IMPROVED SAFETY APPARATUS FOR CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES DRAWN BY HORSES OR OTHER ANIMALS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Bellamy, of Lostwithiel, in the County of Corn-
wall, for the Invention of "IMPROVED SAFETY APPARATUS FOR CARRIAGES OR
VEHICLES DRAWN BY HORSES OR OTHER ANIMALS."
ealed the 29th December 1877, and dated the 24th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Bellamy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July 1877.
CHARLES BELLAMY, of Lostwithiel, in the County of Cornwall. "IMPROVED
SAFETY APPARATUS FOR CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES DRAWN BY HORSES OR OTHER
ANIMALS."
This Invention relates to the application to carriages, gigs, or other vehicles
drawn by horses or other animals, of an improved safety apparatus or appliance
designed to enable the horse or draught animal to be immediately freed from con-
nection with the carriage or vehicle in the event of the horse or other animal bolting
or running away, or of its stumbling and falling.
The improved apparatus is simple in its construction and efficacious in its action.
It consists principally of a handle or lever, one part of which is intended to he lifted
by the hand when required to be used, or it may be so constructed as to be
actuated by the foot, the other part of which is turned outwards in contrary directions,
and is curved, hooked, or bent at its extremities, near which it is carried by bearings
on plates bolted to the shafts or other convenient part of the carriage or vehicle;
from these plates rise guard-blocks, against which when the horse is in connection
with the carriage or other vehicle the extremities of the hooked, bent, or curved
parts of the above-mentioned lever abut. When in this position, the traces, being
previously slipped or looped over the hooked parts, are retained thereon by the
guard blocks and prevented from slipping off; but in the event of the horse running
away, or of its stumbling and falling, or of its being desired to free it from the car-
riage or vehicle from any other reason, it is only necessary to lift or turn the handle
or lever from the back to the front of the apparatus, when its hooked parts being.
reversed the traces are freed therefrom and slip off, and the horse is at once at
liberty. The brake should of course be applied before releasing the horse, and the

page_text: carriage will then remain stationary in the road, and its occupants will be
uninjured.
In the event of a horse falling, the carriage by this apparatus can easily be moved
back a little to enable the horse to rise without difficulty and without necessitating
the cutting of the harness as is at present often done.
In the event of the horse running away, on its being released it will soon stop,
but when the carriage (and that probably damaged) is running behind it, its fright
is increased, and it very often causes much mischief, especially in public and crowded
thoroughfares.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Bellamy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th January
1878.
"IMPROVED
CHARLES BELLAMY, of Lostwithiel, in the County of Cornwall.
SAFETY APPARATUS FOR CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES DRAWN BY HORSES OR OTHER
ANIMALS."
This Invention relates to the application to carriages or other vehicles drawn by
horses or other animals, of an improved safety apparatus or appliance designed to
enable the carriage or vehicle to be immediately freed from connection with the
horse or draught animal in the event of its bolting or running away, or of its
stumbling and falling.
The improved apparatus is simple in its construction and efficacious in its action,
and it is illustrated in plan view on the accompanying Drawing.
The apparatus consists principally of a handle or lever 1, the parts 2 of which are
turned outwards in contrary directions, and are curved, hooked, or bent at their
extremities 3, near which they are carried by bearings 4 on frame plates 5, bolted at
6 to the shaft irons 7, or other convenient part of the carriage or vehicle, and from
which plates 5 rise guard blocks 8, against which, when the horse is in connection
with the vehicle, the extremities of the hooks 3 abut, as shown on the accompanying
Drawing, so that when in this position, the traces 9 being previously slipped or
looped over the hooks 3, are retained thereon by the guard blocks 8, and prevented
from slipping off.
In the event of the horse running away, or of its stumbling and falling, or of its
being desired to free it from the carriage or vehicle from any other reason, it is only
necessary to lift the handle of the lever 1 or to turn it by means of a leather strap
11 connected to a crank 10 on the lever, from the back of the apparatus (the position
in which it is shown on the accompanying Drawing) to the front thereof, when its
hooked parts 3 being reversed and the points thereof being clear of the rounded
ends of the guard blocks 8 the traces are freed therefrom and slip off, and the horse
is at once at liberty. The brake should of course be applied before freeing or
releasing the horse, and the carriage will then remain stationary in the road, and its
occupants will be uninjured.
In the event of the horse falling the carriage on being released as above described
can easily be moved back to enable the horse to rise without difficulty and without
necessitating the cutting of the harness as is at present often done.
In the event of the horse running away, on its being freed it will soon stop, but

page_text: when the carriage (and that probably damaged) is running behind it, its fright is
increased, and it very often causes much mischief, especially in public and crowded
thoroughfares.
12 represents the shafts.
In harnessing the horse to the vehicle, the straps of the breeching usually buckled
round the shafts should be buckled to the breeching only, and the traces passed
through the straps when buckled; and the breeching should be secured to the shaft
tugs either permanently or by buckles, and the belly-band should be put outside the
shafts, and not round them; the horse and harness will then be perfectly free when
the apparatus is put in operation.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention,-
The application to carriages and other vehicles drawn by horses or other animals,
of improved safety apparatus of the general construction above described, for the
purpose of enabling the carriage or vehicle to be immediately freed from connection
with the horse or other draught animal in the event of its bolting or running away,
or of its stumbling and falling, substantially as herein-before described, and as illus-
trated on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Bellamy, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
CHA°. BELLAMY. (L.S.)