IMPROVEMENTS IN HARNESS FOR HORSES, MULES, OR OTHER ANIMALS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Merritt Singer, of New York, in the
United States of America, but now residing at Oldway House,
Paignton, in the County of Devon, England, Gentleman, for the.
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARNESS FOR HORSES, MULES, OR OTHER
ANIMALS."
Sealed the 1st December 1874, and dated the 10th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Merritt Singer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th June 1874.
I, ISAAC MERRITT SINGER, of New York, in the United States of
America, but now residing at Oldway House, Paignton, in the County
of Devon, England, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARNESS FOR HORSES, MULES, OR
OTHER ANIMALS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to prevent animals from kicking, and
it consists principally in having connected with the trace or tug by

page_text: which the animal or animals pull the vehicle a piece or strap of spring
steel or other suitable metal, which is made from one inch to two inches
wide, or of any other desirable width, and some four feet six inches,
more or less, in length, according to the length of the animal and the
condition of the harness used. This metallic strap can be connected
with the trace by keepers, made either of metal or of leather, which
keepers may be connected to the trace or metallic strap; or may be
made and used separately as desired; or may be fastened with screws or
turning studs, or any other suitable mechanical device. Or the metallic
strap may be embraced or held between the two pieces of leather that
form the tug or trace, and may be stitched in by the same seams that
hold the trace together, the metallic strap being in this case narrower
than the trace; but the metallic strap must not be long enough to
interfere with the fastening of the trace to the carriage or the buckle
that connects it at or near the horse's girth.
In case of single harness this metallic strap must be connected with
both traces, so that the strap that passes over the horse's hips and
through the back band or crupper strap will embrace or hold the trace
and metallic strap on both sides. This hip strap must pass directly
over the point of the horse's hip bones, or nearly so, a little back if
anything.
"
When there are two horses I prefer having the metallic connection on
the outside of each horse, only having one end of the hip strap or trace
bearer buckled around each outside trace and metallic strap, the other
ends being buckled around the pole itself, the pole being rigid.
The hip strap referred to must always pass through a loop in the back
band or crupper strap in a line with the hip bones across the horse.
These metallic kicking straps if made to work upon the exterior of the
traces may be outside or inside of the trace. I prefer letting the metal
strap come next to the animal, as in that way it does not look so much
as if you had a kicking horse.
Another way in which the metallic trace or connexion could be made
would be to have a tube made flat or of any other convenient shape
that would embrace or hold the trace; the only objection to this might
be that it would not be so supple as a single thickness, but it would
undoubtedly be of great utility in extreme cases.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letter's Patent,
filed by the said Isaac Merritt Singer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAAC
MERRITT SINGER, of New York, in the United States of America, but
now residing at Oldway House, Paignton, in the County of Devon,
England, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Isaac Merritt Singer, Her
special licence that I, the said Isaac Merritt Singer, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Isaac Merritt
Singer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ircland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HARNESS FOR HORSES, MULES, OR OTHER ANIMALS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Isaac Merritt Singer,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Isaac Merritt Singer, 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 statement in writing, and on reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to prevent horses and other animals.
from kicking. The Invention consists principally in combining with
the usual leather traces or tugs by which the animal (or animals) pulls

page_text: 5
or draws the vehicle one or more piece or pieces or straps of spring steel
or other suitable metal, the said steel or metal pieces or straps being
made from (say) one to two or more inches wide, and about four feet
six inches or more or less in length, according to the length of the
animal and the condition or description of the harness used. The
Invention also comprises the use of the said metallic pieces or traces in
lieu of the usual leather traces. These metallic straps may be connected
with the usual traces by metallic or leather keepers, which may be
permanently attached to the straps or not as desired; or the connection
may be made by means of screws or turning studs, or any equivalent
mechanical fastening device. Or again the metallic straps may each
be embraced or held between the two [pieces of leather forming its tug
or trace, and may be stitched in by the same seams which serve to
secure the leathers of the trace together, the metallic strap being in
this case narrower than the leathers of the trace. In any case the
metallic straps must not be so long as to interfere with the fastening of
the trace to the vehicle, or the buckle which connects it at or near the
horse's girth.
In the case of single harness the metallic strap is connected with both
traces, so that the hip strap or trace bearer will embrace or hold the
trace and metallic strap on both sides of the horse. This hip strap must.
pass directly over the points of the horse's hip bones, or nearly so, a
little back if anything.
'
In the case of two horses harnessed abreast I prefer to have the
metallic connection on the outside of each horse only, and to have one
end of the hip strap or trace bearer buckled around each outside trace
and metallic strap, and to have the other ends buckled around the pole,
which is of course rigid.
The hip strap must always pass through a loop in the back band
or crupper strap in a line with the hip bones across the horse. The
metallic kicking straps may also be arranged alongside the leather
of the trace, and either next the animal, in which case there is
no unusual appearance in the harness which might betray the presence
of a kicking horse, or the leather of the trace may be placed next the
animal.
Or again the connection of the metallic strap may be made by means

page_text: hold the trace, though this would not be so supple as a single thickness,
but yet it would undoubtedly be of great utility in extreme cases.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 represents a longi-
tudinal view of the improved trace I apply and use, showing the same
as composed of several straps or pieces of steel or other suitable metal 1
held inside the leathers of the usual trace 2; Figure 2 represents the
improved steel strap or tug 1 made with leather ends 2 rivetted to it.
This plan admits of using the buckle and nib in the usual way.
Figure 3 represents my improved metal trace or tug 1 made as
intended to be used without the usual leather trace, and to be coupled
at the saddle girth with a stud 8, something like a shirt stud, or by any
similar means, such as a screw washer having its neck passed through
both the hame tug 9 and the steel tug 1, the other end is passed through
a slot made through the tug nib 10 in the splinter bar, having a stop 11
on its end to draw by. The slot in the tug nib 10 is made large enough
pass easily through it, and to have about one
quarter of an inch of edgeway play. 3 is a washer of some soft sub-
stance to prevent noise.
to let the steel trace 1
Figure 4 represents in full size cross section the mode of combining
one steel trace 1 with and inside the usual leather trace 2; Figure 5
represents the same, but shews the metallic trace as made of several
thicknesses; Figure 6 also represents two (or more) thicknesses of steel
combined with the usual leather trace or tug; and Figure 7 also
represents one thickness of steel combined with the usual leather trace
or tug; and Figure 8 represents (for double harness) my improved.
method of buckling the inner ends of the hip straps or trace bearers 6
tightly around the pole 5, whether the other or outside ends be around
the ordinary leather trace combined with my improved metallic trace,
or around the said leather traco as used alone, or around my metallic
trace as used alone. This Figure represents a transverse section of the
traces 1, 2, the horse 4, and the pole 5, and shows the location of the
trace bearers 6 as they lie over the horse, passing round the pole, then
up to and through the back band or crupper 7, then again down and
around the outer trace.
When using my improved metallic trace alone, that is, in lieu of the
.

page_text: the middle of the horse where the ordinary trace is buckled and to the
splinter bar by a strap with the usual running loop.
Figure 9 represents the pole 5 having affixed to it a metallic or leather
keeper 12 made of sufficient length to allow the hip straps 6 of both
horses to pass.freely through it side by side.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of my said Invention together with the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I
would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention,-
E
The combining with the usual leather traces or tugs of one or more 1
straps or pieces of steel or other suitable metal, as well as the appli-
cation and use of the said steel straps or pieces in lieu of the ordinary
leather traces or tugs, substantially as in the manner and for the
purposes above specified, and as illustrated on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings.
1
I also claim for double harness the manner of buckling the inner ends
of the hip straps or trace bearers sufficiently tight around the pole to
prevent the animal from kicking, but not to intrèfere with its action,
whether the other or outside ends are around the ordinary leather trace
combined with my improved metallic trace, or around the ordinary 2
leather trace only, or around my improved metallic trace only, sub-
stantially as above specified, and as illustrated on the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Merritt Singer, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the 2
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.