Improvements in or relating to Horse Rugs or Sheets.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Horse Rugs or Sheets.
I, GEORGE OUTHWAITE JAMES, of Albion Works, 42 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds,
Woollen Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in horse rugs or sheets, and its object is
to provide a lined rug or sheet having a double gusset of canvas and leather inserted
into the rug or sheet in order to enable it to fit the horse more accurately and be
buckled securely over the vital organs of the animal. By lining the gusset with
leather a smooth surface is provided which prevents the rug or sheet from chafing
or otherwise irritating the "wither."
In the drawings hereunto annexed :-
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively the outside and inside of a rug or sheet constructed
according to this invention.
Fig. 3 an elevation of the rug or sheet folded.
Fig. 4 shows the rug or sheet in position on the horse's back.
Fig. 5 a plan of the leather gusset drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1 to 4..
A is the outer portion of the rug which may be made of jute, hemp, linen,
canvas, or other suitable woollen or fibrous material, and B the inner lining or
collar cheek which may be of any woollen or woven material which has been well
shrunk.
The outer portion is preferably made in two portions sewn together at a, whilst
the lining B is in one piece and it is cut say about one and a half inches smaller in
length and width than that of the outer portion in order to permit of the edges of
the latter being turned say about three fourths of an inch over the edges of the
former.
C is a binding of webbing say such as is used in the boot and shoe trades. D is
the canvas gusset and D' the soft and supple leather gusset with or without skived
edges. E and F the strap and buckle for fastening the rug or sheet onto the
animal. G is a cord connected to the tail end of the rug or sheet when desired.
To make a rug or sheet according to this invention, after cutting the two outer
portions A, the lining B and the two gussets D D₁ to shape,-the latter are cut
approximately to the dotted lines d of Fig. 5.-I take one of the outer portions A
and the canvas gusset D and sew one of the edges say at d*, of the gusset onto the
said portion A. The seam is then pressed open. The two portions A are then sewn
together, the sewing being commenced at a-the tail portion of the rug or sheet-
and continued up and along the edge d** of the gusset. The seam is then pressed
open and after the lining B has been fixed say in position (by tacking if desired)
the centre seam a is felled down, the line of sewing being also employed for
securing the lining in position. To prevent the lining from bagging the part A
and B are sewn together at a² a³. The edges of the parts A are then turned over
on to the lining B and at the same time that the said edges are sewn down, the
binding C is laid on and its outer edge is also sewn on at a suitable distance from
the turned over edge of the rug or sheet. After this has been done the inner edge
of the binding C is then sewn down, a double row of stitching being provided at
each corner for strengthening purposes. The leather gusset D' is now laid (and
tacked if desired,) in position with its end d' projecting beyond the neck portion
of the rug or sheet; the line of sewing being commenced at the neck, the part A
being uppermost and continued along the edge d* to the point of the gusset and
then brought back to the neck along the edge d**. The portion d' of the leather

page_text: gusset is then turned over onto the portion A and secured by two rows of stitching.
After the leather gusset D' has been trimmed to the shape shown by the full lines
at Fig. 5. the rug or sheet is ready for receiving the strap E, buckle F and
cord G which may be attached thereto in the usual manner.
By means of the gussets D D' I am enabled to cut the rug or sheet so that it
will more accurately fit the horse, and by making the inner gusset D' of soft,
smooth and supple leather all danger of irritating the "wither" is reduced to a
minimum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A horse rug or sheet made substantially as herein described having a
double gusset, such as D D', inserted at the neck portion substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
2. The application and combination with a horse rug or sheet, of a gusset
composed of the same material as the outer portion of the rug or sheet, and lined
with a second gusset, of leather, capable of being sewn to the rug or sheet
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a horse rug or sheet the combination of the parts A and B with the
gussets D D', strap E, buckle F, and cord G substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the Twenty-fourth day of September 1894.
GEORGE OUTHWAITE JAMES,
By W. Fairburn-Hart,
Agent.