WO1988005761A1

WO1988005761A1 - Arrangement for a harness for horses

Info

Publication number: WO1988005761A1
Application number: PCT/SE1988/000032
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bengt Fransson
Original assignee: Nordia-Produkter I Vänersborg
Priority date: 1987-02-02
Filing date: 1988-02-02
Publication date: 1988-08-11
Also published as: SE464247B; AU1296188A; SE8700381D0; SE8700381L

Abstract

An arrangement (1) for a harness (2) for horses and other animals capable of being controlled by means of bridles, reins and similar control devices (5) in order to prevent the horse, etc., from bolting. The invention makes it possible by simple means reliably to prevent horses, etc., from taking free rein and bolting. The animal (3) is caused to be prevented from taking ''free rein'' by means of control devices (5), which are connected to the animal's halter (12) and are capable of interacting with a brake (7), which is so arranged as to be capable of being released so as to influence the animal (3).

Description

Arrangement for a harness for horses

The present invention relates to an arrangement for a harness for horses and other animals capable of being controlled by means of bridles, reins and similar control devices in order to prevent the horse, etc., from bolting.

Previously disclosed arrangements for harnesses for animals intended to prevent the animal from bolting, for example in the event of an accident or when a rider or a driver who is driving the animal loses his grip on the bridles or reins, etc., in question, operate by covering the animal's eyes, by closing the animal's air passages, or by preventing the animal's legs from moving. Risks are accordingly associated with such previously disclosed arrangements, since the animal can be injured by suddenly being prevented from seeing, breathing or moving.

The principal object of the present invention is thus, in the first place, to make available an arrangement of the kind indicated above, which resolves said problems and prevents the animal from taking so—called "free rein" against the wish of the rider or driver, etc., in so doing being free to run away and to run the risk of causing injury both to itself and to others, for instance by colliding with fixed or moving objects.

Said object is achieved by means of an arrangement in accordance with the present invention, which is characterized essentially in that the animal is caused to be prevented from taking "free rein" by means of control devices which are connected to the animal's halter and are capable of interacting with a brake, which is so arranged as to be capable of being released so as to influence the animal. The invention is described below as a number of preferred illustrative embodiments, in conjunction with which reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates an anti—bolting arrangement arranged in accordance with the invention applied to a trotting horse;

Fig. 2 illustrates the arrangement in more detail; Fig. 3 illustrates the function of the arrangement, with the schematically illustrated harness in the driving position;

Fig. 4 illustrates the function of the arrangement at the time of tripping;

Fig. 5 illustrates a section through an envisaged arrangement;

Fig. 6 illustrates the arrangement in accordance with a further illustrative example; and Fig. 7 illustrates yet a further illustrative example.

The arrangement 1 in accordance with the present invention is so arranged as to act with a harness 2 intended for horses 3 and other animals which are intended to be guided and in other ways controlled with a bridle in the case of riding horses, etc., and with reins in the case of horses, etc., which are intended to draw objects such as a trotting sulky 4, a sledge or a cart, etc., or to be controlled with similar control devices 5. The arrangement 1 is so arranged as to prevent the horse 3, etc., from bolting away from the rider or the driver 6, etc.

In the text which follows the animal 3 shall be understood to be a horse, and the control device 5 a rein in conjunction with the application of the arrangement 1 to a trotting horse, which is harnessed to a sulky 4 on which a driver 6 can be carried during driving.

In accordance with the invention the arrangement 1 includes a brake 7, which is capable of being released so as to interact with a rein 5 of the kind in question. The brake 7, which may consist of a braking device 9, 10 situated to either side of a rein 5 capable of being accommodated in an accommodating space 8, which braking devices are so arranged as to grip the rein 5 between them and to impede its feeding out in the direction of the arrow 11 towards the horse 3, is so arranged, with the brake position (I) activated, as illustrated in the drawings in Figs. 4 and 6, as to retain the rein 5 in question at least essentially in the position which the rein 5 adopted at the time of releasing the brake 7. In this way the horse 3 is prevented from taking "free rein", for example if the driver 6 were to fall from the sulky 4, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The brake 7 can also be so arranged as to be capable of shortening the horse's effective reins 5 in the area

5A, which is bounded by the arrangement 1 and the horse's halter

12, by automatically feeding in same in the direction of the arrow

13, in so doing causing the horse 3 to slow down and stop. This requires preferably a stop 14, which is able to interact with the brake 7 and, when in said stop position, to restrict the feed of the rein past the brake 7.

The brake 7 is preferably so arranged as to be secured to and supported by a harness device strap 16 forming part of a horse harness 15, which harness device strap is so arranged as to extend around the horse's belly 17, in conjunction with which the parts 5A of the reins are prevented from moving past the point of support for the brakes 7. The stops 14 can be lockable in an adjustable manner to the rein 5 along its length, in order to permit them to be adapted to the size, etc., of the horse in question.

The brake 7 can consist of two roller devices 9, 10 situated a certain distance apart in relation to one another, which roller devices are supported by a frame 18 in such a way as to be capable of moving relative to one another respectively in a direction towards and away from one another, in conjunction with which, in the example illustrated in the drawings in Fig. 5, only one of the roller devices 10 is so arranged as to be capable of moving in a radial direction towards 19 and away from 20 the roller device 9 which is capable of interacting with it.. Said roller devices 9, 10, which may consist of rollers or wheels, etc., made of a rubber, plastic or metallic material, and which can exhibit means, such as toothed wheeels 21, or grooves 22, etc., which increase the friction against a rein 5, may be freely supported and acted upon by the spring force from appropriate spring devices 23 in the direction of the opposite roller device 9. The brake devices 9, 10 ma^'y also be capable of interacting with locking devices 24, which, for example, may be formed from locking ratchets actuated by spring force, which ratchets are so arranged as to be forced to move into locking interaction with braking devices 9, 10 or with moving locking wheels, etc., connected to same, and to prevent the braking devices 9, 10 from rotating in the direction of feeding out 11 of the rein, but which permit feeding in of the rein 5 in the opposite direction 13, once it has made its way along the toothed wheels 21, etc., and to permit the manual or automatic feeding in of the rein 5 in question in the direction 13 of feeding in, but to prevent its undesired feeding out in the direction 11 of feeding out.

The brake 7 may be so arranged as to be driven by a drive unit 24 charged with energy, for example as illustrated in Fig. 5, by a motor 26 powered by a battery 25, which, via a gear 27, is able to cause at least one of the braking devices 9 to rotate in the direction 28 of feeding in during the feeding in phase of the rein 5. Other sources of energy may also be encountered, such as a spring—powered motor, etc.

The brake 7 is preferably so arranged as to be locked in the position ready for release (II), as illustrated in Figs. 1—3 and 5, by means of a spring—activated release device 29, which preferably incorporates a connecting line 30 attached to the driver 6 and capable of being actuated, which line may be secured to a locking element 31 capable of interacting with a braking device 10 and the frame 18. The release device 29 is preferably so arranged as to function as an automatic release arrangement similar to a dead man's handle, by a line 30 or some other connection being attached to the driver 6, for example around his wrist 6A. The locking element 31 can also be activated by spring force after having released a lock 32 by means of the line 30.

The function of the arrangement 1 should have emerged from the foregoing and with reference to the drawings. It may be stated briefly, however, that the reins 5 are able during normal driving to pass freely in the space 7 in brakes 7 connected together preferably in pairs, which brakes may be so arranged via a connection 33 as to be activated simultaneously following actuation of the line 30. The brakes 7 can be released at the desired moment by pulling on the line 30, so that the locking element 31 is no longer forced to maintain the roller 10 at a certain distance from the roller 9, and the roller 10 is permitted to be caused by the springs 23 to move in the direction 19 of the roller 9, in so doing gripping the rein 5 between the rollers 9,

10. Manual or automatic drawing in of the reins 5 can then take place as necessary by pulling on the rein 5, which is locked in the direction of feeding out 11, or by the drive motor 26 automatically feeding in the rein 5, preferably until the stop 14 interacts with the brake 7 and prevents continued feeding in. The motor 26 can be so arranged for this purpose as to be stopped or as to slip, and to be restarted in the event of the horse managing to feed out the rein 5 in the direction 11.

Illustrated in Fig. 7 is a further illustrative embodiment of an arrangement 101 for a harness 102, for example for a horse 103. This arrangement 101 functions independently of the reins or bridles 105 with which the horse 103 is normally controlled. Preferably separate control devices 150, for example in the form of leads, ropes or other drawing devices functioning as bridles and reins, etc., are attached to the animal's bit 112, which may consist of a reinforced shoulder harness. Each of two control devices 150 arranged in this way is attached to its own braking arrangement 101, which braking arrangements may be attached to one another via a connection 133 in order to permit the release of both braking arrangements 101 after releasing one of the arrangements 101 by pulling on the line 130. Each of the two control devices 150, which are independent of the reins 105, etc., may be connected to its own winch, each of which is situated in the respective brake arrangement 101, and which can be driven by its own motor, for example an electrically powered motor. The nature of the function is such that, in the event of the rupture of one of the reins 105, the driver, etc., pulls on the line 130, so that the braking arrangements 101 are released. Said control devices 150 are so arranged for this purpose as to be maintained at least in the position in which they were at the time of release. They are preferably so arranged as to be fed in by the respective winches in the braking arrangements 101, so that the horse's head is caused to be pulled backwards. Said winch can incorporate a device of a kind similar to an automobile safety belt inerta reel in order to permit the control devices 150 to be maintained in the retracted position, in spite of the actuation of the control devices 150 by the horse 103, and to be prevented from being pulled out rapidly when the animal wishes to take so—called "free rein", but permitting " the temporary pulling out of the control devices 150 in the event of a moderate pulling force being applied to same by the animal 103. In this embodiment, too, a stop 114 may be arranged on said control device 150 in order to prevent it from being drawn in too far into the braking arrangements 101.

Said arrangement functions independently of the reins, etc., 105, which is advantageous in the event of the reins breaking at some point between the braking arrangements 1 in question and the halter 12 in the previously described embodiment.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrative examples described above and illustrated in the drawings, but may be modified within the scope of the Patent Claims without departing from the idea of invention.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. Arrangement for a harness ⁽2; 102) for horses and other animals (3; 103) capable of being controlled by means of bridles, reins and similar control devices (5; 105, 150) in order to prevent the horse, etc., from bolting, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the animal (3; 103) is caused to be prevented from taking "free rein" by means of control devices (5; 105, 150), which are connected to the animal's halter (12; 112) and are capable of interacting with a brake (7; 101), which is so arranged as to be capable of being released so as to influence the animal (3; 103).

2. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r z e d in that a releasable brake (7; 101) capable of interacting with a control device (5; 150) is so arranged as to at least maintain the control device (5; 150) essentially in the position (I) which it adopted at the time of being released, in so doing preventing the horse (3; 103), etc., from taking "free rein".

3. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, c h a r a c t e r i zed in that the brake

(7; 101) is so arranged as to shorten the horse's effective control device (5A; 150) by automatically feeding in same.

4. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the brake (7) consists of a braking device (9, 10) situated to either side of a control device (5) of the kind in question, which braking devices are so arranged as to grip the control device (5) between them and to impede its feeding out.

5. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i zed in that two roller devices (9, 10) situated a certain distance apart in relation to one another, which roller devices are capable of moving relative to one another, are so arranged as to feed in the control device (5) in question, and in that at least one (10) of the two roller devices (9, 10) is supported in a freely suspended manner so that it is able to move in a direction towards the opposite roller device (9).

6. Arrangement in accordance with any of the Patent Claims 4—5, c h a r ac t e r i zed in that braking devices (9, 10) are capable of interacting with locking devices (24) which are so arranged as to Lock the movement of the braking devices in the direction (11) which- permits the control device (5) to be fed out.

7. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that control devices (150) in the form of a safety harness, in the form of leads, ropes or other drawing devices functioning as bridles and reins, etc., are attached to the animal's bit (12) and each to its own individual braking device (101), which are capable of being released by pulling on a Line (130).

8. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 7, c h a racte r i zed in that each braking device (101) contains a device of a similar kind, such as an automobile safety belt inertia reel, which retains the control device (150) in the retracted position on rapid drawing out and permits temporary drawing out under moderate pulling force.

9. Arrangement in accordance with any of the Patent Claims 3—8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the brake (7) is so arranged as to be driven by a drive unit (24) charged with energy, for example a battery—powered (25) or a spring—powered (26) motor.

10. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, c h a r a c t e r i zed in that the brake ⁽7) comprises devices (9, 10) which are capable of interacting with the control device (5) via friction—increasing means, for example toothed wheels (21) or grooves (22), etc.

11. Arrangement in accordance with any of the preceding Patent Claims, c h a r a c t e r i ze d in that the brake (7, 101) is so arranged as to be locked in the position ready for release (II) by means of a release device (29) capable of remote actuation, preferably a connecting line (30; 130) attached to the rider or the driver (6), etc., and in that the brake (7), which is preferably supported by a harness device strap (16) forming part of a harness (2; 102) for the horse (3; 103) etc., and extending around its belly (17), is preferably capable of interacting with a stop (14; 114) secured to said control device (5; 150), in order to interact in its stop position with the brake (7; 101) and to restrict the feed of the control device past the brake (7; 101).