An Improved Apparatus for Placing and Holding a Horse in a Lying Posture.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1892]
Complete Specification Left, 1st May, 1893-Accepted, 10th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Placing and Holding a Horse in a
Lying Posture.
I JOSEPH DAVIAU of 125 Cours Lieutaud, Marseilles, France, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improved apparatus for placing and holding a horse
in a lying posture. My apparatus is composed essentially of a platform which can
be turned from the vertical to the horizontal position and vice versa under the action
of two rods connected to two nuts which are worked by right and left handed
screws.
The fixed frame of the apparatus is composed of two longitudinal bars, pre-
ferably of iron connected by cross bars of similar iron. Under the longitudinal
bars are fixed bearings which support an axle on which the main pair of carrying
wheels of the apparatus turn.
The frame has also at its two ends round boxes in which can turn forks which
support small wheels. On the cross bars are fixed bearings to support a shaft
having a right handed screw at one end and a left handed screw at the other.
These screws serve to move to a greater or lesser distance from each other the
nuts to which are jointed two rods connected at their other end to the platform of
the apparatus by suitable joints. The platform which is covered with leather on
its outer side has flaps or leaves hinged thereto at top and bottom. These flaps
are jointed and connected to the frame by rods which serve to make the parts very
firm when the flaps have been prevented from moving by inserting keys into the
eyes of lugs on the flaps so as to prevent any forward movement of the heads of
the rods. The platform has four holes for the passage of ropes for securing the
horse, and with the same object it is provided at its sides with double hooks or
belaying pins. The two flaps are also formed with holes through which pass the
hobbles for fixing the horse's feet to the platform.
As the platform ought to be capable of being placed on either the one or the
other side of the frame it is provided with journals to rest in bearings in the sides
of the frame. When it is required to lift the platform, keys are placed in the
bearings corresponding to the side on which it is desired to lift it; the journals
are thereby secured in these bearings and thus form the pivoting point of the
platform.
Rotary motion is given to the right and left handed screw shaft by toothed
gearing worked by a hand wheel.
On the back of the platform are an upper and a lower horizontal shaft, and each
of these carries two drums and a bevel pinion; the bevel pinion can either turn
loosely on the shaft or with the shaft according to the position of a clutch. The
two shafts can either be driven together, but in opposite directions or separately
as required. The movement is given to them by means of a crank handle which is
fitted as required to the one or other of two toothed wheels; the shaft of one of
these wheels has a worm gearing with a worm wheel on a vertical shaft which
carries two bevel pinions gearing respectively with the bevel pinions on the two
horizontal shafts above described.
The drums on these horizontal shafts are for the purpose of winding up and
unwinding two ropes one of the ends of which is fixed to a drum on the one shaft
and the other end to a drum on the other shaft. In this way when the one drum
winds up the other unwinds the rope, which is therefore always taut. To these
ropes are fitted two short ropes with hooks which are attached to the buckles on

page_text: the harness or strapping of the horse hereinafter described. The main ropes pass
through rollers fixed to the flaps.
The harness or strapping is composed of a wide belly band; from the lower part
of this band straps are led to a sort of breast piece. The belly band is also con-
nected to a breeching strap and to a front strap. The breeching strap has also
connected to it straps which lead to the horse's back, and other straps leading to
the under side of the belly band. To give more stability to the apparatus when in
use, a stay or prop the inclination of which can be varied as desired is placed at
each corner.
In order to secure a horse to the platform three cords leading from head straps
are fixed, two of them to two of the belaying pins before described and the third
in one of the holes in the platform. The ropes which pass over drums as above
described are hooked to buckles on the harness. A noose is fixed to one or other
of a set of straps at the back of the platform and passed through a corresponding
hole in the platform, and hobbles are also attached to the horse's feet and are
passed through holes in the flaps, being fixed at the other side of the platform by
means of split rings.
Before turning the platform into the horizontal position the horse is lifted a
little by turning the crank handle before described so as to give a pull upon
the ropes. The hand wheel before described is then turned and thus causes the
platform to move into the horizontal position by making the nuts move further
apart.
With the arrangement of the double drums above described the horse can easily
be turned over upon his other side on the apparatus by turning the crank handle
so that the drums on the one shaft unwind the ropes while the drums on the other
shaft wind them up. In this way the short ropes pass under the horse which they
cause to turn over, thus placing his legs at the side opposite to that which they
previously occupied. To place the horse on his feet without turning him back
again it is only necessary to change the side keys in order to enable the platform
to be lifted at the side where the horse's legs are.
In some cases, as for example when it is required to perform an umbilical
operation place in the holes in the flaps 4 posts or sheer legs which I connect at
their upper end to a piece which carries one or more pulleys over which are passed
cords to which the horse's feet are attached. The feet are thus lifted and separated.
When required two of these sheer legs can be attached to hooks on the frame of
the apparatus to serve as shafts when the apparatus has to be drawn from one
place to another.
Dated this 29th day of July 1892.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Placing and Holding a Horse in a
Lying Posture.
1, JOSEPH DAVIAU of 125 Cours Lieutaud, Marseilles, France, Gentleman, 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 consists of an improved apparatus for placing and holding a horse
in a lying posture. My apparatus is composed essentially of a platform which can
be turned from the vertical to the horizontal position and rice versa under the
action of two rods connected to two nuts which are worked by right and left
handed screws.

page_text: The apparatus is represented in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 a back view the movable platform being in
its vertical position.
Figure 3 is a plan of the fixed frame of the apparatus.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the apparatus, the movable platform being in
the horizontal position.
Figure 5 illustrates the harness or strapping for securing the horse to the
platform.
The fixed frame of the apparatus is composed of two longitudinal bars a
preferably of L-iron connected by cross bars 6 of similar iron. Under the longi-
tudinal bars are fixed bearings c which support an axle d on which the main pair of
carrying wheels A of the apparatus turn.
The frame has also at its two ends round boxes e in which can turn forks which
support small wheels g. Instead of these wheels a fore-carriage can be employed.
On the cross bars bare fixed bearings h to support a shaft i having a right handed
screw at one end and a left handed screw at the other. These screws serve 'to
move to a greater or lesser distance from each other the nuts & to which are jointed
two rods connected at their other end to the platform B of the apparatus by
suitable joints m. The two rods can be arranged in any of the ways shown in
the diagrams Figures 6, 7 and 8. The platform B, which is covered with leather
on its outer side has flaps or leaves C at top and bottom hinged thereto at n n.
These flaps are jointed and connected to the frame by rods o which serve to
make the parts very firm when the flaps have been prevented from moving by
inserting keys p into the eyes of lugs on the flaps so as to prevent any forward
movement of the heads of the rods 0. The platform B has four holes a² for the
passage of ropes for securing the horse, and with the same object it is provided at
its sides with double hooks or belaying pins 7. The two flaps C C are also formed
with holes s through which pass the hobbles for fixing the horse's feet to the
platform.
As the platform B ought to be capable of being placed on either the one or the
other side of the frame it is provided with journals to rest in bearings in the
sides of the frame. When it is required to lift the platform keys are placed in
the bearings 26 corresponding to the side on which it is desired to lift it; the
journals are thereby secured in these bearings and thus form the pivoting points
of the platform.
Rotary motion is given to the right and left handed screw shaft i by toothed
gearing worked by a hand wheel D. This toothed gearing and hand wheel
can be duplicated at the other end of the apparatus.
Y y
On the back of the platform are an upper and a lower horizontal shaft and'
each of these carries two drums and c¹ and a bevel pinion; the bevel
pinion on each shaft can either turn loosely on the shaft or with the shaft according
to the position of a clutch a worked by a lever a. The two shafts y y can thus
be either driven together but in opposite directions or separately as required. The
movement is given to them by means of a crank handle 2 which is fitted as
required to the one or other of two toothed wheels c¹ and e², the shaft 2 of the
wheel c has a worm gearing with a worm wheel d' on a vertical shaft which carries
two bevel pinions e¹ e¹ gearing respectively with the bevel pinions on the two
horizontal shafts y y. The gearing del z can be placed at either of the sides of
the apparatus or at both sides.
The drums and a' on these horizontal shafts are for the purpose of winding up
and unwinding two ropes f¹f one of the ends of which is fixed to a drum and
the other end to a drum . In this way when the one drum winds up the other
unwinds the rope, which is therefore always taut. To these ropes are fitted two
short ropes with hooks which are attached to the buckles y' in the harness or
strapping of the horse (see Figure 5). The ropes f¹ pass over rollers f³ ³ fixed
to the flaps C.

page_text: The harness or strapping (Figure 5) is composed of a wide belly band h¹ secured
by the straps; from the lower part of this band at n', straps are led to a sort
of breast piece m'. The belly band is also connected to a breeching strap p¹ and
to a front strap o'. The breeching strap has also connected to it straps which
lead to the horse's back, and other straps leading to the under side of the belly
band.
201
To give more stability to the apparatus when in use, a stay or prop s¹ (Figure 1)
the inclination of which can be varied as desired is placed at each corner.
In order to secure a horse to the platform B three cords leading from head
straps are fixed two of them to two of the belaying pins and the third in one of
the holes a³ in the platform. The ropes are hooked to the buckles on the
harness. A noose u¹ is fixed to one or other of a set of straps » (Figure 2) at the
back of the platform and passed through a corresponding hole in the platform,
and hobbles are also attached to the horse's feet and are passed through the holes s
in the flaps C C, being fixed at the other side of the platform by means of split
rings.
Before turning the platform B into the horizontal position the horse is lifted a
little by turning the crank handle 62 so as to give a pull upon the ropes ff. The
hand wheel D is then turned and thus causes the platform to move into the
horizontal position by making the nuts & move further apart.
With the arrangement of the double drums a al above described the horse can
easily be turned over upon his other side on the apparatus by turning the crank
handle so that the drums on the one shaft unwind the ropes while the drums.c¹
on the other shaft wind them up. In this way the short ropes pass under the
horse which they cause to turn over, thus placing his legs at the side opposite to
that which they previously occupied. To place the horse on his feet without
turning him back again it is only necessary to change the side keys t in order to
allow the platform B to be lifted at the side where the horse's legs are.
In some cases, as for example when it is required to perform an umbilical
operation I place in the holes s four posts or sheer legs (Figure 4) which I
connect at their upper end to a piece c that carries one or more pulleys over which
are passed cords attached to the horse's feet. The feet are thus lifted and
separated. When required two of these sheer legs can be attached to hooks d²
on the frame of the apparatus to serve as shafts when the apparatus has to be
drawn from one place to another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The improved apparatus constructed and worked substantially as hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawings for placing and holding a
horse in a lying posture.
Dated +1: 50+1 1
LA
1002
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.