Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Self Abuse in Stallions.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Self Abuse in
Stallions.
A communication from NELSON ELMER SPRINGSTEEN, of Royal Oak, in the
County of Oakland and State of Michigan, United States of America.
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street.
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer 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 :-
This invention relates to certain new & useful improvements in horse shields,.
for use upon stallions to prevent their abusing themselves, a practice into which
young horses are apt to fall, thereby injuring and reducing their virility and
usefulness. The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts
hereinafter more fully described and claimed.
In the drawings :
Figure 1 is a view of a horse with my shield in position, showing the position on
the horse, and the manner of supporting it.
Fig. 2 is a detached view of the shield proper, showing the underside.
Fig. 3 is a perspective of the shield and supporting band.
Fig. 4 is a detached view showing the upper side of the shield, with the metal
portions shown in dotted lines.
Fig. 5 is a view showing a variation in which the frames are pivoted at
one end.
In the accompanying drawings A A are leather aprons forming a part of the
shield proper, and the support for its metallic portion. B B are metal side frames
attached to the inner edges of the aprons on the under side. On the ends of these
frames are the stationary nuts 6 the nuts on adjacent ends of the opposite frames
having opposite threads, one right and the other left.
Engaging these nuts and connecting the opposite frames, are bolts C C provided
with right and left hand screws c c and preferably provided with the square
central portion c², to which a wrench may be applied to turn the bolt. These
bolts CC serve to support and connect the side frames B B and to regulate
the distance between them, it being necessary or desirable to provide a longi-
tudinal aperture b', of variable width, to accommodate different horses.
The shield is held in place on the horse by the straps D D each having an
elastic portion d and buckled to a saddle portion D'. The purpose of the elastic
portion d is to avoid straining or displacing the shield or injuring the horse,
especially when lying down. It also permits the shield to give in case of sudden
erection, which the pain and inconvenience produced by the shield will not imme-
diately reduce.
When in position on the horse the aprons A. A embrace the sheath of the
animal and the opening 6' comes just below the penis. The opening is sufficiently
narrow to prevent the penis projecting through especially in case of an erection,
but permits the water to pass through freely. In case of an erection the penis
is forced against the frames B B and between them into the opening 6', causing
the animal sufficient pain and inconvenience to reduce the erection and prevent any
results destructive to the virility or usefulness of the stallion.
To aid in this result the inner edges of the frames B B may be serrated to
increase the pain incident to contact with them, but this is not found to be
necessary. Heretofore it has been the practice to provide horse shields with

page_text: brads or other means for increasing the irritation, and it is the purpose of this
invention to produce a shield that will accomplish the result, without such
cruelty to the animal, and which is done by employing the apertured frame as
shown and described.
If desired the frames BB may be pivoted together at one end as shown in
Fig. 5 and provided at the opposite end with the adjusting bolt.
While the adjustable features are not absolutely essential, in the use of an
apertured frame, it is very desirable to use the adjusting features to avoid the
necessity of making a shield for each horse to measure, and to aid in relieving
the horse in case he should accidentally have the parts project through the
aperture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a horse shield an apertured frame, aprons connected with said frame, and
* supporting straps substantially as described.
2. In a horse shield an adjustable apertured frame, aprons connected with said
frame, and supporting straps substantially as described.
3. In a horse shield an apertured frame consisting of the side frames B B,
connecting bolts C C, aprons A A and a supporting strap substantially as
described.
4. In a horse shield an apertured frame consisting of the side frames B B con-
necting bolts C C, provided with right and left hand screws, aprons A A and a
supporting strap substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.