IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE RUNNING AWAY OF HORSES OR OTHER DRAUGHT ANIMALS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1880. A communication
from abroad by Christof Ferdinand Eissbrückner, of Geestemünde, in tho
Empire of Germany.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING
THE RUNNING AWAY OF HORSES OR OTHER DRAUGHT ANIMALS." A communication
from abroad by Christof Ferdinand Eissbrückner, of Geestemünde, in the Empire
of Germany.
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for preventing the running
away of horses or other draught animals, and comprises a peculiar construction of
the blinkers, which are so arranged that when in position they will extend over
the eyes, and will exert but slight pressure upon the animal. For this purpose
cach of the said blinkers is provided with a cavity which is greater than the
animal's eye, so that the eye itself does not suffer the least pressure, each blinker
having an elastic or flexible rim which rests on that portion of the animal's head
which surrounds the eye.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, I arrange my improved mechanism
or apparatus together with the blinkers upon a hoop, which is fixed on the horse's
head by straps in the ordinary manner, the said blinkers being so arranged in
connection with the said hoop that they can turn on a spindle. This spindle is
supported in a hoop, preferably angular in form, and carries two spiral-springs
which engage with a horizontal lever on each blinker, and constantly tend to press
the said blinker firmly on the animals' eye.
The blinker itself consists of a flat piece of leather or other suitable material,
and its rim is provided with spiral-springs covered with any suitable material.
The elastic ring thus constructed when firmly closed fits around the eye, but does
not press upon the same or otherwise injure it.
The aforesaid horizontal lever which as above stated is fixed on the blinker
serves to hold the said blinker in an opened position, and is arranged within the
space or groove between two plates or angle irons attached to the hoop. The said
lever is locked or retained in this space by means of a small spring bolt in such a
manner that the blinker is held open, that is to say, away from the animal's eye.
This bolt is guided in suitable eyes, and its lower extremity is constantly pressed

page_text: towards or into engagement with the lever attached to the blinker by a spiral
spring. The other or upper end of the said bolt is hook shaped, and in connection
with this hook shaped portion I arrange a pivotted lever whose lower end is so
formed as to engage with the hook shaped portion of the bolt. This pivotted
lever is capable of turning upon its pivot, the extent of its movement being
controlled by a slot or by a loop on the hoop. To the upper end of the said lever
is pivotted a small rod provided at its end with an eye in which a rein can be
fixed.
When my improved blinkers are to be applied to an animal, they are moved
outwards so that the spring bolt herein before referred to fits into the slot in the
lever attached to each of the blinkers, whereby the latter are held in such a position
that the eyes of the horse are not inconvenienced.
When there is a fear of the horse running away the driver pulls the rein, and
thereby draws the spring bolt out of engagement with the slot in the lever
attached to each of the blinkers, which are then immediately caused to cover
the eyes of the animal by the action of the spiral springs above described.
According to a modification of my Invention I sometimes form the blinkers of
some stiff substance, and fix the same upon a metal hoop in such a manner that it
cannot alter its position. On each of these blinkers I arrange a suitable number
of spiral springs which can be held compressed from without, and are fixed upon
an elastic ring or rim of india rubber, leather, or other suitable material.
Four or more cords are arranged on the outside of each blinker, and are joined
by two or more rings. When these cords are strained and the rings are brought
together and passed over a suitable spring arranged on the outside of the blinker,
the aforesaid spiral springs will by means of the cords be compressed or drawn
back, the said springs being covered with suitable material in such a manner as to
form an elastic ridge or rim to encircle the eye of the animal.
The aforesaid spring over which the rings attached to the straining cords are
passed is connected with a rein, and is guided in a suitable eye arranged on the
blinker.
By this arrangement when the cords are drawn back, and the rings are pushed
over the end of the spring on the outside of the blinker, all the spiral springs will
be compressed or drawn back, that is to say, they will lie closely packed together
with their covering on the inner side of the blinker. In the moment of danger
the rein is pulled, and the spring liberates the rings on the cords, when the
hitherto compressed spiral springs expand, and thereby cause the flexible covering
or ring to cover the eyes of the horse without in anywise pressing upon or injuring
the same.
The hoop which is passed around the head of the animal can be made of strong
leather, metal, or any other suitable material, and the nose-band can be made
adjustable in order to provide for the different sizes of the animals' heads.