commerce

However, "online" appears to be available only back to 1976 with graphics
and full text description.  If the object has a patent number, "online"
appears to go further back.

It does look like something supported (possibly by a leather strap) with the
option to have three smaller "ropes" suspended from it that were adjustable
in length (form follows functions) - the  entire thing was for lifting using
the slot (for a strap)?

We have a local "morning coffee" meeting of folks, now retired, who worked
the railroad over the past 40 to 60 years (mostly US east coast) - and none
recognized it, but I suspected it would have been "before" their time. I did
not mention 1900, just passed the printout (in color) around.

What are the other characters around each circular point - is that the
patent claim, but not the patent number?

Warm regards,

Wayne Neighbors, Ph.D.
President, Vee Ring Ltd
[log in to unmask]

----- Original Message -----
From: David Babson <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, June 14, 1999 6:40 PM
Subject: Re: What Is It?


> The size makes it look like it's related to clothing--some sort of strap
> attachment, as for suspenders, or a garter?  The three flanges coming off
> the flat metal loop have me stumped.
>
>
> At 03:24 PM 6/14/99 -0700, you wrote:
> >List Members:
> >
> >Attached is a photograph of an object that was recovered from a railroad
> >construction camp (ca. 1904).  A patent date of DEC 4 1900 can be seen on
> >the object.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  Thanks......ww
> >
> >Attachment Converted: "h:\mail\attach\thing001.jpg"
> >