US215693A - Improvement in harness - Google Patents

Description

F. D. THURMAN.

Harness.

No. 215,693. Patent ed May 20,1879.

WITNESSES I VENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

MPETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES P T T OFFICE.

FENDAL 1). THURMAN, or ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARNESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,693, dated May 20, 1879; application filed March 29, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern;

Be it known that I, Dr. FENDAL D. THUR- MAN, of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Harness; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification in which- Figure l is a side View, showing the application of the harness to the horse. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the yoke. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ends of the shafts. Fig. 4 is a crosssection through the shafts at line am of Fig. 3.

The object of my invention is 'to provide a simplfied form of harness for connecting a horse or other team with a carriage or wagon; and to this end it consists in a rigid yoke, open at the bottom and closed or bent over at the top, combined with the shafts, having suitable tug-connection, and a girth or belly-band for holding the yoke and shafts down to their places, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A A represent the shafts, to which, near their forward ends, are attached the inflexible tugs B B, consisting of metal rods or bars, fastened to the shafts by screws or bolts a a, which bars are extended forward and at a slight elevation above the shafts, and terminate in downwardly curved hooks b b. O is the yoke, which is made rigid and with a continuous bend at the top, adapted to lit over the animals neck, and projecting downwardly in the shape of two branches upon opposite sides of the neck, which branches are entirely disconnected at their lower ends, so as to leave an open space, which permits the yoke to be placed directly across the animals neck. Upon both sides of the yoke are securely attached metal eyes 0 c, which are adapted to receive the hooks of the tugs, and which constitute a loose connection between the yoke and tugs for sustaining the shafts and applying the draft.

For preventing the shafts from rising and disconnecting the tugs from the yoke a bellyband or girth, D, is employed. For connecting the belly-band to the shafts no buckles are used; but a metal loop, d, is affixed to the shaft upon each side, at a point where the tugs are fastened, and said loops are provided with studs 0. In securing the belly band to these loops the studs are made to project through holes in the ends of the belly-band, and the said ends of the band are then extended down through the loops. To this band or upper end of the yoke are attached the check-rein hook f and forked rein-guide g.

The chief merit of the harness as thus described is its extreme simplicity, and the ease and rapidity with which it can be applied or removed.

To harness up the horse, it is only necessary to apply the yoke, place the animal between the shafts, couple the yoke to the tugs, and adjust the belly-band, all other parts of the ordinary harness being dispensed with, and the inflexible tugs serving both to sustain the shafts, draw the vehicle, or back the same.

The attachment for the belly-band, it will be seen, is in keeping with the simplicity of the other parts, since the time and trouble of buckling and unbuckling are dispensed with and a simpler means of fastening provided.

WVith this arrangement one half minute is all the time required for harnessing up the horse, and half of this time is sufficient for unharnessing.

For double team the shafts may be adjusted wider apart, and a tongue provided with two tugs and loops (one for each horse) may be placed cetrally between the shaft-s, so as to form two spaces to receive the double team.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new isl. A harness composed of a rigid collar or yoke, open at the bottom and closed at the top, combined with the rigid tugs B, secured to the shafts, and a belly-band, also attached to the shaft, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the belly-band, of the loops (7, provided with studs 0, whereby the belly band is attached to the shafts, substantially as described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 28th day of March, 1879.

F. D. THURMAN.

Witnesses:

EDW. W. BYRN, SoLoN O. KEMoN.

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