Improvements in the Yoking and Loosing of Horses to and from Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 24th Feb.,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Yoking and Loosing of Horses to and from
Machines.
I, FRANCIS SUTHERLAND ROBERTSON of Lybster, Wick in the County of
Caithness, North Britain, Watchmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the yoking and loosing of horses to
and from machines. When the horses bolt or fall they can be instantly loosed from
the machine. The front side of the splinter bar is provided with rectangular
shaped hooks so that when the traces are attached to the hooks they can be
The side
unhooked by simply giving a side movement to each of the traces.
movement is effected by a sliding bar on the top of the splinter bar; the said
sliding bar carries projections or fingers preferably fork shaped so that by giving a
side movement to the sliding bar, the fingers push off the ends of the traces from
the books. When the sliding bar is not used the traces are prevented from slipping
off the hooks by providing the sliding bar with other fingers which close against
the open ends of the hooks. The sliding bar is operated from the driving seat by.
any convenient arrangement of lever.
The slip hooks on the splinter bar are preferably kept closed under the influence
of a spiral spring to which the sliding bar is attached.
The horses are released from the front end of the pole by providing the said end
of the pole with two square holes in which two squares fit, the squares being kept
in by a suitable spring click. The arrangement is such that when the pole straps-
are brought forward, after the traces are detached, the spring click is released so
as to allow the square blocks to be drawn out from the end of the pole. Or the
ordinary strap rings at the end of the pole may be hinged or jointed thereto in
such a manner that when they are drawn forward they are disengaged from the end
of the pole.
The arrangement is equally applicable to a single horse machine by connecting
the back ends of the shafts to similarly shaped hooks on any convenient part of the
carriage front.
The arrangements can be used in the ordinary yoking and loosing of horses to and
from machines, the end of the actuating lever working in an elongated slot in the
end of the sliding bar so that the bar can be moved aside by the hand and the hooks
thus opened without actuating the lever.
Dis 20th der of Anil 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Yoking and Loosing of Horses to and from
Machines.
1, FRANCIS SUTHERLAND ROBERTSON, of Lybster, Wick, in the County of
Caithness, North Britain, Watchmaker, 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 which relates to improvements in the yoking and loosing of horses

page_text: to and from machines has for its object to provide means whereby in the event of
the horses bolting, getting uncontrollable or falling, they can be at once detached
from the machine and so prevent accidents.
In carrying out my invention I provide the splinter bar with suitable hooks
which engage with the rings on the ends of the traces; said hooks being opened or
closed by means of a sliding bar actuated by the driver, in such a manner, as to
yoke or unyoke the horses as desired. The front end of the pole is also provided
with means for automatically freeing the pole straps from the same.
But in order that my said invention may be readily understood and easily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 a part plan of a splinter
bar for a machine drawn by two horses.
And Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the front end of the pole of same.
Referring to the said drawings I provide the splinter bar A with a steel or other
metal bar B; said bar B being formed with four hooks C with which the rings D
(Figure 2) of the traces engage, in such a manner, that on a side movement being
given to the rings they are disengaged from the hooks C. The side movement is
effected by means of the sliding bar E, which is mounted on the top of the bar B,
by means of the screws and slots e, being moved to one side by the driver as here-
after described. The sliding bar E is formed with four openings F the sides ƒ of
which form fingers for pushing off the rings D from the hooks C when the bar E
is moved in the direction of the arrow Ĭ Figure 2. The other sides f¹ of the
openings F are formed with depending pieces or projections so as form fingers for
closing the open ends of the hooks C when the bar E is in its normal position as
shown; the said bar E being retained in such position by means of a spring
arrangement G and a spring lock or sneck G¹, which is capable of being unlocked
by the same movement as moves the slide bar E. That is to say, the slide bar E
is provided with a projection e¹ to which the one end of a cord H is attached by
any suitable means; the cord H after passing around the pulley 9, mounted in the
sneck G', is secured at its other end to any suitable lever arrangement, the handle
of which would preferably be close to the driver so as to enable him or her to
actuate the slide bar E when desired, and so cause the rings D to be disengaged
from the hooks C as shown in Figure 3.
In order to release the horses from the pole J, I provide the front end of same
with a metal cup or sheath K, Figure 4; said sheath K is formed with two square
holes k into which are fitted two square blocks L ; said blocks being connected to
the rings M by means of the pivotted links N the rear ends n of which are shaped
as shown so as to enable the retaining spring clips or clicks P to be disengaged
from the blocks L, (as at 1.) and so permit of them being easily withdrawn from
the sheath K. when drawn forward or away from the pole J as shown.
The arrangement is equally applicable to a single horse machine, by suitably
connecting the back ends of the shafts to similarly arranged hooks mounted on any
convenient part of the carriage.
As a modification I may form the splinter bar A and hook bar B as one metal
bar of any convenient size or shape, and if desired I may dispense with the lever
arrangement for actuating the slide bar and simply employ, a cord, strap or chain
according to the style of machine.
The whole arrangement thus provides efficient means for instantly freeing or
releasing horses from machines as well as efficient means for yoking and unyoking
horses, as for example, when yoking horses all that has to be done is to unfasten
or withdraw the sneck G¹ from the slide bar E and press in the trace rings between
the ends of the hooks C and the fingers f; the ends of the hooks C being bevelled
or otherwise shaped to permit of this being done. After the rings D have been
engaged with the hooks C and the lock or sueck G¹ closed, the horses are yoked in
such a manner that they can be instantly unyoked by actuating the slide bar E.

page_text: 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 :-
1st. The general arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts
constituting the improvements in the yoking and loosing of horses to and from
machines, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown
in the accompanying drawings.
2nd. The arrangement of a splinter bar, having hooks capable of being opened
or shut by means of a slide bar, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and shown in the drawings.
3rd. The arrangement of the pole end or sheath with the detachable blocks,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown in Figure 4
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of January 1894.
J. Y. JOHNSON,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agent.
J. Y. JOHNSON,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agent.