AN IMPROVEMENT IN BRIDLE AND OTHER REINS USED OR FIXED TO BITS OR OTHER THING, AND ALSO AN IMPROVEMENT IN BRIDLE BITS AND LEATHER SLIDING LOOPS TO ACT WITH REINS AND BITS
Year: 1817

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
TAPT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Saddler, Whip Maker, and
Bridle Cutter, send greeting.
WHEREAS I, the said Thomas Taft, did, by. Petition, humbly re-
present to His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, that
I had, after much study, labour, .and expence, invented "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN BRIDLE AND OTHER REINS USED OR FIXED TO BITS OR OTHER THING, AND ALSO AN
IMPROVEMENT IN BRIDLE BITS AND LEATHER SLIDING LOOPS TO ACT WITH REINS AND
BITS," likewise that the said Invention was entirely new and in my judgment
likely to be of great public utility, I did further represent that the said
Invention had not, to my knowledge or belief, been practiced or used. by
any other person or persons, and therefore I did most humbly pray that His
said Majesty would be most graciously pleased to grant to me, my exors,
adñiors, and assigns, His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of His
United Kingdom, for the sole use, benefit, and advantage of my said Invention,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, during the
term of fourteen years, pursuant to the Statute in that case made and
provided; and whereas His said Majesty, being willing to give encouragement
to all arts and inventions likely to tend to the public good, did graciously
condesend to my request, and by His Royal Letters Patent, bearing date
at Westminster, the Fifth day of August, in the fifty-seventh year of His
reign, of His special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, give and

page_text: grant unto me, the said Thomas Taft, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, His
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Thomas Taft, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and every of us, by myself
or themselves, or by my or our deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Taft, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and none others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter, during the term of fourteen years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention within
that part of His United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England,
His Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such
manner as to me, the said Thomas Taft, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns,
or any of us, should in our discretion scem meet; also, that I, the
said Thomas Taft, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, should and lawfully
might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage
from time to time coming, growing, accruing, and arising, by reason of the
said Invention, during the term of years therein mentioned; to have, hold,
exercise, and enjoy the licence, powers and privileges therein-before granted
unto me, the said Thomas Taft, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, for the
term of fourteen years from the date thereof noxt immediately ensuing,
and fully to be complete and ended, according to the Statute in such
case made and provided; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that if I, the said Thomas Taft, should not particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument, in writing under my hand and seal, and cause
the same to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next immediately after the day of the date of the said
Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and
advantages thereby granted, should utterly cease and become void, as in and
by such Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and
at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Taft, in compliance with
the said proviso, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and declare that with respect to reins,-
I have in the first place made improvements in all descriptions of them, of
whatever materials the same may be composed; and the first of such improve-
ments is, that I divide a single rein at any distance in the rein, so as to give a
double purchase, or, in other words to leave two or more reins on each side
the horse's neck to be fastened to a bridle bit or other thing, and one rein only
for the hands; and this I do either by splitting, cutting, coupling, sewing, or

page_text: attaching them in any way, thus forming one rein for the hands, and two
or more for any other purpose, in one and the, same rein.
My next improvement in reins is that of making all descriptions of them,
and of whatever materials composed, in such way as to prevent their being
cut through by a sword or other instrument, and also so as to add much to
their strength; and this I do by lining them with elastic steel, previously
painted or otherwise secured from rust, or not, as may be wished, and I do
line them in the following manner (that is to say): I line one side of the
rein with leather, sewed thereto on each side in such way as to leave
sufficient room under the leather I so sew on to run or place the steel
beneath it. I then run or place the steel under the same, and when I have
so done I sew the steel in at each end; I then rivet each end to the rein with
a brass pin, or any other fit thing, and thus the security of the rein as above
described is effected.
Another improvement which I have made in reins of all descriptions and
of whatever materials composed, is by attaching them to a slide or slides of
any form, and made of any kind of metal or metals fit for the purpose, and
the improvement I have made therein is either by rivetting one or more
steel spring or springs to the inside, or by forming the slide out of steel
by forging or stamping the rim, then cutting the aperture thereof by means of
a press or like instrument, and forming the spring or springs out of the solid
part of the same with a chizzel or saw, and afterwards dressing it with
files and sinooths, and then it is hardened and tempered after the manner of
gun lock springs; and then, by putting a stud affixed in or upon a bit or other
thing into the aperture, and forcing such stud beyond the spring or springs,
the springs effectually secure the slide on the stud.
up
A further improvement made by me in reins is, that I form them with the
following materials, that is, I first take gut, commonly called catgut, of any
size, length, and strength; I then cover it with twine, or other suitable material,
by means of an engine, in the way of making whips, leaving a loop of any
width and length at each end. I then, in the same manner, put another
covering, composed of whipcord or other fit thing thereon. By the same
means I can also put a still further covering upon it, if required, and after
I have so done I size it with a glue size, and when dry, roll it in the manner
of rolling whips. I then well wash it with soap and water, and afterwards
rub the same as much as is necessary between two bones, or the sticks
generally used for such purposes. I then varnish it in the way of whips, and
afterwards sew leather over each end, and fasten such loops to the leather
so sewed on, and this effectually prevents such leather being parted by

page_text: wear from the rein and loops, and also gives much additional strength to reins
of all description, and of whatever materials composed.
I have also made a further improvement in reins, and that is, by first
dividing the rein or reins, as above described, leaving one only in hand,
and then, when they are attached to the bit of a Pelham or bits of a Weymouth
bridle, I fasten a buckle and loop to the bit of a Pelham or bits of a
Weymouth bridle, on either of the reins, by which the rider or driver can (after
the manner of martingale fashion) contract or extend them so as to regulate
their action upon the curb; and another method of regulating the curb of
Pelham and Weymouth bridles is by means of buckles, billets, and loops,
fixed to the ends of the rein or reins, which may be buckled up and down so
as to give a like power over the curb when the rider or driver shall so choose.
A still further improvement which I have made in Pelham and Weymouth
bridles is, that I fix a slide loop, of whatever material composed, to either of the
reins, for the purpose of sliding, by means of their being passed through the
aperture of the loop, or through an aperture in the rein if preferred) one
rein or more upon the other or others, thus completely effecting a power of
action upon the curb by the hands; and my improved leather sliding loop
hereafter described may also be added to operate as a stop loop in preventing
the sliding rein going further than may be desired.
I further declare, that I have made an improvement in leather loops used
with all kind of reins and other things requiring them, and such improvenient
is, that I form the same in a solid piece of leather, without having either
stitch, piercing, or sewing in it; and the way by which I do it is, that I render
the leather whereof it is composed as hard, free from stretch, and durable
as I can, and do the same by damping, hammering, and stretching. I then,
with a punch, or other fit instrument, make an aperture in the centre, and,
with a knife or other thing fit for the purpose, pare and shape it outside and
inside to the size and strength I desire. I then put the loop upon a stick,
and by again damping and stretching take all remaining stretch therefrom
that is in my power. After this, I, with a half round smoothing tool and
linen rag, and again damping it, round, smooth, and fully complete the same,
the whole of which forming, shaping, and finishing of such loop may likewise
be done by means of a press, by either of which processes I can also make
leather sliding loops with two, three, or any greater number of apertures, and
yet all in one solid piece of leather.
I likewise further declare, that I have made an improvement in reins and
bridle bits connected together, and that is, by fixing, when there are two reins,
one above the centre or mouthpiece and the other beneath it, thus giving

page_text: an even and easy pull, and the rider or driver additional security; and this
can be done to all kind of bridle bits having a centre or mouthpiece to
them.
And, lastly, I declare that, in order more fully to explain and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, I have caused Drawings to be made in the
margin of these Presents, and that the letter A represents a horse's head,
having one side of a snaffle bridle thereon, and the rein of which bridle
there represented shews the division thereof, leaving two reins to fasten to the
bit, and one only for the hands. My improvement also as to the fastening
of the two reins to the bit, one above the centre or mouthpiece and the
other beneath it, is likewise there shewn, together with one of my improved
loops on the hand rein. One B represents one side of a Pelham bridle, with
three reins, one a single one, divided for forming two to act upon the centre
or mouthpiece by means of the upper or hand part in one rein only, and the
other a curb rein fastened to the bottom of the bit, with opposite ends sewed
to a slide loop, through which the centre or other reins above described are at
pleasure to pass in order to regulate the curb by the hands, and a rein is
there represented as passed through. Also, the leather sliding loop im-
proved by me, and the stop loop herein-before described and likewise there
shewn. The other B represents a horse's head, with one side of a Pelham
bridle on it, which bridle shews the band rein acting upon the centre or mouth-
piece when passed through the slide on the curb rein, and also shews in what
way it is done, and that the regulating power is given by the hands upon
the curb by means of such curb and hand reins connected by the slide.
D is a representation of my improved spring slide, attached to and forming
part of reins, one D shewing it only with one spring, and the other D shewing
it with two springs.
C represents one side of a Weymouth bridle on the head of a horse,
with bit, bradoon, and curb. The divided rein there shewn takes the bit and
bradoon, and the buckle and loops (martingale fashion), placed on the bradoon,
shew the regulation of the curb, as above described.
One E shews my improved leather sliding loop, composed of one solid piece
of leather, without stitching, sewing, or piercing in it, and with one aperture
only; and the other E shews the same loop, with three apertures, and yet
formed of one solid piece of leather.
F shews the flat elastic steel, which I line reins with, as above described.
One G shews a piece of my improved cord reins, having a loop of gut at
each end in a single rein, before it is covered with leather and finished;

page_text: nother G shews it covered and finished in a single rein; and the third G
hews it covered and finished in a double rein.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Taft, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of January, in the fifty-eighth
year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the
grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
King, Defender of the Faith, and in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighteen.