AN IMPROVED HORSE HITCHING DEVICE
Year: 1884

page_text: J; HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, of 52 Chancery
Lane, London, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED HORSE HITCHING DEVICE" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to certain new and useful devices for detachably hitching
horses to a stationary detaining post, ring or other object, and consists in such a
construction and arrangement of parts that the act of detachment may be effected
from the vehicle itself and by a simple pull upon the driving rein whereas a pulling
strain from the bridle end of the said rein shall have the tendency to bring the
hitching device in operative position.
It is well known that horses generally are inclined to start as soon as unhitched,
particularly when they have been left for some time secured and in harness,
resulting in considerable inconvenience and sometimes danger to the driver,
especially if a lady, and the object of my invention is to produce a simple and
easily applied and operated device whereby a horse may be securely fastened to a
stationary object and unhitched therefrom by the driver after he or she has become
seated in the vehicle, whereby inconvenience is avoided and expense and time
saved.
Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification wherein like letters indicate like parts―
Fig. 1 represents a general view of my invention, and shows its method of
operation.
Fig. 2 represents a plan view, partly broken away, of a driving rein to which
my fastening devices are attached.
-
Fig. 3 represents in detail a perspective view, partly broken away, of a driving
rein, to which is attached one of the constituents of iny fastening device, the rein
and fastener being shown for convenience in a reverse position.
ID 273

page_text: Fig. 4 represents a like view of the other constituent of my fastening device
showing a modification of the means of attaching the same to the driving rein.
Fig. 5 represents a like view showing a modification of the device shown in
Fig. 3, as applied to a round driving rein.
Fig. 6 represents a rear sectional elevation of the same.
Fig. 7 represents a side elevation showing a different mode of operation of my
invention from that shown in Fig. 1.
of
Fig. 8 represents in side elevation a modified disposition of the constituent parts
my invention with respect to the driving rein.
Fig. 9 represents in perspective a further modification of the device shown in
Fig. 3.
A represents the driving rein attached at its outer end C in the ordinary manner
to a horse's bridle. At an appropriate distance from the bridle end and generally
intermediate between it and the terret ring of the saddle is arranged one of the
constituent parts of my improved fastening device in the preferred form of its
operation. The other part is arranged at a still further distance from the bridle
end, and generally so far behind it that when the rein is taut it will slip through
the terret ring. Either of the parts may be disposed in advance of the other,
occupying the same relative position as the preferences of the user, or the particular
construction of the harness shall dictate.
The arrangement preferred by me however is that shown in Figs. 1 & 2, wherein
the fastener nearest the bridle end consists of a solid piece of metal M riveted or
otherwise secured to the rein and provided with a longitudinal slot, whereby is
formed a spring arm projecting outwardly from the under edge of said rein, and in
a direction substantially parallel thereto. The slot opens toward the bridle end
leaving a space of slightly less width than the thickness of the ring or other
equivalent counterpart which in the operation of my invention is designed to pass
through it, completing the fastening.
The other constituent of my device consists preferably of a ring F, attached by
a strip G, of suitable material, and by a loosely turning rivet H to the part of the
rein nearer the driver.
In the operation of my invention with this arrangement of parts, the part of the
rein immediately to the rear of the ring F is looped as shown in Fig. 1, and passed
together with the ring through the ring E of a retaining or hitching post B. The
ring F is then forced through the opening of the hooked piece M and rests in the
slot contained between the main body of the said hooked piece and the spring
arm L. The parts being so disposed, a pulling strain from the bridle end of the
rein would have the tendency to force the ring F into the angle formed by the
joinder of the arm L with the main body M; the pulling strain would therefore be
transmitted to the hitching ring E, the attachinent being firmly and securely
established.
When it is desired to disconnect the fastening this may be conveniently and
expeditiously effected from the driver's seat by pulling upon the inner end of. the
rein; the loop N is thereby readily drawn through the ring E, carrying with it
the ring F, which sliding along the arm L is, by a slight pull carried through the
opening between said arm and the piece M, thereby disconnecting the fastening
and freeing the rein from the hitching ring.
It is evident that the connection between the ring F and the spring piece. M
may, with equal facility be established and, disestablished around any other
detaining device than the hitching ring shown in Fig. 1. Thus that portion of the
rein included between the ring and spring hook may be passed around an upright
post or tree, and the connection be made in the same manner as above described..
In order to accomodate the fastener to posts or trees of various thickness it will
be desirable in some cases to make one or the other of its constituent parts
adjustable along the length of the driving rein. This may be done, for instance,
by attaching the ring F to an ordinary buckle whose tongue is adapted to engage

page_text: in a series of perforations arranged at various distances along the rein, or as a
substitute to the ring and its mode of attachment as illustrated, a split ring
may be provided adapted to be forced through and removed from any of these
perforations.
As shown at Fig. 8 the relative position of the ring and hook with respect to
each other may be reversed, the hook M being, in that case, nearest the inner end
of the driving rein and the ring F nearest the bridle end thereof.
The mode of fastening of this device is sufficiently obvious from the drawing.
In some instances moreover, I may dispense entirely with the ring F fixed upon
the rein, and as shown in Fig. 7 force the ring E of the hitching post B directly
through the opening between the arm L and the main piece M of the spring hook.
In such instances the spring hook is withdrawn from the hitching ring by a pull
from the driver's end as above described. It will be evident however that this
mode of fastening is only possible where the hitching ring happens to be of just the
appropriate thickness, involving a more limited application thereof than in forms
already described.
Various modifications may be made in the specific construction of the fastening
devices themselves, and their mode of attachment to the driving rein. Thus, as
shown in Fig. 3, the main body M may be cut away at I, I, or otherwise in order
to save metal; the outer edges should also preferably be rounded off as shown
therein in order to prevent the catching of the device upon other parts of the
harness. The main body of the spring hook may also be internally slotted, as
shown in Fig. 9 forming cheek pieces M2 between which the edge of the rein.
passes, and within which it is secured by rivets or otherwise. In this case the
spring arm L will lie in the same plane with the flat part of the rein.
In Figs 5 and 6 the form of the spring hook is altered to adapt it to be secured
to a round rein A¹, the main body M carrying the spring arm L' being longi-
tudinally grooved to correspond with the curvature of the rein to which it is
attached by rivets O, O, or to which, if desired, it may be sewed..
As represented in Fig. 4 the ring F, may be attached to a metallic strap G
which in turn may be swivelled to the driving rein by a headed turn rivet H. It
will be evident that instead of attaching the spring hook M and'ring F directly to
the driving rein they may be attached in the same relative positions to an
ausiliary hitching strap connected at one end to the bridle and at the other to the
rein, so that such strap in like manner may be operated from the driver's end of
the rein.
While the end nearest the bridle is slack as shown in Fig. 1, the ring F by
reason of its greater thickness is prevented from being shaken out of the opening
in the piece M.
Instead of the spring arm L L L being integral with the piece M M¹ M² it may
be a separate spring occupying the same relative position, attached at one
extremity to M, and at its other extremity bearing against or in close proximity
to the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1 The combination with a driving rein or other strap attached thereto, of a
hooked piece consisting of a base plate and spring arm, rigidly attached to said
rein or strap and opening toward the bridle or headstall end thereof, substantially
as described.
2nd The combination with a driving rein or other strap attached thereto of a.
hooked piece consisting of a base plate and spring arm, rigidly attached to said
rein or strap and opening toward the, bridle or headstall end thereof and a ring
also attached to said rein or strap at a point along its length removed from the
point of attachment of the hooked piece, substantially as described.

page_text: 3rd In a hitching device, a hooked piece consisting of a base plate of metal and
a spring tongue lying in the same plane and integral therewith whereby a longi-
tudinal opening is formed between the adjacent edges of said plate and tongue, the
free end of the tongue being at a lesser distance from the plate than the width of
the opening, substantially as described.
Dated this Fourteenth day of October 1884.