A NEW OR IMPROVED LEVER BIT FOR HORSES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Griffiths, of Wickham Market, in the County
of Suffolk, Gentleman, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED LEVER
BIT FOR HORSES."
Sealed the 16th January 1855, and dated the 2nd August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Griffiths at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
August 1854.
I, JAMES GRIFFITHS, of Wickham Market, in the County of Suffolk, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
LEVER BIT POR HORSES" to be as follows:-
My said Invention consists of a bit, on the cheeks of which are levers. The
upper ends of these levers are connected by means of a solid metal curb, in
place of the ordinary chain curb. The said levers ordinarily hang, so that the
solid curb does not press against the under jaw of the horse; but when
the rein attached to the lower ends of the said levers is tightened, the said
solid curb bears against the under jaw, and, gives great command over the
horse. The essence of my Invention consists in a solid curb, urged by levers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Griffiths in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GRIFFITHS, of Wickham Market, in the County of Suffolk, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Griffiths, Her special licence that I, the said James Griffiths,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Griffiths, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.
ngree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
LEVER BIT FOR HORSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Griffiths, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Griffiths, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof (that is to say):-
My said Invention consists of a bit for horses, on the cheeks of which bit
are levers. The upper ends of these levers are connected by means of a curb,
bar, or chain, which I prefer to make of solid metal. The said levers ordinarily
hang, so that the solid curb does not press too much against the under, jaw of
the horse. A rein is attached to the lower end of the said levers, and when
the said rein is tightened, the said solid curb or chain connecting the upper
ends of the lever bears against the under jaw of the horse, and gives the rider
or driver great command over the said horse.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 represent various methods of carrying my said
Invention into effect. In the said Figures the cheeks of the bit are marked a,
and the levers are marked b; the solid metal curb is marked c. The levers b, b,

page_text: turn upon pivots on the cheeks a, at the points marked d. Figure 5 repre-
sents a modification of my Invention. In the said modification, Figure 5, e is
the ordinary cheek, and f the lever; the said lever turns upon the said check
at g. h, i, k, are three hooks or stops, on either of which a shifting chain curb
may be fixed, the end links of which have a form different from that of the
intermediate links, as shown in the representation of the said curb chain,
Figure 6; by the use of the said curb, a greater or less power or command
may be given over the horse. Although I have shown in the accompanying
Drawing the various forms which in practice I have found it most convenient
to give to my improved bit, yet I do not limit myself thereto, as the levers
may be made of various forms and sizes, and the curb may be made either
fixed or moveable, and either of a solid bar, or of a chain with or without
hooks.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise methods herein described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my said Invention; but what I claim as
my Invention is, the construction of a bit for horses, in which levers are made
to turn on the cheeks of the ordinary bit, the upper parts of the said levers
being attached to the pivot ends of the part or mouth-piece of the bit, and the
upper ends connected together by means of a solid or chain curb, so that when
the lower ends of the said cheeks are acted upon by the rein, the said curb is
pressed forcibly against the under side of the lower jaw of the horse, as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Griffiths, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
DAVID HILL.
J. GRIFFITHS. (L.S.)