IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN FEEDING HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS BY MEANS OF NOSE BAGS."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Vincent Hunter Barrington Barrington-Kennett, of 15,
Hyde Park Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, and of the Inner Temple,
Burrister-at-Law, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE
USED IN FEEDING HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS BY MEANS OF NOSE BAGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Vincent Hunter Barrington
Barrington-Kennett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd
May 1879.
VINCENT HUNTER BARRINGTON BARRINGTON-KENNETT, of 15, Hyde Park
Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, and of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-Law.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN FEEDING HORSES AND OTHER
ANIMALS BY MEANS OF NOSE BAGS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be used in feeding
horses and other animals by means of nose bags.
The apparatus as I prefer to construct it comprises a head piece supporting two
rings or eyes, one on either side of the head of the animal, at a short distance
below the base of the ear, not far indeed from the positions in which in harness
rings are provided for bearing reins, but higher. Runners or pulleys may with
advantage be provided in connection with these rings or eyes in order that the
cords or straps which are passed through them may run the more freely.
In addition to the head piece there is the bag, which may be of a lighter fabric
than those commonly employed, and may be of different material and construction,
as basket, wire work, or rigid, and may be provided with ventilators and also a
piece of netting over the top part, and may be of a different shape than that
ordinarily used in order to accommodate itself to the runners, and may be of oval
form to prevent dust and dirt accumulating in the corners, and may be woven, and
may have a whalebone or other runner round the rim to keep the bag open. The
bag has two cords or straps attached to it, one on either side, and may in addition
be supported by strings connecting the front and back of the rim of the bag with
these two cords or straps which pass up through the rings or eyes, and are connected

page_text: with a hook or fastening upon the saddle or girth. This connection is made by
means of a strap and buckle or equivalent arrangement affording means of adjusting
the length.
The cords or straps connected with the nose bag have adjustable stops upon them
between the rings or eyes and the saddle or girth of such a size as to be unable to
pass through the rings or eyes upon the head piece. When the stops rest against
the rings or eyes the nose bag is suspended in such a position that the muzzle of
the animal is just entered into the mouth of the bag.
The adjustment of the length of the cords or straps is such also that when the
stops rest against the rings or eyes the animal's head is raised and the neck some-
what arched. On the animal lowering his head and straightening his neck the
stops are drawn back from the rings or eyes and the muzzle of the animal enters
more deeply into the bag, the entire contents of which can thus be eaten in
comfort.
In some cases I provide rings or eyes on the ordinary harness to receive the cords
or straps of the nose bag; they may with advantage be made to open with a spring
so that the cords or straps may be passed in and out with facility.
Another method of applying my Invention is for the cords or straps running
through the rings or eyes to be connected with the centre or bottom surface of the
bag instead of with the rim. In this case when the auimal lowers its head the
bottom surface of the bag is relatively raised and presses up the fodder in the bag
as if the latter was resting on a support and the animal pressed its muzzlo into it.
Another method is for a support to be suspend from the cords or straps and
the bag to rest in the support.
The objects which by my Invention I desire to obtain are:-
1. To enable the horse to eat in comfort.
2. To prevent the waste of fodder occasioned by the horse tossing the bag.
3. To prevent the dust, chaff, &c., getting into the horse's nostrils and injuriously
affecting his wind when he tosses the bag, and to enable him to masticate his food
with his nostrils at a comfortable distance from it, and thus breathe more freely.
4. To keep the bag clean by preventing the horse from being able to put it on
the ground, where it often becomes saturated with mud and stable drainage,
injuriously affecting the contents and tainting any fresh fodder subsequently put in.
In time of war horses suffer in health considerably from this cause.
5. To prevent accidents arising from horse supporting the bags on the backs of
other horses in order to reach the contents when they are partially emptied, or
from their shifting their position, endeavouring to find a support.
6. To save the extra labour to the driver who in the old system has to be
perpetually strapping up the bag as its contents diminish, while according to my
Inventions he can leave the horse alone till he has finished his food.
7. An improvement in the bags themselves, which, first, may be of lighter
construction because they do not require a heavy leather doubling at the bottom, as
is necessary in nose bags that may be put on the ground; and, secondly, on account
of improved material or construction will allow the animal to breathe more freely;
and, thirdly, can be more easily cleaned if the oval form is adopted.
8. Extra durability and consequent economy resulting from the bags never
standing in mud and dirt.

page_text: i
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Vincent Hunter Barrington Barrington-Kennett in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st November 1879.
VINCENT HUNTER BARRINGTON BARRINGTON-KENNETT, of 15, Hyde Park
Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, and of the Inner Temple, Barrister at Law.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN FEEDING HORSES AND OTHER
ANIMALS BY MEANS OF NOSE-BAGS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be used in feeding
horses and other animals by means of nose bags.
The apparatus as I prefer to construct it comprises a head piece supporting two
rings or eyes, one on either side of the head of the animal, near the base of the
ear. Runners or pulleys may with advantage be provided in connection with or
substitution of these rings or eyes in order that the cords or straps which are
passed through them may run the more freely.
In addition to the head piece there is the bag. The bag has two cords or straps
attached to it, one on either side, and they pass up through the rings or pulleys
and are connected with a hook or fastening upon the saddle, collar, or girth.
A strap and buckle or equivalent arrangement may be provided to afford means
of adjusting the length.
The cords or straps connected with the nose bag have stops upon them between
the rings or pulleys and the saddle, collar, or girth of such a size as to be unable to
pass through the rings or pulleys upon the head piece. When the stops rest against
the rings or pulleys the nose bag is suspended in such a position that the muzzle of
the animal is just entered into the mouth of the bag.
The adjustment of the length of the cords or straps is such also that the stops
thus rest against the rings or pulleys when the animal's head is raised and the neck
somewhat arched. On the animal lowering his head and straightening his neck
the stops are drawn back from the rings or pulleys and the muzzle of the animal
enters more deeply into the bag, the entire contents of which can thus be eaten in
comfort.
In some cases I provide rings or pulleys on the ordinary harness to receive the
cords or straps of the nose bag; they may with advantage be made to open so that
the cords or straps may be passed in and out with facility.
In order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus as it appears when upon the horse.
The position is that which the parts take when the bag is full; the horse then
requires only to enter his muzzle into the mouth of the bag to be able to reach the
contents and to eat.
Figure 2 is also a side elevation; it shows the position when the bag is nearly
empty and when the horse has to enter his head deeply into the bag to reach. the
food.
a is the bag; by preference it should have a circular bottom or have the corners
cut off. b is a head piece; it has attached to it at 61, 61, two rings or eyes such
that a cord will pass through them freely and without chafing. Metal rings, such
as shown in section at Figure 3, will answer well, but if desired they may be fitted
with rollers; or small swivelling pulleys may be provided, and the cords will then
run more freely.

page_text: c, c, are easily flexible cords attached to the bag a passing through the rings or
eyes b¹, and so to the hook or attachment & upon the girth or saddle d. For the
purpose of adjusting the length of the cords c straps with buckles are inserted at c¹,
or the cords may be adjusted at d', or in the construction may be made of a length
to suit the horse.
The arrangement may be varied by attaching the cords c, c, to the bottom of the
bag or some distance down the sides of the bag after passing through a ring at the
top in place of being attached to the bag at f. With this arrangement the head
of the horse never has to he entered deeply into the bag as the upper portion will
gradually collapse as the bag gets empty. Or the lower part of the bag may be
stiffened or be made to enter a light basket or like receptacle to which the cords c, c,
are attached.
c2, c², are adjustable stops or knots on the cords c of such a size as to be unable
to pass through the rings or oyes b', and when they rest against these rings or eyes
they support the bag in the position in which it is seen in Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2, but with a bag of a different
form, and its end. g is attached by cords e, e, to the hook or attachment at d¹ or
other part of the harness, or round the animal's neck; or the cord c may first pass
through a ring or pulley fixed at the gullet of the horse h. I adopt this form for
bags which are required to contain a large quantity of fodder, as the horizontal
extension gives great capacity and the fodder is gradually tilted forward as g is
relatively raised.
a¹ is a band passing across the bag from side to side; it serves to keep the front
of the bag away from the face of the horse, and so enables him to breathe with
greater freedom. The ends of the cords c may be fixed at fwith hooks; when the
bag is not in use the hooks will be attached to the bits.
The objects which by my Invention I desire to obtain are,-
1. To enable the horse or animal to eat in comfort by being able to reach to and
raise his muzzle from the fodder when he chooses.
.
2. To prevent the waste of fodder occasioned by the horse tossing the bag
through not being able to get at the fodder.
3. To prevent the dust, chaff, &c., getting into the horse's nostrils and injuriously
affecting his wind when he tosses the bag, and to enable him to masticate his food
with his nostrils at a comfortable distance from it, and thus breathe more freely.
4. To keep the bag clean by preventing the horse from being able to put it on
the ground, where it often becomes saturated with mud and stable drainage,
injuriously affecting the contents and tainting any fresh fodder subsequently put in.
This is important in time of war.
5. To prevent accidents arising from horses supporting the bags on the backs of
other horses in order to reach the contents when they are partially emptied, or
from their shifting their position, endeavouring to find a support.
6. To save the extra labour to the driver, who in the old system has to be
perpetually strapping up the bag as its contents diminish, while by my system he
can leave the horse alone till he has finished his food.
7. To admit of the bags themselves being of lighter construction, as they do not
require a heavy leather doubling at the bottom, as is necessary in nose bags that
may be put on the ground.
8. To obtain extra durability and consequent economy resulting from the bags
never standing in mud and dirt.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim,--
First. The apparatus consisting of the following combination of parts, viz. :-The
head piece with two rings, eyes, or pulleys, one on either side of the head of the
animal; the nose bag or receptacle; the hook or attachment on the girth or other
harness; the cords or connections passing from such hook or attachment to the

page_text: nose bag or receptacle, and the stops on such cords or connections, substantially as
herein before described.
Second. The construction of apparatus to be used in feeding horses and other
animals by means of nose bags, substantially in the manner herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Vincent Hunter Barrington Barrington-Kennett,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
VINCENT D. DARRINGTON-KENNETT. (L.S.)