IMPROVEMENTS IN GIRTHS OR BANDS AND KNEE CAPS FOR HORSES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Norrington, of Tavistock, Devon, for. the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GIRTHS OR BANDS AND KNEE CAPS FOR
HORSES
Sealed the 29th August 1863, and dated the 18th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Norrington at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th March 1863.
I, FREDERICK NORRINGTON, of Tavistock, Devon, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GIRTHS OR BANDS AND KNEE
CAPS FOR HORSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in girths or bands and knee
caps for horses. In constructing a saddle girth according to my Invention
I form it of a strip of vulcanized india-rubber or of a strip of vulcanized india-
rubber combined with cotton or woollen fabrics, in the same way as india-
rubber belting is now commonly made, and to each end of the strip is con-
nected & buckle; this I do, by preference, by making the ends of the strip
double, each end of the strip being for this purpose turned over before the
strip is vulcanized. The end of the turned-over portion of the strip is caused,
in the vulcanizing process, to join with the strip, but the whole of the turned-
over portion is not allowed to do so, a hole is thus left between the strip and
the turned-over end; through this hole the bar of a buckle is passed. The
buckle at each end of the strip carries three, or it may be other number of
small buckles, which, when the girth is being girthed to the horse, are to
receive the saddle straps.
Bands or rollers for horse clothing may also be made, as above described,

page_text: of vulcanized india-rubber or vulcanized india-rubber combined with fabric,
but in this case one end of the strip only is formed to receive a buckle, by
preference, such as above described, and the other end is formed into tongues
or strips to be inserted in the buckles carried by the other end.
In constructing knee caps for horses, according to my Invention, I form
them of vulcanized india-rubber, the straps and the cap or pad being made in
one piece. The central part of the cap is moulded thicker than the other parts,
and to one side of the strap are attached buckles, by preference, in a similar
manner to that above described, and the other side of the cap is formed with
strips projecting from it, which are to act as straps and be received in the
buckles on the opposite side of the cap.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Norrington in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
NORRINGTON, of Tavistock, Devon, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Frederick Norrington, Her special licence, that I, the said Frederick
Norrington, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Frederick Norrington, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN GIRTHS OR BANDS AND KNEE CAPS FOR HORSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Norrington, 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 Frederick Norrington, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in girths or bands and knee
caps for horses. In constructing a saddle girth, according to my Invention, I
form it of a strip of vulcanized india-rubber, or of a strip of vulcanized india-
rubber combined with cotton or woollen fabrics, in the same way as india-
rubber belting is now commonly made, and to each end of the strip is connected
a buckle; this I do, by preference, by making the ends of the strip double,
each end of the strip being for this purpose turned over before the strip is
vulcanized. The end of the turned-over portion of the strip is caused, in the
vulcanizing process, to join with the strip, but the whole of the turned-over
portion is not allowed to do so, a hole is thus left between the strip and the
turned-over end; through this hole the bar of a buckle is passed. The buckle
at each end of the strip carries three, or it may be other number of small
buckles, which, when the girth is being girthed to the horse, are to receive
the saddle straps.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed shews a saddle girth made in
this manner. Each end of the girth, as is shewn in the Drawing, is formed
into a loop, which, as above described, is, by preference, formed before the
process of vulcanizing, the loop being formed by the end of the strip being
turned over, or it may be formed by moulding in any suitable manner. Each
loop is to receive the bar a of a buckle, such as is shown in the Drawing;
this bar may either be inserted into the loop after the girth has been vul-
canized, in which case the bar a must be made capable of being removed from
the buckle, as shown in the Drawing, or the buckle may be applied to the
girth before the loop is formed, in which case the ends of the band are to be
turned over the lower bar of the buckle, and the joint or union of the rubber
vulcanized; a buckle such as is shown at Figure 2 can then be used. The
loops at each end of the girth may, if thought desirable, be lined with cloth or
other material to strengthen them. Each of the buckles shewn in the Drawing
carries two small buckles b, b; these buckles are for the purpose of receiving
the saddle straps. The girth may be made of any suitable width and thick-
ness, according as one or more girths are used, but I prefer only one girth to
be used, and to make it about 4 inches in width and one-eighth of an inch in
thickness, and in length about 36 inches, more or less, according to the size of
the animal. I prefer to form the girth of a plain strip of vulcanized india-
rubber or of vulcanized india-rubber combined with canvas; it may, however,
be made perforated, or moulded, or otherwise ornamented, the vulcanized
india-rubber in all cases running from end to end of the girth.

page_text: I would also remark that I do not confine myself to the use of the buckle
shewn in the Drawings, as two or more separate buckles may be used at
each end.
Bands or rollers for horse clothing may also be made, as above described,
of vulcanized india-rubber or vulcanized india-rubber combined with fabric.
Figure 3 shews a band or roller for horse clothing constructed in the manner
I prefer for carrying out my Invention. a is the band or strip of vulcanized
india-rubber; this strip, near each of its ends, has a loop 6 formed on it, the
strip of vulcanized india-rubber projecting, however, at each end 3 or 4 inches,
more or less, beyond the loops. The loop at one end of the band is for the
purpose of receiving a buckle, such as is shewn at Figures 1 and 2; the loop
at the other end is for receiving a bar similar to the bar of the buckles; to this
bar another bar is connected, which bar has leather tongues sewn to it, which
are to be inserted in the buckles carried at the other end of the band.
In constructing knee caps for horses, according to my Invention, I form
them of vulcanized india-rubber, the straps and the cap or pad being made in
one piece. The central part of the cap is moulded thicker than the other parts,
and to one side of the cap are attached buckles, by preference, in a similar
manner to that above described, and the other side of the cap is formed with
strips projecting from it, which are to act as straps and be received in the
buckles on the opposite side of the cap.
Figure 4 shows a knee cap constructed in this manner. a, a, are buckles
attached to one side of the cap, the buckles being formed with bars, as before
described, to pass through loops b, b, formed on the vulcanized india-rubber;
the other side of the cap is formed with two straps c, c; these straps have, by
preference, a lining or insertion of cloth, leather, or other material combined
with them in order to strengthen them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Norrington, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
FREDERICK NORRINGTON. (L.S.)