IMPROVE- MENTS IN FASTENINGS SUITABLE FOR PORTIONS OF HARNESS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FASTENINGS SUITABLE FOR PORTIONS OF HARNESS AND OTHER
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Victor Gueldry, of Paris,
in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 11th September 1863, and dated the 13th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th March 1863.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS SUITABLE FOR PORTIONS OF HARNESS AND OTHER
PURPOSES," a communication from abroad by Victor Gueldry, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a simple and effective fastening, which is more
particularly applicable to the hames of horse collars, but may be applied to
various other purposes where a ready and safe means of securing and releasing
is required.
As applied to the hames of a horse collar, one of the branches is provided
with two holes made at right angles to each other, and formed one above the
other, so that the two will partially intersect each other. Into the lower hole
is fitted a bolt or pin, having a transverse notch cut in it at the part where it
crosses the upper hole. This bolt or pin is connected with a ring or metal eye,
through which the martingale is passed, the connection with the bolt or pin
being such as will cause the bolt or pin to turn partially round in its socket or

page_text: hole on turning the ring or metal eye to one side. On the opposite arm of the
hame there is formed a spindle or stud, which fits accurately the upper hole
above referred to, and a transverse notch is also formed in the under side of this
stud corresponding to the before-mentioned notch in the bolt or pin. In order
to unite or secure the hames, the bolt or pin must be first turned partially
round, so as to bring its notch in the line of the upper hole, when the stud can
be readily inserted. The bolt or pin is now returned to its original position by
bringing the ring or metal eye down again into a vertical position, whereupon
the solid portion of the bolt or pin will enter the notch in the stud or spindle
and lock it effectually in its place. The pressure of the martingale in the
ring or metal eye prevents it from being turned sufficiently to release the
hames, consequently the accidental opening of the hames is avoided. In in
order to release them from the collar, the martingale must be first discon-
nected, when the ring is free to turn the required extent for the opening of
the fastening.
It is obvious that this system of fastening by the aid of a notched turning
bolt and notched stud in combination with two intersecting holes at right
angles to each other may be applied to a variety of purposes where a fastening.
is required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license, that I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, admini-
strators, or 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

page_text: Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS SUITABLE FOR PORTIONS
OP HARNESS AND OTHER PURPOSES," a communication to me from abroad by
Victor Gueldry, of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, ny executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under
the hand and seal of one them, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to a simple and effective fastening, which is more
particularly applicable to the hames of horse collars, but may be applied to
various other purposes when a ready and safe means of securing and releasing
is required.
As applied to the said hames of a horse collar, one of the branches is
provided with two holes made at right angles to each other, and formed one
above the other, so that the two will partially intersect each other. Into the
lower hole is fitted a bolt or pin having a transverse notch cut in it at the
part where it crosses the upper hole. This bolt or pin is connected with a
ring or metal eye, through which the martingale is passed, the connection with
the bolt or pin being such as will cause the bolt or pin to turn partially round
in its socket or hole on turning the ring or metal eye to one side. On the
opposite arm of the hame there is formed a spindle or stud, which fits
accurately the upper hole above referred to, and a transverse notch is also
formed in the under side of this stud, corresponding to the before-mentioned
notch in the bolt or pin. In order to unite or secure the hames the bolt or
pin must be first turned partially round, so as to bring its notch in the line of
the upper hole, when the stud can be readily inserted. The bolt or pin is now
returned to its original position by bringing the ring or metal eye down again
into a vertical position, whereupon the solid portion of the bolt or pin will
enter the notch in the stud or spindle, and lock it effectually in its place. The
pressure of the martingale in the ring or metal eye prevents it from being
turned sufficiently to release the bames, consequently the accidental opening
of the hames is avoided. In order to release them from the collar the

page_text: martingale must be first disconnected, when the ring is free to turn the required
extent for the opening of the fastening.
It is obvious that this system of fastening, by the aid of a notched turning
bolt and notched stud in combination with two intersecting holes at right
angles to each other, may be applied to a variety of purposes where a fastening
is required.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of a pair of hames provided with the above
described fastening; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the fastening itself;
Figure 8 is a similar view of the fastening when released or open; and
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the fastening taken along the swivel bolt
or pin..
a is the notched swivel bolt or pin, which is passed through the lower hole,
and is formed with a screw thread at one end, upon which is screwed the
nut b, a bead c being formed on the other end of the pin, which may be
countersunk, if desired, into the eyes d of the ring or swivel e. The nut is
tightened up, so that the pin a will turn with the ring or swivel e; fis the
spindle or notched pin, forming part of the opposite half of the hames; it is
notched at g, and made to enter the upper hole h (Figure 2), as is clearly
shown in the view where the parts are locked together in Figure 3.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the peculiar construction of fastening
as herein-before described, and its application to the hames of horse collars
and other purposes, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)