IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING HORSES FROM GNAWING MANGERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS
FOR PREVENTING HORSES FROM GNAWING MANGERS." A communication from
abroad by Adèle Engström, of Paris, France
Sealed the 3rd October 1879, and dated the 16th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th April 1879,
JOHN IMRAY, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING HORSES FROM GNAWING
MANGERS." [A communication from abroad by Adèle Engström, of Paris, France.]
When horses have the tick, they are apt to gnaw the rim of the manger while
they eat, thus wasting part of their food, and acquiring maladies of the digestive
organs. This Invention relates to means of preventing horses from so gnawing
their mangers by applying thereto electric apparatus so arranged that when the
animal attempts to gnaw, his mouth receives an electric shock, which has the effect
of deterring him and shortly curing him of his tendency. For this purpose, the
upper edge of the manger is faced with two parallel strips of metal extending
along it insulated from one another by being fixed on a bed of vulcanite or other
non conducting material. These strips are connected by insulated wires with the
poles of a battery situated in any convenient position, but instead of being con-
nected thereto directly, it is preferred to connect them to an induction coil excited
by the battery. When the horse attempts to gnaw, his mouth completing the
circuit between the two metal strips, receives a shock. In order to avoid waste of
electricity when it is not required, one of the metal strips may be hinged and kept
elevated by a spring out of contact with the conductor, except when on the horse
applying his mouth the strip is depressed, making contact.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Imray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th October
1879.
"
JOHN IMRAY, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING HORSES GNAWING MANGERS."
A communication from abroad by Adèle Engström, of Paris, France.
When horses have the tick, they are apt to gnaw the rim of the manger while
they eat, thus wasting part of their food, and acquiring maladies of the digestive
organs. This Invention relates to means of preventing horses from so gnawing
their mangers by applying thereto electric apparatus so arranged that when the
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page_text: animal attempts to gnaw, his mouth receives an electric shock, which has the effect
of deterring him and shortly curing him of his tendency. For this purpose, the
upper edge of the manger is faced with two parallel strips of metal extending along
it, insulated from one another by being fixed on a bed of vulcanite or other non
conducting material. These strips are connected by insulated wires with the poles
of a battery situated in any convenient position, but instead of being connected
thereto directly, it is preferred to connect them to an induction coil excited by the
battery. When the horse attempts to gnaw, his mouth completing the circuit
between the two metal strips, receives a shock. In order to avoid waste of
electricity when it is not required, one of the metal strips may be hinged and kept
elevated by a spring out of contact with the conductor, except when on the horse
applying his mouth, the strip is depressed, making contact.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a transverse section, and Fig. 2 a front view of a manger arranged with
means according to this Invention for preventing horses from gnawing it. The
edge of the front board A is fitted with two strips of copper a, a, insulated from
each other by being fixed by rivets c or otherwise on a band 6 of vulcanite or other
non conducting material, as shewn by the enlarged transverse and longitudinal
sections, Figs. 3 and 4, and plan 5, the band b being bedded on a layer d of felt or
other non conductor. The copper strips a, a, are connected by wires to a battery
C, preferably through an induction coil B. To prevent waste of electricity, one of
the strips a is hinged and kept up by a light spring r acting on a rod e attached to
the strip. As long as the strip is kept up by the spring, the contacts k, l, are kept
apart, and the electric circuit is interrupted; but when the horse in attempting to
gnaw, presses down the strip, contact is made, and his mouth receives a shock.
modified arrangement is shewn by the transverse section, Fig. 6, and front view,
Fig. 7; a section of the lip of the manger being shewn to an enlarged scale at
Fig. 8. In this arrangement is the hinged strip, and m the fixed strip. The
strip has attached to it a number of contact springs n at intervals along its length,
each immediately over a contact plate u. The battery and induction coil are of
small dimensione, so as to be contained in a cavity O provided in the manger board.
The wire of the battery are connected to n and u, those of the coil are connected to
I and m, so that when the strip is depressed, causing the springs n to rub on the
plates u, the battery circuit is closed, and the circuit of the coil being closed by the
animal's mouth connecting and m, a shock is imparted.
A
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim,―
First. The use for preventing horses from gnawing mangers of insulated electrical
conductors so arranged on the edge of the manger that the horse in attempting to
gnaw it completes a circuit, and thereby receives a shock, substantially as herein
described.
Second. In apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim, mounting
one of the conductors so that electrical contact is not made, except when the con-
ductor is pressed upon and the shock is required, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Imray, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
JOHN IMRAY. (L.S.)