IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING THE STRAPS OF HARNESS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Denis Sampson, Captain in Her Majesty's
96th Regiment, at present stationed at Brentwood, in Essex,
England, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING THE
STRAPS OF HARNESS."
Sealed the 26th January 1875, and dated the 30th November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Denis Sampson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th November 1874.
I, GEORGE DENIS SAMPSON, Captain in Her Majesty's 96th Regiment,
at present stationed at Brentwood, in Essex, England, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING THE
STRAPS OF HARNESS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved contrivance to be styled
"Lennan's safety tugs," for connecting the traces, back bands, and the
straps of harness, instead of by the ordinary buckles hitherto used for
that purpose, and consists of a sliding loop made of metal, leather,

page_text: wood, or any other suitable material, and which is passed on to one
strap, whilst on the other strap is rivetted a projecting pin made of iron
or other metal which fits into holes made in the first or "loop" strap,
similar to the holes made in the strap in the case of the buckles above
referred to, or if preferred, this arrangement can be reversed by placing
the loop on the other strap, and the pin also. The said loop being then
drawn over the two straps braces them both firmly together and renders
them perfectly safe to bear any strain, no matter how severe.
The top
or side of the said loop is formed on its edge with a spring or catch
made of brass or other metal, and having a hole through it, which
springs over or catches on a small pin or stud projecting from the other
strap, so as to prevent the shifting of the said loop when passed over the
straps; a second loop of leather may also be used on the hame tug to
confine point of trace.
The advantage this Invention has over the old buckle is that the
straps, traces, and back bands are left perfectly straight, which enables
them to wear much longer, not being bent as in the ordinary buckle,
and that they can be immediately disengaged in case of a horse falling,
which is accomplished by merely sliding back the metal, leather, or
wooden loop, when the straps, traces, or back bands at once come
asunder. It is also more durable, neater in appearance, and cheaper in
manufacture.
•
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Denis Sampson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DENIS SAMPSON, Captain in Her Majesty's 96th Regimont, at present
stationed at Brentwood, in Essex, England, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the 38th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Denis Sampson,
Her special license that I, tho said George Denis Sampson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said

page_text: George Denis Sampson, my executors, administrators, or 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, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING THE STRAPS OF
HARNESS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Denis Sampson, my exccutors or administrators, 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 George Denis Sampson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
"
My said Invention relates to an improved contrivance which it is
proposed to designate "Lennan's safety tugs," to be employed for con-
necting the traces, back bands, and the staps of harness in substitution
for the ordinary buckles hitherto used for that purpose, and consists of a
sliding loop (composed of metal, leather, wood, or other suitable.
material) which is passed on to one strap, whilst to the other strap thero
is rivetted or otherwise attached a projecting pin (composed of iron or
other metal), which fits into holes formed in the first-mentioned or
'loop” strap, similar to the holes made in the strap when buckles are
employed; or if preferred, the converse of this method may be adopted
by placing the loop on the other strap, and the pin on the strap which
in the first-mentioned arrangement formed the loop strap. In either
case, the loop being drawn over the two straps braces them both firmly
together and renders them perfectly safe to bear the severest strain to
which they may be subjected. The top or side of the loop is provided
on its edge with a spring or catch composed of brass or other suitable
metal, and having formed therein a hole which fits on to a small pin or
stud projecting from the other strap when the spring or catch is sprung
over such pin, so as to maintain the loop in position after it has been

page_text: passed over the straps. A second loop, composed by preference of
leather, may also be employed on the hame tug for the purpose of
confining the point of the trace, as also on any other tug if found
desirable.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I
shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings is a perspective view showing one mode of
applying my Invention for connecting two traces or straps; Figure 2 is
a longitudinal section taken through the straps and loop; and Figure 3
is a plan corresponding to Figure 2.
A is the loop strap carrying the loop B, and having formed in it
apertures a, a, in one or other of which there is fitted the pin b, which
is formed on one side of a plate c let or embedded in and secured to the
other strap C. The loop B is provided with a spring or catch d, in
which there is formed an aperture for the reception of a pin e carried
on the opposite side and end of the plate c to that on which the pin
is placed, by which means the loop is prevented from moving along the
straps after they have been adjusted in position.
In employing my fastening the loop B is placed upon the strap A,
and the strap C having been adjusted in position until the pin benters
one or others of the apertures a, a, according to the length required,
the loop B is slipped over the strap C so as to encircle both straps, and
the spring or catch d is then sprung over and on to the pin e, whereby
the loop and the straps are securely maintained in their adjusted
position.
The spring & may, if desired, be composed of steel and be attached in
any convenient position to the sliding loop B, in which case the pin e
may be formed or carried on the spring d and arranged so as to enter or
engage in any one of a series of holes provided in either the strap A or
the strap C, according to the position of the spring.
In the case of the shaft tug of single harness I pass the trace also
through a leather bearer or support attached to an additional sliding
loop composed of leather, and which is employed above the metal loop

page_text: on the shaft tug in such a manner that the trace will have a tendency to
draw the leather loop towards and in contact with the metal loop, and
thus prevent the latter from moving upwards.
In some cases, as a-further precaution, I provide on the side of the
metal loop a stud, to which a tab of leather attached to the tug strap is
looped.
It is obvious that the number of pins employed in connection with
the loop may be increased according to the strength required and the
purposes to which the tugs are to be applied.
The advantages which this Invention possesses over the ordinary
buckle, are that the straps, traces, and back bands instead of being bent
are left perfectly straight, whereby their durability is increased, that the
fastenings are neater in appearance and cheaper to manufacture than the
buckles ordinarily employed, and facility is afforded for immediately
disengaging the parts in the case of a horse falling, the disengagement
being effected by merely sliding back the loop, when the straps, traces,
or back bands at once come asunder.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the com-
bination with a pin or pins, carried on one of the straps, to be connected
and engaging in apertures formed in the other strap to be connected, of
a sliding loop having a spring or catch for retaining the loop and the
straps in position, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before
described and as illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Denis Sampson, have
to this my Specification set my hand and seal, this 25th day
of May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.