Improvements in or connected with Harness and Vehicles or the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Harness and Vehicles or
the like.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 106, 107, and 108, Victoria Chambers, 55 and
56 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Robert P. Moran,
of Glasgow, Kentucky, U.S.A. Inventor,) to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to certain new and useful improvements in or
connected with harness, and vehicles, or the like, and the invention has for its
object to provide a simple means of quickly and neatly attaching and detaching
horses to the shafts, and, further, to obviate the sudden jar to the horse when first
starting.
The invention comprises a metal frame having apertures and any suitable
buckle device, whereby it can be readily secured to the harness. At each side of
the frame are two lugs, through which a bar is adapted to slide. This bar is longer
than the frame, is provided with a nut at one end, and an eye at the other, to which
the draft-straps or cords are attached. A spiral spring encompasses the rod
between the lugs and compresses when sudden strain is applied to the draw-bar.
One side of the frame aforesaid has a ball-shaped projection adapted to engage a
socket forming part of a bracket clamped to the shaft. This socket is made in two
parts, one part of which forms the stationary clamp, and the other part is pivoted
at its lower end to the lower part of the stationary part. The two halves of this
two-part socket are kept together by a spring contained within the pivoted part.
A bell-crank lever is pivoted in an upright, and has one arm secured in a slot in
the loose half of the socket, and its other arm has a cord attached to it which can
be carried to any desired position, and whereby the lever can be caused to depress
the spring, open the socket, and release the frame attached to the harness.
Dated this 7th day of March 1901
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Harness and Vehicles or
the like.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 106, 107, and 108 Victoria Chambers, Chancery
Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Robert Price Moran, of
Glasgow, Kentucky, U.S.A. Inventor,) and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to an improvement in horse-detachers; and it consists in
the combination and arrangement of parts which will be fully described
hereinafter.
The object of my invention is to provide a means by which the usual traces are
entirely done away with and the harness is fastened to the shafts direct, thus
enabling the driver to detach the horse at any moment in case of a runaway or
other accident.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device which embodies my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same.
A represents a suitable metallic frame of any suitable shape, size, or construcțion

page_text: that may be preferred and which is provided with a buckle or a clamping-lever B
for attaching the frame to the saddle-strap. Extending across the upper portion of
this frame is a cross-bar C, which serves to hold the girt.
The lower portion of the frame A is made of any suitable length, and extending
horizontally through it is the draft-rod D, which is provided with a loop G at its
front end, so as to be fastened to the hame or breast strap, and which has a nut or
other suitable stop H placed upon its rear end to prevent the rod from being drawn
through the frame. When the nut H strikes against the rear end of the frame A,
the full draft of the animal is transferred from the rod D to the frame A. Placed
around this rod D is a spiral spring I, which has its front end to bear against the
front end of the frame A and its rear end to bear against the stop J, secured rigidly
to the rod. This spring allows the rod an endwise movement, so as to conform to
the movement of the horse when it is moving forward. If it were not for this
spring the vehicle would partake of the horse motion to such an extent as to make
it very uncomfortable for the rider. Formed upon the upper rear corner of the
frame A is a loop L, in which the hold-back strap is fastened.
The rods D take the place of the ordinary traces, and the holdback-straps being
fastened to the frame A it will be seen that no part of the harness is fastened
directly to the vehicle, so that in case of a runaway or other accident the horse can
be instantly freed from the vehicle.
Projecting from the lower edge of the frame A is a ball or projection O, of any
suitable shape, size, or construction that may be preferred, but which is preferably
given a globular form. This projection O fits inside of a clamp P, of any suitable
construction, attached to the upper side of the shaft. Fastened to this clamp in
any suitable manner is a wire or cord which extends back to the driver in the
vehicle and by means of which he can instantly open the clamp so as to allow the
ball to slide freely out. These two balls-one upon each side of the horse-are
the only means of connection between the animal and the shafts, and hence when
the clamps are opened the balls are instantly freed, the shafts fall to the ground,
All of the draft
and the horse goes on, merely taking the driving reins with him.
upon the rods D is transferred through the frame A directly to the clamps upon
the shafts, and these balls and clamps are the only points at which the animal is
attached to the vehicle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a horse-detacher, the combination of a draft-frame having a means of
attachment to the harness, a spring-actuated draft-bar, a projection upon its lower
edge, a clamp consisting of a stationary part secured to the shaft, a second part
pivoted at its lower end to the lower end of the stationary part, the two parts having
a socket in their upper ends to receive the projection, a spring for closing the pivoted
part, and a means connected therewith for closing it, substantially as shown and
described.
2. In a horse-detacher, the combination of a draft-frame having a means of
attachment to the harness and a projection, a two-part clamp secured to the shaft
in which the projection is placed, one of the parts being movable and provided with
a longitudinal slot, and a lever pivoted upon the shaft which engages the said slot,
and an operating cord or rod attached to the lever, substantially as shown and
described.
W. H. MUNNS,
Applicant's Agent.