Improvements in and connected with Bits for Horses.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
'Improvements in and connected with Bits for Horses.
I, ESLI KING CROCKER, of Morton's Theatre, Greenwich, in the County of
Kent, Horse Educator, 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 relates to improvements in and connected with bits for horses,
and is designed with the object of providing means whereby a restive, nervous
or vicious horse may be easily controlled and at once effectually subjugated by
the rider or driver, without causing the animal pain or damaging its mouth, or
jaws in any way.
In order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying
sheet of illustrative drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the bit
and its accessories, Fig. 2 a similar view of the invention shewn in actual use,
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the invention Fig. 4 being a side view
of a modified form thereof, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bridle attachment I employ
in conjunction with the improved form of bit, and Fig. 6 is a section on line c
of Fig. 3.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts throughout the several figures, a indicates the bit proper which
is of linked form as shewn, the joint, which may be of any suitable form, being
in the centre of the bit as shewn by ². 6 indicates the usual snaffle rings to
which the reins c are buckled.
Metal snaffle pieces d are provided, each of such snaffle pieces having a rect-
angular slot in one of its respective ends, while the other end is provided with
a substantially circular eye, which is situated nearer one side of the snaffle
piece than the other.
One of the surfaces of each snaffle piece d is of flat form, while the other, is
given a rounded conformation, and is bevelled off to the edge of the greater side,
as shewn by The shank of the snaffle piece may be given a slightly twisted
form, as in Fig. 3, and is given a curve so as to be somewhat concaved upon
its flat side so that said snaffle piece will be against the side of the horse's
face in such a manner as to conform to a great extent to the shape of same and
also to prevent any of the edges of the snaffle-piece coming in contact with the
animal's face and causing pain.
The said snaffle-pieces
are threaded on the jointed bit a which passes through
the eyes of the former, such snaffle-pieces being allowed a free sliding movement
on such bit, for the purpose hereinafter referred to.
e represents a leather nose band, one of the edges e of which is semi-circular
or concave in form, while the other edge e² is convexed. Upon the ends of this
nose band e straps f are sewn, the lower bars of buckles g being secured beneath
such straps so as to allow the tongues gl of such buckles to project through
lengthwise slits in the said straps, the free ends of the latter being perforated
at f¹.

page_text: The free ends of the straps f are passed through the rectangular openings d¹
in the snaffle-pieces d and then brought over back upon themselves and secured
by the buckles g to the noseband e, the extremities of such straps then being
passed through loops e" on the nose band in order to maintain them in place.
The nose band é is secured to the bridle by the forked strap h in the usual
manner.
In operation, the jointed parts of the bit rise, when the reins are pulled upon,
causing such bit to press against the roof of the horse's mouth, whilst at the
same time the snaffle pieces d travel inwardly along the bit, and in conjunction
with the aforesaid nose-band, exert considerable pressure upon the horse's mouth
and nose, acting on the nerves in such a manner as to arrest, control and quiet
him without inflicting any unnecessary pain or any injury and without acting
upon the lower jaw at all.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
1. The improvements in and connected with bits for horses, consisting in two
snaffle-pieces having eyes in their lower enlarged ends, through which eyes the
ends of the jointed bit pass, said snaffle-pieces having a free travel, backward
and forward on the bit; and rectangular openings formed in the upper ends of
said snaffle-pieces through which openings pass short straps connected to the
ends of a nose-band, the free ends of said straps being brought through the
openings in the snaffle-pieces and buckled to the nose-band, substantially as
described and illustrated.
2. In bits and attachments for horses, the snaffle-pieces having openings in
each end, the openings in the lower end being nearer one side than the other,
and the shanks of each curved somewhat to cause one side to have a slight
concavity, the lower end of each said snaffle-pieces being flat upon one side and
rounded upon the other side, said rounded side being bevellel off around one edge
and bluff upon the other; in combination with a curved nose-band concave in
shape on its lower edge and convex on its upper edge, said nose-band having
extended diminished and perforated ends which are adapted to be passed through
the upper openings in the snaffle-pieces and buckled back upon the nose-band
by means of buckles secured to said nose-band, all arranged, combined, con-
structed, and operated substantially as described and as illustrated by the
drawings.
D
1
00
T
1000
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
For the Applicant.