Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr, 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 18th May, 1889
THOMAS HARGREAVES BRIGG Thornton Road Bradford in the County of York,
Machine Maker and Ironfounder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to harness and is of
special utility when draught animals are starting, or drawing their loads over rough,
soft or slippery roads, and also when travelling over an ascending road-way.
It differs from the means described in my application for Letters Patent No. 4530
dated the 24th day of March 1888 according to which the traces are continuously
supported (by special Saddle) from a straight line, between their respective ends---
The increased angular draught was thus permanent-whereas
The angle in this, my new application, is not permanent but variable and is brought
about at the will of the driver whenever necessary to assist the animal. The traces
may be attached as usual to the hame & splinter-bar (but preferably to the underside
of the latter) so that when the animal is drawing upon a level road, the trace shall
remain in a straight line between the hame and the point of contact to the vehicle;
the animal being thus entirely kept free from downward pressure on all such roads.
But when difficult road is to be encountered, and when starting or carrying the load
over gradients with a minimum expenditure of labour, it is necessary that additional
weight should be taken from the load to the animal in order to increase his tractive
power.
One means of carrying this into effect, & producing the desired result is as
follows.-
I attach a suitably shaped pad, to the animal's back or rear quarters, by means of
straps, and to this pad shall be fixed or suspended, on each side, a pulley, or other
apparatus as high above the level of the traces as practicable-Then I connect a chain
or other suitable material to such points of each of the traces (for one or more horses)
as shall be almost directly under the above pulleys, over which I pass the chain (from
the traces) which is then brought downwards & attached to any suitable lever, or
passed under other pulleys fixed to the vehicle & from thence to a convenient position

page_text: for the driver to actuate, either by hand or foot, (whether he be riding or walking),
it may be wound upon a vertical or horizontal shaft, to any degree & thus held by
knotches in lever or catch wheel on shaft.
It will thus be seen that by tightening the chain, the traces are simultaneously
lifted, producing the required angle of draught and as the animal exerts force be
proportionately increases his own weight & reduces the load upon the fore wheels. So
that not only does he thus reduce the resistence, to the front wheels but he obtains
that additional grip which enables him to remove his load with greater ease; as set
forth in my previous Letters patent above referred to.
Immediately after the vehicle has passed over the difficult parts, the traces may, by
the same apparatus, be lowered to their natural position.
In order to maintain, at all times, the same angle of draught upon the shoulders, &
to prevent lifting or pulling down the collar, a "belly band" is used which will not
only serve the above purpose but will be the means of producing a second angle in the
trace; so that when the animal is in heavy draught a great amount of pressure will be
kept from the shoulders & prevent them from becoming sore and serves as a spring or
buffer.
This attachment is applicable to most kinds of vehicles & agricultural implements.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Applicable to Harness.
'I, THOMAS HARGREAVES BRIGG, of Thornton Road, Bradford, Yorkshire, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described & ascertained in and by the following"
statement:-
'This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to harness, and is of
special utility when draught animals are starting or drawing their loads over rough,
soft or slippery roadways and when travelling over ascending roadways or when it
would otherwise be of advantage to diminish the resistance offered by the load and to
increase the tractive power of the attached draught animal or animals.
F
.
.
The Invention is a development of that described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to me dated the 24th day of March 1888, No. 4530, according to which
the traces are each disposed at an obtuse angle open towards the ground (instead of as..
theretofore forming a straight line between the hame or collar and the points of attach-
ment of the traces to the vehicle) and are each continuously supported in such position
by a saddle or pad or an attachment thereto or in any equivalent manner so 'that the
portion thereof between the supported part and the end which is attached to, the
vehicle is caused to assume with the ground line forward of the point of intersection
an angle of considerably/greater degree than the trace as ordinarily applied forms
with such ground line, and which is effective in lessening the resistance offered by the
load and in increasing. the tractive power of the attached draught animal.
The present Invention consists essentially in the application of means operating in
the manner hereinafter described whereby the angle-of draught of the traces can be
varied either so as to act as ordinary traces when the vehicle is in light draught, or
after the manner described in the. Specification of my aforesaid Patent when the
vehicle is in heavy draught, or as required in the judgment of the driver whenever
necessary to assist the attached draught animal.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a side view of a draught animal and parts of
a connected wheeled vehicle and harness embodying the present improvements.
1. represents the traces which are attached in a usual manner to the hame, 2, and
to the splinter-bar, 3, (but preferably to the under side of the latter) so that when the
animal is drawing upon a level road, the traces may remain in a substantially right
line between the hame and the point of attachment to the vehicle at which time the
animal is entirely free from any unusual downward pressure.
But when a difficult road is to be travelled on or when starting or drawing a load
over gradients, it is desired that the resistance of the load should be lessened and the
tractive power of the animal increased so that the work may be accomplished with
the minimum expenditure of power, I attain such object according to the present
improvements by means operating in the following manner.
To the animal's back or rear quarters I secure by means of any conveniently
arranged straps or the like, a suitably shaped pad, 4, from each side of which I
:

page_text: suspend by adjustable straps or the like at a point as high above the ordinary leve!
or normal line of the traces as practicable, a pulley, 5, or the like, through which I
pass a chain, 6, or the like one end of which is connected to the adjacent trace at
a point, 9, preferably directly under or slightly in advance of the said pulley, and the
other end of which chain is inclined downwardly and rearwardly and may be wound
upon a horizontal shaft, 7, which may be adapted with a worm wheel, 10, and may
be actuated by a worm, 11, and spindle, 12, under the control of the driver; or the
said rear ends of the chain may be passed under other pulleys secured to the vehicle
and led to any convenient position for the driver to actuate either by hand or foot
whether he be riding or walking, or they may be attached to any suitable lever or
may be wound upon a vertical shaft and held by notches in lever or catch wheel on
shaft or may be actuated in any other suitable manner, so as to be operative when
tightened in simultaneously and equally lifting both traces until the required angle of
draught is produced, so that as the animal exerts his tractive power, to obtain the
aforesaid advantages.
Immediately after the vehicle has passed over the difficult parts, or when other-
wise required, the traces may, by the same apparatus be lowered to their normal
position indicated in dotted lines.
In order to maintain at all times the same angle of draught upon the shoulders
and to prevent lifting or pulling down of the collar, a "belly band," 8, is preferably
applied and connected to the traces in such a manner as to produce a second angle in
the fore part of the traces pointing downwardly and by which means when the
animal is in heavy draught any excess of pressure will be kept from the shoulders.
This attachment is applicable to most kinds of vehicles and agricultural
implements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.—
"
The hereinbefore described method of varying the angle of draught of traces
connecting a draught animal with a wheeled vehicle.
Dated this 11th dox of April 1880
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.