IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DISENGAGING RUNAWAY HORSES FROM CARRIAGES, AND STOPPING THEM, S) AS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Thomas Holmes, of Kingsland Brewery,
Kingsland, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DISENGAGING RUNAWAY HORSES
FROM CARRIAGES, AND STOPPING THEM, S) AS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Thomas Holmes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th August 1865.
. I, ROBERT THOMAS HOLMES, of Kingsland Brewery, Kingsland, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DISENGAGING RUNAWAY HORSES
FROM CARRIAGES, AND STOPPING THEM, SO AS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS," to be as
follows:-
'
This Invention relates to improved mechanical arrangements or appliances
for instantaneously disengaging and freeing horses from the carriages or
vehicles to which they may be harnessed, in the event of the horses taking
fright and running away, kicking, or otherwise endangering the lives of the
persons riding in such said vehicles.
The following is an example of the means by which the objects of this
Invention may be effected, that is to say, to adapt this Invention to a single-
horse vehicle (a four-wheel chaise, for example), I propose to adapt to either
[Price 8d.1

page_text: one side or the other of the splash board or guard a horizontal lever of the first
order; one end of this, lever has a locking bolt or pin attached thereto, the
said pin passing through the perch bolt of the vehicle, which said bolt, for the
purposes of this Invention, form hollow; the aforesaid bolt is intended to
project beyond the perch for the purpose of locking thereto a duplicate futchal
of wrought iron, the single end whereof fits in a socket fixed to the under
side of the perch; the double or forked end of said futchal receives the ends
of the shafts, which may be connected thereto in the usual way, the said
duplicate futchal being concealed by the proper or usual futchal. I also
propose to affix a clip or fork to the outer end of the aforesaid lever for
locking the perch to the under carriage, as presently described.
The operations of the mechanism above described are as follows: The
futchal and shafts being connected by the aforesaid locking bolt to the perch
of the vehicle, and maintained in that position by a strong spring. When it
is desired to detach the horse from the vehicle, it is simply necessary to
depress the outer end of the aforesaid lever by the action of the foot, or it
might be depressed by a screw, or otherwise, the effect of which will be to
withdraw the locking bolt from the hole in the duplicate futchal, thereby
immediately detaching the same, and also the horse, which leaves the vehicle
with the shafts and futchal suspended horizontally by the harness, which are
thus prevented from dangling against the horses' hocks; simultaneously with
the disengaging of the horse the clip above mentioned embraces the perch
and under carriage, and thus prevents the vehicle from swerving sideways.
I also propose in connection with the above mechanism to employ a very
long safety rein, which would be paid out as the horse left the vehicle, and
thus afford an opportunity of securing him from running away.
inner ends of the said levers the
release the traces, and disengage
The depressing of the said levers
To adapt this Invention to vehicles drawn by two horses, I propose to
employ two sets of levers operating upon pins or bolts working in guides fixed
to the back of the splinter bar, and secure the ends of the traces thereto by
the said pins or bolts. By depressing the
aforesaid pins will be withdrawn, and thus
the horses from the vehicle instantaneously.
may be effected either by the foot or by a screw, or other suitable contrivance.
The pole cap is intended to form a socket and fit easy on the pole, so that
when the traces are released the pole cap will be carried away by the horses,
and leave the pole fixed in the splinter bar.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Thomas Ilolmes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th February 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
THOMAS HOLMES, of Kingsland Brewery. Kingsland, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did. for Herself. Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto him, the
said Robert Thomas Holmes, Iler special licence that he, the said Robert
Thomas Holmes, his executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
he, the said Robert Thomas Holmes, his 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DISENGAGING RUNAWAY HORSES
FROM CARRIAGES AND STOPPING THEM, SO AS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that he. the said Robert Thomas Holmes, his
executors or administrators. by an instrument in writing under his, 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 per-
formed, 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 Robert Thomas Holmes, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, 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 improved mechanical arrangements or appliances
for instantaneously disengaging and freeing horses from the carriages or
vehicles to which they may be harnessed, in the event of the horses taking
fright and running away. kicking, or otherwise endangering the lives of
persons riding in such said vehicles.
The following is an example of the means by which the object of this
Invention may be effected. that is to say. to adapt this Invention to a single-
horse vehicle fa four-wheel chaise, for example). I propose to adapt to either

page_text: one side or the other of the splash board or guard a lever of the first order;
one end of this lever has a locking bolt or pin attached thereto, the said pin
passing through the perch bolt of the vehicle, which said perch bolt, for the
purposes of this Invention I form hollow; the aforesaid bolt is intended to
project beyond the perch for the purpose of locking thereto a duplicate
futchal, the single end whereof fits into a socket fixed to the under side of the
perch the double or forked end of the said futchal receives the ends of the
shafts, which may be connected thereto in the usual way, the said duplicate
futchal being concealed by being placed underneath the proper or usual
futchal. I also propose to affix a clip or fork to the outer end of the aforesaid
lever for locking the perch to the under carriage, as herein-after described.
The operations of the mechanism of my Invention are as follows:--The
futchal and shafts being connected by the aforesaid locking bolt to the perch
of the vehicle, and maintained in that position by a strong spring. when it
is desired to detach the horse from the vehicle it is simply necessary to
depress the outer end of the aforesaid lever by the action of the foot, or it
might be depressed by a screw, or otherwise, the effect of which will be to
withdraw the locking bolt from the hole in the duplicate futchal, thereby
immediately detaching the same and also the horse, which leaves the vehicle
with the shafts and duplicate futchal suspended horizontally by the harness,
which are thus prevented from dangling against the horse's hocks; simultaneously
with the disengaging of the horse the clip above mentioned, which is attached
to the lever, embraces the perch and under carriage, and thus prevents the
vehicle from swerving sideways.
I also propose, in connection with the above mechanism, to employ a very
long safety rein, which would be paid out as the horse left the vehicle, and
thus afford an opportunity of securing him from running away.
To adapt this Invention to vehicles drawn by two horses. I propose to
employ two sets of levers operating upon pins or bolts working in guides fixed
to the back of the splinter bar, and secure the ends of the traces thereto by
the said pins or bolts. By depressing the ends of the said levers the aforesaid
pins will be withdrawn, and thus release the traces, and disengage the horses
from the vehicle instantaneously. The depressing of the said levers may be
effected either by the foot or by a screw, or other suitable contrivance. The
pole cap is intended to form a socket and fit easy on the pole. so that when
the traces are released the pole cap will be carried away by the horses, and
leave the pole fixed in the splinter bar.
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a plan of my Invention: Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same,
partly in section, shewing the arrangement of the lever and perch bolt when
the duplicate futchal is required to be attached to the carriage; Fig. 3 is like-
wise a side elevation, partly in section, exhibiting the lever and perch bolt in
the positions they assume when the duplicate futchal is released from the
carriage; Fig. 4 is a plan of the duplicate futchal: Fig. 5 an elevation; and
Fig. 6 a plan on a larger scale of the perch bolt, with the centre bolt or pin, for
securing and releasing the duplicate futchal, as circumstances may require.
In each of these views similar letters refer to similar parts of my Invention.
A is the upper bed fixed firmly to the body of the carriage, to which, by
preference, I attach the fulcrum B of the lever C. but this fulcrum may be
placed in any other convenient situation. The lever C is continued in the
direction D, in any suitable form to any convenient position for the driver to
press upon with his foot. or otherwise. where it may terminate in a foot plate,
handle, or screw at E: the opposite end of the lever is connected by a short
rod F. jointed at G to a solid pin H. which passes through the hollow perch
bolt I. The perch bolt for ordinary carriages is made solid, but, for the
purposes of this Invention. I construct it of a hollow form. The perch bolt I
connects the upper or fixed bed A of the carriage to the lower bed or perch J.
which is free to move horizontally upon the perch bolt. K. K. are nuts, which
take into a thread tapped on to the upper and lower ends of the perch bolt.
A bracket L, firmly fixed to the lower bed J, and in contact with the nut K,
secures the perch bolt in its position by preventing the nut turning round, and
forms a recess or socket M for receiving the end N of the duplicate futchal O.
An aperture is made at P in the duplicate futchal for the pin or bolt H at
the end of the lever C. to enter when it is desired to attach the duplicate
futchal to the carriage. Sockets R, R, to receive the ends of the futchal and
hooks T. T. are placed on the duplicate futchal in the positions shewn in the
Drawings. This duplicate futchal, for the sake of neatness of appearance. I
place beneath the ordinary futchal of the carriage. Attached to the lever C
at is a forked clip V. which, while the duplicate futchal is attached to the
carriage by the pin H, allows the lower bed J to pass freely beneath it, but
on depressing the lever C, and withdrawing the pin H from its hold upon the
duplicate futchal the clip V descends on either side of the lower bed J at W,
and prevents its turning on the perch bolt. by which means the carriage will
be prevented from deviating out of its direct course.
The circular bed plate
is shewn at X, which takes its bearings at Y, Y.
The action of this arrangement is as follows:-On depressing the lever C
to the position shewn in Fig. 3. the pin II is raised out of the socket M. The

page_text: end N of the duplicate futchal is then inserted into the socket M, and at the
same time the sockets R, R, are placed over the ends of the futchal, and the
lever C raised to the position shewn in Fig. 2, when the pin H will enter
the aperture O of the duplicate futchal and secure it to the carriage. The
shafts of the carriage are attached to the sockets at Z of the duplicate futchal.
A spring placed on the under side of the shaft acts on the duplicate futchal.
and prevents the shafts from falling on the ground; they are thus retained in
a horizontal position, and the same spring keeps the duplicate futchal hori-
zontal when the horse is released. The horse is harnessed in the usual
manner, and the traces attached to the hooks T, T.
release the horse from the carriage, which can be
instantaneously, it is only necessary to depress the end of the lever C, which
I place conveniently for the purpose within reach of the driver, when the
pin H is withdrawn from its hold on the end of the duplicate futchal at P, the
sockets R slip from the ends of the futchal, and the horse with the whole of
its harness, and with the duplicate futchal suspended horizontally and clear of
its hocks, is at once free from all connection with the carriage.
When it is desired to
done by this Invention
A modification of my Invention is shewn at Fig. 7, which exhibits in plan
the under side of the futchal A, attached to the moveable or lower bed B of
the carriage. In this case a lever C is placed near the end of the futchal (or
along its whole length, or a long lever may act on a shorter one, as seen on
the side of the futchal N, Fig. 7), and rocks on its fulcrum at D, or in any
other suitable position. A bolt E, taking into apertures in the stud plates F, F,
is inserted or withdrawn at pleasure by the action of the lever C. To the
opposite end of the lever a flexible cord, band, or chain G, G, is fixed, which
passes by guides H, H, over the rollers I, I, to any suitable position, whence
they may be carried onward to any convenient place within the driver's reach.
J, J, are shafts inserted in sockets K, K, and held in their position by the
pins L, L. The traces of the harness are fixed to the futchal by the pins E, E,
passing through the usual openings made for the purpose.
The action of this arrangement is as follows:-The horse being harnessed
in the usual manner, but with the tugs taking on to short horizontal hooks
fixed on the shafts, and opening outwards towards the head of the horse. These
tugs are slightly modified from the present fashion of tugs, the back band
passing inside the shafts instead of outside; the traces are also fastened to the
said tugs at just sufficient distance to allow the traces, when the tugs are on
the horizontal hooks, to reach and be fastened. The kicking strap is likewise
secured to the trace by buckles, or other convenient means, in lieu of the
kicking tugs going round the shafts. The traces are secured to the futcha!

page_text: by the pins E, E. being passed through them, when the levers will each
assume the position shewn at M. I would here observe that the traces may
be attached to either the inner side of the futchal, as seen at M, or to the
outer as at N. On the side N of the futchal I have shewn a long lever O. O.
rocking on a centre P, and having the cord or band attached at R, in lieu of
the continuous band G, G, at M; but the two arrangements, as seen in the
Drawing, are substantially the same. When it is required to release the
horse from the carriage the cords or bands G, which may terminate in any
convenient place, are pulled simultaneously, when the pins E will be with-
drawn and the traces set free, while the horse advancing will cause the tugs
to slip off the horizontal hooks, and the carriage with shafts attached will be
left behind, while the spring will keep the shafts in a horizontal position.
I adapt my Invention to vehicles drawn by two horses by merely multiplying
the number of levers and their attachments, and connecting them to the
splinter bar or under-bed by any suitable mechanical means, or by working a
number of bolts or pins placed suitably on a single bolt. rod, or chain, which
bolts or pins pass through the traces or links, and enter sockets in the manner
already described. The pole cap I prefer to form into a socket, so as to fit
easily on the pole. which said pole has a stud or studs fixed on the under
side near the end. the pole cap having a slot cut in it to allow its passing by
the studs, the object being to prevent the pole cap turning round. so that the
horses when released may carry the pole cap away with the traces, and leave
the pole itself fixed on the splinter bar.
I sometimes use springs, as at a, a. Figs. 2, 3, and 7, to keep the lever
pressed in its required position, and occasionally catches, or other equivalent
means for like purposes.
To each of my arrangements I prefer to use a long rein, in order that the
horse or horses may be somewhat under the control of the driver when
released from the carriage; the use of this long rein I do not claim as new.
except when employed in connection with my improvements for releasing
horses from carriages, as herein-before described.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
it is to be performed. I would observe that do not confine myself to the
precise details, shewn in the Drawings, as they may be varied without
departing from my Invention, nor do I confine myself to the placing of the
releasing bolts or levers on any particular part or parts of the carriage; but
what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent are...
First, the employment of a hollow perch bolt, substantially as described and
exhibited in elevation and section in Figs. 5 and 6.

page_text: Second, the employment of levers, or their mechanical equivalents for
withdrawing pins or bolts from the sockets, in order to disengage horses from
carriages, as described.
Third, the employment of a duplicate futchal, substantially as described.
Fourth, the employment of flexible cords, bands, or chains for actuating
levers, or their mechanical equivalents, which release the pins or bolts from
their sockets or holdings for the purpose of liberating horses from the carriages
to which they may be harnessed.
Fifth, the use of a long rein in connection with any of the arrangements
herein described for securing the horse after its release from the carriage.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Thomas Holines, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JOSEPH SKERTCHLY.
ROBERT THOMAS HOLMES. (L.S.)