US222830A - Improvement in rein-holders - Google Patents

Description

T. H. LUCAS. Rein-Holder.

No. 222,830. Patented Dec. 23,1879.

w| masses A INVENTOR j ATTURNEi! NJETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WRSHINGTON. Dv (3v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. LUCAS, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN RElN-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,830, dated December 23, 1879; application filed November 6, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. LUCAS, of Lansing, in the county of In gham and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rein-Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form part of this specification.

. My invention relates to an improvement in rein-holders, the object bcin g to provide a reinholder of such construction that it may readily be applied to a vehicle, and serve as aholder for the reins, and thereby prevent them from being accidentally or otherwise withdrawn from the vehicle; and to this end my invention consists in the combination, with a horizontal rein-supporting bar, of a retaining-bar,

connected atone end to the supporting-bar, and its opposite end adapted to be detachably secured thereto, whereby there may be formed a closed slot, through which the reins may pass, and the reins held in any desired position by means of suitable adjustable stops attached t0 the reins.

My invention further consists in the several details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and

pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of my improved reinholder as attached to a wagon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached view of the device, representing the retaining-bar in its unlocked position for the insertion of the reins. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detached view of the device with the retaining-bar locked in place. Fig. 4. is a modified construction of rein-holder standard. Fig. 5 is a view, in perspective, of one of the rein stops or checks.

A represents the dashboard of a wagon or other vehicle. To the dash-board or floor of the wagon are secured, in any desired manner, the lower ends of standards B B, which are preferably made of spring-metal bars or rods, the upper ends of which are connected by a rein-supporting rod, D. A rein-retaining rod, E, is secured at one end to standard B, While its opposite end is left free, and may be secured within the open eye or catch F, connected with the upper end of standard B.

Bar or rod E is made of spring metal, so that when its free end is released from its catch it will spring upward or away from the stationary bar D and allow the reins to be readily removed or inserted, as may be desired. The bar E may be formed as a continuation of the standard B, if desired, and also the catch or eye F may be made separate from an d attached to standard B; or it may be formed in single piece therewith.

By removing the free end of the bar E from its catch it will spring upward, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and thus be in position for the ready insertion of the reins GG, as shown in Fig. l. The outer or free end of the bar E being depressed and secured within the catch, the reins are then securely held within the elongated narrow opening or slot formed between the two bars D E. In order to prevent the reins from slipping endwise through this narrow opening I secure to the reins the adjustable checks or stops H, each of which consists of the two plates h h, provided with oppositelyprojecting flanges; i, said plates being ad'- justably secured to the rein by means of the screws jj. Thus when the reins are dropped by the driver the stops or checks H on the reins will come in contact with the two bars D E and prevent the reins from being withdrawn, and consequently preclude the accidents so often resulting from the reins falling beneath the feet of the horse.

By having the standards made of spring metal the checks or stops H may be so attached to the reins as to leave but very little slack in the reins, as the standards will yield to allow of the varied movement of the head of the horse, and thus obviate all danger of breaking the rein-holder or reins, and also making such an attachment of little or no annoyance to the horse.

The device should be of such height that the reins may be supported in such a manner as to prevent the horse from swinging his tail over them while driving. To insure this object it may require various adjustments with difl'ercut-sized horses, and hence the lowerends of the spring-standards may be held in open sockets or sleeves, and retained in any desired vertical adjustment by means of set-screws or other equivalent means.

In Fig. 4 I have represented my improvement supported on a single standard, K, instead of employing two standards, as heretofore set forth.

Standard K may be inserted in a sleeve, L, and retained in any desired vertical adjustment by means of the setscrew M.

In the drawings I have shown only one form of rein stops or checks, but do not confine myself to such construction, as I may use a regular hand-loop with a disk or other device for retaining the reins against displacement.

It is evident that many slight changes in the construction and relative arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rein-holder, the combination, with supporting standard or standards, of tWo cross-bars connected with their upper ends and adjustable stops or checks attached to the reins, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rein-holder, the combination, with spring or yielding standards or supports and a stationary rein-supporting bar, of a spring lever or bar, a hook or catch, and stops or checks attached to the reins, substantially as set forth.

3. The rein stops or checks formed in sections and provided With outwardly-projecting flanges, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of October, 1879.

THOMAS H. LUCAS.

Witnesses:

A. W. BRIGHT, E. H. GATE.

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