Patent Publication Number: US-6705064-B1

Title: Horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to horse bits and, more particularly, to a horse bit assembly having shank clips that enable the bit mouthpiece to be easily removed and replaced. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A horse bit is used to communicate with and control a horse by applying pressure to either the horse&#39;s tongue or the corners of the horse&#39;s mouth. Typically, the bit is held in the horse&#39;s mouth by a bridle. The bit has a set of rings to which a set of reins is secured. By skillfully pulling the reins, a rider of the horse can apply pressure to the horse&#39;s mouth or tongue in a manner that communicates a command, such as a command to stop or turn. 
     To accommodate the unique preferences of individual horses, numerous bits of different sizes and shapes are known and are commercially available. Typically, a horse trainer or rider must try several bits before discovering one that a particular horse finds comfortable and to which the horse responds appropriately. 
     One type of horse bit includes a mouthpiece (sometimes referred to as a port), two cheekpieces or shanks, a set of rings for attachment to the bridle, a set of rings for attachment to the reins, and a curb chain. Each end of the mouthpiece is attached to a cheek shank. Each cheek shank has an upper and lower ring and is positioned along one of the horse&#39;s cheeks such that the mouthpiece passes through the horse&#39;s mouth. Each end of the curb chain is attached to an upper ring with the chain being secured across the underside of the horse&#39;s jaw. Although this type of horse bit is appropriate for many horses, it can be time consuming and expensive to find one with a mouthpiece of a shape and size suitable for a particular horse. Unfortunately, if the horse does not like the mouthpiece then either the mouthpiece must be replaced or the rest of the components will go unused. However, replacing the mouthpiece requires both time and energy to either break it from the shanks and weld in a new mouthpiece, or to remove and replace screws from a cumbersome mouthpiece fastening mechanism. 
     Conventional bit assemblies usually have a mouthpiece which is fixed to the cheekpieces, i.e., the bit assembly is not designed for interchangeable mouthpieces. Consequently, with this type of bit assembly, the mouthpiece can only be replaced by breaking it from the cheek shanks and then welding in a new mouthpiece. Representative examples of this type of bit are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 52,125 to Baker, U.S. Pat. No. 485,638 to Maddox, U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,493 to Welton, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 252,163 to Johnson, and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2003/0009996. 
     However, to avoid the time-consuming task of changing a mouthpiece on one of these bits, trainers and riders will often incur the expense of maintaining an inventory of these bits with each bit having a different size or shape of mouthpiece. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,476 to Parry describes a horse bit with an interchangeable mouthpiece. Each end of the mouthpiece forms a T-shape, with each arm of the “T” adapted to fit into a U-shaped clip that is bolted onto the cheek shank. Although the Parry bit does allow for interchangeable mouthpieces, it has some significant drawbacks. First, the majority of mouthpieces used in other types of bit assemblies, where the mouthpieces can be replaced, typically have a loop or ring at each end. As a result, mouthpieces with T-shaped ends are not as common as those with ring-shaped ends and, therefore, the selection of sizes and shapes of mouthpieces with T-shaped ends is more limited. Second, replacing the mouthpiece requires disassembling four small nut and bolt assemblies and four U-shaped clips which can be time consuming and difficult. Third, and perhaps most significant, if one of the nuts or bolts should come loose and slip into the horse&#39;s mouth, it could cause serious discomfort or harm to the horse. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,818, issued Aug. 3, 1993 to F. C. Newman, shows a training aid having a chain with a plurality of weights disposed thereon, the chain being clipped at opposite ends to the rings of a snaffle bit. U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,735, issued Oct. 25, 1994, discloses bits which are adjustable in width by providing a rod with threaded ends which engage sockets defined in the ends of a split bit shank. 
     Consequently, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed, and therefore a horse bit assembly is with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces includes two cheekpiece shanks, an interchangeable mouthpiece and a curb chain. Each shank has a spring clip that allows one end of the mouthpiece to be easily removed and replaced without welding or having to manipulate several small nut and bolt assemblies. The clips have one end axially affixed to the shank and a free end having a hook which resiliently clips onto the shank. The mouthpiece is replaced by unclipping the fee end of the shank and sliding the eye at the end of the mouthpiece onto the shank, and re-attaching the hook to the shank. The curb chain helps to maintain the bit in an optimal position. 
     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a bit assembly that allows for quick and easy interchange of the mouthpiece by providing cheekpiece shanks with a clip which resiliently engages the shank. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces that is adapted to receive interchangeable mouthpieces which have an eye at the ends for sliding onto the cheekpiece shank. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces which is capable of receiving a wide variety of mouthpieces of different types and sizes. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a bit assembly with shank clips allowing for the removal and replacement of its mouthpiece without having to manipulate nut and bolt assemblies. 
     Further, it is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
    
    
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces according to the present invention shown on a bridled horse. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of a horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of a shank for a horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmented side view of a shank for a horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of a shank for a horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces according to the present invention shown with a fragmented mouthpiece and depicting the assembly of the mouthpiece to the shank. 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a shank for a horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the alternative embodiment of a shank of FIG. 6 for a horse bit assembly with shank clips for interchangeable mouthpieces according to the present invention. 
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is a horse bit assembly  10  that uses clips to facilitate the quick and easy replacement of its mouthpiece. Referring, to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the device  10  as worn on a horse, FIG. 2 illustrates the device  10  with its components properly assembled, FIGS. 3-5 illustrate a first embodiment of one of the shanks incorporated into the device, and FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second embodiment of one of the shanks incorporated into the device  10 . 
     The device  10  includes two cheekpiece shanks  11  and  12 , a mouthpiece  13  and a curb chain  14 , as shown in FIG.  2 . Each shank  11  and  12 , as shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, is a cylindrical rod that varies in thickness along it length. The lower end of rod is formed into a lower ring  15  and the upper end of the rod is formed into an upper ring  16  and clip  17 . The lower and upper rings  15  and  16  are in the same plane. As shown in FIG. 3, the main body  18  of the shank  11  or  12  extends from its lower ring  15  to the upper ring  16  and the clip  17  extends from the upper ring  16  substantially parallel to the main body  18 , with a distance of about ⅛ inch between the clip  17  and the main body  18 . The end of the clip  17  has an end hook  19 , as seen in FIG. 5, that wraps partially around the main body  18 , where it is retained by spring tension. Above the end hook  19 , the clip  17  has a U-shaped indentation  20  that bears against the main body  18  when the end hook  19  is positioned around the main body  18 . 
     The clip  17  may be made in one piece with the shank  11  and  12  by casting, forging, or other metal fabrication process, or may be welded to the end of the upper rings  15  and  16 , or the clip  17  may be formed in one piece with the upper rings  15  and  16 , which are then welded to the main body  18 . The clip  17  is resilient, so that when the hook  19  is disengaged from the main body  18 , the clip  17  extends away from the main body  18 , as shown in FIG. 5, but is capable of being compressed by pushing the clip  17  towards the main body  18  and engaging the hook  19  with the main body  18 , where it is retained by spring tension, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     The mouthpiece  13  has a mouthpiece ring or eye  21  at each of its two ends. Each end of the mouthpiece  13  is secured to a shank  11  or  12  by sliding the mouthpiece eye  21  onto the end hook  19  of the clip  17 , up the clip  17  to the upper ring  16 , around the upper ring  16  and down the main body  18 , as shown in FIG.  5 . When the end hook  19  is secured around the main body  18  such that the eye  21  is positioned between the end hook  19  and the point where the clip indentation  20  meets the main body  18 , the mouthpiece eye  21  is secured in place and prevented from sliding up the main body  18  of the shank  11  or  12 , as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     It will be understood from the foregoing that the configuration of the mouthpiece  13  shown in the drawings is not critical, and that the horse bit assembly  10  of the present invention is capable of receiving a mouthpiece of any desired configuration (snaffle, curb, etc.), provided that the mouthpiece has an eye at opposing ends so that the mouthpiece eyes can slide over the hooks  19 . The foregoing construction of the shanks  11  and  12  with spring clips  17  permits interchangeable mouthpieces to be quickly and easily substituted for one another in the horse bit assembly  10 . It will also be understood that the configuration of the main body of each shank is not critical. While each shank is shown in the drawings having a main body that is substantially straight, the configuration of the main body can vary and, more specifically, can include one or more curves. 
     The curb chain  14  has two ends, each of which is attached to an upper ring  16  on a shank  11  or  12 . The curb chain  14  has a length longer than that of the mouthpiece  13  such that, when the two shanks  11  and  12  are positioned parallel to each other with the mouthpiece  13  perpendicular to the shanks  11  and  12 , the curb chain  14  is slack. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device  10  is secured to the mouth of a horse by inserting the mouthpiece  13  into the horse&#39;s mouth with a shanks  11  and  12  disposed against each of the horse&#39;s cheeks. A bridal B is secured to the upper ring  16  of each shank  11  and  12 , one end of the reins R being secured to each lower ring  15 . Each end of the curb chain  14  is attached to an upper ring  16  with the curb chain  14  running under the horse&#39;s jaw. Thus, when the reins R are pulled the mouthpiece  13  applies pressure to the corners of the horse&#39;s mouth. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the bit assembly  10 , the shank  30 , shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, is substituted for shanks  11  and  12 . Shank  30  is substantially identical to shanks  11  and  12 , being a cylindrical rod having a ring  33  at the upper end and a second ring  36  at the lower end, and a spring clip  32  extending from the upper ring  33  downward and parallel to the main body  35  of the shank  30  and terminating in a hook  34  which resiliently engages the main body  35 . The shank  30  differs from shanks  11  and  12  in that a nub  31  is substituted for the U-shaped indentation  20  in order to retain the mouthpiece  13  in proper position on the shank  30 . The clip  32  is substantially straight from the upper ring  33  to its end hook  34  and the nub  31  protrudes from the clip  32  toward the main body  35  of the shank  30 . 
     All components of the device  10  all constructed of metal. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.