US522696A - sanborn - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. H. SANBkORN. MUZZLE FOR ANIMALS.

No. 522,696. Patented July 10, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SANBORN, OF RUTLAND, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO M. A. BOURNE, OF SAME PLACE.

MUZZLEFOR ANIMALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 522,696, dated July 10, 1894.

Application filed February 3, 1892. Renewed June 5, 1894. Serial No. 513 591. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. SANBORN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Rutland, county of Rutland, State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Muzzles for Use on Horses, Oxen, and other Animals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to such improvements, and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification. it

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side View of my flexible combination muzzle, with the bottom removed, on the horses head. Fig. 2 is a side view of my flexible combination muzzle, with the bottom adjusted about the nose of the horse. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the muzzle, showing the chains attached to a nose-band provided with attachments for connecting it to a halter, and with rings to which the bottom may be attached, and restricted at the lower ends by being attached to a lateral chain connected at the ends to form a loop through which the horse may eat or drink, and also restricted by being connected with other lateral chains to form a mesh through which a horse cannot put his nose. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the removable bottom, provided with attachments to permit it to be confined up to and about the nose of the horse, and with holes through it to permit of ventilation.

It is well known that horses are addicted to the following habits, which lessen their value to a certain extent and cause a degree of annoyance and expense to their owners: Some horses will tear and destroy blankets and bandages with their teeth; some will crib by placing their teeth against mangers, posts and other objects; some will gnaw mangers, stalls, posts, trees, &c.; some will gnaw sores, blisters and portions of their bodies that are irritated from any cause some will untie their halters and unhook fastenings of doors with their teeth; some will gorge their food, taking larger mouthfuls and eating faster than is consistent with their welfare; some will eat up their bedding, and by so doing, keep themselves out of condition for road or trotting purposes. Some horses are vicious and bite their attendants and some horses bite their mates.

It is my aim to construct a flexible combination muzzle that may be used wholly or in part, according to the vice to be corrected, and accomplish the sought for object, yet afford to the animal all possible comfort and liberty. While doing so, I am aware that other muzzles and contrivanoes have been made with a View to prevent a part only of the aforementioned vices; but, on account of the material of which they are constructed and the manner and form of construction, they are rigid, heavy and. unwieldly affairs, are a source of torture to the animal and only in part accomplish the results claimed for them.

For instance, any form of box muzzle constructed of textile fabric, leather or integral material is sufiooating and uncomfortable to the animal and will not permithim to eat or drink with it on, even though it may prevent the aforesaid vices.

A muzzle known as the Spooner muzzle, with open, adjustable bottom, though it will, in part only, prevent some of the aforesaid vices, being constructed of thick sole leather and cast iron is rigid, heavy and cumbersome, does not and cannot be made to give proper ventilation; it confines a carbonic acid gas exhaled by the horse, prevents the ingress of oxygen, compels him to rebreathe the same air and causes him to fight the appliance; on account of its rigidity it chafes and galls the nose and jaw of the horse when, in the act of finding his food or feeding, the bottom of the muzzle is pressed against the bottom of the manger and the muzzle forced up about the face as the horse attempts to reach the food through the bottom; and its rigidity also permits the horse, by turning his head and pressing the bottom of the muzzle against the blanket as it hangs down his sides, to force the fold of the blanket up into the muzzle, take hold of it with his teeth and tear itinto shreds; an act which the flexible character of my muzzle will always prevent, inasmuch as the lower portion will drop down over the mouth and come between it and the blanket, irrespective of the position of the head.

Another form of muzzle known as the Gillespie blanket muzzle while it might prevent a horse from taking hold of a blanket at or near his chest, cannot prevent him from placing his nose against his side and rubbing downward, which will lift the apron away from the mouth and permit the animal to take hold of the blanket with his teeth and tear it; neither can it prevent him from reaching to his hip, as many horses will, and seize the blanket with his teeth; the sides of the apron spreading apart and falling away from his nose when he reaches around to his flanks or hips; and it is not claimed for the Gillespie muzzle that it will prevent any vice except that of tearing blanket-neither will it do so.

Another form of muzzle is the stiff wire one and its rigidity causes it to bend or break when brought in contact with any hard substance, the bent and broken parts being forced against and into the animals face and nose, thus making that form of muzzle a dangerous one.

While all the objectionable features of other known muzzles are overcome in my flexible combination muzzle every object sought for and but partially attained by all other muzzles is effectually accomplished by it, and it will prevent vices that cannot be and are not claimed to be prevented by any other form of muzzle; besides which itis light of weight and does not burthen the animal; it is flexible, conforms to the shape of the face and nose and yields when brought in contact with objects; it is cleanly, its open character allowing it to retain no filth; it is cool and comfortable, there being nothing about its construction to prevent the animal from breathing as Well as when it is off; and its many points of superiority will recommend it from a humanitarian as well as from a utilipatent over that of all other muzzles.

The object of my invention is to provide a muzzle constructed in such a manner that it becomes a part of the halter, or it may be adjusted to any halter or bridle; that it may be adjusted to difierent sized heads; that it will be light in weight; be well ventilated and not obstruct the breathing of the animal or confine the exhaled breath; be flexible and conform to the shape of the face and nose, thus preventing chafing or galling; that it will permit an animal to eat hay, grain or grass, or drink, yet will effectually prevent horses, under any circumstances, irrespective of the position of the head, from tearing blankets or bandages, gnawing sores, blisters, or itching portions of the body caused by skin humors, gnawing mangers, posts, trees, &c., cribbing, untying halters or removing fastenings from doors, gorging their food, biting themselves, their attendants or other horses, and,

with an extra bowl-shaped shallow appliance attached to the band of the muzzle and fitted about thenose, prevent horses from eating their bedding; also to provide a flexible muzzle foroxen and other animals that will be comfortable, not'chafe or gall, bend or break, yet will prevent them from eating when it is worn.

Referring to the drawings, similar letters will be found to indicate similar parts in the different figures.

A is the band of the muzzle to which the chains B are attached by means of rivets, staples or other suitable means, which band is provided with a buckle b, with other straps and buckles b? and with rings 1).

13 represents the chains forming the sides or-wall of the muzzle not hanging pendent but confined inwardly by other chains A attached to and running horizontally about them.

A represents chains passing horizontally around the chains B and attached to them, each succeeding chain A, from the top of the muzzle downward, being shorter in length, thus restricting the hanging of the chains B and lessening the circumference of the wall or sides of the muzzle and causing such wall or sides totaper toward the bottom until an opening 0 is formed at the bottom sufficiently small to prevent the horse from projecting his teeth and biting or seizing hold of any object, yet large enough to permit him to project his lips and gather his food.

In Fig. 4, 0 represents a bowl-shaped appliance constructed of leather or textile fabric, provided with straps and buckles with which to fasten it up about the nose of the horse to the rings 12, and provided with holes 0, opposite the nostrils of the horse to afford perfect ventilation.

Referring to Fig. 1, my flexible combination muzzle and halter is seen adjusted to the horses head. It is apparent at once that, by having the chains attached to and made a part of the halter, the horse is relieved of the weight of the extra band and attachments shown in Fig. 3. It is apparent that the flexible character of the material of which the muzzle is constructed allows it to conform to the shape of the nose and presents no rigid surface to constantly rub against the jaw or nose and chafe or gall. It will be seen too that the most perfect ventilation is afforded. Then, considering that horses, except those that gorge their food, gather their food into their mouths with their lips,it is obvious that when he reaches down to eat hay,.grain or grass, the flexible character and the shape of the muzzle permits the chains to pile up about and outside of the opening 0 through which the horse can gather food with his lips,

and the act of gathering foodwill not force 7 bottom, the chains in no wise preventing; yet it will be seen that if he should attempt to bite a blanket or bandage, or any portion of his body, no matter what the position of his head may be, or what part of his body he should reach, the lower parts of the chains would drop over his mouth and effectually prevent such vices. In the case of a horse that gorges his food, one can readily see that, when feeding, the grain will tumble and work in toward the mouth through the chains, yet he cannot seize large mouthfuls. It is also apparent that a vicious horse cannot bite his keeper or other horses, and stallions cannot bite mares during service; and in cases of vicious biters that will attack an attendant when a muzzle is removed, preparatory to bridling, the open character of my muzzle permits of a bridle being put on without removing the muzzle, by unbuokling one side of the bit from the bridle and passing the bit through the meshes of the muzzle into the month, which can be done with no other form of muzzle. And my muzzle can be worn anywhere without detracting from the appearance of the animal, and will prevent gnawing of trees, posts, fences, mangers, disc, and prevent a horse from cribbing by getting his teeth against any object. it

Referring to Fig. 2,1 show my flexible combination muzzle with the shallow, bowl-shaped appliance secured over the nose of the horse. This extra bowl is used only to prevent a horse from eating his bedding and is placed on after feeding. This bowl closes that portion of the muzzle about the mouth only, the holes opposite the nostrils and the open character of the muzzle above the bowl giving all ventilation possible while efiecting the sought-for object, yet when the bowl is removed, the horse cannot indulge in other vices, as many are in the habit of doing. It may be constructed in combination with a halter, as in Fig. 1, or on a band A with adj usting buckles b and provided with straps and buckles 12 The flexible character of this muzzlemakes it comfortable to the animal and prevents its jamming or breaking as frequently happens with stifi wire muzzles, the bent or broken portions forcing themselves into the face or nose of the animal, thereby causing great pain and torture, while the joining of the chains B to a small chain around the bottom prevents the animal from reaching out his tongue and drawing in grass, hay, grain, &c.

It will be seen that the detachable bottom may be mounted over either of the forms shown, and its use will not be interfered with by the chains.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a muzzle for animals, the combination of a nose band having chains depending therefrom, and a lower detachable bottom portion removably mounted over said chains and having attaching straps secured thereto that are attached to said nose band, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of January, 1892.

WM. H. SANBORN.

Witnesses:

BERNARD A. CONOLLY, WILLIE A. SANBoRN.

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