Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1888
Specification Accepted, 12th Feb., 1889
1, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGRAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (a communication to me from abroad from Baron Louis de Geer, of
231, Nassau Street, in the City of New York, United States of America) 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 the halters of horses and other animals and consists of
an auxiliary device whereby the slack of the hitching rope or strap may be partly
taken up so as to reduce its normal length; but, should the horse or other animal get
his foot over the rope or strap or otherwise exercise a forward and downward pull
thereon, the slack originally taken up is released, so that an ample length of rope may
be provided to avoid injury to the animal. The free end of the hitching rope passes
over a sheave or pulley and is provided with a weight in the usual manner.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. is a perspective view shewing the.auxiliary hitching,device.
Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views of the detaching latch drawn to a larger scale.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a small scale showing the invention in actual use.
a is a socket let into or attached to the end of the stall and made by preference of
metal. This socket serves to hold a detachable latch b, which is provided on its inner
end with a hook or shoulder c for engaging with the lower edge a' of the socket a.
The latch is pressed down, so that the hook or shoulder c may engage with the socket,
by means of a suitable spring, such as d, secured preferably within the socket
aforesaid. When the inner end of the latch is depressed the outer end or head is
raised, and vice versa; the latch rocking upon a V-shaped projection 6" on its under
side, which bears on the socket a and serves as a fulcrum. The head b' is furnished
with a ring e, or equivalent device, to which the hitching rope or strap may be
attached. The bight of the hitching rope may be secured directly to the ring e or
latch b, or the said rope may be in two parts,ff, as shewn in Fig. 1; each part
being connected by a snap-hook, or otherwise, to the disengaging device. The
part is for attachment to the headstall; the part f¹ passing over a suitable sheave
or pulley g mounted in any convenient position and being kept taut by a weight h
secured to the free end thereof.

page_text: The part constitutes the normal length of hitching rope, and the latch the
normal hitching point. Upward or horizontal strain on the rope will not
detach the latch; but, should the horse or other animal exert a downward strain
on the head 6' of the latch b, the latter will rock on its fulcrum " (as shewn in
Fig. 3), whereupon the shoulder or hook c is freed and the latch may then be with-
drawn from the socket a. After the latch is disengaged, the part is brought into
play (the parts and f being united by the ring e); the rope being thus increased
in length to an extent sufficient to permit the animal to stand or lie thereon. The
weight takes up the slack and thus prevents any further entanglement.
The particular arrangement of the latch-device and of the pulley within the stall
will depend to some extent on circumstances, and may be left to the judgment of the
user. The spring d may be of such stiffness that a downward pull of about twenty
pounds will be required to effect the disengagement of the latch; but the tension and
character of this spring may be varied. The point in the bight of the hitching rope
at which it is attached to the latch b, or the respective lengths of the parts fand,
may also be varied to suit the conditions of each particular case. Inasmuch as the
weight cannot pass the pulley, the animal remains hitched after the latch is with-
drawn from its socket. The parts may be either ropes, straps or chains. The
fulcrum might be an elevation on the socket instead of on the latch, but the
construction shewn is preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim:-
1. A halter for horses or other animals in which the hitching rope, strap or chain, is
connected to a spring-latch, or its equivalent, capable of being detached by a
downwardly directed pull, substantially as and for the purposo set forth.
2. A halter for horses or other animals in which the hitching rope, strap or chain,
is secured to a detachable spring-latch of the character described, or its equivalent;
the free end of the said rope, strap or chain, passing over a pulley and being
provided with a weight to take up the slack, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. A latch-device for the halters of horses and other aniinals constructed sub-
stantially as herein described, and consisting of a socket fitted with a latch-depressing
spring and a latch provided with a hook or shoulder c to engage with the said
socket and rocking upon a. fulcrum, formed on or under its lower face, for the
purpose of effecting the ongagement or disengagement of the hook or shoulder
aforesaid.
Dated this 29th day of December 1888