US348834A

US348834A - Bridle-bit

Info

Publication number: US348834A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1886-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1903-09-07

Description

J. A. FAIRBANKS.

(No Model.)

BRIDLE BIT.

No. 348,884. Patented Sept. 7, 1886.

W SEES N PETERS HwlwLHMgI-apher. Walhinglan. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. FAIRBANKS, OF OAMBRIDGEPORT, ASSIGNOR TO EUGENE U. UPTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BRlDLE-BIT.

SPEGEFICATIOIT forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,834, dated September 7, 1886.

Application filed January 9, 1886. Serial No. lF8,0G5. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN A. FAIRBANKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carnbridgeport, in the county of Middlcsex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Bits; and I do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in bridle-bits, and it is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accom pan yi ng d rawings, whcre Figure 1 represents a rear elevation with a portion of the covering shown as removed. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section on the line A B, (shown in Fig. 1;) and Fig. 3 represents a cross-section on the line 0 1), (shown in Fig. 1.)

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

In making a bridle-bit it is desirable that thereshould be in the center of it a soft or yielding cushion to make the bit easy in the horses month. It is also desirable that such cushion should be protected by means of flexible steel plates or bands in front and rear to prevent it from injury and defacement, and it is furthermore of importance that, although elastic in relation to the pulling strain of the reins, its yielding motion should be limited, and for these purposes I construct my improved bridle-bit as follows:

a is the central yielding or elastic cushion, preferably made of rubber, rawhide, leather, or other suitable material, such cushion being inelosed between the front and rear plates or strips, 7) and c, as shown, such strips. being preferably made of spring-steel properly tempered, although they may be made of other suitable metal or metals.

To the ends of the plate I) are firmly secured, by means of rivets (Z d, the eyes a e, which are made in the form of what is known as split pins, and to the outer portion of such split pins are pivoted the check-ringsff, as shown.

To permit the bit to yield in the horses mouth when the reins are pulled, and at the same time to limit the yielding capacity of the bit, I provide the plate or metal strip 0 with slotted perforations 0 0, through which the rivets d (I pass, and above which the latter are headed, as shown.

It will be readily seen that by securing one of the metal plates to the split pins 6 e and providing the other metal plate with slotted perforations for the rivets to pass through I make the bit yielding to the pulling strain on the reins, and when the latter are pulled far enough and hard enough to cause the outer ends of the slot-holes c c to bear against the rivets d d the bit will be made rigid, or nearly so, forming as it were a compound truss composed of the metal plates 2) c and the intervening cushion (1, thereby preventing the bitfrom pressing the checks of the animal inward over the teeth, a fault common to all flexiblebits. It will also be noticed that the central cushion, a, is not clamped in any man ner between the legs of the split pins (2 0, but

abut against the inner ends of the same, by which arrangement I obtain a strong and durable connection between themetal plates I) c and the eyes 6 c, as well as preventing the ends of cushion a from wearing out, which would be the case if clamped or extended between the legs of the split pins or eyes e e.

In practicel prefer to surround the bit be tween the eyes 0 c with a rubber tube, g, as shown, so as to make it easy in the horses mouth, and to prevent such rubber tube from wearing out too quickly I protect it by means of the external leather covering, 72, as shown. Such covering may be made to extend of equal length with the rubber tube 9, or it may be made to cover the ends of the eyes 6 e if so desired.

I am aware that bridle-bits have been made with a central single yielding'metal plate and leather cushions on either side and end clips inclosing the ends of such leather cushions, and I wish to state that I do not claim such construction and arrangement as my invention; but

\Vhat I wish' to secure by Letters Patent and claim is- 1. In a bridle-bit, the central yielding cushion, a, inelosed between the spring-metal plates b 0, one of which is firmly riveted to the split pins 6 e by means of rivets d d, and the other provided with slot-holes 0 c, as and for the purpose set forth. 7

2. In a bridle-bit, a metal strip, 1), firmly riveted to the split pins 6 e by means of rivets eted together, as described, the movable metal (Z (Z, the yielding longitudinal cushion a, havstrip a, the rubber inelosing-tuheg, and leather ing its ends abutting against the innerends of covering h, all arranged and combined as and said split pins 0 e, and held in place by means for the purpose set forth.

5 of a secondary metal plate or strip, a, pro- In testimony WhereofIhave aflixed my sig- I5 vided with slotted perforations 0' c for the nature in presence of two Witnesses. rivets (Z (Z to pass loosely through, in a manner JOHN A. FAIRBANKS. and for the purpose as set forth. Vitnesses:

3. In a bridle-bit, the central yielding cush- ALBAN ANDREN,

[0 ion, a, the metal strip Z), and split pins 6 e, riv- HENRY OHADBOURN.