A NEW SYSTEM OF BRIDLE FOR LEADING AND OVERBILLING FIERY HORSES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anaxagor Epaminondas Guilbert and Charles Louis
Guillemère, of Paris, Empire of France, and of 32, Essex Street (Strand),
London, for the Invention of "A NEW SYSTEM OF BRIDLE FOR LEADING
AND OVERBILLING FIERY HORSES"
Sealed the 20th March 1856, and dated the 27th September 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Anaxagor Epaminondas
Guilbert and Charles Louis Guillemère at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 27th September 1855.
We, ANAXAGOR EPAMINONDAS GUILBERT and CHARLES LOUIS GUILLEMÈRE,
of Paris, Empire of France, and of 32, Essex Street (Strand), London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW SYSTEM OF BRIDLE
FOR LEADING AND OVERRULING FIERY HORSES" to be as follows; and consists in
the use of a new or improved bridle, which will by a single motion of the
hand cover the eyes of the animal, and also instantaneously shut out the air
which it inspires through its nostrils, and which may be effected either
simultaneously or seperately, that is to say, the eyes may be covered without
the air being shut off from the animal's nostrils, and vice versa.
For this purpose we have contrived various mechanical arrangements for a

page_text: new system of bridle, by which the most fiery horse can be managed and over-
ruled without its suffering any harm.
The plates or bands which we use, by being applied on each side over the
organs or one of the organs of the animal, and shutting off part of the air it
inspires, will at first only surprise, amaze it; but when unyielding to this first
warning the animal still continues fiery and speedy, then a greater pressure of
the said plates will entire shut out the air and force the animal to stop. The
same motion of the hand which forces one set of plates on the nostrils also
operates in a similar manner other plates, called winkers, which cover the eyes.
The said plates may be made of various metals, coated, stuffed, or lined with
different substances; or they may be made altogether of any suitable substance,
and may act independent from one another; or these winkers may be of per-
forated sheets of metal or leather, or of wire-work, &c. By these means it is
evident that the animal shall not be only overruled, but even rendered motion-
less, whatever may have been the cause of its fury, either a sudden light, or an
explosive matter, or any other cause, it would be needless to enumerate.
These two sets of plates (one set for the nostrils and the other for the eyes)
may be joined to the bridle, from which they may, however, be detached. They
are managed by means of springs suitably disposed, and both said sets of
plates are worked by a special strap. When the animal is quiet, the two sets
of plates are maintained at a proper distance from the eyes and the nostrils by
means of springs, which do not prevent the graceful pace of the animal.
The bridle is not altogether much unlike a commonly used bridle, and we
state that both sets of plates may be used, either connected to one another and
actuated by the same motion, or seperated from one another, and each set
actuated by a peculiar shape.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Anaxagor Epaminondas Guilbert and Charles Louis Guille-
mère in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ANAXGAOR 3
EPAMINONDAS GUILBERT and CHARLES LOUIS GUILLEMÈRE, of Paris, Empire
of France, and of 32, Essex Street, Strand, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of September, in the of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her 3
year

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Anaxagor Epaminondas Guilbert and Charles Louis Guillemère, Her
special licence that we, the said Anaxagor Epaminondas Guilbert and Charles
Louis Guillemère, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Anaxagor Epaminondas Guilbert and Charles Louis Guille-
mère, our 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 "A NEW SYSTEM OF BRIDLE FOR
LEADING AND OVERRULING FIERY HORSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Anaxagor Epaminondas Guilbert and Charles Louis Guille-
mère, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our
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 we, the said Anaxagor Epaminondas Guilbert and
Charles Louis Guillemère, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 improved system of bridle consists of various arrangements by which
the most unruly horse is to be forcibly managed, the rider or driver being
enabled to shut off the air from the animal's nostrils at the same time its eyes
are shut. Many attempts have been made of late, and many means contrived
to this end, which, however, were not productive of satisfactory results. Indeed,
being once enabled to command these two principal organs, the rider or driver
can, at will, moderate the spiritedness and mettle of the animal, that feels at
first surprised, amazed; but if a first warning or a slight pressure on the said
organs were not sufficient to check the animal, a stronger pressure will
infallibly stop it.
Figs. 1 & 2 show one of the various combinations or arrangements this
system is liable to. Fig. 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 a front view, of a horse's
head provided with our improved bridle. An iron or any other suitable metal
band a is fitted at each side of the head on the thong which communicates from
the bit to the head-stall. Two rods bare stayed by means of bearings c on the
said metal bands a. Round the rods 6 coiled springs are rolled, the extreme

page_text: ends of which are adjusted so as to permit the rods b to wind and be brought
back to their former position as soon as the power applied to operate them.
ceases to act upon them.
Each of the two rods b is provided with a small arm e, shown in horizontal
projection (Fig. 2, bis). These arms or levers fit into openings contrived at
the extreme ends of the small branches f' of the lever f, which is made to move
skew under the horse's head, so as to act in like manner on each side at once.
Two goggles g are adjusted to the rods b, and also two small bars i, that bear
at their extreme ends the small plates or buffers h. In the ordinary state, the
goggles g and plates or buffers h are kept at a suitable distance from the
horse's head (Fig. 2); but should the animal get fiery and run away, it will
suffice to pull up the thong j, which is attached to the lever f; the lever e and
the rods will be thereby carried into the same motion, and also the goggles g
and plates or buffers h; the former pressing on the eyes, and the latter on the
nostrils of the animal. On letting the thong loose, the springs d will release
the rods b, which will then re-assume their former position, and so on, whenever
required. When the lever f is placed in the position shown at Fig. 3, the
thong may be placed on the forehead of the horse, and all will work in
the like manner, as described. The bit may be made to form a part of the
branches a, or be altogether distinct from them. The goggles may be also
made separate from the buffers or nostril pincers, and thus either or both may
be used separately or jointly. The pieces which our improved system consists
of may be coated with leather and any suitable varnish or colour. Moreover,
our improvements may be adapted to any bridle, and be taken off at will.
Our improved bridle may be made of any suitable material, and of any form
and dimension. The goggles may be made solid or perforated, and consist
of a plain wire web, which, applied on the animal's eyes, will cause them
to be shut.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of our Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, we wish it to be
distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details, nor
to the strict form of the apparatus herein described, as such may be varied or
modified without departing from the principle of action thereof; but what we
claim as novel and of our Invention is,-
First, a new system of bridle to be used for managing, and, at need, checking,
overruling fiery horses, and rendering them motionless, whatever may be the
cause of their spiritedness and fury, viz., a sudden light, an uncommon noise,
an explosion, or any other cause.

page_text: Second, the arrangement and combination of the various pieces by means of
which the goggles and buffers are operated; these improvements being made
to be fitted on any bridle, and to be adjusted or taken off at will, specially, as
has been described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Anaxagor Epaminondas Guilbert and
Charles Louis Guillemère, have hereunto set our hand and seal, this
Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.