IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR CHECKING AND GUIDING HORSES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MEANS FOR CHECKING AND GUIDING HORSES."-A communication from
abroad by William Clark, of Valatie, and William Griffin, of Lansing-
burgh, both in New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 22nd October 1867, and dated the 24th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th April 1867.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
sulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR CHECKING AND GUIDING HORSES," a com-
munication, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a combined check and guiding reins, the check
rein being so arranged that the same forms a part of the guiding rein. The
loop or bight of the rein is placed on the hook of the saddle as usual, or its
end may be secured to the saddle or collar in any other suitable manner, and
thence its two sections run on opposite sides of the horse's head, each through
a loop or runner (which may be provided with a pulley) and through a second

page_text: loop or runner which is attached to the bit ring, or through the bit ring itself,
and thence through the martingale rings and turrets, as in ordinary harness.
A suitable stop attached to the reins in the proper position enables the driver
to keep the head of the horse in a graceful position without difficulty and
without subjecting the horse to an unnecessary strain or bondage. The bight
of the reins may be placed on a hook on the top of the saddle, or each end or
section of the said reins may be fastened to a separate hook or turret on the
saddle or collar. From the hook on the saddle the reins divide and the two
sections run on opposite sides of the horse's head through a loop or runner,
which is attached to the throat latch or any other convenient portion of the
harness, and thence through a similar loop or runner which is attached to the
bit ring. The runners may be provided with rollers to facilitate the motion
of the rein, or if desired the runners on the bit rings may be dispensed with
and the reins passed directly through the said bit rings. From the last-men-
tioned runners or from the bit rings the two sections of the rein pass through
the martingale rings and the turrets in the usual manner. Each section of
the reins is provided with a stop, which enables the driver to keep the head
of the horse in a graceful position without subjecting him to an undue strain.
By these means the elevation of the horse's head is always under the control
of the driver. By drawing on the reins the head will be raised, and when
the reins are slacked the horse can lower his head enough to drink, and thus
the necessity of getting out of the carriage to unhook the check rein is
obviated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office, on
the 23rd October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence that I, the said William a
Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
1, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: 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 "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR CHECKING AND GUIDING HORSES," a communication,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the naturo
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 the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being bad to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
forming a part of this Specification :-
This Invention relates to a combined check and guiding rein, the check
rein being so arranged that the same forms a part of the guiding rein. The
loop or bight of the rein is placed on the hook of the saddle as usual, or its
ends may be secured to the saddle or collar in any other suitable manner, and
thence its two sections run on opposite sides of the horse's head, each through
a loop or runner which may be provided with a pulley, and through a second
loop or runner which is attached to the bit ring, or through the bit ring
itself, and thence through the martingale rings and turrets, as in ordinary
barnesses. A suitable stop attached to the reins in the proper position
enables the driver to keep the head of the horse in a graceful position without
difficulty and without subjecting the horse to an unnecessary strain or
bondage.
The accompanying Drawing represents the head of a horse harnessed with
my improved self-adjusting check and guiding reins.
The bight of the reins may be placed on a hook A on the top of the saddle,
or each end or section of the said reins may be fastened to a separate hook or
turret on the saddle or collar. From the hook A the reins divide and the
two sections run on opposite sides of the horse's head, each through a loop or
runner B, which is attached to the throat latch or any other convenient
portion of the harness, and thence through a similar loop or runner C, which
is attached to the bit ring. The runners B and C may be provided with rollers
to facilitate the motion of the rein, or if desired the runners C may be dis-
pensed with and the reins passed directly through the bit rings. From the

page_text: runners C or from the bit rings the two sections of the rein pass through the
martingale rings D and the turrets E in the usual manner. Each section of
the reins may be provided with a stop a, which enables the driver to keep the
head of the horse in a graceful position without subjecting him to an undue
strain.
By these means the elevation of the horse's head is always under the control
of the driver. By drawing on the reins the head will be raised, and when
the reins are slackened the horse can lower his head enough to drink, and
thus the necessity of getting out of the carriage to unhook the check rein is
obviated.
By using pulleys in the runners or loops B and C entire control over a
hard bitted horse is obtained, while at the same time the most tender mouthed
horse is protected from injury by the stops a. If the horse pulls on the bit
to relieve himself from the strain the driver can give him rein, and thus at all
times he is more perfectly en rapport with his horse than by the ordinary
check and rein.
Having thus fully described the said improvements and shewn how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I
claim,―
First, the continuous self-adjusting check and guiding reins, combined and
operating substantially as and for the purposes described.
Second, the stops a in combination with the continuous check and guiding
reins, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOS. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings, W.C.
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