IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNEE CAPS FOR HORSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Ramsay, of Wimpole Street, Cavendish
Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNEE CAPS FOR HORSES."
Sealed the 1st April 1869, and dated the 6th October 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Ramsay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th October 1868.
I, ROBERT RAMSAY, of Wimpole Street, Cavendish Square, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNEE CAPS FOR HORSES," to
be as follows:-
The novelty of this Invention consists in forming knee caps for
horses of soft vulcanized india-rubber moulded or shaped to casts of
those parts of a horse's leg to which they are intended to be applied.
The aforesaid knee caps are made of one entire piece of material, which
is to be passed over the horse's foot to the desired part of his leg, which

page_text: it surrounds and embraces, holding it securely in position by its elasticity
and allowing freedom of movement to the leg.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Ramsay in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
RAMSAY, of Wimpole Street, Cavendish Square, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Robert Ramsay, Her special licence that I,
the said Robert Ramsay, executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Ramsay, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNEE CAPS POR HORSES,' upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Ramsay, 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 manner the same was
to be performed, 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.
ور
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Ramsay, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :—
This Invention consists in forming knee caps for horses of soft
vulcanized india-rubber moulded or shaped to casts of those parts of a

page_text: horse's leg to which they are intended to be applied. The aforesaid
knee caps are made of one entire piece of material, which is to be passed
over the horse's foot to the desired part of his leg, which it surrounds
and embraces, holding it securely in position partly by its elasticity
and partly by its shape, and allowing freedom of movement to the
leg.
And in order to explain this Invention more completely I will
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative
Drawing accompanying these Presents and to the numeral figures and
letters of reference marked thereon as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved knee cap for
horses shewn applied to the knee of a horse's leg, and as it would appear
when adapted to such part. Figures 2 and 3 are horizontal sections
taken throguh the lines A, B, and C, D, at Figure 1. Figure 4 is a
vertical section through the line E, F, at Figures 1, 2, and 3. At each
of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to denote
corresponding parts in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each
of such said Figures respectively.
A marks a knee cap formed of vulcanized india-rubber moulded or
shaped in moulds taken from casts of those parts of a horse's leg which
the cap is intended to fit and embrace, and as in nature all horses'
legs have hollow or recessed parts at each side of the leg both above and
below the knee joint, as represented by the Drawing at a, b, Figure 4, it
will appear obvious that by forming or moulding the inner side of the
knee cap of the same shape as the horse's leg above and below the knee
joint, so as to embrace and fit into the aforesaid hollow parts, that the
knee cap when placed on the leg will be held thereon and over the knee
by reason of the thickened parts c of the cap fitting into the hollow parts
of the leg, as shewn by the Drawing. The part d of the cap which
covers the front of the knee is formed of nearly uniform thickness, and
the part e which surrounds the lower part of the horse's leg is formed
thicker and fits loosely at such part to allow of freedom of movement
of the knee joint, the part d from the elasticity of the material yields
readily when the knee is bent, and resumes its normal position when the
leg is straight, or, in other words, adapts itself to the varying positions of

page_text: the knee joint in the act of running, trotting, or galloping. And should
the horse fall the cap will not easily be cut by reason of the elastic
nature of the material of which it is made, neither will he "speedy cut"
himself, this cap answering the double purpose of a knee cap and
"speedy cut" boot.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my
said Invention for "Improvements in the Construction of Knee Caps for
Horses," together with the best means I am acquainted with for
carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion,
that what I claim as my Invention intended to be secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, constructing knee caps of
vulcanized india-rubber in moulds taken from casks as above described
with reference to the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Ramsay, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.