IMPROVEMENTS IN BITS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Davis Rea, Proprietor of the Great
Central Horse and Carriage Repository, St. George's Road,
Southwark, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BITS."
Sealed the 2nd April 1853, and dated the 11th February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Davis Rea
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th February 1853..
-I, ROBERT DAVID REA, Proprietor of the Great Central Horse and,
Carriage Repository, St. George's Road, Southwark, in the County
of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BITS" to be as follows:
Whereas in all bits hitherto constructed they are so made as to
act on the mouth of the horse at one and the same part, namely,
high up, and close to the grinders; now, my Invention is to fit a
bit or bits to act on different other parts of the mouth from the.
front or nipper teeth upwards, and in some cases to fill the space in
the inside of the mouth or jaw between nippers and grinders; by-
which means I act upon the most sensitive parts, and have greater

page_text: The
leverage, and consequently greater command of the animal.
application, or fitting the bits properly, safely, and ingeniously has
not been previously accomplished.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Robert Davis Rea in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT DAVIS REA, Proprictor of the Great Central Horse and.
Carriage Repository, St. George's Road, Southwark, in the County
of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Davis Rea,
Her special licence that I, the said Robert Davis Rea, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Davis Ren, my executors, administrators, and 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 law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BITS," upon the condition (amongst
'others) that I, the said Robert Davis Rea, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, 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 Robert Davis Rea, do hereby
declare the nature of said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-

page_text: tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed (that is to say):
My Invention consists in so constructing and adapting a bit or
bits, fixed or fitted in the mouth of the animal, to which the same
may be applied, as to affect various and different parts of the
mouth, from the nipper teeth upwards, and in some cases to fill the
space in the inside of the mouth or jaws between the nippers and
grinders, as required by the person directing the animal, by which
I act on the most sensitive parts, and so acquire a more perfect
control over the animal, whether in leading, driving, or riding, and
this according to its disposition. I also obtain, by my improved
arrangements, a greater amount of leverage, and consequently a
greater command; whereas, in all bits hitherto constructed, they
are so made as to act upon the mouth of the animal at one and the
same part, namely, high up, and close to the grinders.
The Drawings hereunto annexed represent different modifications
of bits constructed according to my Invention, and which, from the
peculiarity of their action, I term "Rea's Controlling Snaffle Bit."
Figure 1, is a plan, and Figure 2, a side view of a bit so constructed.
A, A, is that part or bar which fits the higher portion of the mouth
of the animal to which it is applied; and B, B, a second bar, united
in the centre by the ring C, which is connected by the bar D, to a
similar ring, which forms the central portion of the bar A. E, E,
are the outside irons or branches, terminating at the top in rings
F, F, by which the bit is attached to the headstall, so as to retain it
in its proper place in the mouth of the animal. The bar A, is per-
manently attached to the branches E, E, to keep the bit from
moving or revolving, and so twisting the reins; while the two ends
of the bar B, are passed through the rings G, G, and terminate in
the rings H, H, to which the reins are attached. This description
of bit is used when driving or riding with single reins. Figures 3,
and 4, are respectively plan and side view of a bit constructed in a
similar manner, but adapted for double reins by the addition of the
bar I, the ends of which are passed through the rings K, K, in the
branches E, E. The lower parts of these branches are connected to

page_text: the upper parts by means of swivel joints a, a, so as to admit of the
lowest bar I, being acted upon by the under rein. Figures 5, and 6,
are plan and side view of a modification of the preceding arrange-
ment, in which the centre portions of the bars are united by rings
instead of the joints shewn in Figures 3, and 4. Figure 7, is a
further modification of the arrangement represented in Figure 5.
In this bit, the centre rings uniting the set of bars are not connected
together by means of a central bar, but are independent of each
other.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that I claim
the several arrangements and modifications of bits constructed in the
manner and for the purposes herein-before described, and repre-
sented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Davis Rea, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
R. A. BROOMAN,
Patent Agent,
166, Fleet Street..
ROBERT DAVIS REA. (L.S.)