IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLE HEADS, REINS, AND BITS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John George Shipley, of 181, Regent Street, in tho
County of Middlesex, Sadler and Army Accoutrement Maker, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLE HEADS, REINS, AND BITS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John George Shipley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th March 1862.
I, JOHN GEORGE SHIPLEY, of 181, Regent Street, in the County of Middle-
sex, Sadler and Army Accoutrement Maker, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRIDLE HEADS, REINS, AND BITS,"
to be as follows:-
As regards my improvements in bridle heads and reins, they consist in
substituting studs and holes for buckles or sewing, as hitherto practised for
connecting bridle heads and reins to bits, that is to say, I aflix studs into
one part and form holes in another part of the bridle head or reins, and
having passed same through the cheeks of the bit pass the said holes over
the studs aforesaid.
As regards my improvements in bits, they consist, first, in making each.
of the checks thereof divided or in two or more parts or pieces, instead of
making same of one entire solid piece of metal as commonly practised, for
the purpose of adapting thereto mouth-pieces of different forms as may be:

page_text: desired; whereas according to the present method of making bits, each bit
can only have one form of mouth-piece. Secondly, I propose to form cach
of the solid cheeks of bits with a piece of metal having a screw formed
thereon to receive mouth-pieces of different forms, the ends of said mouth-
pieces having screwed holes formed therein for connecting same to the cheeks
of the bit, or one cheek may be formed solid, and the other divided as above
described, or of any other modified form of construction. This part of my
Invention consisting essentially in so constructing bits as to enable them to
have mouth-pieces of different forms adapted thereto as above stated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by tho said John George Shipley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEORGE SHIPLEY, of 181, Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex, Saddler
and Ariny Accoutrement Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John George Shipley, Her special licence that I, the said John George
Shipley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I tho
said John George Shipley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BRIDLE HEADS, REINS, AND BITS," upon the condition, amongst
others, that I, the said John George Shipley, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John George Shipley, do hereby declare.
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: .
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
As regards my improvements in bridle heads and reins, they consist in
substituting studs and holes for buckles or sewing as hitherto practised for
connecting bridle heads and reins to bits, that is to say, I affix studs into
one part and form holes in another part of the bridle head or reins and having
passed same through the cheeks of the bit pass the said holes over the studs
aforesaid..
As regards my improvements in bits, they consist, first in making each
of the cheeks thereof divided or in two or more parts or pieces instead of
making same of one entire solid piece of metal as commonly practised for
the purpose of adapting thereto mouth-pieces of different forms as may be
desired; whereas according to the present method of making bits, each bit
can only have one form of mouth-piece. Secondly, I propose to form each
of the solid cheeks of bits with a piece of metal having a screw formed thereon
to receive mouth-picces of different forms, the ends of said mouth-pieces
having screwed holes formed therein for connecting same to the cheeks of
the bit, or one check may be formed solid and the other divided as above
described, or of any other modified form of construction. This part of my
Invention consisting essentially in so constructing bits as to enable them to
have mouth-pieces of different forms adapted thereto as above stated.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the construction of the parts, reference being had to the
illustrative Sheet of Drawings accompanying this Specification, and to the
numeral figures and. letters of reference marked thereon respectively, as
follows:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a bridle head shewing the improved
mode of connecting same, and also. reins to bits; Figure 2, an edge view
of Figure 1,.showing same attached to one of my improved bits; Figure 3
is a front elevation of one of my improved bits shewn partly detached;
Figure 4, a top plan view thereof; Figure 5 is a modification of Figure 3;
Figure 6 represents another modificatian;. Figure 7, is a Diagram illustrativo
of a mode of connecting mouth-pieces of different forms of construction to

page_text: At each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to
denote corresponding parts wherever such said parts appear or can be seen
at each of such said Figures respectively. As regards Figures 1 and 2
a, a, are metal studs fixed in the leather of the bridle head or reins; b, b,
holes and slots; by these means the use of buckles or sewing is dispensed
with.
I now proceed to describe the construction of my improved bit-repre-
sented at Figure 3, where A, B, are the cheek-pieces, formed in two parts,
the part A is formed with a screw or thread at c and the part B is formed
with a screwed hole d therein, which fits on the screw c, the part e of each
cheek-piece is formed square, the ends of the mouth-pieco C being similarly
formed, as at Figure 4, when connected to the cheeks cannot turn round in
the horse's mouth, and when the parts B are screwed on c, the mouth-piece
is securely connected to the cheek-pieces and by these means mouth-pieces
of different forms may be readily adapted to the cheek-pieces of a bit. The
bit at Figure 5 differs in construction from that last described, by making
the parts e, e, of the cheek-pieces round instead of square, and also in allowing
the mouth-piece to rise and fall between the parts 1 and 2 thereof; and further
in adapting rings D to the check-pieces for connecting reins thereto. With
this bit mouth-pieces of different forms may be readily adapted and connected.
I would here remark that if desirable a washer or washers may be inserted
at the parts 1, 2, to prevent the mouth-piece rising and falling as before.
stated.
I now proceed to describe the arrangement exhibited at Figure 7 as
follows: A is the mouth-piece which may be of any desired shape. a, a,
are screwed holes fitting on to screws b, formed on the pieces B, B, one a
right-handed screw and the other screw left handed, the parts B, B, when
screwed into the mouth-piece may be connected to the cheek-pieces C, C,
by the means before described with reference to Figures 5 and 6; or instead
of screws plain pins may be inserted in holes in the mouth-piece and connected
thereto by pins or screws.
Another mode of connecting different forms of mouth-pieces to tho
cheek-pieces of bits is represented at Figures 8 and 9 and consists in
forming the upper part of each check-piece in two parts D and E, the part
D may be of one entire piece of metal, and the part E hinged thereto at c
the ends of the mouth-piece at d may be formed round so as to revolve if
desired, or square so as not to revolve, the dotted lines shew the position of
the hinged part E ready to insert the mouth-piece which is embraced

page_text: by the parts D and E, the bridle head G keeps the said parts together
so as to securely hold and connect the mouth-pieco to the cheek-pieces of
the bit.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention for "Improvements in Bridle Heads, Reins, and Bits," together
with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practi-
cal effect, I would remark in conclusion that I hereby declare my Invention
to consist in and I claim, as follows:-
First as regards bridle heads and reins, I claim substituting studs and
holes for buckles and sewing as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2
of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Secondly as regards bits, I claim making the cheek-pieces thereof divided
so as to enable different forms of mouth-pieces to bo connected thereto as
described with with reference to Figures 3 to 9 inclusive, of the accompany-
ing Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John George Shipley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord Ono thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN G. SHIPLEY. (L.8.)