IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH BRIDLE BITS AND REINS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn of 169 Fleet Street in the City
"
of London Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH BRIDLE BITS AND REINS' commu-
nicated to him from abroad by Alexandre Haury, Honoré Rouvreau and
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mewburn
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1883.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169 Fleet Street in the City of London Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer " IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
BRIDLE BITS AND REINS" [communicated to him from abroad by Alexandre Haury,
Honoré Rouvreau and Paul Guérineau all of 1 Boulevard St Denis Paris France]
This invention has reference to bridle bits and reins and consists more
particularly in the employment in connection with the bit of frames or rings
carrying pulleys and of a special arrangement of reins for the purpose of enabling
the driver or rider to more readily control and stop the horse. The pulley-frames
or rings act like tackle blocks and allow the driver or rider to exert more power
upon the bit. They are each composed of a frame or bracket in which a pulley is
mounted and have connected thereto a ring which has a jointed opening. False
reins pass over rollers in hoops or swivels on the throat straps or cheek straps and
then pass round the pulleys of the pulley-frames which are fixed in a suitable
place on each side of the bit; the reins are then led to the hands of the driver.
The false reins above mentioned are connected at their rear ends to a strap attached
to a hook on the hames or saddle. This strap is composed of a leather band folded
into two, the fold forming a ring to take on to the hook just named while the ends
are provided with buckles for attachment to the false reins.
When the driver or rider pulls the ordinary reins he pulls the false reins and
these having a point of support on the hames or saddle convert the pulley frames
into tackle blocks so that the power required to control or stop the horse is reduced
one half, or inversely the same power will have double the effect on the horse's
mouth.

page_text: Sometimes instead of the pulley frames before described small pulleys are fitted
in brackets on the cheek pieces of the bit itself. There may be one or two of these
pulleys on each cheek piece; if two are employed the force exerted can be regulated
by leading the reins over one or both of them.
For double harness where reins have to be led from one horse to the other a
special connection is employed to prevent the reins slipping out of the bit. For
this purpose the pulley frame carries a hook of T form at the point and with the
part opposite this T flat. The cheek piece of the bit has one or more tongues
formed with an opening into which the T is first passed, then reversing the pulley
frame the flat part of the hook is brought opposite to a narrow continuation of
the said opening; it is slipped through this narrow part into a wider part or
ring beyond in which it can move freely. In order to release it of course the
reverse movements must take place and this is not possible while the horses are
harnessed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Patent Office on the 31st March
1884.
"
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169 Fleet Street in the City of London Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
BRIDLE BITS AND REINS (A communication to me from abroad by Alexandre
Haury, Honoré Rouvreau and Paul Guérineau all of 1 Boulevard St Denis,
Paris, France)
+
This invention has reference to bridle bits and reins and consists more
particularly in the employment in connection with the bit of frames or rings
carrying pulleys and of a special arrangement of reins for the purpose of enabling
the driver or rider to more readily control and stop the horse. The pulley frames
or rings act like tackle blocks and allow the driver or rider to exert more power
upon the bit.
In the annexed drawings Figure 1 is a front view and Figure 2 a transverse
section of one of the pulley frames. Figures 3 and 4 represent a hoop or swivel
with roller. Figures 5 and 6 represent another form of hoop the roller being
concave. Figure 7 represents false reins specially arranged for this invention.
Figure 8 shows the lower part or continuation of the false reins for double harness.
Figures 9 and 10 represent a bridle rein. Figures 11 and 12 represent a bit with
2 pulleys. Figure 13 is a side view of a bit with a single pulley and Figure 14 is
a front view of one half of this bit. Figure 15 represents the bar or bit proper
which connects the halves of the bit. Figures 16 and 17 are views of bits suitable
for ponies. Figure 18 is a side view of the bit shown in Figure 17. Figure 19
represents a bit with double pulley frame connection for one or 2 horses.
Figure 20 is a side view of this bit. Figures 21 and 22 represent a pulley frame
of special form. Figure 23 represents a horse harnessed with the improved system
or arrangement of bit and reins.
The pulley frame shown in Figures 1 and 2 is composed of a frame or bracket a
in which a pulley 6 is mounted and it has connected thereto a ring o which has a
jointed opening. The false reins d after passing over the rollers ƒ in the hoops or
swivels on the throat straps or cheek straps pass round the pulleys b of the
pulley-frames which are fixed in a suitable place on each side of the bit; the reins
are then led to the hands of the driver. These false reins are connected to a strap g
attached to a hook on the hames or saddle. This strap is composed of a leather
band folded into 2, the fold forming a ring h to take on to the hook just named
while the ends are provided with buckles for attachment to the false reins d.
When the driver or rider pulls the .ordinary reins he pulls the false reins d and
these having a point of resistance on the hames or saddle convert the pulley
frames into tackle blocks so that the power required to control or stop the horse is
reduced one half, or inversely the same power will have double the effect on the
horse's mouth.
In Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 instead of the pulley frames before described there
are small pulleys i i fitted in brackets on the cheek pieces of the bit itself. There
may be one or 2 of these pulleys on each cheek piece; if 2 are employed the force
exerted can be regulated by leading the reins over one or both of them.
The bits represented in Figures 16, 17 and 18 are intended for ponies as has
been already stated.
Figures 19 and 20 represent a bit for double harness. In this case as the reins
have to be led from one horse to the other a special T connection is employed to

page_text: prevent the reins slipping out of the bit. For this purpose the pulley frame (see
Figures 21 and 22) carries a hook k of T form at the end t and the part opposite
this is flat. The cheek piece of the bit has one or more tongues formed with an
opening m Figure 19 into which the T is first passed, then reversing the pulley
frame the flat part of the hook is brought opposite to a narrow continuation n
of the said opening, it is slipped through this narrow part into a wider part or
ring o beyond in which it can move freely. In order to release it of course the
reverse movements must take place and this is not possible while the horses are
harnessed.
Having now described the nature of the said invention as communicated to me
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim :-
1. The employment in connection with bridle bits of frames carrying pulleys
combined with a special arrangement of reins substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described with reference to the annexed drawings.
2. The special construction of cheek piece of bridle bits represented in Figure 19
and the special form of hook on the pulley frame to be used therewith as shown in
Figures 21 and 22 for the purpose described.
In witness whereof I the said John Clayton Mewburn have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirty first day of March One thousand eight hundred and
eighty four.