An Improved Muzzle for Dogs and other Animals.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1893--Accepted, 11th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Muzzle for Dogs and other Animals.
I, EDWARD BAIRSTOW, of Thornton Road, Bradford, in the County of York,
Naturalist, and JOSEPH NICHOLS, of Cheapside Wire Works, Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Wire Worker, &c., do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Muzzles for dogs and like animals, as heretofore constructed, have been found
to comprise certain disadvantages: those inade of metal produce abrasion and even
laceration at times, while the leather ones are very soon destroyed by the animal
biting through same.
Now the object of my invention is to provide a muzzle which shall obviate these
defects without increasing the cost of the article, and at the same time give ease
to the animal.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct the whole of the under portion
of the muzzle, that is the lower half of same, of metal, preferably wire, with the
exception of the strap which surrounds the neck, soldered or twisted together in
any well known manner. The upper portion of the muzzle is of some strong
comparatively soft material, leather bands or straps for instance. The termina-
tions of the metal portion and the upper edge of same are provided, at suitable
intervals, with eyelets or slots for the reception of the leather straps or other
parts constituting the upper portion, such straps or other parts being made fast by
buckles or other means.
Muzzles manufactured in accordance with my invention do not scratch or cut
the animal and will last a much longer time than those at present in use, the
upper portion being adjustable to different sizes of heads and can be easily
replaced, when worn out, at a trifling cost.
Dated this 8th day of October 1892.
CROSSLEY & Co.,
72, Market Street, Bradford, Yorks, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Muzzle for Dogs and other Animals.
We, EDWARD BAIRSTOW, of Thornton Road, Bradford, in the County of
York, Naturalist, and JOSEPH NICHOLS, of Cheapside Wire Works, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Wire Cage Manufacturer, 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 :-
Muzzles for dogs and like animals, as heretofore constructed, have been found
to comprise certain disadvantages: those made of metal produce abrasion and even
laceration at times, while the leather one are very soon destroyed by the animal
biting through same.
Now the object of our invention is to provide a muzzle which shall obviate these
defects without increasing the cost of the article and at the same time give ease
to the animal.
In carrying our invention into effect we construct the whole of the under portion
of the muzzle, that is the lower half of same of metal, preferably wire, with the
exception of the strap which surrounds the neck, soldered or twisted together in
any well known manner. The upper portion of the muzzle is of some strong

page_text: comparatively soft material, leather bands or straps for instance. The termina-
tions of the metal portion and the upper edge of same are provided, at suitable
intervals, with eyelets or slots for the reception of the leather straps or other
parts constituting the upper portion, such straps or other parts being made fast
by buckles or other means.
In the drawings accompanying our Specification,-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a muzzle, made according to our invention,
having the leather portions or straps adjusted in about the position they would
occupy when applied to the animal's head.
Fig. 2 is an underside plan of the lower metallic portion of the muzzle.
Fig. 3 shows one of our muzzles as applied to a dog.
The under portion or lower part A of the muzzle is represented on the drawings
as constructed of pieces of metallic wire, bent into shape, and joined together by
twisting one piece around another. Any other convenient mode of fastening the
pieces of wire together may equally well be employed, as, for instance, by
soldering. Eyelets or slots a, a, a², a³, a^, as, a³, a', and a³, are arranged at
required positions in this metallic under portion, for the purpose of receiving the
leather bands or straps, which constitute the upper part of the muzzle. B and B₁
are the upper portions, shown on the drawings in the form of two straps of
leather; or other suitable material may be employed in lieu of leather.
We also
prefer to employ a third strap B2, but this may, in some instances, be dispensed
with. The two leather straps B and B' may be manufactured similar to skate
straps each being provided with a buckle, or other suitable fastening at C
and C. Where these two straps cross each other, above the lower portion of
the muzzle, a leather or other eyelet is supplied, or instead thereof the leather
or material of one strap may be slit and the other strap passed through such slit.
The connecting strap B² is made with an eye, and respectively, at each end,
for the reception of the straps B and B'. Where the two straps B and B¹ cross
each other, underneath the chin, the eyelet a¹, in the metallic portion A, which
receives them, is made somewhat larger than the other eyelets. Another buckle,
clasp, or similar fastening C2 is employed for securing the two ends of the straps B
and B at the throat of the animal. A leather lace, or two of them, might be
adopted, in some cases, to take the place of the two straps B and B'.
In applying the muzzle to a dog, for instance, the strap B is fastened by
means of the buckle, rivet, or other fastening C, and either the eyelet a or a', say
the eyelet a, to the lower metallic portion A of the muzzle, on one side; and on
the other side the strap B₁ is similarly made fast by means of the buckle, rivet,
or other fastening C¹ and the eyelet a¹. The two straps are then made to cross
each other, over the nose, and are preferably and better held at this crossing by
the eyelet (or a slit) ; the strap B then being made to pass through the eyelet a³,
down under the chin through the larger eyelet a', up again through the eyelet a,
over the top of the head, through the eye, to the other side of the left ear and
through the eyelet as. The strap B₁ after crossing the strap at b, is made to
pass through the eyelet a², down under the chin through the larger eyelet a', where
it crosses the strap B, and then up and through the eyelet as, over the top of the
head, where it again crosses the strap B through the eye b', down the other side
of the right ear and through the eyelet a'. This strap B is then passed around
the throat and up again through the eye ²; and the loose ends of the two straps B
and B are finally united by the buckle C, or similar fastening. This description
of the method of applying the muzzle sets forth the arrangement of straps as
preferred, but any other suitable arrangement may be employed.
Muzzles manufactured in accordance with our invention do not scratch or cut
the animal, and will last a much longer time than those at present in use, the
upper portion being adjustable to different sizes of heads, and can be easily
replaced, when worn out, at a trifling cost. There are no springs or other such
parts to get out of order, and there being no wire or metal work above the lower
jaw,
the animal does not suffer any inconvenience in wearing these muzzles.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in. what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
The improved muzzle for dogs and other animals the metallic portion of which
is included in the lower part alone the upper part being composed of some strong
comparatively soft material or substance substantially as described and shown on
the drawings.
Deted this 19th daw of Tule 1902
EDWARD BAIRSTOW,
Thornton Road, Bradford, Applicant.