Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1888
__ Specification Accepted, 27th July, 1888
I WILLIAM CHRISTIE, of Station Street, Walsall in the County of. Stafford, Saddle
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention consists of the following arrangement of parts forming and con-
stituting a girth stretcher which is suitable for use in stretching, drying and cleaning
girths of various lengths, and which will facilitate the orderly arrangement of the
girths ready for immediate use.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
manner in which my invention is constructed and used.
Figure 1 represents a front view of my improved stretcher.
Figure 2 represents a side elevation of figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a sectional plan of figure 1 on the line a b.
Figure 4 represents a detailed view of the stretcher hook.
Figure 5 represents a plan of the stretcher frame foot showing one end turned
inwards.
In carrying out my invention I provide any suitable shaped side tubes a a¹; I next
form a suitable foot, this foot may be made in one piece out of any metal or material
it also may be made with a central part 6 and two moving ends c and d. I secure
the tubes a a', to the central part of the foot by means of the screws e and for by
any other suitable equivalent mechanical means: I wish it to be distinctly understood
that views shown at figures 1, 2, and 5 represent one shape or configuration of foot
only, but I do not confine myself to this particular shape as the size and shape can
be varied to suit the requirements of purchasers, but in each case the base or foot
would be connected to the tubes a and a' in the manner hereinbefore described. In
forming the particular and specific shaped foot represented at figures 1, 2, and 5, the
ends c d are fixed to the central piece 6 by means of the stretcher hooks g and h;
these stretcher hooks are provided with a square shank, beyond the square shank
projects a round part, the square shank is passed through a square hole provided in
the central plate b, a round hole is formed in each of the moving ends c and d, the
central hole provided in the moving end c is passed on to the round shank of the
stretcher hook 9, this round shank projects through the moving end at j and is then
provided with a nut, or in any other suitable manner secured, so that the end c will
radiate on the circular part of the stretcher hook g: the end c can then be moved
into the position shown at c¹ figure 5, the moving end d is fixed to the stretcher
hook in a precisely similar manner to the end c.
b

page_text: The object of this arrangement of the foot is for the purpose of collapsing the foot
to about the same width as the upper part of my improved stretcher frame so that
the complete arrangement can be packed economically.
I next provide a connecting bark this connecting bar pierced at each end with
a central hole corresponding with the external diameter of the tubes a, a¹, the con-
necting bar is passed over the tubes a and a', thereby forming (in conjunction with
the foot and tubes a and a¹) a rigid frame.
I next provide a sliding frame, this sliding frame is formed by preference out of
rod iron, the sliding frame consists of the side rods and 1', the central connecting
bar m, and the top connecting bar n; I next provide two pauls o and p, the side
rods and are each formed with a toothed rack as illustrated.
I next provide a stretching frame, this stretching frame consists of the top bar 9,
the side adjusting bars and s, the bottom sliding bar t and the adjusting bars u, v, w
and x.
Through the top bar n of the sliding frame I pass an adjusting screw and
secure it there in the manner indicated at "figures 1 and 2, or by any suitable
mechanical means; in the top portion of the adjusting screw I provide a hole y,
through the hole y I pass a ring or other convenient handle or wheel.
On the bottom portion or shank of the adjusting pin a², is provided a continuous
screw thread, through the top bar of the stretching frame I pierce a hole and tap it to
fit the threaded shank of the adjusting screw: in order to provide a lengthened
bearing to receive the threads of the said adjusting screw, I provide a projecting
step or thickness bracket b¹ and secure it to the top bar q by any suitable mechanical
means. Having introduced the side rods and of the sliding frame into the
hollow tubes a, a¹, the side rods would take a hearing on the points of the pauls o
and P which engage into the rack-teeth in the manner represented at figure 1, and
thereby suspend or hold up the sliding frame, I next rotate the adjusting screw
through the top bar 9 and step-bracket 6 and thereby move the stretching frame on
the side rods 7 and 7 towards the foot plate b. At the extreme end of adjusting
screw I secure a flange or projection 2, this projection will prevent inexperienced
persons from withdrawing or unshipping the adjusting screw.
Through the adjusting side bars and s and adjusting front and back bars u, v, w
and x, I pierce a series of holes d', d², d³, &ct. I next provide a number of stretcher
hooks, a front and side elevation of such hooks being shown at figure 4; 1 place one
hook e¹ through the side adjusting bar r, also a second hooke through the opposite
side adjusting bar s, also a third hook e through the back adjusting bar, a fourth
hook e through the back adjusting bar w, a fifth hook e through the front adjusting
bar u, a sixth hook e through the front adjusting bar . On the central part b of
the foot I provide two pairs of stretcher hooks, e, e³, e³, el⁰..
The apparatus so put together is ready for use, and by its use a pair of girths three
or four feet or of any intermediate length can be stretched ready for cleaning and
will when stretched be in a suitable position and order for next use, a pair of ordinary
girths or Fitzwilliam girths can be put on with equal advantage. I take the girths
to be stretched and proceed to connect them in the manner most convenient: for
instance, I take one girth and pass the buckle of one end over the bottom stretcher
hook h, I then take the loose stretcher hook e similar to figure 4 and pass the buckle
over the hook and then lift the hook up with the girth attached to it and place the.
circular projection at the back of the hook through one of the holes in the stretcher
frame side bars provided to receive it, I next take a second girth and connect it to
the bottom hook g and the top hook e¹ as hereinbefore described in reference to the
first girth, I next take a third girth and connect that to the bottom front stretcher
hook e and the top stretcher hook e, I next take a fourth girth and connect it to the
bottom front stretcher hook e and the top front stretcher hook es, I next take a fifth
girth and connect it to the bottom back stretcher hook e and to the top back
stretcher hooke, I next take a sixth girth and connect it to the bottom stretcher
back hook e and to the top back stretcher hook e*. In passing the stretcher hooks
into the holes provided in the side bars to receive them, no great amount of strain
would be exerted on the girth, the girth would simply be stretched straight and the

page_text: hook passed into the hole that could be comfortably reached by the pulling power of
the finger and thumb, consequently the whole of the girths would be loosely con-
nected between the bottom and top stretcher hooks, I next proceed to rotate the
adjusting screw and thereby raise the stretching frame with its two side sliding bars,
its two front pierced bars, and its two back pierced bars, together with the six
stretcher hooks passed into the six pierced bars, thereby stretching the whole of the
girths to the desired tension. The girths when so stretched will be in a convenient
position for washing, and after they have been thoroughly saturated with the liquid
and thereby expanded any desired amount of additional tension can be obtained by
simply rotating the adjusting screw: girths so stretched would present an appearanco
closely resembling newness, all creases would be drawn out, the edges would also be
vertical, true and parallel; by the utilization of the side bars 1, working inside the
tubes a, a¹ in conjunction with the racks and pauls, the complete stretcher can be set
to suit a great variety of lengths, moreover for purposes of packing, the pauls can be
lifted, the sides 1, ¹ lowered into their respective tube sockets, the moving feet
radiated on their axial pins or centres into the position shown at c¹ figure 5 thereby
compressing the apparatus into a small compass for the convenience of packing.
Two long girths are represented on the drawing at the back of the frame and two
short ones in front, but I do not confine myself to any particular system of arranging
the various lengths of girths constituting a set, the arrangement as shown at figures 1
and 2 is one convenient way of placing the girths for next use, but the groom or
other person using the stretcher can of course also use his own judgment in arranging
the stretcher hooks with girths of various lengths.
The novelty of my invention consists in the combination of the parts hereinbefore
set forth forming and constituting an adjustable girth stretcher.
The utility of my invention is demonstrated by the arrangement of the stretcher
girths in the manner indicated, such girths when connected to my improved stretcher
being in a very convenient position for cleansing, drying and stretching.
The adiquate description hereinbefore given completes the three essential elemental
considerations necessary in obtaining a valid patent, therefore :-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1st. The invention as illustrated and described for the purpose described.
2nd. The combination of a sliding frame sliding into tubular bearings, in con-
junction with a stretching frame, such stretching frame being actuated by an
adjusting screw in such a manner that the girths connected to the stretcher hooks
provided on the foot and to the stretcher hooks provided on the sliding frame, will be
stretched and expanded.
3rd. In a girth stretcher a stretching frame actuated by an adjusting screw, such
stretching frame being provided with a series of circular, square, or other shaped
holes for the purpose of receiving the shank ends of hooks on which to place the
girths to be stretched.
4th. In a girth stretcher the formation of the sides of a sliding frame into the
configuration of a rack or racks acting in conjunction with a paul or pauls for
he purpose of supporting the top of such sliding frame at varying distances from.
he foot of the stretcher.
Dated this 14th day of June 1888
ALFRED WILLIAM TURNER,
Cobden Buildings,
Corporation Street, Birmingham,
Agent for the Applicant.