Year: 1897

page_text: I, JOHN WRIGHT of Teign View, Newton Abbot in the County of Devon, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in appliances for muzzling ferrets when
used to drive rabbits from their burrows.
The muzzles in common use for this purpose sometimes cause considerable
suffering to the ferrets and some of the muzzles, being fastened by pins or screws,
also give trouble by catching in the roots of trees so imprisoning the ferrets.
Some of the ordinary muzzles are difficult to put on, especially if the ferret
be restive; while trouble is also experienced from the ferrets being, sometimes
able to pull the muzzles off.
By my invention I construct a muzzle which is free from all these defects and
is at the same time a more simple and effective appliance for its purpose, giving
no pain nor inconvenience whatever to the animal.
Fig. 1 on the drawing herewith shews a side elevation of my improved ferret
muzzle. Fig. 2' is an end elevation and Fig. 3 perspective view of the same.
For the construction of this appliance I employ a fine wire of metal with
which I form a ring or loop, A, to pass over the jaws of the ferret, of such a size
as to prevent the animal from opening its mouth sufficiently wide to seize the
rabbits but at the same time being large enough to give sufficient freedom to
avoid any pain or inconvenience.
Extending back from this ring or loop, A, and joined to it I arrange two arms, B,
and, C, having loops D, D, at their ends. The upper arm B, is longer than the
lower arm, C, to suit the conformation of the ferret's head.
I sometimes construct my improved ferret muzzle of sheet metal which I punch
or press out by means of suitable dies and then bend into the desired shape as
described above and shewn by the drawings herewith.
The method of fixing my improved muzzle is as follows-A piece of string or
cord is first tied, at about the centre of its length, to the loop D, of the lower
arm C. The ends of this string or cord are then passed through the loop D, of
the upper arm B, and the ferrets head is passed through these strings into the
loop A. The ends of the string or cord are then tied round the animal's neck so
rendering it impossible for the muzzle to be pulled off.
By the means and in the manner above described I construct an improved ferret
muzzle of a fine wire of metal, suitably shaped and free from pins or screws.
By the means and in the manner above described I construct an improved ferret
muzzle stamped or pressed from sheet metal, suitably shaped and free from pins
or screws.

page_text: JOHN WRIGHT, of. Teign View Newton Abbot in the County of Devon, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 improvements in the appliances for muzzling ferrets when
used to drive rabbits from their burrows.
The muzzles in common use for this purpose sometimes cause considerable
suffering to the ferrets and some of the muzzles being fastened by pins or screws
also give trouble by catching in the roots of trees, so imprisoning the ferret, some
of the ordinary muzzles are difficult to put on especially if the ferret be restive,
while trouble is also experienced from the ferrets being able to pull the muzzles off.
By my invention I construct a muzzle which is free from all these defects, and
is at the same time a more simple and effective appliance for its purpose, giving
no pain or inconvenience whatever to the animal.
Fig. 1 on the drawing shows a side elevation of my improved ferret muzzle.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the same.
For the construction of this appliance I employ a wire of metal with which I
form a ring or loop A to pass over the jaws of the ferret, of such a size as to
prevent the animal from opening its mouth sufficiently wide to seize the rabbits,
but at the same time being large enough to give sufficient freedom to avoid any
pain or inconvenience.
Extending back from this ring or loop A, and joined to it, I arrange two
arms B & C having loops D D₁ at their ends.
The upper arm B is longer than the lower arm C to suit the conformation of
the ferrets head.
I sometimes construct my improved ferret muzzle of sheet metal which I punch
or press out by means of suitable dies, and then bend into the desired shape as
described above, and shown by the drawing.
Fig. 4, 5 & 6 show the muzzle constructed of sheet metal, the views being
similar to Fig. 1, 2 & 3.
The method of fixing my improved muzzle is as follows-A piece of string or
cord is first tied at about the centre of its length to the loop D' of the lower arm C.
The ends of this string or cord are then passed through the loop D of the upper
arm B, and the ferret's head is passed through these strings into the ring or
loop A. The ends of the string or cord are then tied round the animals neck
rendering it impossible for the muzzle to be pulled off.
Instead of using a piece of string or cord to secure the muzzle, I sometimes
use a leather strap with buckles, when the holes or loops on the arms would
preferably be elongated instead of circular.
By these means it will be seen, I construct my improved ferret muzzle of metal,
suitably shaped and free from pins or screws.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The improved ferret muzzle consisting of a wire of metal suitably shaped.

page_text: free from pins or screws, constructed in the manner herein before described and
substantially as shown in the accompanying drawing.
2. The hereinbefore improved ferret muzzle stamped or pressed by means of
suitable dies, from sheet metal, as described.
Dated this 90th day of Sontember 1807
JNO. WRIGHT, M.I.C.E.