Improvements in connection with Harness.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Harness.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM BILLINGS, of No. 1 Market Street, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Licensed Victualler, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to obviate the use of ordinary stuffing and padding
in harness and also, under certain circumstances, to utilise the saddle and other
suitable parts of an animals harness for the storing of water for use on military
service.
The invention consists essentially in making collapsible and inflatable all those
portions of the harness which are usually stuffed or padded. The collapsible
portions are inflated with air or water. When air is used they are provided with
apertures closed by screw or other caps or valves through which to inject the air
and also (when water is used) for filling and emptying them. When water is
employed it is intended, as the water is withdrawn, to replace it by forcing in air,
so that the space or spaces which was, or were originally occupied by water will
ultimately be filled with air only, until such time as the water can be replenished.
When the parts are simply to be inflated with air, and no provision is to be made
for water, the inflating apertures may be in any part of the portion to be blown
out: but where it is intended to use water also, then the openings for filling with
water and foreing in the air, must be at the highest part, and the apertures for
drawing off the water, at the lowest part thereof. The collapsible portions may
consist simply of two layers of suitable material capable of expanding into a
cushion-like formation when filled with the air or water or by both, or they may be
made cellular, tubular or corrugated or a combination of any or all of such modes of
structure. I shall in this Specification make mention of utilizing the invention as
applicable to saddles, bands, collars, or the like, but I do not restrict myself to
those sole uses as the idea is adaptable to any purpose as a substitute for ordinary
stuffing or padding. In order to further explain my invention I make reference to
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a riding
saddle, Fig. 2 a plan of it spread out, Fig. 3 a section through a b Fig. 1 and
showing at ca cellular construction formed by placing corrugated pieces of water-
proof or other material so as to leave spaces d to be filled with air or water.
e shows the section as undivided and forming the air or water space f. Fig. 4 is a
side view of a small driving saddle. Fig. 5 is a side view of a draught horses
saddle. Fig. 6. is front view of a collar of which Fig. 7 is a section through gh
showing tubular air or water spaces. Fig. 8 is a breast band for use instead of a
collar. In all the drawings k represents the inlet valves for the air. the inlets
for the water when used: m the outlets for water. land m may be omitted when
it is not intended to use water at any time. The tubular, cellular, corrugated or
other formation of section may be used with any of the forms of saddle or
the like.
I do not restrict myself to the precise details, configuration, relative proportions,
or disposition of parts described or shown as any or all of them may be varied
without departing from the spirit of my invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In saddles and other parts of harness the substitution of injected air for the
usual stuffing or padding, substantially as described in the above Specification and
exemplified in the drawings.
2. In saddles and other parts of harness the substitution of injected water for
the usual stuffing or padding, substantially as described in the above Specification
and exemplified in the drawings.
3. In saddles and other parts of harness which are usually padded or stuffed the
substitution of injected air and water as substitutes in succession for each other,
substantially as described in the above Specification.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1896.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23 Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicant.