IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONNECTING LINKS OF HARNESS HAMES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Craddock & John White, both of Archer
Street, St. James', in the County of Middlesex, Harness Platers, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONNECTING LINKS OF HARNESS
HAMES."
Sealed the 19th April 1859, and dated the 25th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Craddock and
John White at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 25th October 1858.
We, WILLIAM CRADDOCK & JOHN WHITE, both of Archer Street, St.
James', in the County of Middlesex, Harness Platers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONNECTING LINKS OF
HARNESS HAMES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention of improvements in the connecting links of hames consists in
forming them with a hook at each end, whereby they are hooked into the eyes
of the hames instead of the hames being introduced into the body of the link
as usual. The loop or link that receives the ring for the pole chain is
somewhat in the form of a loop, which restricts the traverse of the ring and
prevents it coming in contact with the hames; this loop or link may also
receive the martingale; for this purpose the ring is removed from the link at
an opening left in that part of the link which fits against the collar; we also

page_text: reduce or set down this part of the link on each side of the gap or notch
formed for the removal of the ring in order to receive the thickness of a strap
placed around it, & still allow of its bedding fairly against the collar.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Craddock and John White in the Great Seal Patent
Oflice on the 23rd April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
CRADDOCK and JOHN WHITE, both of Archer Street, Saint James', in the
County of Middlesex, Harness Platers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said William Craddock and John White, Her special licence that we,
the said William Craddock and John White, our executors, adininistrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Craddock and John
White, our 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 lawfully 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 THE
CONNECTING LINKS OF HARNESS HAMES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said William Craddock and John White, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 we, the said William Craddock and John White,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
bereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
Our Invention of improvements in the connecting links of hames consists in

page_text: forming them with a hook at each end, whereby they are hooked into the eyes
of the hames instead of the hames being introduced into the body of the link
as usual. The loop or link that receives the ring from the pole chain is
somewhat in the form of a loop which restricts the traverse of the ring and
prevents it coming in contact with the hames, this loop or link may also
receive the martingale, the ring is removed from the link at an opening left in
that part of the link which fits against the collar; we reduce or set down this
part of the link on each side of the gap or notch formed for the removal of
the ring in order to receive the thickness of a strap placed around it, and so
as still to ensure its bedding fairly against the collar.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
Fig. 1 represents a front view of a horse collar and hames with connecting
link according to our Invention, while Fig. 2 represents the connecting link
detached; we form this link with a hook a, a, at each end to hook into the
eyes of the hames, or the link may have an eye or loop at each end, if tho
hames aro furnished with hooks to hook thereto. These links are forged of
iron in the ordinary manner of manufacturing harness fittings, and, if desirable,
subsequently plated or coated with brass, silver, or other metal, which plating
is performed in the ordinary manner as well understood; 6 is the loop or
part from which the ring c connected with the pole chain depends, and d the
gap through which it is removed when desired, or the link may be formed
without the gap or opening d, and the ring c allowed to remain permanently
within the loop b. The part e of the connecting link in which the gap d is cut
is reduced at f, as seen, and it may be so reduced although no gap is formed:
this reduction of the part e at f is for the reception of a strap by which to
attach the martingale, or it may be other trapping pendant therefrom. The
recessing of the part e at f is equal to the thickness of the strap to surround
it, so that the link and strap take a uniform bearing on the collar throughout.
the length of the link. The ring c being confined within the loop bis
restricted in its traverse or race from side to side while connected with the
pole, and being so restricted it is prevented coming in contact with the
hames or collar at either end of the link, thereby preventing much tear and
wear to which the hames and collar are subject when the connecting link is of
the ordinary kind; moreover, this link is of a more ornamental character than
ordinary connecting links. The ring c must be of sufficient internal diameter
to pass quite over the link or turn round the end thereof, as seen dotted.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, we declare that what we claim as the Invention to be protected by

page_text: the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is the use and application of
links for connecting harness hames substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John White, on behalf of myself and the
said William Craddock, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred & fifty-nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.
JOHN WHITE. (L.B.)