Improvements in Horse Harness.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Horse Harness.
I, JOHN BOWMAN of No. 13 Balfour Street, Dundee, Scotland, Licensed Grocer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the padding of collars or saddles for horses I substitute pneumatic pads or
bladders for the straw or other hard material presently in. use. The pneumatic
pads or bladders are made of indiarubber approximating to the shape required for
either collar or saddle or other part of horse harness requiring padding. They are
filled with air by means of a pump through a valve. They are placed in the
collar or saddle next the outer framework and between them and the horse's body
one or two layers of leather or cloth are stitched on tightly over them, so that the
valve already mentioned projects through the top of the collar or saddle. After
the stitching is done the pads or bladders are filled with air and slightly compressed,
the degree of compression varying according to the shape or contour of the body
of the horse, as at present no one collar or saddle will accurately fit more than one
horse but with pneumatic pads the saddle or collar will adjust itself to several
shapes or contours of similarly sized animals while a further adjustment may be
obtained by increasing or diminishing the quantity of air by means of the pump
already mentioned. The coverings of leather or cloth before mentioned may be
one layer of thin leather and one layer of cloth outside of the leather or of two
layers of cloth, the purpose being to use these or similar materials so as to obtain a
material of some stiffness next the indiarubber pad or bladder so as to prevent it
being expanded unduly by compression of the air, and a material of some softness
next the horse's body to prevent abrasion. These pads will prove much more cool
in wear than those at present in use.
Dated this Nineteenth day of June 1896.
JOHN BOWMAN.
Improvements in Horse Harness.
1, JOHN BOWMAN of No. 13 Balfour Street, Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, Licensed Grocer, 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 :-
In the padding of collars or saddles for horses, I substitute pneumatic pads or
bladders for the straw or other hard material presently in use. The pneumatic pads
or bladders are made of indiarubber approximating to the shape required for
either collar or saddle or other part of horse harness requiring padding. They are
filled with air by means of a pump through a valve. They are placed in the collar
וג

page_text: or saddle next the outer framework and between them and the horse's body one or
two layers of leather or cloth are stitched on tightly over them, so that the valves
already mentioned projects through the top of the collar or saddle. After the
stitching is done the pads or bladders are filled with air and slightly compressed,
the degree of compression varying according to the shape or contour of the body of
the horse, as at present no one collar or saddle will accurately fit more than one
horse but with pneumatic pads the saddle or collar will adjust itself to several
shapes or contours of similarly sized animals while a further adjustment may be
obtained by increasing or diminishing the quantity of air by means of the pump
already mentioned. The coverings of leather or cloth before mentioned may be
one layer of thin leather and one layer of cloth outside of the leather or of two
layers of cloth, the purpose being to use these or similar materials so as to obtain
a material of some stiffness next the indiarubber pad or bladder so as to prevent it
being expanded unduly by compression of the air, and a material of some softness
next 'the horse's body to prevent abrasion. These pads will prove much more cool
in wear than those at present in use.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended one explanatory sheet of drawings illustrating
various examples of my invention applied to saddlery and harness for horses in the
several figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a horse's collar.
Figure 2 is also a perspective view of an equestrian saddle in which the girth
and stirrup straps are wanting.
Figure 3 is a gig harness saddle shewn also in perspective.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a cart harness saddle and
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a knee cap all embodying my invention as
hereafter more fully referred to.
Referring to Figure 1 'two pads or bladders of rubber are inserted within the
hollow portion of the two lobes A of the horse's collar contiguous to the framework
or outer cover B on the one side and on the other two layers of leather or cloth, or
one layer of leather and one of cloth only may enclose the said pads or bladders
and constitute the inner lining C of the collar.
The air to be used for inflation is forced in by a pump or inflator at the valve
connection a and a¹, mounted on the top of the collar.
The saddle illustrated in Figure 2 is provided with pneumatic pads or bladders
at the point marked D between the lining in each wing E of the saddles which, as
opposed to pads presently in use, may occupy the complete area of each side.
Figures 3 and 4 as previously referred to are harness saddles and consequently
much greater strain will be exerted upon the parts which come immediately into
contact with the horse's back and sides, it will therefore be of importance in inflating
the pads or bladders used herein not to increase abnormally the pressure as to
render displacement difficult relatively with the action of the horse's muscles.
The object sought is an elastic and yielding contact with a minimum of
resistance.
Figure 5 represents a knee pad which in lieu of the usual straw, hair or other
padding is adaptable equally with the collars and saddles for pneumatic inflation.
Not only the pad F but the parts G extending above and below the knee may, as
shewn in the figure, be inflated.
Where it is not required to render certain parts of the inflatable collar and saddle
as extensible or elastic as others, so as to retain the configuration proper to the
horse extra stitching or stiffening may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
I claim is
what
In saddles, collars and like harness for horses the combination of inflatable pads

page_text: or bladders and the method or means of retaining these in position, substantially
in the manner, and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
1007
JOHN BOWMAN,
Applicant.