Improvements in Nosebags for Horses and other Animals.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Nosebags for Horses and other Animals.
I, HENRY GARDNER, of 166 Fleet Street, City of London, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been communicated to me
from abroad by Auguste Louis Bretonneau, of Paris, France, to be as follows:-
--
This invention relates to improvements in nosebags for horses and other animals,
the object being, that as the food is consumed, the bottom of the bag shall
gradually rise to bring the remaining food up to the animal's mouth.
For the purpose of this invention, the nosebag is made of some flexible
material, such as close woven canvas of circular or of tapered form.
From the bottom to a desired distance up the bag a coiled springy strip, say of
cane or steel is applied, and above this one portion, cyclets are arranged as
breathing holes, these being kept free by a short strap in the bag, which bears
against the head like an ordinary nose strap.
When the bag is empty, it closes into a small flat body and a cord can be laced
round the top edge to enclose the food when the bag is full.
Dated this 6th day of November 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Nosebags for Horses and other Animals
I, HENRY GARDNER, of 166 Fleet Street, City of London, Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, which has been communicated to me
from abroad by Auguste Louis Bretonneau, of Paris, France, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in nosebags for horses and other animals,
the object being, that as the food is consumed, the bottom of the bag shall
gradually rise to bring the remaining food up to the animal's mouth.
Nosebags, as at present in use, have several serious drawbacks, the chief of
which is that when the nosebag is partly empty, the animal is obliged to make
efforts in order to reach and seize his provender; again, the nosebag being
tightened around the nostrils, the animal's respiration is difficult and produces
condensation which wets the bag and its contents. This moisture, and the want of
ventilation re-act on the respiratory organs and may produce disorders in the
animal.
In order to overcome these drawbacks it was therefore necessary to devise means
for the constant ventilation of the nosebag and its contents, and also to allow the
animal to cat all the provender without having to find a resting place for raising
the bottom of the nosebag.
The invention will be understood by the aid of the annexed drawings, in which a
nosebag is shown having the arrangements for overcoming the drawbacks first
above referred to.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the nosebag when full.
Figure 2 shows the same nosebag when empty.
Figure 3 is a plan of the spiral spring sewn to the lower part of the bag.
Figure 4 represents a blank sheet opened out to show the simplicity of the
construction of a nosebag according to this invention.
In the above figures, a indicates the canvas or material of which the bag is

page_text: made. the spiral spring, preferably of steel. c shows the space formed to allow
free access of air to the nostrils, a short strip of canvas e' is fixed to this part to
make the upper front portion somewhat baggy. d are openings for the passage of
air; these may be fitted with eyelets.
The weight of the food distends the spring and the bag to the shape shown in
Figure 1, and in proportion as the food is consumed, the spring in relaxing
constantly brings the food to the animal's mouth. When the bag is empty it takes
the form shown in Figure 2.
It is understood that this new kind of nosebag may be made up in any suitable
sizes and materials as it may be used for all draught animals. The following
dimensions however give excellent practical results.
The width of the canvas is 84 centimetres, and its height 65; the edges a', a',
are united by a single seam, so that the width is reduced to one half. When the
spiral spring preferably conically formed as shown (Figures 1 and 3) which has 5
or 6 coils is sewn to the lower part a", a", of the canvas, the nosebag is complete
and its height is then about 50 centimetres, which gives a free capacity of about
8 litres, constituting the ration of an ordinary horse.
This system of nosebag may also be made cylindrical from top to bottom,
instead of being conical at one part; this form is shown in the drawings, in which
Figure 5 represents a front view of said nosebag when full, and Figure 6 shows
the same empty.
It will be seen by these figures, that the nosebag is entirely cylindrical and has
a spiral spring a of steel wire or other from the base up to about the middle.
This spiral spring is fixed in any convenient manner, and it may be covered with
rubber, or with gutta percha; or be otherwise protected against acting injuriously
on the canvas, or other material composing the bag.
The upper part of the nosebag is provided with eyelets, so that when full of
food, a cord can be passed for tying up the mouth of the nosebag when not on the
animal.
The other parts are similar to those in the first described arrangement.
The upper part of the bag from its pliability enables it to be folded or closed up
almost flat to occupy little space.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The new kind of nosebag, having
1. The arrangement of spiral spring plain or covered with rubber, gutta
percha &c., sewn or fixed to the bottom portion of the bag, for the purpose of
automatically and constantly raising the food to the animal's mouth in proportion
as it is consumed.
2. The funnel or pocket
for ventilation arranged substantially as herein
described and shown in the annexed drawings.
The 6th day of August 1891.
H. GARDNER.