Improvements in Means for Stopping Runaway Horses.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Stopping Runaway Horses.
I, THOMAS SMITH HENSHAW, of Manchester House, 164 Aldersgate Street,
in the City of London, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me from abroad
by Louis Avit, of Bergerac (Rue Neuve) in the Department of d'Ordogne, France,
Retired Merchant, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby a driver or rider can
compress the larynx of his horse thereby closing its windpipe and compelling it to
stop instantaneously.
According to this invention a strap across the horse's throat, from side to side, is
tightened up by the extra strain which is almost involuntarily put upon the rein
when the horse bolts or becomes otherwise unmanageable: or, when an additional
rein is admissible as with a saddle horse, the throat strap may be operated by such
additional rein,
The invention will be well understood with the aid of the accompanying drawings,
wherein Figure 1 shews it as applied to the bridle of a carriage horse, Figure 2
shews the same when fitted on the horse's head, and Figure 3 shews the invention
as fitted to a saddle horse. Similar letters of reference are used to indicate the
same or corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2-The ends of the throat strap A are securely
looped on to rings A' on which are also securely looped the ends of straps B, the
upper ends of said straps being securely attached to the check-straps at or near the
brow-band. The rings A' are provided with smaller rings or eyes A2 to which are
attached the swivels D secured to the cords C passing over pulleys E and through
guide rings secured to the cheek-straps. The other ends of the cords C are
secured to swivels I attached to the eyes J on the rings J. To these rings Jare
attached the reins K and strong india-rubber or other clastic straps G. The other
ends of these elastic straps G are secured to rings J to which also are secured the
bit-straps H.
When the rein K is pulled in the ordinary way for the purpose of guiding or
checking the horse, the power exerted is insufficient to overcome the resistance of
the elastic strap Cr, the pull therefore acts, through the medium of the bit-straps H,
on the bit. When however the horse bolts, the extra strong pull which is almost
involuntarily exerted will overcome the resistance of the elastic strap G and will
cause the same to extend. The ring J will thus be pulled nearer to the band of
the rider or driver, thereby tightening the cord C and causing the throat-strap A
to bear tightly against the horse's throat compressing the larynx.
In Figure 3 the ends of the cords C are attached by means of rings G' to the
additional rein H'.
In the foregoing description it has been assumed that a similar arrangement of
mechanism is applied to each side of the bridle, but it will be understood that such
an arrangement of mechanisin may be fitted on one side only, the other end of the
throat-strap being in the latter case secured to some fixed part of the horse's head
gear. To ensure certainty of action however it is in all cases preferable to use the
duplicated arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
from abroad, I declare that what I claim is :-
1 or stonning o carriage or other driven horse. a throat-strap such as A

page_text: passing from side to side of the horse's throat and supported by a strap or straps B
secured to the bridle, the cord or cords C passing over pulleys E and through a
guide or guides F also secured to the bridle, the ends of the said cord or cords C
being secured to the rings A and J, the elastic strap G secured to the ring J and
to the bit-strap H, the said ring J being also attached to the rein K, the whole
arranged and operating substantially in the manner described and illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings and for the purposes stated.
(2) The arrangement of mechanism for stopping a saddle horse herein described
and shewn in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings wherein the cord or cords C
is operated by a separate rein H¹ the pull on which causes the throat-strap A. to
tightly compress the larynx of the horse substantially as and for the purpose
herein before set forth.
(3) The means herein described for stopping a horse by compressing its larynx
substantially as and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 15th day of May 1891.
CASTLE ŚMITH,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.