IMPROVEMENTS IN. MUZZLES FOR DOGS AND OTHER ANIMALS to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: I. MOSES HOWL LOWE of N° 31 Union Street Wednesbury in the County of
Stafford Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN. MUZZLES FOR DOGS AND OTHER ANIMALS to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to muzzles made principally of wire for dogs and other
animals and has for its object to afford the maximum of safety with a minimum of
discomfort to the animal.
I will describe my invention in connection with a muzzle for a dog.
The muzzle consists essentially of a wire skeleton or frame having approximately
the figure of the head of a dog. The said frame consists of two rings which pass
on the snout of the dog and prevent the separation of the dogs jaws excepting to
a limited degree the said rings having the following parts which cross and are
secured to them by eyes in the rings through which the said parts pass or by
soldering or otherwise. Two wires which I will call the principal wires bent so as
to have the figure of the dog's profile are connected together at the parts which
rest on the head of the dog by means of a strip of tin plate or other metal the said
wires passing through tubes made by turning over the edges of the said strip
These two principal wires are parallel at those parts which are situated on the
dog's head and the upper part of the snout but as they descend in front of and pass
under the lower jaw they diverge and passing backwards are connected with the
rear ring. By this arrangement the single wire which in ordinary muzzles passes
down in front of the dog's mouth is got rid of and while the utmost safety so far
as the dog's power of biting is concerned is secured the dog can pass his tongue
between the divergent wires and is thereby enabled to lap water. Besides the
wires described two other wires one on each side pass about midway between the
branches.of the two principal wires first described. These middle wires are
connected at front with the diverging parts of the principal wires and passing
through both the front and rear rings extent backwards to nearly the same
distance as the ends of the principal wires. The ends of the four wires terminate

page_text: in loops through which a strap is passed. This strap encircles the dog's neck and
secures the muzzle on his head. The lower part of the rear ring has a small sliding
hook to which a short chain is attached the end of this chain being connected to
that part of the strap which passes under the throat of the dog the attachment
of the muzzle is complete.
Besides the advantage already pointed out namely that dogs wearing muzzles
made according to my invention can lap water the said muzzles have the further
advantage that should the dog get his paw into the muzzle the broad bearing of
the strip of metal prevents the injury to the head which is frequently produced in
such cases by the single wire which in ordinary muzzles presses on the head.
1
100K

page_text: I MOSES HOWL LOWE of N° 31 Union Street Wednesbury in the County of
Stafford 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 muzzles made principally of wire for dogs and other
animals and has for its object to afford the maximum of safety with a minimum of
discomfort to the animal.
I will describe my invention in connection with a muzzle for a dog.
The muzzle consists essentially of a wire skeleton or frame having approximately
the figure of the head of a dog. The said frame consists of two rings which pass
on the snout of the dog and prevent the separation of the dog's jaws excepting to
a limited degree the said rings having the following parts which cross and are
secured to them by eyes in the rings through which the said parts pass or by
soldering or otherwise. Two wires, which I will call the principal wires, bent so
as to have the figure of the dog's profile are connected together at the parts which
rest on the head of the dog by means of a strip of tin plate or other material.
These two principal wires are parallel at those parts which are situated on the
dog's head and the upper part of the snout but as they descend in front of and
pass under the lower jaw they diverge and passing backwards are connected with
the rear ring. By this arrangement the single wire which in ordinary muzzles
passes down in front of the dog's mouth is got rid of and while the utmost safety
so far as the dog's power of biting is concerned is secured the dog can pass his
tongue between the divergent wires and is thereby enabled to lap water. Besides
the wires described two other wires, one on each side, pass about midway between
the branches of the two principal wires first described. These middle wires are
connected at front with the diverging parts of the principal wires and passing
through both the front and rear rings extend backwards beyond the ends of the
principal wires. The ends of the side wires terminate in loops through which a
strap is passed. This strap encircles the dog's neck and secures the muzzle on his
head. The lower part of the rear ring has a small sliding hook to which a short
chain is attached, the end of this chain being connected to that part of the strap
which passes under the throat of the dog, the attachment of the muzzle is
complete.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in side elevation; Figure 2
in front elevation and Figure 3 in plan of underside, a dog's muzzle constructed
according to my invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.
The wire skeleton or frame of the muzzle which passes onto the snout of the dog
consists of the front ring a and back ring b, the back ring being of somewhat
larger diameter than the front ring, the two rings being furnished with eyes
for the purpose hereinafter explained. To the said rings a and b the principal
wires d, d², d'; d, d³, ď³ are attached and cross. The said wires have the form of

page_text: the dog's profile (see Figure 1) and pass through the eyes in the front ring a and
their ends are connected to the back ring b at top and bottom by passing the said
ends through eyes in the said back ring and turning back the said ends so as to
close them upon the eyes. It will be seen by an examination of Figures 2 and 3
that the upper parts d, d of the two wires or those parts which rest on the dog's
snout are nearly parallel but the parts d³, d³ which descend in front of the dog's
snout and the parts d', d which pass backwards under the lower jaw of the
animal diverge, the wires at their widest parts being connected to the eyes on the
back ring b as represented. Into the wire skeleton or frame thus constructed, the
snout of the dog passes and prevents the separation of the dog's jaws excepting to
a limited extent, the divergent wires at d³, d' permitting the dog's tongue to pass
between them for lapping water.
.
e, e are side wires situated midway between the principal wires d, d³, d³ ; d‚ àª³, ď³.
These side wires e, e are connected at front e² with the divergent wires and passing
through eyes in the front and rear rings a, b extend backwards at e³ considerably
beyond the ends of the principal wires. The extremo ends of the side wires e, e³
terminate in loops e, e through which the strap.f is passed for encircling the dog's
neck and thereby securing the muzzle on his head. On the lower part of the rear
ring b is a sliding hook g to which one end of a short chain h is attached and the
other end of the chain is attached at i to that part of the neck strap f which
passes under the throat of the dog.
In addition to the strap f passing round the dog's neck and the chain connection h
for attaching the muzzle to the dog's head a leather strip k bearing on the middle
of the head of the dog is also employed, the said middle strip / being secured at
one end to the rear wire ring b, near the principal wires d, d, and at the opposite 1
end by a buckle to the neck strap f. The broad bearing flexible strip k on the
head of the dog may be replaced by a metal strip preferably lined with leather to
prevent it injuring the dog's head, but an unlined metal strip connected to the rear
ring and to the neck strap may be used.
Besides the advantages already pointed out, namely, that dogs wearing muzzles
made according to my invention can lap water the said muzzles have the further
advantage that should the dog get his paw into the muzzle the broad bearing of
the strip k prevents the injury to the head which is frequently produced in such
cases by the single wire which in ordinary muzzles presses on the head.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in muzzles for dogs and other animals "
First Constructing and arranging the parts of the wire skeleton or frame of
the muzzle, which skeleton or frame passes onto the snout of the dog or animal, in
the manner herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing,
whereby the dog or animal is prevented from opening his mouth except to a
limited extent while the arrangement of the principal or front wires is such that
the dog or animal can freely pass his tongue between them and readily lap water
substantially as described and represented.
Second-The arrangement or combination of the parts herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for connecting the wire skeleton "or
frame of the muzzle to the head of the dog or other animal."