IMPROVE- MENTS IN HORSE COLLARS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Peters, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Saddlers' Ironmonger, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HORSE COLLARS."
Sealed the 13th March 1874, and dated the 16th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Peters at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th September 1873.
I, CHARLES PETERS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Saddlers' Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE COLLARS," to be as follows, that is to
say:
This Invention consists of improvements by which a horse collar may
be opened and put on over the neck of the animal instead of forcing it
over his head and then turning it round, the collar being closed when
on by a screwed bolt, lock, catch, or clasp of any suitable description,
the form of fastening which I prefer being constructed in the following
manner :-The collar is open at the top, and each side of the opening is

page_text: fitted with a metal plate. These plates correspond the one with the
other by having one half of each of their meeting edges turned round
into a tube, which tube is tapped in. one or both of its parts to receive a
screwed cotter pin. This pin is so formed that it cannot entirely be
withdrawn from the tube, but only sufficiently so to release the parts of
the tube and thus allow the opening of the collar at the top, the natural
spring of the collar being sufficient to allow of its opening wide enough
to receive the neck of the animal. By the use of this appliance open
collars are as firm as solid ones, and are free from the least liability to
shake or wriggle in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Peters in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
PETERS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Saddlers' Iron-
monger, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Peters, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Peters, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Peters, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 HORSE COLLARS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Charles Peters, my executors or administrators, by an instru- 3
ment 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

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Peters, 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, that is to say :—
This Invention consists of improvements by which à horse collar may
be opened and put on over the neck of the animal instead of forcing it
over its head and then turning it round, the collar being closed when
on by a screwed bolt, lock, catch, or clasp of any suitable description,
the form of fastening which I prefer being constructed in the following
manner: The collar is open at the top, and each side of the opening is
fitted with a metal plate. These plates correspond the one with the
other by having one half of each of their meeting edges turned round
into a tube, which tube is tapped in one or both of its parts to receive
a screwed cotter pin. This pin is so formed that it cannot entirely be
withdrawn from the tube, but only sufficiently so to release the parts of
the tube and thus allow the opening of the collar at the top, the natural
spring of the collar being sufficient to allow of its opening wide enough
to receive the neck of the animal. By the use of this appliance open
collars are as firm as solid ones, and are free from the least liability to

page_text: of the tube at (9), and the bolt (f) having passed into the tube the
meeting edges regain their position and the fastening is secure.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew in closed and open views respectively another
method of securing the two plates (h) and (h¹). (i) (¹) are slotted
chambers formed upon the top ends of the plates (h) and (h¹), so that
when brought together for fastening they will fit up to each other, as
seen in Fig. 3, so as to receive a cotter pin (k), which being passed
through the slotted chambers will secure the whole together.
Fig. 5 shews in an unclosed view another description of spring catch
fastener. (1) (F.) are a pair of catches working on centres, shewn by
dotted lines, and kept open by means of a suitable spring (m). The
other side plate (n) is cut through as at (o) to receive the spring
catches (1) (7), which become compressed in their passage through
the slot (o), but will regain their open position by the action of the
spring (m) when clear of the slot (o), thus securing the parts.
I also construct the two parts for fastening, as illustrated in Fig. 6, to
fit accurately upon each other at their upper ends, and secured by means
of a set pin (p) passing through the two portions.
Fig. 7 shews in an open view another mode of securing the parts by
means of a counterpart arrangement of the attachment parts of the two
plates. (r, r¹,) are two square lugs having screws (7³,) (28,) secured
thereupon, (s, s¹,) being boxes or caps fitting over the plates (r, r¹,) and
having pegs (82) (8³,) which fit into the two small holders t and t¹, (s²)
fitting into the holder (1) and (88) into the holder (t), the whole being
secured by screw nuts (v,) (v¹,) adjusted upon the screws (22) (208).
Fig. 8 shews an arrangement of the parts for lengthening the collar
when required by means of adjusting pins (w,) (w¹), on the one portion
passing through suitable slots (y) cut in a hinged flap on the other
portion, and to secure the parts the adjusting pins having flat heads are
passed through the slots (y), and then turned to cross the slots, thereby
effecting the fastening of the parts.
Figures 9 and 10 represent in a closed and open view the form of
fastening which I prefer to use. (A,) (A*,) are the metal plates secured
one on each side of the top ends of the collar. These plates have a
portion of their meeting edges formed into a tube, the one tube (B)
being tapped to receive a screwed pin (C), which passes through the
tube: (D) of the plate (A¹), but cannot be entirely withdrawn therefrom.

page_text: Fig. 11 represents in a closed view a modification of the arrangement
last described, the part (E) having a tube at either end, and the part (F)
having a central tube (G), the pin (H) partially wormed passing through
the tubular portions, and thus securing the two parts (E) and (F).
Fig. 12 also shews a screwed fastening as described, but in addition
thereto I form lugs (I, I',) on the metal plates (K,) (K',) and tapped to
receive adjusting screws (L.) (L'), which carry at their upper ends the
tubes (M,) (M³,) and screw pin (N). By this arrangement the collar
can at any time be lengthened or shortened before securing the fastening
by turning the tubes (M,) (M²) for raising or lowering the adjusting
screws (L,) (L¹).
Fig. 13 shews another slide arrangement for lengthening the collar
when required by means of a sliding plate (O) working in a grooved
slide (P), having holes (R) for the adjustment of the sliding plate (O)
by means of set pins (S).
Having thus described the object and nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, I claim,
without limiting myself to these precise details, the several improve-
ments in fastenings for horse collars having open ends, substantially in
manner as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Peters, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.