Device for Stopping Runaway Horses.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 9th My, 186
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Device for Stopping Runaway Horses.
I, WILLIAM CRAWFORD, of No. 57 West 17th Street in the City of New York,
in the County of New York in the State of New York of the United States of
America, Book-keeper, 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 improvements in devices for stopping runaway horses,
and especially to that class of such devices that are provided with appliances for
closing the air passages directly above the nostrils.
The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device of this kind
which is simple in construction, is safe and reliable, can be used on any harness,
can easily be operated by the driver or rider aud which does not mar or disfigure
the appearance of the horses head gear.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this Specification and in which
like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a horses head, the head gear being provided
with my improved device for stopping runaway horses.
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail front view of the device.
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the pads and elastic connecting thein, the
pads being shown separated.
Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4, 4, of Figure 3.
Figure 5, is a detail side view of one of the pads.
The bridle bit and the headgear in general are of any well known or approved
construction and have no special bearing ou my invention.
A strap A is attached to the crown piece B and passes under the brow band C,
and down lengthwise over the horses nose to within a short distance above the
lower end of the nose and its lower end is forked to form the two branches D
which are drawn closely toward each other by a piece of heavy elastic fabric E or
by any other suitable elastic material, such as springs, the elastic fabric being
preferred.
To the inner surface of each branch D, a pad F of rubber leather or other
suitable material is fastened, which pad is of the same width as the said branch
strap so as to show as little as possible.
The pads and the branch straps to which they are attached are curved from each
other as shown..
The branch straps D are carried down at the sides of the horses mouth and pass
under the bit G, so as to prevent their being pulled upward and to the end of each
branch strap D a rein H is buckled, which reins pass through an eye J and are
then carried through suitable rings on the harness to the drivers seat or in place
of carrying both reins independently to the drivers seat, the said two reins can be
cut off and attached to a single rein J, extending to the drivers sent.
The eye J is provided with two side straps M each having a hook N at its free
end, which hooks are hooked on the rings of the bit, thus serving to support the
eye and the reins passing through them and for holding the branch straps D and
the pads thereon in proper place on the horses bead.
Whenever the horse becomes unmanageable, the driver pulls the extra rein or
reins connected with the branch straps D' and thereby the said branch straps Dare
pulled downward and from each other and the pads F are pressed upon and into

page_text: the soft fleshy part of the horses nose directly above the nostrils and the air passages
in the nose are thus closed.
The horse attempts to get rid of the encumbrance and begins to back away from
it and then becomes quite docile.
As soon as the horse ceases running, the said extra rein is released, permitting
the clastic E or spring to draw the branch straps D together again, whereby the
pads are moved away from the air passages in the nose and the horse is relieved,
for the time being, but as soon as he shows the least disposition to become unruly,
the pads can be drawn from each other and pressed upon the air passages by simply
pulling on the extra rein.
The pads are very small and in fact are hardly perceptible and hence do not mar
the appearance of the headgear and as soon as released at once assume their normal
position.
For riding harness the straps D and pads are not changed and the reins H are
passed through the bridle rings and can be held in the hands or can be hung on the
saddle.
When the horse becomes unruly it is only necessary to pull these reins H
when the pads F will be pressed upon the air passages in the manner set forth
above.
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 what I
claim is:
1. The combination with a horses head gear, of a strap extending from the top,
over the horses nose and divided into two branch straps above the nostrils, an
elastic for drawing the two branch straps toward each other, a pad on the inner
side of each branch strap, and a special rein connected with the branch straps,
substantially as herein shown and described.
2. The combination with a horses head gear, of a strap extending from the top
lengthwise over the horses nose and divided at its lower end and above the nostrils
into two branch straps, an elastic for drawing the two branch straps together, a
pad on the underside of each branch strap, a special rein attached to the end of each
branch strap, an eye through which said reins pass and straps for suspending said
eye from the bit rings, substantially as hercin shown and described.
Dated this 7th day of January 1896.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.