Improvements in Bridles and Reins for Riding and Driving.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Bridles and Reins for Riding and Driving.
I, PERCY HUTCHISON, of 38A, Pevensey Road, Eastbourne, in the County of
Sussex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
ง
This invention relates to bridles and reins for riding and driving and has for
object to ensure a gentle light delicate and elastic pull on the horse's mouth,
even at the hand of a bad or inexperienced rider or driver, coupled with the means
of firmly restraining the animal in case of need should the mouth be hard or the
behaviour of the animal need severe control.
The invention as applied to the reins consists in the interposition at a suitable
point in the length of the rein (preferably at the point of attachment to the bit)
of an elastic segment of rein, preferably of rubber webbing, in conjunction with
a supplementary length of inextensible rein, so that the elastic segment by its
elastic extension under a pull will transmit a light and delicate pressure to the
horse's mouth and prevent the jagging of the mouth by the bit, even when roughly
pulled. The supplementary length of inelastic rein is adapted, by sliding or
other connection between the parts between which the elastic segment is inter-
posed, to permit free play of the latter for the transmission of a pull which is at
first exquisitely light but gradually increases in strength up to a certain limit
of elasticity. When that limit is exceeded, the inextensible supplementary
portion comes into action as the means of transmitting a pull of any strength
that may be necessary to maintain effective control over the animal. It is pre-
ferred that this inextensible supplementary portion should be directly connected
to the ring of the bit in conjunction with the elastic segment at the one end and
attached at the other end to a slide working freely on the ordinary rein, the latter
being provided with a cross bar or other form of stop adapted to make an
unyielding engagement with the slide when the extensible. segment is stretched
to the full extent, the inextensible portion being adapted to act as a covering or
sheath to conceal and protect the extensible portion and being kept straight and
prevented from sagging or flapping about loosely, by a stiffening of whalebone,
steel, or other suitable material. Instead of rubber webbing, suitably sheathed
spiral springs might be used and the supplementary inextensible portion might
be formed of wires.
The invention as applied to the headstall consists in interposing a similar
elastic segment in each of the cheekstraps in combination with a non-elastic
covering piece or segment, in permanent connection at one end with the upper
ring of the curb bit and in limited sliding connection with the cheekstrap at the

page_text: other end, the object being to prevent undue pressure on the top of the head when
the curb bit is used.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Bridles and Reins for Riding and Driving.
I, PERCY HUTCHISON, of 38A, Pevensey. Road, Eastbourne, in the County of
Sussex, Gentleman, 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 bridles and reins for riding and driving and has for
object to ensure a gentle light delicate and elastic pull on the horse's mouth
(even at the hand of a bad or inexperienced rider or driver) coupled with the means
of firmly restraining the animal in case of need should the mouth be hard or the
behaviour of the animal need severe control.
The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings form-
ing part of this specification wherein Figure 1 shews the invention as applied to
a curb bit and Figures 2 and 3 are a longitudinal section and face view (partly
broken away) of the portion of the rein to which the invention applies.
The invention, as applied to the reins, consists in the interposition at a suitable
point in the length of each rein A (preferably as near as possible to the point of
attachment to the bit) of a spring B preferably of india-rubber or rubber webbing,
each spring being connected at one end to the rein A and at the other to the end
piece A¹ of the rein which is adapted to be stitched or buckled to the bit in the
ordinary way. The springs B by their elastic extension under a pull will thus
transinit a light and delicate pressure to the horse's mouth and prevent the jogging
of the mouth by the bit, even when roughly pulled. Each spring B is contained
within a tubular leather sheath C forming a continuation of the part A of the rein
and adapted to permit free play of the spring within it for the transmission of a
pull which is at first exquisitely light but gradually increases in strength up
to a certain limit of elasticity. When that limit is reached, the inextensible
sheath C comes into action as the means of transmitting a pull of any strength
that may be necessary to maintain effective control over the animal. With this
object the sheath C is closed at the end c except the slot c¹ through which the
end part A of the rein slides and this closed end of the sheath is strengthened by
a slotted liner d of steel with which engages a steel cross bar e or other form of
stop fixed at a suitable point to the rein end A¹ so as to limit the stretching of the
spring and make an unyielding engagement with the sheath when the spring is
stretched to the full extent, the sheath covering, concealing, and protecting the
spring and being prevented from sagging or flapping about loosely. In addition
to the stop e the rein end A¹ might be slotted longitudinally as at f to give
passage to a cross rivet g fixed through the liner d.
The stop e might be extended as shewn in dotted lines in Figure 3, so as to
pass out at the edges of the sheath, which would in that case be left unstitched so
far as is required for the play of the stop, and it might form the middle member
of a slide in the form of a flattened ring h, as shewn in Figure 4, adapted to slide
exteriorly upon the sheath and to come against external stops i, as indicated in
dotted lines in Figure 2.

page_text: Instead of rubber, or rubber webbing, spiral springs of flattened cross section
might be used.
The invention although illustrated in connection with a curb bit, is applicable,
so far as the reins are concerned, to a snaffle bit.
The invention, as applied to the headstall, in the case of a curb bit, consists of
a similar spring similarly interposed in the length of each of the cheekstraps
and enclosed in a non-elastic sheath C' attached to the cheek strap J, the spring
being connected with the upper ring of the curb bit and its elastic extension
being limited by a cross pin or other stop, the object being to prevent undue
pressure on the top of the head when the curb bit is used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination with riding or driving reins, of springs interposed one in
the length of each rein so as to permit of its elastic extension, the spring being
enclosed in a tubular sheath and provided with a stop whereby to limit the exten-
sion of the spring and transmit an unyielding pull when that limit is reached,
substantially as specified.
2. In a curb bridle, the combination with the head stall, of springs interposed
in the length of each cheek strap so as to permit of its elastic extension, the
spring being enclosed in a tubular sheath and provided with a stop to limit the
extension of the spring, substantially as specified.
Doted this 18th day of August 1898
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.