Improvements in Draught Harness for Two or More Horses, and applicable to Agricultural Implements and to various Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 31st May, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Draught Harness for Two or More Horses, and
applicable to Agricultural Implements and to various Vehicles.
We, BENJAMIN CARRUTHERS, of Lawhill, Auchterarder, in the County of
Perth, North Britain, Farmer, and JOHN JACK, of 27 Bloomgate Street, Lanark,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Draper, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
This invention has for its object by improved and simple apparatus to provide
automatic compensating action when two
horses attached to any
or more
agricultural implement or to any vehicle, pull unequally.
In carrying out the invention in the case of two horses, instead of the four traces
of the two horses being, as heretofore, separately attached to the front cross bar of
a vehicle, or to separate wiffle trees or levers of an agricultural implement, the outer
trace of one horse is made continuous with or connected to the outer trace of the
other horse, and similarly, the inner trace of one horse is made continuous with or
connected to the inner trace of the other horse. The two straps or connected
straps, parts of which form the traces, and for which or parts of which ropes or
chains may be substituted, are passed round guide pulleys, or round curved fixed
guiding surfaces mounted on or fixed to the cross bar or equivalent part, either on
the upper or under or front side thereof.
With the described arrangement, if either horse pulls less than its fellow, the
latter draws the traces to some extent round the pulleys or fixed guides, and
thereby increases the pressure of its collar on the less-pulling horse, and this
increase of pressure has the effect of making the said less-pulling horse increase its
effort, and thereby equalise the traction of the two horses. The improved arrange-
ment also facilitates turning, which is of especial advantage in the case of agricultural
implements.
When the invention is applied to a reaping machine or other implement, the pole
of which has usually been connected to the framing at a low point, the framing
should be altered or extended upwards or have one or more brackets fixed to it, in
a manner to allow the pole and the cross bar to which the harness is connected to
be fixed at a suitable height.
In the case of three horses drawing together, a similar action may be obtained in
various ways as for example, by connecting the traces of the two outer horses as
hereinbefore described for two horses, the traces of the middle horse being connected
to a cross bar from the middle of which four straps extend back to and round guide
pulleys or fixed guide surfaces and proceed two to the right and two to the left,
their ends being attached at suitable points to the trace straps of the two outer
horses. More than three horses may be arranged for in a similar manner.
Dated this Second day of September 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Draught Harness for Two or More Horses, and
applicable to Agricultural Implements and to various Vehicles.
We, BENJAMIN CARRUTHERS, of Lawhill, Auchterarder, in the County of
Perth, North Britain, Farmer, and JOHN JACK, of 27 Bloomgate Street, Lanark,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Draper, 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, that is to say :-
:-
This invention has for its object by improved and simple apparatus to provide
automatic compensating action when two or more horses, attached to any
agricultural implement or to any vehicle pull unequally.
In carrying out the invention instead of the traces being as heretofore separately
attached to the front cross bar of a vehicle or to separate wiffletrees or levers of an
agricultural implement two or more of them are made continuous with or connected
to each other, in a manner hereinafter described, being arranged to pass round
guide pulleys or equivalents fixed or attached to the cross bar.
And in order that the said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood there is hereunto appended a sheet of explanatory drawings,
to be hereinafter referred to, and showing examples of the improved draught
harness.
Figures, 1, and, 2, of the drawings are plans of two examples of the improved
harness.
Figure, 3, is a side elevation of part of an agricultural implement with part
of the harness applied.
Figures, 4, and, 5, are plans of two other examples of the improved harness.
In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In carrying out the invention in the case of the two-horse arrangement shown in
Figure, 1, instead of the four traces, A, B, C, and, D, of the two horses, being, as
heretofore, separately attached to the front cross bar, F, of a vehicle or to separate
wiffletrees or levers of an agricultural implement, the outer trace, A, of one horse
is made continuous with or connected to the outer trace, D, of the outer horse, and
similarly the inner trace, B, of one horse is made continuous with or connected to
the inner trace, C, of the other horse. The two straps or connected straps parts of
which form the traces, and for which or parts of which chains (or it might be ropes)
are substituted, are passed round guide pulleys, G, (or it might be round curved
fixed guiding surfaces) mounted on or fixed to the cross bar, F, or equivalent part,
on the front side or it might be on the upper or under side thereof. The front
cross bar, F, has on it two iron or other bands, H, made with projecting tongue
pieces by which it is securely fixed to the framing, H 1, of the vehicle. The leather
or strap parts of the traces, A, B, C, and, D, are connected to the chain parts by
catches or connections, J, capable of permitting the two parts to be disengaged
easily.
With the described arrangement if either horse pulls less than its fellow, the latter
draws the traces (A, B,) to some extent round the pulleys, G, or fixed guides and
thereby increases the pressure of its collar on the less-pulling horse, and this
increase of pressure has the effect of making the said less-pulling horse increase its
effort, and thereby equalise the traction of the two horses. The improved
arrangement facilitates turning which is of especial advantage in the case of
agricultural implements.
In the example shown in Figure, 2, the outer trace, A, of the one horse is made
continuous with or connected to the inner trace, C, of the other horse and similarly
Che outer trace, D, of the latter horse is made continuous with or connected to the

page_text: inner trace, B, of the former horse the traces passing round guide pulleys, G,
two of which at the middle of the cross bar, F, are placed vertically above each
other.
When the invention is applied to a reaping machine or other implement the pole
of which has usually been connected to the framing at a low point the pole, K,
might be fitted with a knee-bent piece, L, to connect it to the framing (not shown)
in a manner to allow the pole and the cross bar, F, to which the harness is connected
to be fixed at a suitable height. Or the framing might be altered or extended
upwards or have one or more brackets fixed to it for the same purpose.
In the case of three horses drawing together, a similar action may be obtained in
various ways as for example by connecting (as shown in Figure, 4) the traces, A, B,
C, and, D, of the two outer horses as herein before described (with reference to
Figure, 1, only) for two horses, the traces, L, and, M, of the middle horse being
connected to a cross bar, N, from the middle of which four chains or straps,
P, and, Q, extend back to and round guide pulleys, G, and, R, (or fixed guide
surfaces) and proceed two, P, to the right and two, Q, to the left their ends being
attached at suitable points to the traces of the two outer horses.
In Figure, 5, another three-horse arrangement is shown in which the outer
trace, A, of one outer horse passes round guide pulleys, G, S, and, T, and is
connected to the inner trace, C, of the other outer horse, the outer trace, D, of the
latter horse passing round pulleys, G, V, and, W, and being connected to the inner
trace, B, of the former horse. The traces, L, and, M, of the middle horse pass
round pulleys, X, X 1, and have their ends fixed to the respective projecting plates
or brackets, F1, carrying the pulleys, S, T, V, W, X, and X 1. The pulleys, T,
and, X, have their spindle ends connected by links, T 1, and sliding in slots, F 2, in
the top and bottom sides of the bracket, F 1. The pulleys, W, and, X 1, are
similarly connected and arranged.
More than three horses may be arranged for in a similar manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
In draught harness for two or more horses, connecting the traces of each horse
with those of the other or others substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
Dated this Thirtieth day of May 1894.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.