Improvements in Bridles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
Improvements in Bridles.
A communication by CHARLES SMITH, of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, United States of America, Coachman.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 31 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of bridles which embody a rein connected
with the bit and passing upwardly through eyes or over pulleys and adapted to
draw the bit directly up in the horse's mouth instead of against the lower jaw.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved bridle of this
class, which will possess advantages in point of inexpensiveness, effectiveness, ease
and convenience in operation, facility of adjustment, durability, and general
efficiency, and which will insure thorough control of the horse and effectively
prevent the animal from "taking or holding the bit in the teeth.
"
The head band and throat latch are preferably formed in one piece, the latter
being simply an extension of the former, but it is obvious that they may be formed
in two separate pieces if desired. The brow band is provided. with eyes or loops
at its rear ends, embracing the end or side portions of the head band, upon which
latter member the brow band is preferably movable or adjustable. When the
head band and throat latch are formed of separate pieces, the loops will embrace
both the head band and throat latch and thus secure these separate members
together.
The bit may be of any suitable construction, but is preferably of the form
known as a check snaffle bit having side rings.
The main or check snaffle rein has its ends connected with the bit rings, preferably
by means of buckles.
An auxiliary bridoon rein has its front ends connected with the bit rings,
preferably by incans of buckles.
The ends of the rein pass from the bit upwardly over pulleys, secured to the
ends of the head band, and from thence downwardly under corresponding pulleys,
secured to the bit rings and thence rearwardly. The pulleys are mounted upon the
bit rings between the ends of the reins and the end portions of the rein are
preferably rounded, to facilitate the operation of the rein with relation to the
pulleys.
The pulley devices secured to the head band preferably embody an approximately
U-shaped block or body, forming a rounded eye or opening, through which the
rein is adapted to pass, and carrying a roller, suitably journaled or mounted
between the ends of the arms of the block or body. Projecting from the opposite
end of the body is an eye or loop by which the pulley device is mounted or secured
in position upon the end of the head band.
The pulley devices secured to the bit rings are the same in construction as the
devices which are secured to the head band and embody a corresponding block or
body forming an opening, and carry a roller. The body is likewise provided with
a projecting loop or eye, by which the pulley device is mounted upon the bit ring
and is adapted to play thereon. It will be noted that the connection between the
head band and bit is thus formed by the auxiliary bridoon rein, and to provide for

page_text: a fixed relation between the limit of play of the bit and the head gear and to
provide for adjustment of the bridle for use upon different sized horses, gauges or
stops, are secured at a suitable point upon the front end portions of the rein.
These gauges may be of any suitable or adapted construction and may be fixed or
adjustable. The gauge may be formed by a simple knot in the rein, and when the
gauge employed is a fixed or permanent one the adjustability of the bridle for use
upon different sized horses may be effected by means of the buckles. It is preferred
to employ an adjustable gauge constructed substantially as herein shown and
einbodying an approximately U-shaped main piece, having perforations at its ends,
which perforations receive the rounded portions of the bridle. The stop piece
may be adjusted to different points on the rein by sliding it upon the same, and the
stop may be secured in the position to which it is adjusted by means of a cross
pin, inserted between the stop piece and the portion of the bridle passing through
the latter. The stop piece is flexible and is preferably formed of leather, and the
securing pin is preferably formed of the same material.
When the bridle is secured in position upon the head of the animal, the gauges
or stops will come against the lower pulley devices and a fixed relation or limit of
downward play between the bit and head gear is thus established and the bridle is
retained in adjusted position with relation to the head of the horse. By drawing
upon the auxiliary bridoon rein forming the connection between the bit and head
gear, the rein moves through the pulley devices and draws the bit up in the horse's
mouth in a direct line in relation thereto, which prevents the animal from "taking
or holding the bit in the teeth as is the case when bridles of a construction adapted
to draw the bit against the lower jaw of the animal are used.
The operation and advantages of the invention will be readily understood by
those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The extreme simplicity of the
bridle, combined with its effectiveness and efficiency in operation, produces a
comparatively inexpensive device with which the rider can retain absolute control
of the horse by simply drawing or pulling on the upper or bridoon rein. The
connection between the bit and the head gear being formed solely by the adjustable
bridoon rein, a more direct and positive operation is secured, and the bridle is
readily adapted for use upon animals of different sizes by simply adjusting the
gauges or stops which establish a fixed limit to the position of the bit with relation
to the head gear.
My correspondent does not desire it to be understood as limiting himself to the
precise details of construction and arrangement as herein described, as it is manifest
that numerous variations and modifications in the detail structure and arrangement
may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
For instance the pulley devices, the gauges or stops, and the general detail features
of the head gear and reins, may be of any suitable or adapted construction. He
therefore reserves the right to all such variations or modifications as properly fall
within the spirit and scope of his invention and improvements.
Dated this 14th day of January 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant,
31, High Holborn, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bridles
A communication by CHARLES SMITH, of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, United States of America, Coachman.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester
both in the County of Lancaster and 31 High Holborn in the County of
A communication by CHARLES SMITH, of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, United States of America, Coachman.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester
both in the County of Lancaster and 31 High Holborn in the County of

page_text: Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 that class of bridles which embody a rein connected
with the bit and passing upwardly through eyes or over pulleys and adapted
to draw the bit directly up in the horse's mouth instead of against the lower jaw.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved bridle of this
class, which will possess advantages in point of inexpensiveness, effectiveness,
ease and convenience in operation, facility of adjustment, durability, and general
efficiency, and which will insure thorough control of the horse and effectively
prevent the animal from "taking or holding the bit in the teeth.
In the drawings :-
-.
"
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bridle embodying the improvements.
Figure 2 is a side view illustrating the operation or adjustment.
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the pulleys.
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view illustrating the gauge or adjusting device.
Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same letters of
reference.
Referring to the drawings-A designates the head band; B the throat latch,
and C the brow band. The head band and throat latch are preferably formed in
one piece, the latter being simply an extension of the former, but it is obvious
that they may be formed in two separate pieces if desired. The brow band is
provided with eyes or loops cc at its rear ends, embracing the end or side portions
of the head band, upon which latter member the brow band is preferably movable
or adjustable. When the head band and throat latch are formed of separate
pieces, the loops cc, will embrace both the head band and throat latch and thus
secure these separate members together.
D designates the bit, which may be of any suitable construction, but is
preferably of the form known as a check snaffle bit, having the side rings d d.
E designates the main or check snaffle rein, which has its ends connected with
the bit rings d d, preferably by means of buckles e e as shown.
F designates an auxiliary bridoon rein which has its front ends connected with
the bit rings d d preferably by means of buckles, ff, as shown. The ends of the
rein F pass from the bit upwardly over pulleys G, secured to the ends of the
head band, and from thence downwardly under corresponding pulleys, H, secured
to the bit rings dd, and thence rearwardly, as shown. The pulleys H are mounted
upon the bit rings between the ends of the reins E and F, and the end portions of
the rein F are preferably rounded, as shown at f', to facilitate the operation of the
rein with relation to the pulleys.
The pulley devices G preferably embody an approximately U-shaped block or
body g, forming a rounded eye or opening g', through which the rein is adapted to
pass, and carrying a roller G, suitably journaled or mounted between the ends of
the arms of the block or body. Projecting from the opposite end of the body is
an eye or loop 92, by which the pulley device is mounted or secured in position
upon the end of the head band.
The pulley devices H are substantially the same in construction as the devices G
and embody a corresponding block or body, h, forming an opening h¹, and carry a
roller H. The body is likewise provided with a projecting loop or eye h³, by
which the pulley device is mounted upon the bit ring and is adapted to play
thereon. It will be noted that the connection between the head band and bit is
thus formed by the auxiliary bridoon rein, and to provide for a fixed relation
between the limit of play of the bit and the head gear and to provide for
adjustment of the bridle for use upon different sized horses, gauges or stops I
are secured at a suitable point upon the front end portions of the rein F. These
gauges may be of any suitable or adapted construction and may be fixed or
adjustable. The gauge may be formed by a simple knot in the rein, and when

page_text: the gauge employed is a fixed or permanent one the adjustability of the bridle for
use upon different sized horses may be effected by means of the buckles ff. It is
preferred to employ an adjustable gauge constructed substantially as herein shown
and embodying an approximately U-shaped main piece l', having perforations i i
at its ends, which perforations receive the rounded portions fi of the bridle.
The stop piece 12 may be adjusted to different points on the rein by sliding it
upon the same, and the stop may be secured in the position to which it is adjusted
by means of a cross pin 12, inserted between the stop piece and the portion of the
bridle passing through the latter. The stop piece I' is flexible and is preferably
formed of leather, and the securing pin 12 is preferably formed of the same
material.
When the bridle is secured in position upon the head of the animal, the gauges
or stops will come against the lower pulley devices H and a fixed relation or limit
of downward play between the bit and head gear is thus established and the bridle
is retained in adjusted position with relation to the head of the horse. By drawing
upon the auxiliary bridoon rein F, forming the connection between the bit and
head gear, the rein moves through the pulley devices and draws the bit up in the
horse's mouth in a direct line in relation thereto, which prevents the animal from
taking" or holding the bit in the teeth as is the case when bridles of a construction
adapted to draw the bit against the lower jaw of the animal are used.
.66
The operation and advantages of the invention will be readily understood by
those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The extreme simplicity of the
bridle, combined with its effectiveness and efficiency in operation, produces a com-
paratively inexpensive device with which the rider can retain absolute control of
the horse by simply drawing or pulling on the upper or bridoon rein. The
connection between the bit and the head gear being formed solely by the adjustable
bridoon rein, a more direct and positive operation is secured, and the bridle is
readily adapted for use upon animals of different sizes by simply adjusting the
gauges or stops which establish a fixed limit to the position of the bit with relation
to the head gear.
My correspondent does not desire it to be understood as limiting himself to the
precise details of construction and arrangement as herein shown and described, as it
is manifest that numerous variations and modifications in the detail, structure and
arrangement may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. For instance, the pulley devices, the gauges or stops, and the general
detail features of the head gear and reins, may be of any suitable or adapted con-
struction. He therefore reserves the right to all such variations or modifications
as properly fall within the spirit and scope of his invention and improvements and
the terms of the following claims.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a bridle, comprising the head gear, the bit, pulley or similar devices
mounted on the head gear and bit, and the rein connected with the bit and passing
through said pulley devices, the con:bination, with the rein and said pulley devices,
of an adjustable gauge, consisting of a flat flexible piece, having end perforations
through which the rein passes and a transverse key piece or più inserted between
the flexible piece and the rein, substantially as set forth.
2. An improved bridle, comprising the top head gear, the bit, and the main rein
having direct connection with the bit rings, in combination with the bridoon rein
forming the sole connection between the bit and the top head gear and having direct
connection with the bit rings in front of the main rein and passing over pulley devices
on the top head gear, pulley devices mounted upon the bit rings between the ends
of the main rein and bridoon rein and carrying the latter, and stops or gauges upon
the bridoon rein in rear of the pulley devices on the bit rings, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: 3. An improved bridle of the class described comprising the top head gear, the
bit, and the main rein having direct connection with the bit, substantially as set
forth, in combination with the bridoon rein having direct connection with the bit in
front of the connection of the main rein and passing over pulley devices on the top
head gear, and pulley devices mounted upon the bit between the connections of the
main rein and bridoon rein therewith and carrying the bridoon rein, substantially
as set forth.
4. The herein described improved bridle, comprising the top head gear, the bit,
and the main rein having its ends directly connected to the bit rings, in combination
with the bridoon rein forming the sole connection between the bit and the top head
gear, and having its ends directly connected to the bit rings in front of the main
rein and passing over pulley devices on the top head gear, pulley devices loosely
mounted upon the bit rings between the ends of the main rein and bridoon rein and
carrying the latter, and adjustable gauges or stops upon the bridoon rein in rear of
the pulley devices on the bit rings, substantially as set forth.
Dead his 10th day of January 1805
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.