IMPROVED MEANS OF HITCHING HORSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS
OF HITCHING HORSES." A communication from abroad by Stiles Frost, of
West Newton, in the County of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.
Sealed the 18th July 1879, and dated the 30th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th January 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVED MEANS OF HITCHING HORSES." [A. communication
from abroad by Stiles Frost, of West Newton, in the County of Middlesex, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to furnish a device that can be attached to a post
or other fixed support to serve as a hitching bar for horses that will prevent the
animal from getting on the pathway or injuring the post.
The Invention consists essentially of a rigid hitching bar, one end of which is
pivoted or hinged to a post or other support, and the other provided with means
for attachment to the horses bit. In one arrangement the bar is pivotted by a ball
on the end of the bar received in a socket attached by flanges to the post or other
support. The bar is inserted from the back before the socket is attached to the
post, and at the underside the metal of the socket is cut out or recessed, so that
the bar may drop down against the side of the post when not in use.
The bar is
of suitable length and is formed at the outer end with an eye for the connection of
a short chain and snap hook for attachment to the bit as usual. The bar is
preferably of round iron, thick enough to prevent bending, and tapered from the
ball to the outer end, the outer end being the smallest, so that the principal weight
of the bar will be supported by the socket.
The ball connection described permits sufficient movement to the outer end of

page_text: bar, but the bar prevents the horse from injuring the post by biting or otherwise,
and also prevents the animal from getting on the pathway. Instead of a ball and
socket connection, the bar may be attached to the socket piece by a cross pin that
passes through an eye formed in the end of the bar and through the sides of the
socket; the edges of the opening in the socket limit the movement of the rigid bar.
-Or-the-socket may be attached to-the-post by means of a screwthreaded bolt, the
-outer-end-of-which-projects-within_the_socket_and_is formed with an eye for
connecting the bar:
This hitching bar allows the animal perfect freedom of movement so far as is
necessary, and there is no liability of injury to the horse.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st July 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVED MEANS OF HITCHING HORSES." A communication
from abroad by Stiles Frost, of West Newton, in the County of Middlesex, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to furnish a device that can be attached to a
post or other fixed support, to serve as a hitching bar for horses that will prevent
the animal from getting on the pathway or injuring the post.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing in which similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is a front view of the hitching bar in the form which is preferred
attached to a post. Figure 2 is a section through the holding socket. The other
Figures represent modifications and are separately referred to.
The device is to be attached to a post or other fixed support; a represents a
post to which the hitching bar A is attached; b is a socket having flanges c, pro-
vided with holes for the insertion of screws by which the socket is held to the
post a.
The socket b is constructed to receive and retain the ball d that is formed on the
end of the bar A, the bar being inserted from the back before the socket is attached
to the post, and at the underside the metal of the socket is cut out or recessed, so
that bar A may drop down against the side of the post when not in use.
The bar A is of suitable length and is formed at its outer end with an eye for
the connection of a short chain e and snap-hook for attachment to the bit as usual.
The bar is preferably round and should be thick enough to prevent bending, and
tapered from the ball to the outer end, the outer end being smallest, so that the
principal weight of the bar will be supported by the socket b.
The ball connection described permits sufficient movement to the outer end of
bar A, but the bar prevents the horse from injuring the post by biting or other-
wise, and also prevents the animal from getting on the pathway.
In Figures 3 and 4 the bar A is shown as attached to the socket piece by a cross
pin f that passes through an eye formed in the end of the bar and through the sides
of the socket b; the edges of the opening in the socket limit the movements of the
rigid bar. In Figures 5 and 6 the socket 6 is attached to the post by means of a
screw threaded bolt g, the outer end of which projects within the socket, and is
formed with an eye for connection of bar A.
This hitching bar allows the animal perfect freedom of movement so far as is
necessary, and there is no liability of injury to the horse.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. A hitching device consisting of a socket adapted to be secured to a post or
other fixed support and a rigid hitching bar, one end of which is pivoted within
said socket, while the opposite end of said bar is provided with means for its
attachment to the bit, substantially as described.
2nd. The connection of the hitching bar A to the socket 6 by a ball and socket
joint, substantially as described and shown.

page_text: 3rd. The combination with the socket band hitching bar A of the screw bolt g
formed with an eye at its outer end, substantially as and for the purposes set_
forth.
"
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
-my-hand-and-seal,-this-Twenty-first-day of July, in the year of our Lord--
One thousand-eight-hundred-and-seventy-nine.