Improvements in Devices for Stopping Frightened or Runaway Horses.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Stopping Frightened or
Runaway Horses.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52, Chancery Lane, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Clara Turney, of Saucelito, Marin
County, and State of California), to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a device for arresting runaway horses and preventing
danger therefrom by obscuring their vision.
It consists in devices, hereinafter fully explained, that enable a driver or rider to
at once obscure the vision of a horse by means of a cord or connection within easy
reach.
In my
It is a well-known fact that frightened or runaway horses will at once stop if their
vision is obscured; also, that their fright is appeased by the same means.
invention this is accomplished by the simple devices hereinafter described.
On
The bridle has a blind of the usual construction, for obscuring lateral sight.
the inside of this blind is fastened a spring-pad; this pad is operated by a weak
coiled spring and is composed of dark material impervious to light, and when not in
use is withdrawn by a loop passing through holes in the blind. This loop is held in
tension by a latch or chock, which is inserted so that it can be instantly withdrawn
by a cord, which passes through a staple or ring and back within easy reach of the
driver, and is there attached by a ring and cross-pull to the rein.
In case a horse is frightened, a slight pull on the cord withdraws the latch, and
the pad is thrown inward by the coiled spring, thus covering the horse's eyes and
blindfolding him.
When the blind is omitted, either in the case of riding or driving, I mount the
spring-pad in a different manner. In this case the pad is attached to the main
bridle-strap by means of coiled springs which form a fastening for the pad, as well as
supply the force to close it when released by a buckle or keeper, attached to the
throat-strap. The buckle or keeper has also coiled springs, strong enough to hold
the pad in position against the force of the springs. To release the pad, as in the
former case, a pull on the cord raises the buckle and permits the pad to close over
the horse's eyes, blindfolding him the same as in the case of the blind-bridle. It is,
of course, understood that all these parts are dual and for each side the same.
Dated this 20th day of December 1800
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Stopping Frightened or
Runaway Horses.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52, Chancery Lane, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Clara Turney, of Saucelito, Marin
County, and State of California), 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 a device for arresting runaway horses and preventing
danger therefrom by obscuring their vision.
It consists in devices, hereinafter fully explained, that enable a driver or rider to
at once obscure the vision of a horse by means of a cord or connection within easy
reach.

page_text: In my
It is a well-known fact that frightened or runaway horses will at once stop if their
vision is obscured; also, that their fright is appeased by the same means.
invention this is accomplished by the simple devices hereinafter described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 shows my invention applied to a driving harness and what is called a
"blind-bridle." Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the blind with my invention applied.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the blind, showing the obscuring-pad extended.
Fig. 4 is another horizontal view of the blind with the obscuring-pad closed. Fig. 5
shows my invention applied to an ordinary bridle for riding or driving without fixed
blinds and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 5, showing the manner of mounting
and closing the obscuring-pad.
Similar letters of reference on the different figures indicate corresponding parts.
The bridle shown in Fig. 1 has a blind A, of the usual construction, for obscuring
lateral sight. On the inside of this blind A. is fastened a spring-pad B. (Shown in
its extended position in Fig. 3 and in its closed position in Fig. 4.) This pad B is
operated by a weak coiled spring, the section of which is seen at I in Figs. 3 and 4.
This pad is composed of dark material impervious to light, and when not in use is
withdrawn by a loop C, passing through holes in the blind A. This loop C is held
in tension by the latch or chock D, which is inserted, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,
so that it can be instantly withdrawn by the cord E, which passes through a staple
or ring F and back within easy reach of the driver at G, and is there attached by a
ring and eross-pull to the rein H, as shown.
In case a horse is frightened, a slight pull on the cord E, withdraws the latch D,
and the pad B is thrown inward by the coiled spring I, thus covering the horse's
eyes and blindfolding him.
When the blind A is omitted, either in the case of riding or driving, I mount the
spring-pad B in a different manner, as shown in the drawings, Figs. and 6. In this
case the pad B is attached to the main bridle-strap by means of coiled springs LL,
which form a fastening for the pad B, as well as supply the force to close it
when released by the buckle or keeper M, attached to the throat-strap N. The
buckle or keeper M has also coiled springs, as shown in Fig. 6, strong enough to
hold the pad B in position against the force of the springs LL. To release the
pad B, as in the former case, a pull on the cord E raises the buckle M and permits
the pad B to close over the horse's eyes, blindfolding him the same as in the case of the
blind-bridle, Fig. 1. It is, of course, understood that all these parts are dual and
for each side the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a horse-bridle, the combination of the blind A, the pad B, fastened on the
inside of said blind, the spring for operating said pad, the loop C, for withdrawing
the pad when not in use, said loop passing through holes in the blind A, and the
latch or chock D, for holding said loop in tension, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the blind, a pad fastened thereto, so as to be inwardly
movable, the coil-spring I, for operating it, a loop passing through holes in the
blind, the latch engaging said loop, and the cord for withdrawing said latch, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In combination with a horse-bridle, the spring-pad B, a detaching-buckle M,
and cord E, arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1891
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.