Improvements in Safety Bridle-bits.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Bridle-bits.
I, LUCAS PARSONS BRITT, of 163rd Street and Fleetwood Avenue, in the City and
County of New York, in the State of New York, United States of America, Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows :—
The object of my invention is to provide a simple, effective device to be used in
combination with the bridle-bit whereby a fractious horse may be instantly subdued
and controlled by closing his nostrils.
It consists in the combination with the bit to be placed in the horse's mouth, of
lateral rods extending forward from each end of the bit and which are hinged to the
ends of a flexible metallic band fitting upon the horse's nose, the ends of the band
being provided with pads adapted, when the rods are drawn back so as to bend the
band, to be thereby pressed upon and close the air passages of the nose which extend
upward from each nostril.
It consists furthermore in the combination and arrangement of this clamping device
with the spring-actuated bridle-rings and the curb-chain of the bit.
In constructing this improved safety-bit the check-pieces of the bit, (which may be
a bar-bit of any approved form), are fitted with lateral rings beneath the bar through
which a curb-chain is led, its ends being attached to the bridle-rings so that by pulling
upon and drawing out the bridle-rings the curb-chain will be drawn up against the
under side of the horse's jaw and will operate to close it.
The bridle-rings are secured to lateral rods, fitted to slide longitudinally through
bearings formed therefor in the check-pieces at each end of the bit-bar and at right
angles thereto. The rods are drawn inward to hold the bridle-rings firmly against
the check-pieces by means of stiff springs interposed between the two bearings of each
rod in the cheek-pieces, each spring being confined between the cheek-piece at one
end and a pin or shoulder on the rod at the other, so as to resist the drawing outward
of the bridle-ring attached to the rod.
The outer, forward ends of the rods are bent towards each other and hinged
severally to the two ends of a flexible, and preferably elastic, metallic band adapted to
fit transversely upon the horse's nose, these ends having attached thereto pad-plates
adapted to fit neatly upon the nose over the longitudinal ducts or air-passages which
extend from each nostril to the windpipe so that a pressure upon the pads will operate
to close said ducts or air-passages.
.
Preferably, the hinged connection of the ends of each clamping-rod with its
appropriate nose-pad is effected by means of an interposed link pivoted to the one and
the other in position to extend parallel with the end of the rod and the proximate end
of the clamping-band, the end of the band being over-lapped by the end of the rod so
that the link shall lie between them.
This link serves to afford leverage to the rod in producing a direct pressure of the
face of the pad upon the nose.
The springs may be of any suitable description and of such resilient power as to
afford adequate resistance to a strain upon the bridle rein so as to permit of the
effective pull upon the bit required in the ordinary management of the horse, and to
prevent a movement of the rods to close the pads upon the nose except under a very
powerful pull upon the reins. When this pull is exerted, the curb-chain will be
drawn up under the horse's jaw so as to operate to close his mouth, and the clamping
rods will be simultaneously drawn back so as to close the pads in upon the horse's
nose, the band serving as a fulcrum whereby the movement of the rods will be made
to operate effectually in closing the pads inward so that they shall press upon the
air-passages and thereby prevent the animal from breathing through the nostrils, a

page_text: result which will quickly quiet him and subject him to the driver's will without the
possibility of injury.
The clamping-rods may be made adjustable in length so as to obtain a perfect
adaptation of the device to the horse's head upon which it is to be used.
For use with a snaffle-bit the clamping-rods are simply attached to the bit by means
of loops or rings fitted to slide loosely upon the bit. These loops or rings may
terminate each in an internally-threaded head or nut into which the ends of the rods
may be screwed for adjustment. When the bit is drawn upon so as to cause it to
bend in the horse's mouth the loops sliding inwards towards the middle of the bit will,
in connection with the pull thereon, cause the pads to close upon the nose as
herein before described.
In the use of this improved device, the pull upon the bridle reins required in the
management and control of the animal when quiet and tractable, will have no effect
upon the clamping-rods, but if the horse becomes fractious and unruly a hard pull
upon the reins will, by overcoming the resistance of the springs, draw in the rods
sufficiently to bring the nose-pads into effective operation to stifle the horse.
Dated this 31st day of August 1888.
LUCAS PARSONS BRITT.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Bridle-bits.
I, LUCAS PARSONS BRITT, of 163rd Street and Fleetwood Avenue, in the City
and County of New York, in the State of New York, United States of America,
Inventor, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a simple, effective bridle-bit whereby a
fractious horse may be instantly subdued and controlled by closing his nostrils.
It consists in the combination with the bit to be placed in the horse's mouth, of
lateral movable rods extending forward from each end of the bit and which are binged
to the ends of a flexible metallic band fitting upon the horse's nose, the ends of the
band being provided with pads adapted, when the rods are drawn back so as to bend
the band, to be thereby pressed upon and close the air passages of the nose which
extend upward from each nostril.
It consists furthermore in the combination and arrangement of this clamping device
with the spring-actuated bridle-rings and the curb-chain of the bit, in manner as
hereinafter fully described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings :-
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a horse's head fitted with my improved safety-
clamp and bit.
Figure 2, a plan view of a bar-bit having my improvements attached thereto.
Figure 3, a transverse section in line a-a, of Figure 2.
Figure 4, an enlarged sectional, detail in line y-y of Figure 3, illustrating the.
device for adjusting the clamping device and,
Figure 5, a plan view of a snaffle-bit having my invention applied thereto.
A represents the bar of a bar-bit and B B, its cheek pieces of any approved style
and form. C is a curb-chain whose ends are attached to the bridle-rings D D, and
which is led through lateral rings E E, on the inner side of each cheek piece, so that,
by pulling upon and drawing out the bridle-rings D D, the curb-chain will be drawn
up against the under side of the horse's jaw and will operate to close it.
The bridle rings D D, are secured to lateral rods FF, fitted to slide longitudinally
through bearings formed therefor in the cheek-pieces B B at each end of the bar A,
and at right angles thereto. The rods are drawn inward to hold the bridle rings
firmly against the cheek-pieces by means of stiff springs G G, interposed between the
two bearings of each rod in the cheek-pieces, each spring,being confined between the

page_text: cheek-piece at one end and a pin or shoulder on the rod at the other, so as to resist
the drawing outward of the bridle-ring attached to the rod.
The outer, forward ends of the rods F F are bent towards each other and hinged
severally to the two ends of a flexible, and preferably elastic, metallic band H,
adapted to fit transversely upon the horse's nose, these ends having attached thereto
pad-plates JJ, adapted to fit neatly upon the nose over the longitudinal ducts or air
passages which extend from each nostril to the wind-pipe, so that a pressure upon the
pads will operate to close said ducts or air-passages.
Preferably, the connection of the ends of each rod F, with its appropriate pad J,
is effected by means of an interposed link K pivoted to the one and the other in
position to extend parallel with the end of the rod and the proximate end of the
clamping-band H, the end of the band being overlapped by the end of the rod so that
the link shall lie between them, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings.
This link serves to afford leverage to the rod in producing a direct pressure of the
face of the pad upon the nose.
The springs GG, may be of any suitable description and of such resilient power as
to afford adequate resistance to a strain upon the bridle rein so as to permit of the
effective pull upon the bit required in the ordinary management of the horse, and to
prevent a movement of the rods to close the pads upon the nose except under a very
powerful pull upon the reins. When this pull is exerted, the curb chain C will be
drawn up under the horse's jaw so as to operate to close his mouth, and the clamping
rods F F will be simultaneously drawn back so as to close the pads in upon the
horse's nose, the band H serving as a fulcrum whereby the movement of the rods will
be made to operate effectually in closing the pads J J, inward so that they shall press
upon the air-passages and thereby prevent the animal from breathing through the
nostrils, a result which will quickly quiet him and subject him to the driver's will
without the possibility of injury.
To provide for an adjustment in the length of the clamping rods F F so as to
obtain a perfect adaptation of the device to the. horse's head upon which it is to be
used, each rod is adapted to screw longitudinally into the end of a tubular rod L,
fitted to slide longitudinally in suitable bearings in each cheek-piece B at each end of
the bit-bar A, said tubular rod L being governed by a spring G, in manner as
described, to resist a tension upon the bridle-ring D secured to said rod. This tubular
rod is free, not only to slide longitudinally in its bearings, but also to rotate upon its
longitudinal axis, and it is internally-threaded at its open end to serve as a nut into
which the end of the clamp-rod F will screw. Hence by turning the rod L, the rod F
may be drawn in or carried out therefrom so as to be thereby adjusted in length with
reference to the bridle-ring.
For use with a snaffle-bit P, the rods F F are simply attached to the bit by means
of loops M M, fitted to slide loosely upon the bit, as shown in Figure 5. These loops
may terminate each in an internally-threaded head or nut N, into which the ends of
the rods may be screwed for adjustment. When the bit is drawn upon so as to cause
it to bend in the horse's mouth the loops M M, sliding inwards towards the middle of
the bit, see dotted lines Figure 5,-will, in connection with the pull thereon, cause
the pads to close upon the nose as hereinbefore described.
Although I deem the links K interposed between the ends of the rods F and the
clamping nose-pads D, as shown in Figure 2, to be useful, they may be dispensed
with and the rods be hinged directly to the pads, as shown in Figure 5, or otherwise
attached thereto.
The band H and pads J J may be lined with soft material to prevent chafing the
horse's skin.
In the use of this improved device, the pull upon the bridle reins required in the
management and control of the animal when quiet and tractable will have no effect
upon the clamping-rods F F, but, if the horse becomes fractious and unruly, a hard
pull upon the reins will, by overcoming the resistance of the springs G G, draw in
the rods F F sufficiently to bring the nose-pads J J into effective operation to stifle
the horse.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination substantially as and for the purpose set forth, of a bridle bit,
lateral movable rods supported by the bit to extend forward upon the horse's nose, a
flexible band connecting their ends, and pads attached to said ends to bear inward
upon the nose when the rods are drawn back.
2. The combination of a bridle-bit; lateral, movable rods supported by the bit to
play in bearings formed in its cheek-pieces; springs actuating said rods to force
them forward; bridle-rings or loops attached to the rods by which to draw them
back; a flexible band connecting the forward ends of said rods, and pads attached to
said ends to bear upon the horse's nose when the rods are drawn back against the
resistance of the springs, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set
forth.
3. The combination of a bridle-bit; lateral, movable rods supported by the bit to
play in bearings formed in its cheek-pieces; springs actuating said rods to force
them forward; bridle-rings or loops at the rear ends of the rods by which to draw
them back; a curb-chain attached to said ends and passing through rings on the
cheek-pieces; a flexible band connecting the forward ends of said rods, and pads
attached to said ends to bear upon the horse's nose when the rods are drawn back
against the resistance of the springs, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein set forth.
4. The combination with the bridle-bit, its cheek-pieces, the lateral rods supported
by and moving in said cheek-pieces, the flexible band connecting their forward ends
and the pads attached thereto, of the springs fitted in the cheek-pieces to actuate
said rods and hold open the pads, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein set forth.
Dated this 14th dor of Tunn 1000
HERBERT J. ALLISON,
Agent for the Applicant.