AN IMPROVED BIT OR BRIDLE FOR HORSES
Year: 1858

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Clark at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th November
1858. A communication from Léonard Varéille and Louis Henry Drevet.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer & Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED BIT OR BRIDLE FOR HORSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a bit termed a cavesson bit, intended imme-
diately to control fiery horses. This bit is composed of a system of levers
terminated by spoon bills or blades, which by means of suitable reins will
approach and close the nostrils of the horse, and suspend his respiration, and
thus compel him to obey immediately.
This system of bits, besides the services mentioned, offers several advantages;
1st, it is equally applicable to bridles for saddle horses as for draught horses;
2ndly, it has a pleasing appearance, and it harmonizes very well with all kinds
of harness; 3rdly, it neither hardens the feelings of the horse nor hurts him,
its effects are instantaneous, and although acting on sensitive parts, it leaves
no pain after its action. It can be cleaned with water simply, for the parts
are arranged to hook on or unfasten, the padding of those parts which are
double composing the safety bit or bridle, from which all other parts of the
said bit or bridle can be disconnected.
This Invention is represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 shows a side view of a horse's head furnished with this improved bit,
exhibiting the bridle generally; Fig. 2 shews a front view of the levers, the

page_text: lower extremities of which terminate in spoon bills or blades, which close the
nostrils; it shows also the different other parts composing this apparatus;
Fig. 3 shows detail, which is explained in the course of the description. In
the different Figures the same letters represent the same parts where they
recur.
a, bit, properly so called, which may be an ordinary or other bit; b, reins
to guide the horse; c, additional bit or fillet; d, additional reins; e, head
strap; f, nose band; g, cheek straps; h, extra nose band of metal, furnished
throughout its length with a pad, which is hooked or buttoned on, and which
may be taken off for cleaning the metal parts of the nose band; its two
extremities are connected to a strap, which passes under the head of the
horse; i, i, two levers, each terminated at the lower parts by an open spoon
bill for stopping the nostrils. These levers are jointed to the additional nose
band h, one being placed on either side of the head of the horse; j, small cam
fixed to the levers; i, springs fixed to the nose band h, for the purpose of
.acting on cam j for forcing levers i to return to their original position after
they have acted for the purpose of stopping the horse; 7, bridle, which permits
of levers i turning in the nose band h; m, m, loops or buckles on levers i, i, to
which are attached the additional reins actuating said levers for applying them
to the nostrils of the horse; n, additional reins acting on levers i, for the
purpose of applying the spoon bills on the nostrils, and preventing the horse's
breathing; e, o, straps, having each two arms, the one being placed in an
oblique direction, and the other horizontally, serving to connect the apparatus
to the nose band or cheek straps. These straps are hinged to levers i, which
levers turn in an eye at the hinged part; p, screw on the end of rod of levers i,
which allow of the removing of straps o, o, and also of the whole system being
taken to peices.
It will thus be understood, that if a horse is restive, by pulling the reins n, n,
the spoon bills will be brought to act upon the nostrils of the horse, who is
thereby deprived of air to respire. When he has obeyed the movement, by
slackening the reins n, n, the springs k, k, act on cams j, j, and return the
levers i to their former position in readiness to act again.