Improvements in Harness for Horses and other Animals.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Harness for Horses and other Animals.
We HENRY EPTON KING of 50 Maddox Street in the County of Middlesex.
Harness Manufacturer JOHN STUART of the Hollies Clapham Common in the County
of Surrey optician and DAVID ALEXANDER TRAILL CHRISTIE of 199 Gresham House in
the City of London Gentleman 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 :-
This Invention relates to collars and harness saddles or pads and consists as regards
the saddles or pads in forming the parts thereof upon which dependence is placed for
rigidity of sheet iron or other metal or partly of sheet metal and partly of cast
metal. For instance, the skirts and flaps of the saddle or pad are so made, and further
as regards both the collars and the said saddles or pads in forming or constructing the
metal portions as hereinafter described. The inside or parts which bear on the
animal are made of a construction or material which will give the required cushioning
or yielding. It may be of thin metal, so bent as to give a yielding or springing
action or it may be an air cushion preferably constructed of a rubber or like bag
enclosed in, but not attached to, a bag of canvas or equivalent material which is
placed in the metal part and then secured in place by a "lining" of leather or the
like covering enclosing the canvas and rubber bag and sewn or wired to the
metal portions.
And in order that this Invention may be fully understood we now proceed more
particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several figures
on the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a saddle or pad constructed according to this Inven-
tion, partly of metal and Figure 2 is a section drawn to a larger scale and taken along the
line 1, 2 in Figure 1. Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 of a saddle
or pad constructed entirely of metal. Figure 4 being an enlarged section taken along
the line 3-4 Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective view and Figure 6 is an enlarged
section (on the line 5-6, Figure 5) shewing the improved mode according to this
Invention of constructing or forming the metal portion of both the collars and the
harness saddles or pads.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2. A are the flaps or skirts of the saddle or pad
consisting of thin sheet steel or other suitable metal preferably formed or constructed
as hereinafter described with regard to the collar as illustrated by Figures 5 and 6.
These flaps are connected to the bridge or upper part B of the saddle by screws,
rivets or in any other suitable way. The part B may be cast or otherwise formed
of metal and is provided with guides eyes or rings a for the reins to pass through
and with the other usual fittings or furniture for the attachment of other portions of
the harness.
Each flap A has one of its edges bent outwards to form a bead as shewn at b
which gives increased strength and rigidity to the flap whilst the opposite edge
is turned inwards as shewn at c, and is provided with means for the attachment of
the lining or covering C by which the padding or cushion is held in position. These
means being preferably like those hereinafter described with reference to the collar
Figures 5 and 6. The padding or cushion consists of a bag D preferably of India
rubber inflated with air and enclosed in, but not attached to, a canvas bag e. This
cushion is placed in position against the inner face of the flap A and is maintained in
position by the lining or covering C, one edge of which is secured by sewing or
wiring through the holes f in the turned in edge c of the flap or by the short tubes
or eyes as described with regard to the collar the other edge of the said lining being
similarly secured by sewing or wiring through holes 9 provided just behind the
D

page_text: bead b. The bag D is provided with a nozzle h, fitted with a valve, through which
the bag may be inflated with, and exhausted of, air, when required, an opening
being provided in any convenient part of the saddle or pad through which the
nozzle projects.
In the arrangement illustrated by Figures 3 and 4, the inflated padding or cushion
is dispensed with and in place thereof there is provided a cushion consisting of thin
springy metal C' bent to the required shape and secured at one of its edges i by
means of solder, rivets, or otherwise to the flap A whilst the opposite edge is
unattached and is bent inwards as shewn at k and bears upon the inner face of the
flap so as to admit of the metal yielding under pressure. The flaps A and part B
together with the fittings for the attachment of the other parts of the harness may be
the same in both arangements.
We will now describe with reference to the collar Figures 5 and 6 the mode in
which we prefer to form the metal portion of the collar this mode being applicable
also to the harness saddle or pad. The fore and after whales L L² are made of sheet
metal which is bent or pressed into the general form of the collar.
A piece of metal
such for instance as what is known as gas tubing m is taken and made into the shape
of the fore whale and then the one edge of the sheet metal is bent around it as shewn
at in the section, the other edge being bent round a wire n-We prefer to make
the collar in two pieces of metal and connect them by flanges p rivetted to the meeting
portion as shewn. For the attachment of the lining which secures the cushion (which
may be the rubber and canvas air cushion like Figures 1 and 2) holes 9 are made
for the wire or thread securing one edge of the lining and at the other edge of the
metal next the edge turned in over the wire u there are formed or secured eyes or
short lengths of metal bent into a tubular form at any convenient distance apart as
shewn at which eyes or tubes serve for the passing therethrough of the wire or thread
used to attach the edge of the lining opposite to that attached to the collar by the
holes g. By the use of these eyes or tubes the securing wire or threads is not seen
from the outside as would be the case if holes were made in the metal.
It will be readily understood that the metal portion of the harness saddle or pad
can be similarly made.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of this Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
First As applied to Saddles or pads for the harness of horses and other animals
metal flaps or skirts padded in the interior with cushions consisting of inflated India-
rubber or like bags enclosed in bags of canvas or equivalent material and secured in
position by linings of leather or other suitable material sewn or wired to the metal
portion of the saddle or pad substantially as herein before described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second A saddle or pad for harness for horses and other animals the said saddle
or pad being composed entirely of metal, substantially as hereinbefore described, with
reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third-In Saddles or pads for harness for horses and other animals, a padding or
cushion composed of metal, attached to the saddle or pad so as to be capable of yielding
under pressure, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3
and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth The construction of metal portions of either collars or saddles or pads for
harness for horses or other animals in the manner herein before explained with reference
to Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
Dated the 4th day of January 189n