IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLES OR HEAD GEAR FOR HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johann Georg Heinisch, Captain of Belgard in the German
Empire, for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLES OR HEAD GEAR FOR
HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Johann Georg Heinisch at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th October 1882.
JOHANN GEORG HEINISCH Captain, of Belgard in the German Empire,
"
“IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLES OR HEAD GEAR FOR HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS
This invention has for its object to improve the head gear for horses and other
animals by dispensing with the main framing with which they are generally
constructed.
}
A head gear embodying this invention has no curb, but the curb strap of the
tether will serve instead. This is connected with the nose piece or head latch by a
square eye on each side each eye having a slot at its lower end.
Cheek pieces
capable of a rotary movement are provided on the upper ends of two cheek-bars
and fit into slots on the eyes. When the bars are to be attached to the other parts
of the head-gear the cheek pieces are turned till they are at a suitable angle with
the bars, are shipped through the slots in the eyes and brought back into their
former position, and they will thus form joints and also attachments for the said
bars. Cheeks on the snaffle bit prevent the bars becoming accidentally detached.
According to a modification of this invention the upper ends of the cheek bars
form flat hooks turned inside, and to prevent the hooks bearing against the head
of the animal the cheek bars are slightly bent at their upper part. The bars so
constructed are simply slipped into the square eyes above mentioned which, to this
end have to be held in a slightly oblique position as the hook on the cheek bars is
of such length as to prevent its slipping in or out in a line parallel with the sides
of the eye.
The bit is connected according to this invention with the head-straps by hooks
which enter eyes. Rings in the lower part of the hooks have to be moved aside to
allow the same to enter the eyes and prevent their accidentally slipping out.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Johann Georg Heinisch in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th April 1883.
JOHANN GEORG HEINISCH, Captain, of Belgard, in the German Empire
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLES OR HEAD GEAR FOR HORSES OR OTHER ANIMALS
This invention has for its object to improve the head-gear for horses and other
animals and has for its object the simplification thereof by dispensing with the
main framing on which up till now the port mouthed bit has been fastened by a
buckle, and consequently the bridling and unbridling can be more quickly effected.
In the head gear represented in the accompanying drawings the same has no
curb the chin-strap z¹ of the head-stall (Figs 1 & 2 serving instead
"
This is connected with the nose piece or head latch by two square "rings or
eyes a (one on each side) which at their lower ends have slots d the form whereof
will be seen in Figs 2, 3 & 4. At the ends of the upper cheek bars there are cheek
pieces c capable of rotating, these exactly fit into the slots d and can be slipped
through the same. The bars provided with these cheek pieces are attached to the
rest of the head gear as follows; The cheek pieces are placed at a right angle to the
cheek-bars, as shown in Fig 4, they are then slipped through the slots in the "rings"
or eyes a and turned back into a direction parallel to the cheek bars. The round
sboulder or stud of the cheek piece is then in the circular end of the slot d and the
bit is movably connected with the headstall, the cheek pieces preventing its receding.
By the snaffle cheeks f Fig 1 the accidental loosening of the snaffles is prevented,
as the same are hindered from arriving into the position which allows them to slip
through the slits d.
In Figs 5 and 6 a modification of the attachment for the port-mouthed bit is
shown in which the form of the "ring" a is considerably modified and the rotating
cheek pieces are dispensed with.
The upper ends A and B of the cheek bars are, as shown in Fig 6 bent inward so
as to form flat hooks, and for the purpose of preventing their projecting towards
the head of the animal, the cheek-bars are slightly bent outwards at the top
With these hooks the bit is simply hung into the "rings" a a serving to connect
the same with the straps zz, which is rendered possible by slightly turning the
same in the loop Z of the head-stall strap, this manipulation being indicated by
dotted lines (Fig 6, A). The length of the flat rounded hook-ends is so proportioned
that it will be more than the clearance in the square "ring." This arrangement
allows the lower bar of the "ring" to move to and fro in the slot of the book, but
not to leave the same as the upper edge of the hook, when the bottom bar of the
ring is at its lowest position, strikes against the top bar of the "ring" thus
preventing further descent and unhooking of the square "ring" a as shown at B in
Fig 6. Only when the "ring" a is turned sideways in the loop of the strap, it will
be possible to unhook the same, this can however not be caused by any accidental
movement of the horse, Fig 5 shows a side view of the connection; b is the hooked,
bent cheek-bar.
The connection of the snaffle with the head-stall in my improved port-mouthed-
bit is effected by hooks g Fig 7 whereby the snaffle is hung into "rings" or eyes a.
To prevent accidental unhooking these hooks have at their lower end, receiving the
snaffle rings i also, small rings h, which being free to rotate, always tend to bear
against the hook-end; this keeps the opening of the hook closed when the snaffle
has been inserted preventing the unhooking of the hook by any movement of the
animal. The snaffle is hung into the "rings" a directly behind the snaffle hooks.
The advantages resulting from the use of my head-gear are as follows,

page_text: By dispensing with the curb, the lower jaw of the horse suffers no pressure from
the outside, and all contusion is thus avoided, the horse therefore more readily
obeys the hand and takes wider steps.
Moreover by dispensing with the main framing and the curb the bridling and
unbridling of the horse are much simplified and require less time, this being of the
utmost importance for army purposes, and also in very cold weather and at night.
Lastly, by reason of the modification I have introduced the manufacture is much
cheaper than with the head-gear heretofore in use.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the manner of
performing the same I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to
protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is.
First The attachment of the port-mouthed-bit to the head stall by the rings a
in which are suspended the hooked and curved cheek bars, the unhooking of these
being prevented by the length of the hook exceeding the width of the rings a, the
whole being so arranged as to facilitate bridling and unbridling substantially as set
forth and shown.
Second The attachment of the snaffle to the headstall by hooks g, the movable
rings h keeping the mouth of the hook g closed for the purpose of preventing
accidental detachment of the book substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof I the said. Johann, Georg, Heinisch have hereunto set
my hand and seal this seventh day of April in the Year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
JOHANN GEORG HEINISCH (L8.)