IMPROVED. MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR RELEASING HORSES FROM VEHICLES, AND FOR LOCKING THE WHEELS THEREOF IN PREVENTION OF ACCIDENT
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Laurent Glatard, of Roaune, Département de la
Loire, France, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVED. MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR RELEASING HORSES FROM VEHICLES, AND FOR LOCKING THE
WHEELS THEREOF IN PREVENTION OF ACCIDENT."
Sealed the 24th October 1861, and dated the 2nd May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Laurent Glatard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents," with his Petition, on the 2nd
May.1861.
I, LAURENT GLATARD, of Roanne, Département de la Loire, France,
Merchant, do hereby déclare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR RELEASING HORSES FROM VEHICLES, AND FOR LOCKING
CTHE WHEELS THEREOF IN PREVENTION OF ACCIDENT," to be as follows :-
The means by which I propose to effect the instant release of a horse from
the vehicle to which it is harnessed is by constructing the harness of the horse
collar with springs, by which they will be fastened in their usual position over
the collar when the horse is put to the vehicle; from this spring apparatus a
chain,cord; or strap will pass within reach of the driver. If from the horse
Pic S

page_text: or horses taking fright, or any other cause, the driver is desirous of releasing
it or them from the carriage, on pulling the chain or cord the springs will
release the hames, which sliding up will free the horse or horses from the
traces by which it or they were attached to the vehicle, and permit it or them
to run on, leaving the carriage behind. But although thus separated from the
horse or horses the vehicle might still retain sufficient impetus to endanger the
safety of its load. I therefore further propose (in connection with suitable
gearing) to place within the seat of the carriage an eccentric barrel, from
which a chain will pass to a lever acting on skids beneath the vehicle. Upon
the driver setting the gearing in motion the barrel will move round winding
upon it the chain attached to the lever, and this latter will press the skids
against the periphery of the wheels, and thus arrest the vehicle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Laurent Glatard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LAURENT
GLATARD, of Roanue, Département de la Loire, France, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year
of Her reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Laurent Glatard, Her special licence that I, the said
Laurent Glatard, ny executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Laurent Glatard, 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 IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR RELEASING HORSES FROM VEHICLES, AND
FOR LOCKING THE WHEELS THEREOF IN PREVENTION OF ACCIDENT," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Laurent Glatard, 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 mauner the same was to be performed;
"

page_text: 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 1, the said Laurent Glatard, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what mauner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon:-
By means of this Invention the driver of a vehicle can instantaneously
release a fiery horse or horses when beyond control and running away, or
about to do so, and at the same time lock the wheels of the vehicle, in order
to prevent its running further down any declivity where it could be upset and
its occupants hurt, even after the release of the horses. This way of releasing
horses is also very convenient for constant and ordinary use even with very
quiet horses, as they are instantly released upon arriving at the stable.
My system of putting horses to carriages and of locking their wheels is
represented on the annexed Sheet of Drawing.
A, Figure 1, are the frame pieces of an ordinary horse collar; they are pro-
vided with projecting pieces L, in which a rod D can slide; said rod is
pushed down by a helical spring R, which is not shewn on the left side
because it is covered up by a casing, which has been taken away on the right
to exhibit the internal arrangement thereof. The spring R bears upwards
against the projecting piece L, and down against the shoulder C of rod D;
this shoulder carries a pin I sliding freely in the lugs B. The pins I are the
points where the traces are attached in the following manner :-For a single-
horse carriage each trace is provided with a small iron fastening plate
(Figure 2), with two holes cutthrough it, the one T for passing the trace; which
is retained either by a knot or otherwise, in the other hole slides the pin I.
In putting the horse to, the rod D is raised up by the aid of the catch a, the
plate (Figure 2) is introduced between the lugs B, the rod D is left free, and
the spring R pushes the pin I through the fastening plate, which is then held
fast. Chains E are attached to the upper ends of the rods D, both chains
being brought together by a ring H at the upper part of the collar, where a
small sheet-iron box (shewn, Figure 9), contains the moving or working part
of apparatus. A cord or strap or rein J attached to the ring H is in the
hands of the driver who pulls it when he thinks proper, and thereupon both
pins I are raised up at once, releasing the fastening plates of the traces, which
being cast loose the horse is left free, and can run on alone without any danger

page_text: to the persons sitting in the carriage; Figure 3 shews a fastening plate for a
two-horse carriage, both traces pass through the aperture T, and the tying or
fastening pin enters the hole I.
Figure 4 shews the application of my system to a special way of harnessing
horses without traces, the shaft of the vehicle running through the ring M,
which is secured or arrested by two pins, and the fastening plate shewn in
front, Figure 5, being inserted between the lugs B of the collar is held in its
place by the pin 1; Figure 6 shews the portion of the shaft carried by the
back band or saddle D, the latter is provided with two rings or hooks, in
which the shafts of either two or four-wheeled vehicles slide freely. The back
motion belts or breechings Rare tied above the rings or hooks of the back band
or saddle, which bears against stop hooks C screwed fast under the shaft. The
belly band is carried by the back band or saddle, and the trace Truns through
a ring, which sustains it when the horse is released. A plate, shewn alone,
(T-shaped), is attached to the end of each trace; Figure 7 shews the required
arrangement for a two-horse vehicle; F, pole; A, A1, fastening plates, double
T-shaped, tied to the end of the traces, the one is to the right the other to the
left; Figure 8 shews two views of one of them, both are attached to the ends
of a chain or band d carried by rings fitted in a socket D at the end of the
pole, so that on pulling the holding rods of the collar for the purpose of
releasing the horses the plates fall, but are sustained by the chain or bolt, and
the horses being released start away freely, carrying along with them all their
harness and half of the reins, the other half remaining in the driver's hands;
Figure 9 shews a small box of sheet iron or other material B fastened by two
screws on the top of the collar, in which is the releasing apparatus; E,
small chains of the fastening rods, running over pullies carried by the frame
of the collar; both chains are tied to a metal band X running outside of the
box, and fitted with a ring U, a third rein being attached to the ring is pulled
by the driver when required. This box B cannot be applied to collars of every
description, but where not applicable the arrangement shewn, Figure 1, may
beused; Figure 10 shews a hook fixed to the apron of the carriage for holding
the third rein, which may, however, be held by any other suitable means;
Figure 11 shews a method of fitting the bands supporting the backward band
or breeching strap, which is more solid thau stitching. a, small metallic bent
piece attached by means of a rivet i to the backward band or strap r, the
hanging band runs through a narrow aperture cut through the piece a, and
the length of this band is adjusted by a buckle.c, which catches the piece a.
It might occur that the horse after having been released from the vehicle con-

page_text: tinues to run on; to stop it I provide a cord from 20 to 100 yards long, the
one end thereof being tied to the bit of the bridle, and the other one to a
small drum fitted on the vehicle, whereon the cord is wound by means of a
hand crank to bring the horse back. I complete or perfect my Invention by
locking the wheels of the carriage, in order to give greater security to the
occupants when the horse has been released, thus preventing the vehicle from
continuing its motion on a declivity and being upset. My system of locking
the wheels is quick, easy, and powerful; the whole locking apparatus is located
in the seat of the carriage and convenient to the hand of the driver; it is
shewn, Figures 12 and 13; it is enclosed on the right of the seat A, B, N, M,
of a carriage; it is composed of a shaft 2, the ends of which move in bearings
or brackets fitted in the sides of the box; the shaft q carries an eccentric
drum T and a ratchet wheel E on one side, whilst the other side carries a
lever I. A leather band dis attached to the end of the lever running through
the seat B, N, where it is stopped by a ring a, which being pulled out actuates
lever I, which gives motion to the shaft q, drum T, and ratchet wheel E; by
this motion a chain D winds round the drum; this chain being attached to
the end of lever L (m veable at J under the carriage), causes the small
bent arm m to bring the break block S against the tire of the wheel and lock
or break it. The catch a moveable at i falls by its own weight into each notch
of the ratchet wheel E, keeping the wheel locked to release it; the driver
bears at b, on the lever b, t, when a rod attached at t, and to the catch c raises
it up. When the lever L is no longer pulled by the chain a helical spring R,
hitherto pressed down by the said lever expands, repels it, and causes the
block S to move away from the tire of the wheel; Figure 13 shews another
disposition of the locking contrivance, when the box of the carriage is not
high enough to enclose it, the driver bears directly on the lever I keyed on
the shaft of the eccentric drum T, and the chain D pulls the locking lever;
the teeth of the ratchet wheel E are projecting on the face thereof, and the
catch C is pulled in by a helical spring, it is slid out by hand to unlock the
wheels. As he locks the hind wheels the driver can maintain the fore part
of the vehicle in a straight line forward by putting his foot on the head P of a
pin, which is kept up by a helical spring K. This pin is maintained and can
slide in a socket D fixed under the box of the carriage, and entering into
another socket F fixed to the fore train; the hole of the latter socket in
enlarged at its upper part to allow the pin to enter freely.
I claim as of my Invention, firstly, the arrangements described by which
drivers may instantly release a horseor horses from a vehicle by pulling rods

page_text: fitted in the horse collar, so as to loose small metallic plates fastened to the
end of the traces, as shewn ou the annexed Drawing.
Secondly, I claim as completing my Invention the process of locking the
wheels of a vehicle by means of a chain winding around an eccentrical drum
worked by a lever within reach of the driver, the chain as it winds up pulling
the longer arm of a lever, and causing a block or break carried by the
shorter arm to bear upon the tire of the wheel, as described and shewn
Figures 12 and 13.
In witness whereof, I, the said Laurent Glatard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
L. D'Aubreville, C.E., Paris.
L. GLATARD. (L.S.)