Improvements in Balling Irons or Veterinary Gags.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894 .
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Balling Irons or Veterinary Gags.
We JESSE WILLOWS, THOMAS HARPER FRANCIS, and CHARLES BUTLER
all of 101 High Holborn, in the County of London, Wholesale Druggists, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to what are technically known as "balling irons" or
veterinary gags used for holding open the mouth of a horse or other animal for
the purpose of administering food or medicine or for operating on the mouth or
throat of the animal.
Instruments of this kind have hitherto been made with a vertical standard
carrying two projecting arms one rigidly fixed at the top, and the other fixed to a
sleeve which slides vertically on the said standard and is adjustable by means of a
nut working on a screw thread on the standard. A serious objection to instruments
so made is that on account of the two projecting arms being vertically one above
the other, the lower one which bears against the inside of animal's lower jaw forms
a very insecure base for the instrument, as, should the animal move its lower jaw
laterally, or should the instrument not be properly fixed or slip to one side after or
during the fixing thereof, the instrument would fall out of its proper erect position
and the animal's mouth would close and possibly inflict serious injury on the arm of
the operator.
To overcome this defect we provide the adjustable sleeve with two parallel arms
at a suitable distance apart whereby we obtain a firm and substantial base to the
instrument which practically ensures it against slipping or dislodgement when once
fixed in the animal's mouth.
Dated this 4th day of November 1892.
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Balling Irons or Veterinary Gags.
We JESSE WILLOWS, THOMAS HARPER FRANCIS, and CHARLES- BUTLER
all of 101 High Holborn, in the County of London, Wholesale Druggists, 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 what are technically known as "balling irons" or
veterinary gags used for holding open the mouth of a horse or other animal for
the purpose of administering food or medicine or for operating on the mouth or
throat of the animal.
Instruments of this kind have hitherto been made with a vertical standard
carrying two projecting arms one rigidly fixed at the top, and the other fixed to a
sleeve which slides vertically on the said standard and is adjustable by means of a
nut working on a screw thread on the standard. A serious objection to instruments
so made is that on account of the two projecting arms being vertically one above
the other, the lower one which bears against the inside of the animal's lower jaw
forms a very insecure base for the instrument, as, should the instrument not be
n .

page_text: properly fixed or slip to one side after or during the fixing thereof, by reason of
the animal moving its lower jaw or otherwise, the instrument would fall out of its
proper erect position and the animal's mouth would close and possibly inflict serious
injury on the arm of the operator.
To overcome this defect we provide the adjustable sleeve with two parallel arms
at a suitable distance apart whereby we obtain a firm and substantial base to the
instrument which practically ensures it against slipping or dislodgement when once
fixed in the animal's mouth."
In the accompanying drawings
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively side and front elevations of our improved balling
iron, and
Figure 3 is a detached plan view of the adjustable sleeve.
B is the vertical standard made as usual with a projecting arm Brigidly fixed
to or formed on the upper end thereof. A is the adjustable sleeve provided
according to our invention with two projecting arms A' A' as shewn in Figures 2
and 3 instead of one projecting arm only as heretofore.
For convenience we have shewn the arm A¹ and A' parallel and we prefer to
make them so, but we do not confine ourselves to this form as the arms may be
arranged otherwise than parallel, without departing from the nature of our
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
In a balling iron or veterinary gag consisting of a vertical standard and a sleeve
adjustable thereon, providing said adjustable sleeve with two projecting arms to
form a base for the instrument substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
n
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicants.