Improvements in or relating to Harness.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Harness.
I, STANLEY SMITH, of 106 Stamford Street, London, S. E., Foreman of Granary,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to harness and has particular reference to so arranging or
constructing the chains which connect the traces with the horse collar or the
connections between the other end of the traces and the poles or vehicle that they
can be readily detached in case of emergency. This is particularly important
when the horse falls as it is often most difficult or impossible to detach the trace
except by cutting it which involves a new trace and considerable expense. Also
with the ordinary fastenings when a trace is worn out or damaged and has to be
changed, the chain which connects it with the collar is also changed as it can only
be removed from the trace by cutting the latter or unstitching it; with my
improved arrangement the trace can be removed entirely from the chain and a new
trace substituted without injuring either trace or requiring a new chain.
In carrying out my invention I may connect the chain to the collar with the
usual curved hook and to the end of the trace with a shackle and swivel as usual,
but instead of making the shackle a complete forging, I form the portion of it
which passes through the loop end of the trace as a separate part conveniently as
a bolt which can be removed by unscrewing it or other forms of detachable con-
nections may be employed. A simple and satisfactory arrangement is to employ
a bolt with a tube or equivalent upon it so that it can easily turn upon the bolt
one end of the bolt being either screwed into one side of the shackle or it may be
passed through and have a nut upon it. With the usual arrangement the end link
of the chain is usually undetachably connected with the swivel, but in my improve-
ment I employ a detachable connection between the chain and the swivel. This
may be made in various ways, a suitable way being to form an eye in the end of
the swivel, pass a small shackle through the last link of the chain and connect the
shackle and the swivel eye by a screw or bolt preferably with a wing head or nut
so that it can be easily and quickly detached. With this arrangement should the
horse fall and the strain upon the trace be too great to allow of it being unhooked
from the collar it may be detached by unscrewing the swivel bolt or by removing
the connection between the shackle and the trace.
A similar connection may be used at the other end of the trace so that the
trace can be renewed without sacrificing the chain at either end while a ready
means for detaching it in case of emergency is provided at both ends.
Dated this 26th day of August 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Harness.
I, STANLEY SMITH of 106 Stamford Street, London, S.E., Foreman of Granary
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 harness and consists in so arranging or constructing the

page_text: chains or chain connections which connect the traces with the horse collar or the
connections between the other end of the traces and the poles or vehicle that they
can be readily detached in case of emergency. This is particularly important
when the horse falls as it is often most difficult or impossible to detach the trace
except by cutting it which involves a new trace and considerable expense. Also
with the ordinary fastenings when a trace is worn out or damaged and has to be
changed, the chain which connects it with the collar is also changed as it can only
be removed from the trace by cutting the leather or unstitching it; with my
improved arrangement the trace can be removed entirely from the chain and a new
trace substituted without injuring either trace or requiring a new chain.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of my improved connecting device.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another form of the device and
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views of different portions of the device shown in
Fig. 2.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying out my invention in the manner shown in Fig. 1 I may connect the
chain A (of which only one link is shown) to the collar with the usual curved hook
and to the end of the trace B with a shackle C and swivel D as usual, but instead
of making the shackle a complete forging as hitherto, I form the portion of it
which passes through the trace loop B' as a separate part conveniently as a bolt E
which can be removed by unscrewing it, or other forms of detachable connections
may be employed. A simple and satisfactory arrangement is as shown in the
drawings to employ a bolt E with a tube or equivalent F upon it so that the tube
can easily turn upon the bolt E, one end of the bolt E being either screwed into
one side of the shackle C or as shown it may be passed through and have a nut E
upon it. With the usual arrangement the end link of the chain A is usually
undetachably connected with the swivel D, but in my improvement I employ a
detachable connection between the chain and the swivel. This may be made in
various ways, a suitable way being to form an eye D' in the end of the swivel, pass
a small shackle H through the last link of the chain and connect the shackle and
the swivel eye D' by a screw or bolt G preferably with a wing head G₁, the bolt
screwing into the shackle or into a nut so that it can be easily and quickly
detached. With this arrangement should the horse fall and the strain upon the
trace B be too great to allow of it being unhooked from the collar it may be
detached by unscrewing the swivel bolt G G or by removing the connection E E'
between the shackle Cand the trace B.
In the device represented in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive I secure the shackle C to the
trace in substantially the same manner as that previously described but in this
arrangement 1 interpose a disengaging device between the shackle C and swivel D
instead of, as in the previous example, interposing it between the swivel and
chain A. For this purpose I provide the shackle-socket C₁ with an internal
mutilated screw thread C2 Figs. 4 and 5 and on the shackle part D³ a pin or
stem D having an external mutilated screw thread D as shown clearly in
Fig. 3.
This screw D is capable of being readily engaged with and disengaged
from the above named screw thread C2, and to ensure that the two parts C
and D may be fitted together in the proper position 1 form a recess C³ Fig. 2
in the end of the shackle-socket C and provide a stud or projection D³ on the
part D2, the latter of which fits into the former when the two parts C¹ D³ are
properly applied to each other.
To prevent the two parts C¹ D³ from becoming accidentally separated
I provide a locking-plate J which is adapted to engage with a recess C+ in
the shackle C. The locking plate J is pivotted as by a screw J' to the end of
the shackle-stem D³ and is operated on by a spring-controlled plunger Ja Fig. 4
in such manner that it will be retained in either position in which it is shown
in full lines or in that in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 until

page_text: positively moved out of that position by the attendant. When the locking plate J
is in the full line" position it engages with the recess C Fig. 2 and prevents
any relative rotary motion between the two parts C and D³ and thereby prevents
them from being separated and when it is in the "dottel line" position the
shackle-stem D3 may be rotated within the socket C or vice versa, and the screw
portions on say the stem D³ brought into coincidence with the grooves between the
screw portions C³ of the socket C₁ so that the parts C' D³ may be immediately
thereafter drawn apart, the locking plate being of such a size that it will readily
pass through the socket C'.
A connection similar to either of those previously described may be used at the
other end of the trace so that the trace can be renewed without sacrificing the
chain at either end while a ready means for detaching it in case of emergency is
provided at both ends.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. In a device for connecting together different parts of harness or for connecting
harness to a vehicle the employment of a readily-removable screw or bolt such as G
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a device for connecting together different parts of harness or for connecting
harness to a vehicle the combination with the shackle of a readily detachable device
substantially as described.
3. In a device for connecting together different parts of harness or for connecting
harness to a vehicle the employment of a mutilated screw substantially as and for
the purpose described.
4. In a device for connecting together different parts of harness or for connecting
harness to a vehicle the combination with a shackle such as C and a swivel such
as D of a mutilated screw for connecting together the swivel and shackle
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. In a device for connecting together different parts of harness or for connecting
harness to a vehicle the combination with a shackle and swivel respectively such
as C and D and a mutilated screw connecting them together of a locking device
such as the spring controlled plate J and recess C₁ for preventing accidental
disconnection of the swivel and shackle substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete harness
attachment substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 1 or 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated Lois ford day of June 1890.
STANLEY SMITH.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.
STANLEY SMITH.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.