Improvements in Anti-cribbing Devices for Horses.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1893-Accepter, 14th Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Anti-cribbing Devices for Horses.
We, ERNEST BURVILL-HOLMES, of No. 112 Main Street, Royersford,
Montgomery County, Veterinary Surgeon. ALLEN ZEIGLER KEELOR of the
Union Hotel, Boyerstown, Berks County, Veterinary Surgeon and EDWIN YOST
MARSTELLER, of 200 Main Street, Royersford, Montgomery County, Journalist,
all in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, 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:-
Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in anti-cribbing
devices, designed for attachment to the upper row of the teeth of a horse, and
adapted to prevent the horse from cribbing-the well-known vicious habit of
grasping with his teeth the edge of his feed-box and drawing in his breath so as to
make a peculiarly disagreeable sound.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 represents the front part of a horse's head and shows my improved
anti-cribbing device as attached to the upper row of teeth, a portion of the device
being shown as broken away to better illustrate its relationship to the teeth;
Figure 2 represents a front elevation of my improved anti-cribbing device, the
device being tilted slightly forward so as to show the rear ends of the plates;
Figure 3 represents a central transverse section thereof;
Figure 4 represents, in perspective, a pair of pliers of a kind employed for
loosening or tightening the device; and
Figure 5 represents a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views.
Referring to the drawing, A and B represent two plates of steel whose front
curvature corresponds to that of the upper row of the teeth of a horse. The rear
ends a bare bent inwardly so as to pass behind the end teeth of said upper row, so
that on drawing the plates together the device may be locked in place.
The plates A, B, preferably overlap at their forward edges and are connected
thereat by the pins c working in the guide slots d. This means of connection
enables the plates to be adjusted toward each other freely until tightened up, and
also keeps the two plates from slipping up or down with respect to each other
during the adjusting operation.
Upon one of the plates, as B, is brazed, weld, rivetted, or otherwise secured, a
ratchete and to the other plate is secured a spring pawlf having a hooked end
adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet. The plates are furthermore
slightly bent inward at their upper edges, as shown in Fig. 5, and slotted along
said bent over edges, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
The operation is apparent: The plates A, B, are placed over the upper row
of the horse's teeth, with the rear ends a, b, engaging behind the end teeth of said
row, as indicated in Fig. 1. The front ends of the plates are then adjusted toward
each other with the aid of the pliers shown in Fig. 4 until the device is tightened
upon the teeth, the pawlf holding the plates in the adjustment made. The plier
are adapted to engage with the rear edges of the ratchet and pawl in effecting this
adjustment. The pliers consist of the arm n, to which is pivoted the co-operating
arm m, both of said arms having knife-edge jaws adapted to engage behind the real
edges of the ratchet and pawl in the operation of drawing the two plates together.
To loosen and remove the device from the horse's mouth when desired, the pliers
can be employed in like manner to draw the front edges of the plates still further
together so as to relieve the strain of the pawl upon the ratchet teeth. The pawl

page_text: can then be held up out of engagement with the ratchet and the plates allowed to
draw apart so as to be at once detachable.
The device is effectual to prevent the cribbing habit by reason of the fact that
in attempting to grasp the edge of the manger trough with his teeth the upper slotted
edges of the plates are forced up against the gums of the horse producing pain and
eventually causing him to desist from the habit.
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 :
1. An anti-cribbing device consisting of plates adjustable with respect to each
other, in combination with a ratchet secured to one of said plates and a co-operating
pawl secured to the other plate; substantially as described.
2. An anti-cribbing device consisting of plates adjustable with respect to each
other, in combination with a ratchet secured to one of the plates and a co-operating
pawl secured to the other plate, said plates having means for engagement with
loosening and tightening pliers; substantially as described.
3. An anti-cribbing device consisting of plates adjustable with respect to each
other and having pin and slot connections in combination with a ratchet secured to
one of said plates and a co-operating pawl secured to the other plate; substantially
as described.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.