Improvements in Feed or Nose Bags.
Year: 1892

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as allowed by
the decision of the Chief Examiner of the 5th day of December 1896.
Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1892--Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1392
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
[Communicated from abroad by THE ECONOMIC FEED BAG Co., of 32, Stone
Street, New York, U.S.A., Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Feed or Nose Bags.
I, REGINALD WALTER BARKER, of Monument Chambers, King William
Street, London, Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what mauner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Heretofore feed-bags used for feeding horses and other animals were so
constructed that the escape and waste of oats, or other feed, through the spaces
between the animal's head and the sides of the bag, could not be prevented when
he threw up his head, whilst feeding or for any other purpose.
Various attempts have been made to prevent this waste.
The object of my invention is Firstly to make a bag, with which bag it is
impossible to waste the feed, no matter how much the horse may throw or sling its
head about. Secondly, a feed bag that will fit any horse. Thirdly, a feed-bag
that requires absolutely no more handling than an ordinary bag with no attachment.
Fourthly, a bag in which the horse can get all the air he requires, and Fifthly, to
improve the general construction of feed or nose bags to render them more
serviceable.
My invention consists in providing the ordinary feed-bag with a flexible, open
meshed diaphragm, secured to the inside of the bag, at the top of same and
preferably sewed under the hem of the bag. The lower margin of this diaphragm
contains a flexible, limber steel or other spiral spring, which is kept at the lower
margin by being sewed in a band of braid, webbing or drilling, and my invention
comprises certain other features as will be fully described hereunder.
In the drawings
Fig. 1 is a cross-section of such a feed-bag.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3 shows a feed bag with band attached, and which surrounds the bottom of
he bag.
Fig. 4 is an exaggerated cross-section of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 shows a strip of metal the edges of which have been turned up on
hemselves aud,
Fig. 6 is an end view of same.
Fig. 7 is a wired strip of metal, the edges of which are turned over the wire.

page_text: Fig. is an end view of same.
Fig. 9 shows a corrugated strip, the corrugations running lengthwise and
Fig. 10 shows a corrugated strip with the corrugations running up and down.
Fig. 11 shows an embossed strip of metal; it can also represent a punched strip
with diamond shaped holes.
A represents any ordinary bag with, or, without ventilators; B represents the
hem of the feed bag and under which I sew the upper edge of the open meshed
diaphragm. C is the body of the open meshed material. D is the band sewed
around the lower margin of the open méshed material, and contains a small,
flexible spiral spring of steel or other similar material, which draws the lower
margin of the diaphragm around the jole of the horse and which prevents any feed
from finding its way out of the bag between the nose of the horse and the band.
E is the band attached to and surrounding the bottom of the bag. F the tacks by
means of which the band is held in place, and G the wood bottom of the bag.
I will now describe in detail the manner of making these diaphragms so that any
skilled in the art can make and use the same. I take as my meshed material, a
woven material made of seine twine; such as is used by fishermen in the making of
their nets, and about No. 16, this woven material should have about five meshes to
the inch. If finer twine is used the material should contain more meshes per inch.
The object of the spaces being to allow a free ingress and egress of air at the same
time to prevent any oats from being thrown out of the meshed material.
I now take a strip of this woven material 4 to 5 inches wide and long enough
to extend all around the bag on the inside of same. As all the bags are slightly
tapered, the woven material may be cut to conform with this taper and the two
edges should be sewed or otherwise fastened together. This will leave the lower
end of the diaphragm somewhat smaller than the upper one. A band of braid,
drilling or the like which is preferably water proofed is now sewed, or otherwise
suitably fastened to one side of the lower end of the diaphragm, bent around and
sewed on the opposite side, thus forming a groove or channel through which a
spiral spring preferably of steel, th of an inch in diameter, made of B. S. No. 26,
or No. 6 music wire gauge, and which is about 14 inches long is inserted, the ends
of the spring are hooked together and the opening through which the spring was
inserted is sewed shut. 1 now sew the superior border of the attachment under the
hem of the feed-tag, and can if I like put in several rivets to take up any strain
that may be brought on the edge of the attachment.
The manner of water proofing the band which encloses the spring and which
keeps the spring from rusting is as follows:
I boil the band in wax, ozokerite, or the like, and while still hot run the band
through warm or heated rollers under a slight pressure, so as to squeeze out the
excess of wax or ozokerite, and at the same time have a flexible band.
I also intend to make the attachments separate, in that case I also sew a band
around the superior border of the attachment, and those already having feed-bags
can apply the attachment to the inside of the bag by sewing, riveting, lacing, or in
any other suitable way.
My feed-bag is applied to a horse's head just as if it had no attachment whatever,
the meshed material being of twine which is soft and flexible, and which is drawn
together by a flexible spiral spring, does not cause any inconvenience to the borse
when his nose is pushed through the opening.
Thus it will be seen that no adjustment or handling except fastening the bag to
the head is necessary.
I give preference to the meshed or woven material just described and do not
limit myself to merely woven material, for I can use if I like any material containing
no open-meshes, which material can have holes punched in it, for the ingress and
egress of air, substantially as described.
In Figs. 3 to 9 inclusive I have shown certain improvements in the construction
of feed and nose bags rendering them more durable, the said improvements
consisting in surrounding the bottom of the feed-bag by a strip of sheet zinc,

page_text: preferably Number 6, about the same width as that of the wood bottom; the strip
should be long enough to entirely surround the bag. The strip is fastened to the
bag by nailing or any other suitable way.
If a plain strip of zinc is used it may cut the canvas if it should rub against it,
as it is liable to when in use, so I bend the edges on themselves, or I bend the
edges over a wire; this bead or rib adds greatly to the strength of the band, and
protects the body of the band and also the heads of the tacks. If the bottom
should crack the rigid band surrounding the bag will firmly hold the elges in place.
The zinc is only slightly oxidizable and that only on its surface.
to rot or swelling as is leather or the like.
It is not subject
I do not limit myself to the use of zinc, for I can use tinned iron, iron, galvanized
iron, brass, copper, etc., etc. If iron or any metal is used that oxidizes freely, as for
instance iron it can be enamelled or japanned; neither do I limit myself to the use
of the strips in straight lengths with its edges turned up for it can be corrugated
vertically or horizontally; it can be embossed, perforated or crimped, as will be
evident to any skilled in the art. It is not necessary though it is preferable, that
the band be all in one length for short lengths can be used one overlapping
the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a nose bag for animals, the combination with the bag, of a flexible
diaphragm C, composed of open work and secured to the upper margin of the bag,
an annular water-tight spring case D, secured around the inner margin of the.
diaphragm, and a spring X within said case, substantially as described.
2. The improved feed-bag with a metallic guard or sheath surrounding the bottom
of same constructed in the mode herein described and illustrated in the drawings
annexed.
3. The improvements in feed or nose bags for horses substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described, set forth and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 20th day of Sentember 1892
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.