IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHIPS.
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bashley Britten, of Red Hill, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WHIPS.'
Sealed the 7th September 1869, and dated the 10th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bashley Britten at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th March 1869.
I, BASHLEY BRITTEN, of Red Hill, in the County of Surrey, Gefle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHIPS," to be as follows:-
Instead of employing wood or other materials now generally used for
the sticks or pliant stems of whips used in riding or driving, I make
use of steel, iron, or other metal. The metal I use in the form of light
tubes or of other shape which will give strength, pliancy, and lightness.
The thong is attached as usual. To prevent the steel or iron from
rusting I give it a coating of Japan lacquer or other varnish, or by
means of the electro process or other means I give it a coating of
gold, silver, tin, or other metal less liable to oxidization. Over the

page_text: handle and more or less of the stem I place a casing or covering of
leather or other suitable material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Bashley Britten in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BASHLEY
BRITTEN, of Red Hill, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Bashley Britten, Her
special licence that I, the said Bashley Britten; my exccutors, adminis
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Bashley Britten, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thercafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WHIPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Bashley Britten, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Bashley Britten, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Instead of employing wood or other material now generally used for
the sticks or pliant stems of whips used for riding or driving I make
use of steel, iron, or other metal. The metal I use in the form of light
tubes or of other shape which will give strength, pliancy, and lightness.

page_text: The thong is attached as usual and may be of the ordinary kind. To
prevent the metal from rusting I give it a coating of Japan lacquer or
other varnish or paint, or by means of the electro or other process I
give it a coating of gold, silver, tin, or other metal not readily oxidized.
Over the handle and more or less of the stem I place a casing or
covering of leather or other suitable material. The tubes I generally
employ are made of good steel of about Number 30 of the Birmingham
wire guage in thickness. They are drawn and brazed or hard soldered
longitudinally like ordinary metal tubes. The steel tubes are hardened
and tempered in the usual way and brought to about the condition of
blue spring steel. This may be done without heating the tubes suffi-
ciently to injure the brazing. When iron tubes are used I give them a
slight casehardening by the usual process, and then lower or temper
them. The stems are formed of one or more tubes, taper or otherwise.
They may be made of several tubes of suitable dimensions joined
together by the ends being soldered into each other. The sizes of the
tubes diminishing towards the end where the thong is attached so as
to afford the requisite fall or increase of pliability. I sometimes
strengthen the smaller tubes by inserting whalebone, cane, or other
material in the interior.
I do not limit myself to the precise details I have described as they
may be varied in some respects and adapted for different kinds and
qualities of whips; what I claim as of my Invention is, the construction
of whips with the pliable stems (usually called the sticks) made of light
tubes of thin steel, iron, or other metal, suitably mounted, painted,
plated, or decorated, such stems being stronger and more durable than
those now made of other materials.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bashley Britten, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
A. E. BRITTEN,
North Vale Lodge,
Red Hill.
BASHLEY BRITTEN. (L.S.)