New β-delayed proton precursor ~(142)Ho was produced via heavy ion induced reaction~(106)Cd(~(40)Ca,p3n),and identified for the first time by using a He-jet fast tape transport system incombination with“p-γ”coincidence measurements.The β-delayed proton decay of ~(142)Ho was ob-served and its half life was determined to be(0.44±0.1)s.By fitting the experimental relativebranching ratios to final states in the proton daughter nucleus ~(141)Tb and the energy spectrum ofβ-delayed protons with a statistical model calculation,the ground-state spin of ~(142)Ho was assignedas 5,6 or 7.Nuclear energy-potential-surface(EPS)calculations were performed using theWoods-Saxon Strutinsky method.The calculated results favored the assignments of 7~- to ~(142)Ho.ASthe by-products,some γ-transitions in the proton daughter nuclei following the β-delayed protondecays of precursors ~(139)Gd,~(140)Tb,~(142)Tb,and ~(143)Dy were reported here for the first time. New β-delayed proton precursor ~ (142) Ho was produced via heavy ion induced reaction ~ (106) Cd (~ (40) Ca, p3n) and identified for the first time by using a He-jet fast tape transport system incombination with “p-γ” coincidence measurements.The β-delayed proton decay of ~ (142) Ho was ob-served and its half life was determined to be (0.44 ± 0.1) s.By fitting the experimental relative branching ratios to final states in the proton daughter nucleus ~ (141) Tb and the energy spectrum of β-delayed protons with a statistical model calculation, the ground-state spin of ~ (142) Ho was assigned as 5,6 or 7. Nuclear energy-potential-surface (EPS) calculations were performed using the Woods-Saxon Strutinsky method. The calculated results favored the assignments of 7 ~ -to ~ (142) Ho. AS the by-products, some γ-transitions in the proton daughter nuclei following the β-delayed protondecays of precursors ~ (139) Gd, ~ (140) Tb, ~ (142) Tb, and ~ (143) Dy were reported for the first time.