New or Improved Means of Equalizing the Efforts or Work of Teams of Two or More Horses Abreast.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th July, 1891-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1891
New or Improved Means of Equalizing the Efforts or Work of Teams
of Two or More Horses Abreast.
I ANDRÉ FRANÇOIS HENRARD of 165 Boulevard Anspach, Brussels in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has for its object to ease the work and so lengthen the working
life of horses driven in teams of two or more abreast.
To this end I provide an equilibrium balance by which, first, the efforts of horses
of different power and spirit are equalized and thus the constant destructive action
of a strong horse upon a weaker one is obviated. Second, the effect of the jerk or
blow of the collar upon the animal both while pulling the load and when starting it
is greatly lessened.
:
To this end I provide a horizontal vibratory balance bar working freely in a flat
shoe fixed to the pole or beam or front of the vehicle the central part of the bar
which works in the shoe is curved and carries a pin or projection which passes
through a hole or slot in the front wall of the shoe; for this pin I may however
substitute a vertical pin or pins working in a slot or slots in the top of the shoe.
The function of the said pin or projection is to limit the vibration of the balance
bar, to prevent its slipping laterally, and to maintain it at its middle point when
the horses pull equally; or, the bar may be straight and the inner side of the front
wall of the shoe suitably curved, or reverse curves may be used on both. The
traces are fixed to either end of bars swivelling centrally on either end of the said
balance bar.
When one horse pulls more strongly than the other the balance bar immediately
and automatically inclines, and the bearing or contact point is displaced, the lever
arm on the side of the stronger horse is shortened and at the same time that of the
weaker horse is lengthened.
Hence it results that the effort the weaker has to make to resist the other.is
inversely proportional to the displacement of the balance bar. For each variation.
of efforts a state of equilibrium is established, gradually and without the least shock ;
if the variation is sudden (as is usually the case at starting) the lever arm of the
horse which pulls first or is the strongest immediately shortens whilst that of the
other horse lengthens. The latter thus gains the advantage of the greater leverage
and will then have to make only a relatively feeble effort to gain equilibrium.
Neither will the risk occur of his being pulled back, or as frequently happens
of being thrown down in trying to resist an effort superior to that which he can
produce.
'
For a team of three horses abreast the attachment of the middle horse is made
from the pin or projection aforesaid.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New, or Improved Means of Equalizing the Efforts or Work of Teams
of Two or More Horses. A breast.
I ANDRÉ FRANÇOIS HENRARD of 165 Boulevard Anspach, Brussels in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, 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 has for its object to ease the work and so lengthen the working
life of horses driven in teams of two or more abreast.
To this end I provide an equilibrium balance by which, first, the efforts of horses
of different power and spirit are equalized and thus the constant destructive action
of a strong horse upon a weaker one is obviated; second, the effect of the jerk or
blow of the collar upon the animal both while pulling the load and when starting it
is greatly lessened.
I will now describe my invention in reference to the accompanying drawings in
which
Figure 1 is a part plan in normal position, the broken lines showing a change
therefrom.
Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section.
According to my invention I provide a horizontal vibratory balance bar K
working freely in a flat shoe A fixed by bolts and nuts B and plate F or in suitable
manner to the pole or beam or front of the vehicle. The central part of the bar K
which works in the shoc A is curved as illustrated and has formed upon or in one
with it a pin or projection R which passes through a hole or slot in the front wall of
the shoe A; for this pin I may however substitute a vertical pin or pins working
in a slot or slots in the top of the shoe.
The function of the said pin or projection R is to limit the vibration of the
balance bar K, to prevent its slipping laterally, and to maintain it at its middle
point when the horses pull equally; or, the balance bar K may be straight and the
inner side of the front wall of the shoe A suitably curved, or reverse curves may
be used on both. The traces are fixed to either end of bars M swivelling centrally
on either end of the said balance bar K.
This arrangement works well but I find that the action is improved by the use of
a spring such as J carried by a lever H adapted to oscillate about a pivot G_fixed
on the supporting shoe A. This spring has sliding bearings jj on the bar K, and
its action always keeps the bar K in all its positions constantly forward against its
supporting surface thus preventing it from sliding back when the horses are not
pulling, and obviating undue play of the pin R in the slot through which it passes.
When this spring is applied the shoe A is made of the form illustrated at a¹ and a
second support is formed on the lever H to give additional strength and prevent
bending action of the bolt B.
In use when one horse pulls more strongly than the other the balance bar
immediately and automatically inclines, the curved part or parts moving upon the
supporting surface and the bearing or contact point of the bar K in the shoe A is
displaced thus the lever arm which is on the side of the stronger horse is shortened
and at the same time that of the weaker horse is lengthened.
:
Hence it results that the effort the weaker horse has to make to resist the other
is inversely proportional to the displacement of the balance bar K. For each
variation of efforts a state of equilibrium is established, gradually and without the
least shock; if the variation is sudden as is usually the case at starting the lever
arm of the horse which pulls first or is the strongest immediately shortens whilst
that of the other horse lengthens, the latter thus gains the advantage of the greater
leverage and will then have to make only a relatively feeble effort to gain
equilibrium. Neither will the risk occur of his being pulled back, or (as frequently

page_text: happens) of being thrown down in trying to resist an effort superior to that which
he can produce.
For a team of three horses abreast the attachment of the middle horse is made
from the pin or projection R aforesaid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. Means such as are hereinbefore described for equalizing the efforts or work of
teams of two or more horses abreast consisting in the use of a balance bar adapted
to automatically increase the leverage on the side of that horse which pulls the less
and at the same time to diminish that on the side of the other or stronger horse.
2. The arrangement and adaptation of a vibratory balance bar such as K with
central projection R mounted and working freely in a support or shoe A fixed to
the pole or vehicle and having slot for the passage of the said projection to which
beam the horses are suitably attached, the whole operating substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
3. The apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose
hereinabove described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21th dow of T.1. 1901
J. C. CHAPMAN, C.P.A.,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.