Improvements in Whips.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Whips.
I, GEORGE PIRNIE, of Springfield in the County of Hampden and State of
Massachusetts in the United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :-
"
My Invention relates to carriage whips and other whips having a covered stalk
which may all be classed together as "covered" whips. The body of a " covered
whip is usually made up of a core or centre with an inner lining or covering of skin
or cloth wrapped or wound around the core and with an external woven or plaited
covering. The lower part of the core is usually reinforced or " stocked in with
strips of rattan applied longitudinally. The tip of the whip is usually finished off
with a loop in which the snap or snapper is fastened.
My Invention relates to an improved means of fastening the snap to the body of
the whip and of strengthening the snap itself. The snap is simply a silk or cotton
cord of suitable length and thickness knotted at one end. The unknotted end is
sometimes finished with a loop and the snap is then fastened by knotting the loop of
the snap with the loop on the end of the whip-stalk. The more common mode,
however, of fastening the snap is to have its unknotted end finished as a plain cord
and then to pass this end through the loop on the whip-stalk doubling the end back
on the snap and then braiding the two portions of the snap in with the free end of
an additional thread or cord the middle of which is fastened to and about the loop
on the stalk and outside of the outer plaited covering. The ends in the braid are
then secured in some suitable manner. Both the above methods of fastening the
snap are objectionable, because the loop on the end of the whip-stalk is liable to break
from the strain caused by a blow on the harness or by the oft-repeated cracking of
the whip. The breaking of the loop practically spoils the whip, as it is a difficult
matter for an ordinary harness-maker to repair a broken loop.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved means for fastening the
snap to the body of the whip which, by reducing the strain on the loop, will
prevent the loop from breaking and will increase the durability of the whip generally,
besides adding other desirable qualities.
inner
My Invention is shewn in the accompanying drawings which are hereby made a
part of this specification and in which similar letters refer to similar parts. Figure 1
represents the tip of a covered whip; H is the core or centre. B is an
covering or lining of skin, cloth, or other suitable material, A is an outer woven or
plaited covering, C is the loop. Figure 2 represents the tip of a whip with a
snapper attached by my method; F is the snap and G is the unknotted end of the
snap which is passed through the loop doubled back and braided in. Figure 3
represents the tip and snapper with the fastening completed and the ends secured.
Figure 4 represents a modified form of my invention. Figure 5 represents a form of
my invention in which only one strip E is used.
In its preferred form, I carry out my invention as follows ;-In whips in which
the lining or inner covering B of the whip extends to the extremity of the whip-stalk
below the loop C, I allow one or more narrow strips E E, of the material of which the
lining B is composed, to project several inches beyond the end; said strips E E being
continuous with the lining B. The lining B being usually wound or wrapped in a
ribbon about the centre й, the free end of the ribbon of lining need only be slit down
its middle and the two parts will serve as the narrow strips E E or part of the end of
the ribbon of lining may be removed and only one narrow strip be left projecting. In
plaiting on the outer covering A and making the loop C, care is taken to keep the
narrow strips E E disengaged; when the outer covering A and loop are complete,
the strips E E project through the covering A at the base of the loop C.

page_text: Where the lining or inner covering B does not extend to the tip of the whip, as is
the case in many whips especially those of the less expensive kinds, or where the
material of the lining B is not suitable for the purpose for which the strips E E are
intended, I lay one or more strips E' E' of suitably tough material along the end of
the stock for a distance of several inches before plaiting, and then, plaiting on the
covering A over the strips, I allow the ends of the strips to project as before at E' E'
(see figure 4). What I say hereafter about the strips E E applies equally to the
strips E E¹, but I will for convenience speak only of strips E E.
I now pass the unknotted end G of the snapper F through the loop C and double
it back on the snapper F in the usual way. Then the strips E E, first being wet, if
of skin, are braided together with the snapper F and its end G, as shewn in figure 2,
and the loose ends fastened in any suitable way, as at J (see figure 3). Before
braiding in the strips E E, I prefer to tie one of the strips E about the other strip E
the snap F and the end G just above the loop C forming the knot K and I tie a
similar knot after the braiding at K¹. In the braiding, I may leave the braided
portions of the strips E E slightly shorter than the braided portions of the snap. This
will require some care if the strips E E be of cloth or other fibrous material. If,
however, the strips E E be of skin no attention need be paid to the length in the
braiding for the strips, being wet before braiding, will shrink slightly upon drying
and thus become a trifle shorter than the cord of the snap. The object of this
shortening is to relieve the strain on the loop (. If the strips E E be knotted as in
figure 2 and be shortened as just explained, the strain may be made to bear first on
the knob K¹ then on the knob K and then on the loop C and finally on the junctions
of the strips E E with the covering A. Or the relative lengths of the strips EE
and of the braided portions of the snap may be so adjusted as to distribute the strain
equally all the way from the knot K¹ to the loop and beyond it to the junctions
aforesaid.
In practice I shall generally use eelskin for the strips E E and E¹ E. In the
specification of English Letters Patent No. 18,042, October 17th 1887, I have given
a full description of the qualities of eelskin and the method of preparing it for use and
I hereby refer to said specification for such description. The qualities therein
mentioned make eelskin far the best material for the purposes of my present
invention. It is so thin and pliable when wet as to be easily braided with the snap;
its shrinkage is so great that the strips E E, if made of eelskin and braided in while
wet, will on drying become perceptibly shorter than the braided portions of the snap.
It needs no tanning or other preparation and its toughness is extraordinary. When
the snap is fastened with eelskin strips E E braided and knotted in the manner
described, it is almost impossible to break the loop (or to break the snap F from the
whip in any way, unless the snap F itself wear out and that, as 1 shall shew, is a
matter easily remedied.
I have thus accomplished the much sought for object of making a whip with a snap
in which the loop C cannot break with any amount of ordinary use. The great value
of this invention will readily be perceived by any horseman. It is well known among
whip-makers that nothing is more needed in the manufacture of whips than some
satisfactory means of reinforcing the loop C. My invention furnishes such a
means.
Should the snap itself break, say above the knot K', or if the means employed for
fastening the loose ends of the strips E E and portions of the snap at J become
unfastened, it is a very simple matter to unbraid the strips and snap, put in a new
snap, if needed, and braid the whole up again, the loop C and the strips E E being
uninjured. Thus, not only have we a stronger fastening for the snap but one easily
repaired. An additional use of the method of fastening I have described is to stiffen
the snap so that it will stand straighter and droop over less. This is also a point
which has been sought for in the manufacture of whips. Any softening from
dampness may be prevented by varnishing the parts after braiding.
I do not wish to limit myself to the methods described either for holding the
strips E E and E' E' along or about the stalk or for fastening them to the snap F

page_text: The strips may be twisted about the snap or braided without knotting or fastened in
some other manner. They may be wound spirally around the end of the stalk instead
of being applied longitudinally. It is obvious that but one strip E or E', as shewn in
figure 5, may be employed. I do not limit myself to any particular number of strips,
but have shewn two for convenience. I wish, indeed, to cover every method and all
cases in which one or more strips of any suitable material, either continuous with the
lining B or applied to the upper end of the whip-stalk, are attached securely to the
stalk under the plaited cover and below the loop C and are then carried outside of,
and above, the loop and securely attached to the snap F whereby the loop C is
reinforced and the strain thereon is reduced. A similar device could be employed for
strengthening the fastening of lashes to whips. Any proper material for a centre
may be employed with my invention and any desired form of snap suitable for
braiding. The finishing of the whip in all its parts may be as usual.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is -
1. A whip provided with an improved means of fastening for the whip-snap,
consisting of one or more strips of skin, cloth, or other suitable material, one end of
which strips is securely attached to the whip stalk below the loop through which the
snap passes and the other end of which extends beyond the loop and is firmly united
to the snap by braiding or other suitable means, whereby the strain upon the loop is
diminished, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. A whip provided with an improved means of fastening the whip-snap to the end
of the whip-stalk, said means consisting of one or more strips of the material of which
the whip-lining is composed, which strips, being continuous with the lining, project
through the plaited covering below the loop C, extend beyond the said loop, and are
securely attached to the whip snap by knotting braiding or other suitable means
whereby the said loop is reinforced and the strain thereon reduced, substantially as
shewn and for the purposes set forth.
3. A whip provided with an improved means of fastening the whip-snap to the
whip-stalk, said means consisting of the strips E' E' of suitably tough material bound
firmly to the stalk by the plaited outer covering A through which the strips project
below the loop C and extending beyond said loop where by suitable means, they are
securely united with the snap F and its unknotted end G whereby the loop C is
reinforced and the strain upon it is reduced, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 7th day of January 1890.
Dated this 7th day of January 1890.
G. PIRNIE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.