Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Harness.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Harness.
I, LEWIS PETER FORD, of Shortlands House, Shortlands, in the County of Ken*;
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to the construction of pneumatic collars and saddles, and
comprises improvements in the method of attaching the external lining of the air
tube or chamber to the frame, and also in the manner of covering the front or
outside of the frame with leather or other suitable material when such a covering
is employed. A collar constructed according to this invention comprises a frame
preferably formed of sheet metal fashioned in the usual way to the shape of collar
desired. Both edges of this frame can be turned over towards the inside thereof
to form approximately semi-circular flanges or channels. The lining of the saddle
which holds in place the pneumatic cushion is provided at its edges with a bead
or enlargement of any suitable material to be received by the flanges or channels
aforesaid in which it can be retained by screws, or other fastenings or by bending
over the flanges or metal tongues provided on the frame or otherwise. The bead
or edging may be solid or tubular; it may be of metal or of a piece of cane or
wood, secured in pockets or glued, nailed or otherwise attached to the lining. The
ends of such a bead can be joined where they meet by inserting them in a ferrule
or collar, which should preferably be of brass or other non-corroding metal.
It is desirable that the lining should be so attached to the bead or edging that
a direct pull on the connections of the bead and frame is avoided when stress is
put upon the lining by inflation of the air tube. The air cushion may be pro-
tected by a canvas covering as well as by the lining of the harness.
The above description of the invention as applied to a horse collar sufficiently
explains its application to a saddle, whether for riding or for draught purposes.
If desired the outside of the frame may be covered with leather, cloth, canvas,
or other fabric. In this case the covering is stretched and fashioned so as to cover
closely the outside of the frame and lapped over both the edges. Between the
frame and the cover any suitable stuffing may be inserted. The opposite edges
of the covering are secured by cross stitches extending between the overlaps of
the cover which may be additionally secured by glue or otherwise.
1011 Ja of biovember 1897
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in
I, LEWIS PETER FORD, of Shortlands House, Shortlands, in the County of Kent.
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
[Price 8d1

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
This invention relates to the construction of pneumatic collars and comprises
improvements in the means for and method of attaching the collar lining, or
external cover of the air tube or chamber, to the frame.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collar constructed according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view of an alternative form of collar in which rivets or the
like are employed in securing the lining.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 enlarged.
Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged details of the right and left hand corners respec-
tively of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.
Figures and 8 show an alternative method of attaching the beads.
Figure 9 shows an alternative arrangement to that shown in Figure 6.
Figure 10 is a detail of part of Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a view of one of the beads or edgings of the lining.
Figure 12 shows cross sections enlarged of various alternative forms of the lining
bead or edging and
Figure 13 a portion of a hinged bead or edging.
Figure 14 shows a form of hole formed in the edge of the frame.
Figures 15 and 16 show a method of connecting the beads with distance pieces,
and
Figures 17 and 18 are details of Figures 15 and 16 on an enlarged scale.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The collar comprises a frame A preferably formed of a metal plate fashioned
in any convenient way to the shape of collar desired. Both edges may be turned
over towards the inside of the frame so as to form approximately semicircular
flanges or channels as shown at A¹ Figures 3 to 6, or alternatively the edges may
be doubled flat against the frame so as to form strengthened edges or flanges
as shown at A' in Fig. 9. In this case small holes are formed round the frame,
in the flanges, at suitable distances apart to receive rivets A³, screws, or other like
fastenings as shown in Figs. 2, 9 and 10 for the purpose of securing the beads of
the collar lining to the frame and such fastenings may likewise be employed with
shallow channels as shown in Fig. 6.
A bead or edging such as B, Fig. 11, preferably round in cross section, is formed
of such a length as when fitted into a groove or channel A¹ of the frame the ends
meet. The ends may be joined by inserting them in a ferrule or sleeve B¹ desirably
of brass or other non-corroding metal. A bead or edging B is provided for each
edge of the frame. In some cases and especially when used with a hinged collar
the bead for each edge of the frame is composed of two separate parts as shown
in Fig. 16.
The bead may be formed of cane, wood or metal, and may be either flat or
curved in cross section so as to correspond with the channels or flanges on the
frame. When made of metal the bead may be either a solid wire or hollow, form-
ing a cylindrical or other shaped tube. To add to its elasticity the tube may be
split longitudinally along one side. In Fig. 12 some suitable forms of metal
beads are shown in cross section.
If cane be employed, being extremely flexible, the bead fits snugly and accu-
rately into the flanges or channels A', but the beads can be readily made to fit
when wood or metal is employed.
Each edge of the collar lining C, usually employed to protect the air cushion,
is attached to a bead B in such a manner, that a direct pull on the means of attach-
ment is avoided when strain is put on the lining by inflation of the air-tube or
by the draft pressure when in use. Preferably this advantage is obtained by
wrapping the lining C partly round the bead edging B as shown in Figs. 4 and 5,
the direction in which it is wrapped depending on the direction of the stress as

page_text: hereinafter more fully explained. The lining C is preferably secured to the bead B
by stitches passing round the bead or through holes made in the bead and the bead
or lining may be eyeleted to facilitate this; further, copper or brass brads cr
screws may be employed for the purpose. Cement or glue may be used, or
the lining may be provided with loops or tubular pockets at the edges for the
beads to slip into.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show diagrammatically the method of attaching the lining
which has been found practically to be most efficient. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4
the upper or smaller edge of the frame is formed with a deep channel extending
fully half round the bead B, and the lining C is wound round in the direction of
the arrow in Fig. 4. On the lower or larger edge of the frame and channel may
be less deep as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 and the lining wound in the direction
of the arrow in Fig. 5. This different arrangement at the two edges of the collar
is preferred, it being found in practice that whilst the inflation of the air tube
tends to pull the lining away from the frame, the pressure of the horse's withers
when the collar is in use tends to push the lining and its contained air cushion
forwards.
In this form of collar no rivets or screws need be used to fasten the lining to
the frame, the engagement of the beads in the channel A' sufficing when the air
tube is inflated.
Fig. 6 shows an arrangement in which the channels A¹ are shallower and in
this case it is advisable to employ rivets or screws, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6 to
further secure the beads in the channels.
Or instead of using rivets or screws the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and S
may be employed, in which tongues or dee clips A³ are formed, by making an
approximately semi-circular cut in the frame A, as shown in Fig. 8, and bending
it so as to clip the bead B as shown in Fig. 7. These dee clips may also be
employed, if desired, with the deeper channels shown in Fig. 3.
In Figs. 9 and 10 the edges of the frame are shown doubled over to form
strengthened flanges to which the flat beads B are secured by rivets A2 as shown
in the figures, or by screws or other like devices. When flat beads are employed
it is found desirable in practice to curve or slightly round one edge as shown at B²
Fig. 12, so as to conform with the shape of the cover C, when in use, and avoid
the risk of cutting and minimise the wear on the cover.
The air cushion or cushions E may be of any usual construction provided with
the customary valve or valves for inflation, and may be protected by a canvas or
other covering as well as by the collar lining C. The latter may be of any
suitable material, and is shaped so as to receive the air tube between itself and
the frame.
In putting the collar together the uninflated air tube is placed in position in
the frame and covered by the collar lining C, each bead or edging B being accu-
rately fitted within or to its channel or flanges A', and secured by rivets screws
or the like when these are employed. The air cushion is then inflated.
When flat beads are employed with turned over edges to the frame as shown
in Figs. 9 and 10 a convenient method of fastening the lining is to form the upper
bend of each bead separate from the lower portion, but connected to it by hinges B³
as shown in Fig. 13. The beads are furnished with fixed pins B' having heads
slightly larger than their bodies. The holes in the frame are provided with a
short slot A (Fig. 14) in their lower edge, the holes being of a size to receive the
heads while the slots will only allow the bodies of the pins to enter them.
To apply the lining the upper hinged portion is bent slightly back so as to
allow the pin heads to pass through the holes in the frame; the beads are then
pushed into position so as to engage the bodies of the pins in the slots and the
hinged portion returned to its normal position.
The corresponding portions of the beads on the same side of the frame may be
connected by distance pieces B* (Fig. 15). Preferably these are fastened in de-
pressions B formed in the beads by pins B6, so as to allow of slight movement,

page_text: as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 17, to facilitate the fitting of the beads within
the grooves of the frame. Or instead of being pivotted the distance pieces may
be secured to the beads, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 18, by having their
ends bend round them; each bent end either completely surrounding its bead,
or only partially in which latter case it is secured by a screw rivet or the like. -
These distance pieces are specially useful when each bead is composed of two
parts, as shown in Fig. 16; in this case it is necessary to place stops in the grooves
A of the frame against which the ends of the beads may abut.
The frame can be enamelled or painted, or covered with leather or other suitable
material in the usual manner. It is also desirable to paint or enamel the inside
of the frame when of metal as a protection against rust.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a pneumatic collar the combination with a frame A having flanges or
channels A¹ of a lining C having beads or edgings B substantially as described
or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a pneumatic collar the combination with a pneumatic pad of a frame A
having a deep channel on the inner or upper edge and a relatively shallow channel
on the outer or lower edge for the purpose described.
•
3. In a pneumatic collar a frame having channelled edges and clips such as A³
formed with the frame substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In a pneumatic collar the combination with a frame A having holes with
slots A of a lining C having hinged beads or edgings provided with pins Es
substantially as described.
5. In a pneumatic collar comprising a frame and a lining C having beads or
edgings forming the bead around each edge of two or more independent parts
substantially as described.
6. In a pneumatic collar having a lining C with beads or edgings connecting
the beads by distance pieces B substantially as described.
7. In a pneumatic collar the combination with a lining C of cane beads or
edgings substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 16th day of August 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.