IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPING HORSES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City
of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPING HORSES." -A communication from
Madame Achet. residing at Paris, in the Empire of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th February 1859.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPING HORSES," a communication from
Madame Achet, residing at Paris, in the Empire of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of appa-
ratus to be applied to the noses of horses, whether in saddle or harness, whereby
perfect command of the animal is obtained. This apparatus consists of two
pressing pads or surfaces which are attached to a blade spring secured to the
front of the nose band, and which are caused to approach each other, and
pinch the nose of the animal at a particular point a little above his nostrils
on tension being applied to a suitable curb rein for the purpose, which passes
through each end of the spring before referred to and through a ring behind
the animal's jaws. The apparatus is enclosed in an outer casing, which.

page_text: effectually conceals it, and resembles the ordinary head gear. The peculiar
point upon which the pressure should be applied is situate just below the
intersection of the chanfrin bone with the lachrymals and lower jaw bone.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPING HORSES," & communication from
Madame Achet, residing at Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 I, the said John Henry Johnson, 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
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
apparatus to be applied to the noses of horses, whether in saddle or harness,

page_text: whereby perfect command of the animal is obtained. This apparatus consists
of two pressing pads or surfaces which are attached to a blade spring secured to
the front of the nose band, and which are caused to approach each other and
pinch the nose of the animal at a particular point a little above his nostrils
on tension being applied to a suitable curb rein for the purpose, which passes
through each end of the spring before referred to and through a ring behind
the animal's jaws. The apparatus is enclosed in an outer casing, which
effectually conceals it, and resembles the ordinary head gear. The particular
point upon which the pressure should be applied is situate just below the
intersection of the chanfrin bone with the lachrymals and lower jaw bone.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto. annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a horse's head harnessed with the
present improvements, which are so arranged as to be almost entirely con-
cealed by the ordinary head gear. The pressure is applied to the nostrils by
the small curb reins a, which I prefer to construct of gut so that they may
be light but strong, and their presence hardly perceptible to the casual
observer.
Figures 2 and 3 represent respectively a plan. and front elevation of one
form of the apparatus drawn full size. This apparatus consists essentially of
two pads 6 fitted to the ends of a steel blade spring c, which is attached at its
centre to the nose band d by a pin or rivet f, the actuating rein a being passed
through a ring e at each end of the spring, as shewn by the Drawings. Theso
reins unite in the hand of the rider, after respectively passing through the
rings g on the nose band d, and passing along the interior thereof, whence
they issue through an opening in the casing h, herein-after referred to, and
cross each other through the ring j, Figure 1. The case of the nose band h,
seen in section in Figure 3, serves to effectually enclose the pressing pads and
springs, and conceal them entirely from view. This casing is strengthened
internally by a metal plate, and is attached to the nose band by the central:
bolt or pins f, the whole being covered over with leather, so as to resemble
as much as possible the ordinary nose band. The nose band itself is composed
of a steel band, open at each side for the purpose of allowing of the free
passage therethrough of the pressing pads b, which, when acted upon by the
proper rein, assume the position indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2,
thereby compressing the nostrils of the animal, and bringing them into contact

page_text: with each other, so as to entirely stop respiration, and consequently compel
the animal to come to a stand.
It will be readily understood that the reins a being passed through the fixed
rings or eyes g, and through those ate on the blade spring c which carries the
pads, the tightening of this rein will bend the blade c, and bring it info the
position indicated by the dotted lines, but so soon as the pull or tension of the
rein is relaxed, the elasticity of the spring c will cause the pads to assume
their original position again, as indicated by the full lines in Figure 2:
Figure 4 represents a sectional detail of another arrangement, wherein the
two pads a, a, which may be composed of metal covered or not with caoutchouc,
leather, or other suitable material, are each fitted to a wrought-iron or steel
arm 6, 6, one end of which is connected to a helical spring c, c¹; these arms
carry each a projection d, d', to which are attached the reins f.f, the other
ends of these straps passing behind the horse's head, as will be herein-after
described in referring to another arrangement.
Each of the curved arms b, b', are constantly acted upon by the springs c, c',
and reins f,f¹, contained within the curve of the nose band, and the two arms
b, b, are guided by the respective guides 9, 91, (Figure 5,) and antifriction
rollers h, h', carried at the front of the nose band X. The two arins b, b', are
disposed the one above the other, so as not to interfere with each other's
movements, and are each terminated by a pad a, as shewn in the detail arm,
Figure 6. These pads may be prolonged, if found desirable, as shewn in
Figures 7 and 8; each pad coinciding exactly with the other, so as not to
injure in any way the horse's nostrils. On pulling the straps or reins f, f, the
pads and arms will assume the position indicated by the dotted lines in
Figure 4, the curved arms b, 6, sliding along their respective guides and
rollers h, h. On releasing the reins the springs c, c'; will return the pads to
their proper places again.
Figure 9 represents another modification of the mode of actuating the
pressing pads. In this arrangement the pads a, a', are fitted directly on to
the ends of the blade springs p, p', attached at one extremity to the nose band
X. The reins f, f¹, are secured to the ends of the springs p, p', so as to cause
them to close in towards each other, and press the horse's nostrils when
tension is applied thereto by the rider or driver. The springs bring back the
pads again after the pull on the reins f, f¹, has been relaxed. These reins
pass behind the head of the animal round the rollers r, r³, carried by a piece t
fixed at s on the strap of the nose band. This piece t with its rollers or pullies
is shewn in detail, elevation, and plan, at Figures 10 and 11.
Figure 12 is a detail of the mode of adjusting the branch of the bit mon
'

page_text: the strap f. It will be obvious that by the aid of the slots v the inclination of
the piece m may be varied by fixing this inclination by means of the nut z, the
slots v enabling the straps of the nose band to be brought nearer to each other
or farther apart as required. As in the previous arrangements, an outer box
or casing encloses the whole of the apparatus.
In Figure 18 I have represented another arrangement of nose band X,
which encloses the arms a (Figure 14), which are here placed laterally, and
are completely concealed. When it is required to check the horse, the reins
or cords ff, are pulled, which reins or cords being attached to the extre-
mities of the arms a, cause them to turn on their centres z, and effect the
necessary compression of the nostrils. The checking of the horse may also be
accomplished by bringing down two branches placed above the nostrils, so as
to effectually compress the same, and prevent the animal breathing through
his nose.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
berein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general constructions and arrangements of apparatus for stopping
or checking horses, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of stopping or checking horses by mechanically
compressing their nostrils by means of two pads acted upon by a separate rein,
as herein-before described.
Third, the application and use of pressing pads applied to the nose bands of
horses, and actuated by a separate and special rein, in the modes and for the
purpose herein-before described.
Fourth, the peculiar combinations of pressing pads, springs, and arms, with
a nose band, and the enclosing and concealing of the same by an outer casing
or envelope, in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine.
'
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.s.)