Improvements in or connected with Clothing for Animals.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Clothing for Animals.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BURT, of No. 714 West Monroe Street, Chicago, in the
County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Physician, 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide a bedding for horses and other animals
which may be readily strapped on to the animal in such a position as to provide
him with a comfortable bed when lying down and will be incapable of heing shifted
out of position and exposing the animal to injury on the hard floor as is now the
case with the ordinary bedding thrown into the stalls, and will also have the
further advantage of serving as a blanket or covering for the animal while
standing.
With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty in
the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the said drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved article showing it in its open or spread-
out position, and
Figure 2 is an enlarged rear view thereof showing it in the position it occupies
when secured on the animal.
In carrying out my invention 1 employ two mattresses or other suitable pads A, B,
which are of sufficient width and length to cover the animals' sides and protect
those portions which are liable to come into contact with the floor when the
animal lies down. These pads or mattresses may be constructed of any suitable
material and stuffed with tow, excelsior, hair or other substances well known for
this purpose, and they are secured together by means of straps or girths G, F,
which are of sufficient length to pass around the animal's body and have their ends
secured together by suitable buckles 4, as shown in Fig. 2; thus securing the
mattresses A, B, together at a suitable distance apart so as to come in the proper
places on the sides of the animal, and at the same time serving as a means of
securing the device in place on the animal's back. If desired the mattresses A, B,
may be connected together throughout the greater part of their length by a web C,
which extends along the animal's backbone and serves in conjunction with the
mattresses A, B, to form a complete covering or blanket for the animals' sides and
back, and also serves to support the mattresses and hold them in place against the
sides of the animal, along their upper edges.
If desired, the web C may be omitted and the mattresses A, B, connected
together at suitable intervals by two or more additional bands or straps g shown in
dotted lines in Figure 1.
The rear ends of the mattresses are connected together by a band or strap D
which serves as a crupper, while the forward ends of such mattresses are provided
respectively with buckled straps E and billets E¹ by which the forward ends of
the mattresses may be secured together around or partially around the animal's
chest.
It is quite evident that in lieu of the described construction, the mattresses A
and B might each be provided with straps at their sides and ends and detachably
secured to the sides of an ordinary horse blanket, for winter use when it is desired

page_text: to protect the animal more completely than might be done by the mattresses A, B,
and web G alone, but for universal use the construction first described is
preferable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The herein described improvements in bedding or padding for horses and other
animals, substantially as set forth and shown.
WILLIAM HENRY BURT.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.