Improved Fastening Device, applicable to Harness, Saddlery, and to Various Forms of Strap or Belt.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1894
UUMI LE
Improved Fastening Device, applicable to Harness, Saddlery, and to
Various Forms of Strap or Belt.
We ALFRED WOOD, Carriage Builder JOHN STEPHEN WALTER, and
WILLIAM MARTIN WALTER, Harness Makers, all of Folkestone, in the County of
Kent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
1
The principal object of our invention is to provide the means for quickly
releasing fallen draft animals from the vehicle to which they may be harnessed, and
for this purpose the device is applied to the traces and pole-pieces of double or pair
horse, and to the traces of single horse barness, and to various other portions of the
saddlery or trappings. It may also be applied to many other articles, either of
leather or more rigid substance where a speedy spring-catch fastening may be
Decessary, and its simplicity of construction and neatness of appearance will
recommend its adaptation to many forms of straps or belts.
Our device chiefly consists of two principal parts; one a metal band or its
equivalent with or without a flat spring located in its interior and a button
normally resting in a recess in a loop formed on the outside of the band, and the
other part consisting of an arm formed with a nose and recess, said nose entering
the above mentioned loop. This curved and bent arm which will be referred to
hereafter as the curved arm, is inserted in a suitable recess formed in the ond of
the trace or pole-picce, strap or belt, aud owing to its curvature causes the end of
the trace or the like to retain a curved shape in order that it may partially
clasp the roller-bolt or the pole or collar rings, or their equivalent and so to relieve
the band and spring from direct strain and thus render the act of releasing a fallen
animal an easy operation. And in order that our invention may be more readily
understood we will now refer to the accompanying sheet.of drawings wherein :
Figs. 1 to 5 shew one form of fastening device and Figs. 6 to 9 modifications
therefor.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a trace formed into a loop and locked
or fastened either before or after being slipped over the cap of the roller bolt on
the end of the splinter-bar.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a trace formed into a loop and locked
or fastened after being passed through one of the draught-rings fixed on the 'hames
of a horse-collar.
Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the curved arm removed from its recess.
A is the band formed of metal or other suitable substance through which the
trace B is passed, and formed therein is a recess a for the reception of a flat
spring a (provided with a button a) which when the nose of the arm is passed
through the loop C, enters another recess d formed with an inclined face in the
body of the curved arm D and thereby, retains it within the loop C, or the arm
may be provided with any other means for securing the band. When therefore an
accident occurs to the animal wearing this harness and it is necessary to release the
trace say from the splinter-bar E (Fig. 1) all that is necessary for the operator to
do is to press the button a² in the, direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 to its
dotted position and then withdraw the band A from off the arm D whereupon the
trace B is immediately freed from the roller-bolt F (Fig. 1),

page_text: In like manner the loop G as shewn in Fig. 2 may as easily be released from the
draught-ring H of the collar-hames.
A similar loop to that just described may be formed in connection with the
kidney-link on the harness of a pair horse collar, or to any other available portion of
a borse's harness, or to the ring on the pole-head or the ear of the pole-crab.
When the device is employed for double harness it is always secured to the back
end of the trace but in the case of a single horse harness it may be attached either
to the front or back end of the trace. Of course any suitable eye or loop may be
formed on the vehicle, to which the animal is attached and our improved device
linked therewith. When our device is applied to a pole-piece the loop at the other
end may be formed by fixing the buckle of the pole-piece about midway of its
entire length and forming a series of holes in the free end thereof in which the
tongue of the buckle is to be inserted. By this means the lengthening or shortening
of the pole-piece is effected as required.
Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7 (Fig. 6 being a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 7,
and Fig. 7 a front elevation) it is evident that a modification may be effected
without departing from the spirit of the invention. In this figure A is a band
similar to that last described but without a spring fixed within it, and C a loop
forined thereon. In this case we simply transfer the spring from A to the arm D
and fix it thereto as shewn at d³ by means of a rivet, the free end of the spring I,
resting normally in the slot d and being provided with a catch I' possessing an
inclining face whereby it is readily inserted within, the loop C. This catch or
enlargement I' serves the purpose of the button a² shewn in the first three figures,
as will be readily understood, and it may be surrounded by a hood or cap formed on
the side of the loop similar to a³ for the protection of accidental displacement of
the catch.
In botli cases described the arm D'is inserted in a suitable recess in the end of
the strap or trace B and is secured therein by a screw d² or there may be any
number of screws or rivets and the arm itself need not necessarily form a core for
the leather but may clip the trace or strap or be fixed on the outside or inside
thereof.
The object of the curve in the arm D as shewn at point d' is to do away with all
strain on the spring a' and to materially lessen the strain on the band A when the
trace or pole-piece is put in tension by the draught animal in the act of drawing or
backing the vehicle to. which it is attached..
The object of the bend or crank at the point marked X is for the purpose of
adjusting the band in a line parallel with the trace or pole-piece when they are
distended by the pull of the animal; in this position the trace or the like presses
directly against the centre and convex surface of the band, and obviates the undue
friction that would occur if the trace or pole-piece bore on either the back or front
edges of the band.
Fig. 8 shews the band D¹ formed integrally with the rigid curved arm D in
which device the spring a¹ and the loop C are entirely dispensed. The curved
arm is inserted and fastened in the end of the trace (we do not use this-device
for pole-pieces so no mention is made of them) as before and by passing the other
or front end of the trace through the opening D³, the loop G (Fig. 9) is thereby
formed.
This is not intended as an instantaneous releasing device, but is the application of
our principle to a trace for the purpose of preventing it becoming jammed between
the roller-bolt cap and the splinter-bar, also to prevent injury to the leather on the
splinter-bar and on the cap of the roller-bolt, and also to improve the appearance
of the harness and effect a greater saving of labor and material in the manufacture
of the traces than heretofore.
It is an important advantage that in all these devices the loop & can be enlarged
for the purpose of putting on and taking off the trace from the roller-bolt without
the necessity of unfastening the device.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The application of a rigid arm curved or otherwise to the ends of traces,
pole-pieces or any other form of strap or belt as herein described and shewn.
2. The application of a metallic band sliding over a trace, pole-piece or other
form of strap or belt provided with a spring fastening device as herein shown and
described.
3. The combination with a rigid curved and bent arm inserted in the end of a
trace, pole-piece or other form of strap or belt with a metallic band provided with
a spring-fastening device for the purpose of forming a fastening device as herein
shewn and described.
4. A metallic band provided with a loop on one side either with or without a
spring for the purpose of forming one part of a fastening device as 'herein shewn
and described.
5. A rigid curved and bent arm provided' with, or formed integral therewith, a
spring clip for the purpose of forming one part of a fastening device as herein shewn
and described.
6. The particular shape of the rigid curved and bent arm for the purpose of
dispensing with all undue strain on the band and' spring as herein shewn and
described.
7. The combination of a curved and bent arm provided with a spring fastening
device, with a metallic band and loop as herein shewn and described.
8. In a rigid curved and bent arm adapted for insertion in a suitable recess in
the end of a trace, pole-piece, or any other belt or strap, the provision of a recess
for the reception of a spring-catch fixed on the other part of the fastening device as
herein.shewn and described.
9. The use of a curved and bent arm provided with a bevelled nose for entering
an adjacent loop for the purpose as herein set forth and shewn on the accompanying
drawings.
10. The rigid curved arm with a band or loop formed integral therewith, as
herein shewn and described and for the purpose of great economy, utility and
appearance to the harness of a horse.or for other purposes.
11. The combination with the rigid curved and bent arm or loop, of the first
described fastening device on the same trace or other strap or belt whether leather
or any other substance or on the same sets of strap or harness.
Dated thie 8th day of October 1901
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.