An Improved Medicine Bit for Employment in Drenching Horses, Cows, or other Animals.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Medicine Bit for Employment in Drenching Horses,
Cows, or other Animals.
I, Alfred DewsbuRY, trading as John Dewsbury and Son, of 22 Littleton Street,
Walsall in the County of Stafford, bridle bit 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 has for its object to construct a medicine bit for employment in
drenching horses, cows, or other animals, in such a manner that the hollow mouth-
piece through which the drench is administered may be readily opened at its outer
end so as to give a clear passage right through and be removed for cleansing.
A medicine bit constructed according to this invention is illustrated by the drawings
herewith, of which figure 1 is a back elevation, figure 2 a side elevation looking in the
direction of the arrow a figure 1, figure 3 a sectional plan, to an enlarged scale, taken
on line of figure 1, but with the funnel hereinafter described removed, figure 4 a
vertical section taken on line y y of figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow a,
and figure 5 a side elevation, to a reduced scale, of the bit in use when administering
a drench to a horse.
A hollow mouthpiece b circular in section, and having an opening & formed through
the back thereof at the middle, is carried as an easy fit in eyes cc formed at the lower
ends of the frame d so as to be capable of being slid in and out of such eyes as desired,
and is prevented from turuing when in place therein by means of a feather or key e
(shewn by broken lines) on the mouthpiece which fits within a recess or key-way
formed in the upper side of the corresponding eye c. The mouthpiece is held in
position endways by the turned-up part f at one end into which a loose funnel g is
fitted for pouring in the drench, and by a cap or plug at the other end which
is screwed into a female ferule fixed in the end of the mouthpiece. The cap has a
collar which bears up against the outside of the eye of the frame and the end of the
mouthpiece; and it is preferred that in screwing up the cap it shall bear first against
the frame so that as it is further screwed up to bear against the end of the mouth-
piece the sides of the frame are sprung slightly inwards. A clear opening is left.
through the end of the mouthpiece (that is through the ferrule therein) when the
cap is removed.

page_text: When it is desired to cleanse the mouthpiece the cap is first unscrewed, and the
mouthpiece is then drawn out end ways from the eyes of the frame. It may then be
readily cleansed by pouring water clear through it, and also if desired by passing a
brush or similar instrument up through the end from which the cap has been
removed.
It will be obvious that the cap may be screwed on outside the mouthpiece instead
of inside, if desired, but so as to leave the end of the mouthpiece open when the
cap is removed.
The bit is fastened in the mouth of the horse or other animal, in a manner usual
with medicine bits, by means of a head strap 7 connected with chapes j through eyes
on the inner ends of which the mouthpiece passes when in position in the frame, and
these eyes are an easy fit around the mouthpiece so that the latter may be casily
turned therein; and a cord k, connected with the top of the frame, is employed to
pass over a pulley in the usual manner and thus enable the head of the animal to
which the bit is applied to be drawn up as shewn by figure 5, for the purpose of
administering the drench.
For the purpose of securing the loose funnel in position it is convenient to form an
indentation or recess on one side at the top and to place it in position with such
indentation taking partially around the side of the frame and to push it down until
the side of such indentation binds against the frame.
In figure 2 the strap 1, and in figures 3 and 4 the chapes or one of them, are shewn
as broken off in length for convenience of illustration.
The chapes and strap are shewn in each instance as standing out sideways from the
frame as when in actual use. When not in use they would, of course, hang down
perpendicularly.
Having now particulary 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
clain is
-
1. A medicine bit for employment in drenching horses, cows or other animals, in
which the hollow mouthpiece may be readily opened right through and removed for
cleansing, substantially as described.
2. In a medicine bit for employment in drenching horses, cows or other animals, a
cap or plug removably fixed to the outer end of the hollow mouthpiece and by the
reinoval of which the mouthpiece becomes opened right through thus facilitating
cleansing, substantially as described.
3. A medicine bit for employmont in drenching horses, cows or other animals, iu
which the hollow mouth-piece is fixed in position in the frame by the aid of a remov-
able cap or plug which when removed leaves the outer end of the mouthpiece open,
substantially as described with reference to the drawings herewith, for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 19th day of December 1888
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Walsall and Wolverhampton,
Agent for the Applicant.