IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLES AND BITS FOR STOPPING HORSES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Noël Monnier, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
Coachman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLES AND BITS FOR
STOPPING HORSES."
Sealed the 22nd May 1857, and dated the 1st December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Noël Monnier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
December 1856.
I, NOËL MONNIER, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Coachman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLES
AND BITS FOR STOPPING HORSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in bits and bridles for stopping and con-
trolling horses are applicable to horses in harness or to saddle or led horses.
Instead of supporting the bit in the horse's mouth simply by a strap passing over
his head, I attach to the bit two small frames, each having two pullies, which
frames pass upwards on each side of the horse's cheeks; two similar pulley
frames are attached to the ends of a strap passing over the head. The pullies
of the top and bottom frames on each side of the head are some six or eight
inches apart and opposed to each other, so that a cord or rein can be laced or
rove up and down from the one to the other. The rein so rove is for the
purpose of drawing the bit and the strap over the head forcibly together. The
upper and lower pulley frames are further connected with each other by steel
springs, which deflect when the parts are caused to approach each other by
pulling the rein. When the rein is released these springs cause the pulley
frames to recede and assume their original position. Reins of the ordinary

page_text: kind are used with the bit and bridle in addition to what may be termed the
restive rein or reins, above mentioned.
Straps and parts of the ordinary kind are used to keep the bridle in position.
In connection with the restive rein, and in order that it may pull in the proper
direction, I pass that rein under a pulley or pullies placed immediately in front
of the horse's chest. These pullies are held in position by a strap passing on
each side of the horse's neck to the pommel of the saddle of a saddle horse, or
it may be to the collar of a horse in harness. It is also secured downwards
by a strap passing between the horse's fore legs to the girth, and from thence
it separates into two parts carried up round the horse's sides to the top of the
crupper. In a saddle horse the restive rein may rest on his neck, from which
it leads down on each side to the pulley or pullies at his chest, thence up
through suitable guides in the bit or bridle to the first bridle pulley, over which
it is conducted to the next, and so on; when pulled it draws the bit forcibly
upwards in the horse's mouth, and producing a pressure on his head, which has
the effect of stopping or curbing him if required. In a harness horse the
restive reins are conducted to the driver in addition to the ordinary reins
as usual.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Noël. Monnier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
May 1857.
то
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NO L
MONNIER, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Coachınan, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Noël Monnier, Her special licence that I, the said Noël Monnier, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Noël
Monnier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BRIDLES AND BITS FOR STOPPING HORSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Noël Monnier, my executors or administrators, by an instrument

page_text: in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the samo was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Noël Monnier, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner tlie same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to an improved bridle and bit applicable to draught
and to saddle horses or harness. This improved bridle and bit is for the
purpose of training, guiding, or otherwise controlling and instantly checking
or stopping horses. The principal feature of my Invention is the application
of certain apparatus by the aid of which I can double, treble, quadruple, and
still further increase the effect of a man's strength upon the horse; this
(increased) effect is brought to bear upon the head of a horse, whereby a horse
may be trained, guided, and instantly checked or stopped.
The annexed Sheet of Drawings illustrates my Invention, in which Figs.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent my improvements as applied to harness for
draught horses; Fig. 7 represents the same applied to the bridle of a saddle
horse; and Fig 8 represents a second application of my improvements applied
to draught harness. In all the Figures the same letters indicate the same parts
where they recur.
a, Fig. 1, is the bit with its gear, and the parts to which the reins, curbs,
curb chains, &c. are attached; b, b, are two hooks, fixed one on each side of
the checks of the bit; c, c, are two principal parts of the controlling gear,
furnished with two (or more) pullies, which gear is hooked into parts b, b;
d, d, other two parts of the restraining gear, also furnished with two or more
pullies fixed to the head stall of the bridle; e, e, are two systems of metal
springs which connect the two parts of the gear c, c, and d, d; f, f, are two
pullies fitted in the front of the martingale or other strap passing under or
round the chest of the horse; g, g, are two rings fixed at the binder extremity
of the martingale under the horse's belly; h, is a pulley fixed to the nose
band; i, a hook fixed to the crupper of the horse; a cord or thong is passed
round the crupper hook i having its ends attached to the rings g, g; two other
cords or thongs pass from each side of the bridle, as represented in Fig. 2,
passing over the pullies of the gear c, c, and d, d, from thence each part passes
round a pulley h, then under the pullies f, f, after passing which the two cords

page_text: or thongs are attached to the safety rein; or the thong if suitable may be in
one piece to form the safety rein of itself. When the horse is restive it is
sufficient to draw this rein, to make it feel, by means of the gear just described,
a pressure two, three, or four times greater than can be applied by ordinary
bridles. This pressure separates the springs e, e, and tends to draw the bit
and the head stall together. For saddle horses, in the bridle represented at
Fig. 7, there is also a cord which rolls on the buckle of the crupper strap,
which at the two extremities is attached to the two rings carried by the
martingale or by the bellybands of the saddle. The second cord, forming the
safety rein, after having passed over the pullies of the martingale is adjusted on
the neck of the horse at the will of the rider.
Fig. 8 shows another arrangement for draught harness. I prefer it to the
first, on account of its being simpler, more prompt, more powerful, and quite as
energetic in its action without affecting the mouth of the horse at all. j is the
nose band; k, k, are two springs fixed on the inside which press against the two
nostrils of the horse; 1, 7, two pullies fitted in each side of the nose band;
m, m, loops or hooks fixed on each side of the nose band j; n, n, two braces
furnished with pullies fixed on each side of the horse's collar (only one brace
being seen in the Drawing); o, o, two braces or straps fixed on each side of the
saddle of the horse (only one being represented); p, pulley fixed to the strap of
the crupper; r, r, cords (only one being represented) with one end hooked at m,
which are passed, as indicated in the Drawing, round the parts just described,
the other ends being buckled to the safety rein. It is well understood that if
the horse is restive it is sufficient to draw the safety rein, which produces a
double, treble, or fourfold pressure on the nostrils of the horse and under the
tail, so that the horse is curbed (or checked) at each extremity, and thereby
rendering it impossible for him to make any movement.
I claim, firstly, the pulley gear and cords or thongs applied to draught and
saddle barness for increasing the effect of the power of the driver or rider over
the horse. And, secondly, the general arrangement of parts herein-before
described for the purpose of checking or otherwise controlling horses.
In witness whereof, I, the said Noel Monnier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.