IMPROVE- MENTS IN HORSES' HARNESS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HORSES' HARNESS."-A communication from abroad by John
B Folger of Boston Massachusetts United States of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 25th May 1868, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
5 TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HORSES' HARNESS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been
communicated to me from abroad by John B. Folger, of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
forming a part of this Specification :-
The nature of this Invention consists in the employment of india-
rubber or its compounds for the bearing surfaces of collars, saddles,
and pads, and also in the employment of a coating of india-rubber or
other waterproof material between the stuffing of such collars, saddles,
or pads, and their covering; and this Invention may be carried into
effect as follows:-Prepare a fabric of kersey or twilled goods, such as
is used for the lining of saddles or for saddle cloths, or for stout horse
blankets, the material being close woven and stout in accordance with
the use to be made of it; for heavy collars a strong thick fabric, for
saddles and for lighter collars a lighter fabric, and coat this with
vulcanized rubber, or in case the cloth side is to be used next the
skin with a waterproof cement, such as caoutchouc in naptha, in such
a way as to get an intimate union between the cloth and the rubber
or waterproofing.
This is not a novel method of making such a fabric, and though this
special fabric is believed to be new, yet it is not claimed as of the
essence of the Invention.
Having prepared this cloth its appearance will be in section as
shown in Figure 3, where o is the cloth, and n the rubber or waterproof
coating. For the very heaviest work in collars the rubber coating need
not be more than an eighth of an inch thick, and for the light work in
light saddles, when the kersey is next the horse, it needs only to be thin
film from a sixtieth to a thirty-second of an inch or so in thickness.
Figure 1 represents a cross section of one side of a collar showing
this Invention. a is the roll; b, the body filled with stuffing c in the
usual manner; d is the rubber facing or surface extending round the
inner surface of the body from roll a to the outer leather e, as shown.
In most instances the rubber and kersey will be strong enough for all
practical purposes, but if at any time this should be doubtful a
reinforce of leather g would be placed around the edges where strain
is exerted upon them, and this will be absolutely required if the kersey

page_text: is not cemented or attached to the rubber firmly, as might be over-
looked or intentionally omitted by an infringer on this Invention. In
putting together the saddle we see from Figure 2 (which is a transverse
section, in which 6 is the leather cover, m the tree, i the turrets, k the
water hook, and p the lining, and g the stuffing) the lining would be
placed with either the rubber or cloth surface next the back of the
horse, rubber lining being perhaps the best for heavy work, and the
cloth for lighter harness. In case of galled neck or back the sulphur
and lead of the rubber seem to exercise a cooling and healing influence,
and the advantage of having a waterproof covering to the cushion of
saddle or collar and thus preventing the influence and action of
moisture upon the stuffing is very great, as the stuffing cannot bunch or
knot or become hard in spots, as is often the case, and is the cause of
many sore shoulders and backs. A mixture of fibrous materials, such
as cotton or linen with the rubber before it is vulcanized makes a
stronger and smoother fabric for this purpose than plain rubber.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First. A horse collar or harness pad or cushion having a bearing
surface of india-rubber firmly attached to stout cloth, or having its edges
reinforced with leather, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second. A. horse collar made with such bearing surface with rein-
forced edges, and having interposed between such surface and the stuffing
a cloth, substantially as described.
Third. A harness saddle, pad, or cushion having a lining of cloth
coated on
the side next the stuffing with waterproof material,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)