Improvements in the Collars of Horses and other Draught Animals.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 22nd July, 1899--Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
Improvements in the Collars of Horses and other Draught Animals.
I, THOMAS MANNING, of 2, Piper's Row, Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Harness Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
A collar for a horse or other draught animal, as usually constructed, has the
body and rim each stuffed or filled entirely with a hard core composed of straw
or other material. The hames are thus more or less rigidly maintained in posi-
tion around the collar by means of the rim, and bed against the solid resistance
which is afforded by the hard core of the body. The body core is stuffed or filled
with a view to making it sufficiently solid to support the backward pressure of
the hames, without involving the presentation of an unduly hard surface against
the shoulders of the horse or other animal; but it is found in practice that the
solidity of the core necessary for the support of the hames involves the presenta-
tion of so hard a surface against the shoulders of the horse or other animal as
to have a tendency to gall the shoulders, and owing to the hardness of the core
this tendency is aggravated by the fact that the pressure is less uniformly dis-
tributed over the shoulders than if the bearing surface of the collar were more
yielding.
The stuffing of straw or other filling material is pushed endways into the sheath
or compartment which is formed by sewing the edges of the body lining to the
rim.
A collar has been devised in which, while a hard core has been used to receive
the pressure of the hames, a cushion of softer material has been filled or stuffed
in between the lining of such core and an outer lining; but a collar so made is
very expensive, and the cushion thus formed is not so soft as is desirable.
Now, according to this invention, a hard core for the body is formed up to
shape out of straw or other suitable material, and is bound round with string,
wire, or the like, by means of which it is held also to the back of the rim, and
then a packing of wool or other soft material is placed directly against the inner
face of the core, without the intervention of any lining material, and the cushion
and core are then enclosed or covered with the ordinary lining. The cushion
extends, conveniently, downwards only to the points of the shoulders.
The
cushion is made, however, preferably, to extend also to the front of the collar,
and in such case, therefore, the lining and the packing of soft material come for-
wards on to the rim of the collar.
1000
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Collars of Horses and other Draught Animals.
I, THOMAS MANNING, of 2, Piper's Row, Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Harness Manufacturer, 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:-
A collar for a horse or other draught animal, as usually constructed, has the
body and rim each stuffed or filled entirely with a hard core composed of straw
or other material. The hames are thus more or less rigidly maintained in posi-
tion around the collar by means of the rim, and bed against the solid resistance
which is afforded by the hard core of the body. The body core is stuffed or filled
with a view to making it sufficiently solid to support the backward pressure of
the hames, without involving the presentation of an unduly hard surface against
the shoulders of the horse or other animal; but it is found in practice that the
solidity of the core necessary for the support of the hames involves the presenta-
tion of so hard a surface against the shoulders of the horse or other animal as
to have a tendency to gall the shoulders, and owing to the hardness of the core
this tendency is aggravated by the fact that the pressure is less uniformly dis-
tributed over the shoulders than if the bearing surface of the collar were more
yielding.
The stuffing of straw or other filling material is pushed endways into the sheath
or compartment which is formed by sewing the edges of the body lining to the
rim.
A collar has been devised in which a core of hard material, such as straw, has
been used to receive the pressure of the hames, and a cushion of softer material
to press against the animal has been placed against this core and covered with
a lining or sheath which is fastened at its inner edge by sewing to the sheath of
the rim and is connected at its outer edge, by means of string, wire or the like,
with the sheath of the rim, the stitches or lines of the string, wire or the like,
passing across a width of the outer surface of the core of hard material which
is left exposed until covered by the outer or front sheathing or case of leather.
This construction of collar is expensive, and, as the lining which holds the cushion
in place needs to be bound sufficiently tightly to maintain the required stiffness
of the core of harder material, the cushion of softer material is not as soft as is
desirable.
Now, according to this invention, a hard core for the body is formed up to
shape out of straw or other suitable material, and is independently bound round
with string, wire, or the like, by means of which it is held to the back of the
rim, and then a packing of wool or other soft material is placed directly against
the inner face of the core, and the cushion, and the portion of the core which is
covered thereby, are then enclosed or covered with the ordinary lining which bears.
against the animal, and the portion of the surface of the core which is left
exposed is covered with the front lining or sheath. The core is formed to shape
before the string or wire binding is used, which greatly facilitates the process of
manufacture, and, as the core is secured to the. rim independently of the cushion,
the core may itself be made as hard and stiff as is required, and the cushion,
which is independently held in place, may be as soft as required. The cushion is
made, preferably, to extend also to the front of the collar, and in such case,
therefore, the lining and cushion of soft material come forwards onto the rim of
the collar. The cushion, however, may, of course, be shaped to suit the neck of
any particular animal, and for this purpose may extend, in some cases, down-
wards only to the points of the shoulders.

page_text: A collar constructed according to this invention is lighter than collars of the
other constructions mentioned, as it allows of a less quantity of straw being used
in the formation of the core which supports the pressure of the hames.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate
a collar constructed according to the invention.
Figure 1 is a back elevation of the collar, shewing one side complete, and the
other side with the inner lining and cushion material and with the outer lining
or sheath turned or folded outwards to expose a portion of the core.
Figure 2 is a front view of the complete collar; and Figure 3 is a section,
taken on line x of Figure 2, looking in an upward direction.
The
The rim A is constructed in the usual or any convenient manner. B is the
core of straw or other material which may be packed to give the required solidity
or stiffness. This core is formed to shape and is then maintained in such shape,
with the required stiffness or solidity, by means of string or wire a which is
passed around it and sewn to the flaps 6 of the sheath of the rim A.
cushion C of soft material is then placed against the inside and back of the
core B, and extends, preferably, to the outer side of the core and nearly onto the
front of the rim, and this cushion is covered by the inner lining D which is sewn
at the inner edge to the rim and at its outer edge to the outer sheath or
casing E which covers the front or outer portion of the core B.
The string, wire or the like, by which the core is bound to the rim, readily
allows of perspiration from the cushion passing into the core, from which it
gradually dissipates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A collar for a horse, or other draught animal, having a core of hard
material independently fixed to the rim, and a cushion of soft material, to bear
against the animal, which is placed between the core and the inner lining of
the collar, substantially as described.
2. A collar for a horse, or other draught animal, having a core of hard material
independently fixed to the rim by means of string, wire or the like, and a cushion
of soft material, to bear against the animal, which is placed between the core
and the inner lining of the collar, substantially as described.
3. A collar for a horse, or other draught animal, constructed substantially as
described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
Dated this 21st day of July 1899.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.