AN IMPROVED BRIDLE
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lightfoot, of Harwell, in the County of
Berkshire, Surgeon, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED BRIDLE."
Sealed the 6th June 1862, and dated the 12th December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lightfoot at the
Office of the. Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition; on.. they
12th December 1861...
I, WILLIAM LIGHTFOOT, of Harwell, in the County of Berkshire, Surgeon,"
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BRIDLE,"
to be as follows!
My improvement is principally in the bit portion of the bridle, and is
applicable to bridles both for riding and driving. I propose to make my bit-
in three parts, the mouth-piece and two cheek-pieces; the latter secured
(loosely) on the ends of the mouth bar. On the upper part of each cheek
iron will be a fixed ring, into which a hook is (loosely) secured; on one of
these I hook a chain, passing said chain under the lower jaw of the horse
through a metallic loop inserted in the leather cheek strap of the bridle, thence
over the nose of the horse through a similar loop on the opposite cheek-piece
to the opposite hook. The curb rein is attached to the lower ends of the iron
cheek pièces. On pulling this rein the chain will compress both jaws of the

page_text: horse, and so restrain the most restive. Instead of chain passing through
the loops above mentioned a strap or plate may be used, and the materials
otherwise modified.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Lightfoot in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LIGHTFOOT, of Harwell, in the County of Berkshire, Surgeon, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Lightfoot, Her special licence that. I, the. said
William Lightfoot, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Lightfoot, my-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 "AN IMPROVED BRIDLE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Lightfoot, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, 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 witbin-six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
==
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Lightfoot, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 hereto annexed,
and forming part of this-my. Specification, and, to the letters of reference
placed on the Figures, denoting the parts. and, similar parts in each of the
Figures respectively:-
My Invention has for its object to give the rider or driver of a horse.

page_text: complete mastery over the animal, when from temper, fright, or other cause:
the horse is likely to bolt, rear, or otherwise become unmanageable: Many
contrivances have been invented and used having this object in view, but,
without particularizing any of them they were either deficient in power or
dangerous in the bands of the unskilful, and in some instances produced
nervous irritability from their action in the mouth. The bit (the subject of
my Invention) acts or causes action not in the mouth of the horse but on the
nose and under jaw, except in so far as regards the snaffle, and acts with any
required degree of severity at the option and with perfect ease to the rider or
driver, as the compression on the nose is consequent on an easy pull on the-
curb rein, which putting in action the lever force obtained by the manner in
which the parts of my bit are put together, prevents any horse 'however fidgety
or vicious from bolting.
In the Drawing, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of parts of the
bridle, the snaffle, and bit, shewing the extended curb slackened; this curb
chain may either be made as shewn in the Drawing, or in the ordinary
manner; Figure 2 shews also a perspective view of the same, shewing the
curb as it would be when tightened up around the nose and lower jaw of the
horse. The bit is made in three parts, the mouth-piece and two cheek-pieces,
the latter secured loosely (swivel wise) on the ends of the mouth bar. On the
upper part of each cheek iron is fitted a ring, into which a hook is (loosely)
secured; on one of these the curb chain a, a, is hooked, but instead of passing.
merely under the horse's mouth, and being then secured to the opposite end of
the snaffle, it is extended and passed through a metallic loop b, b, inserted in
one of the leather cheek straps of the bridle, thence over the nose of the
horse through a similar loop c in the opposite cheek piece, and so to the
opposite hook on the ring in the lever snaffle d, d. This lever being caused.
(by the tension or pulling of the reins) to act on a pin or swivel ate; it is
evident that on any attempt of the horse to bolt or become otherwise restive,
the rider or driver drawing in the curb rein the short arın of the lever d
brings forward with it the ends of the curb; thus the chain becoming
shortened encircles with more or less pressure the nose and lower jaw with
any amount of severity, according to the power put on the drawing rein..
Instead of the chain passing through the loops above mentioned, a strap or
plate may be used at pleasure, but I prefer the curb chain, as described.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and means by
which I carry it into practical effect, I would have it distinctly understood that.
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein given, as modifications

page_text: may be made without any departure. from the principle of my Invention,
which I declare to be and I claim the combination of parts arranged and put
together, essentially as herein-before described and shewn, forming when so
arranged and combined "An Improved Bridle."
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lightfoot, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
WILLIAM LIGHTFOOT. (L.S.)