US801436A - Bridle-bit. - Google Patents

Description

No. 801,436. PATENTBD OCT. l0'y 1905. P. G. ATHERTON.

BRIDLE BIT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 5. 1904.

7a. @ma ma @v- ,roof of a horses mouth.

UNTTFD STATES PATENT @FFTCE BFllDLE-BIT..v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application led May 5, 1904. Serial No. 206,520.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FISHER C. ATHnR'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Bits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bridle-bits.

The object of the invention is to provide a bit which will be powerful and effective in its action upon vicious and tough-mouthed horses and will also prevent tongue-lolling, lugging, side pulling', and the like. The bit, while being adapted for these purposes, is so constructed that it is not a cruel bit and is suitable for general use and upon all kinds of horses.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a bit embodying` the invention and indicating by broken lines the Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing a portion of a horses head and the check and driving reins by broken lines.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in both the figures.

The bit consists of the lower or main bar A and the upper or check bar B. The main bar A is of the ordinary jointed or snaflle-bit construction, consisting of side pieces a hinged together at their inner ends and provided at their outer ends with the usual side rings a' a. The upper or check bar B is preferably made of smaller or lighter stock than the main bar and is rigid or unjointed and of peculiar shape. Its center portion is arched or bowed upwardly, as shown at to substantially conform to the curvature of the roof of the horses mouth, and its end portions 7) are also bent upwardly, being connected to the arched centei portions by short horizontal side portions 75 )2.

7J Z13 are rings secured to the upper extremities of the ends Z1' 7)' of the check-bar for the attachment of the lower ends of the overdrawcheck, which holds the check-bar normally in the upright position shown with its arched portion up in close proximity to the roof of Athe horses mouth.

rThe upper or check bar is loosely and movably connected to the lower bar by suitable links c, slidably engaging the horizontal side portions of the check-bar and attached to the hinged parts of the lower lbar by staples o' secured to the latter. This manner of connecting the bit-bars permits considerable freedom of movement of the check-bar relative to the lower bar, but enables the driver to shift the check-bar when necessary by the proper manipulation of the reins, which are secured to the side rings of the lower bar.

When the bit is in its proper position in the horses mouth, as shown in the drawings, the upper lip and side of the mouth rest upon the horizontal side portions b2 62 of the checkbar and the arched center portion is held erect in the mouth by the overdraw-check adjacent to the roof of the mouth, but is held out of contact with the roof of the mouth by the pressure of the lip on the side portions of the bar. This is the normal position of the check-bar; but if the horse attempts to throw his head outwardly or downwardly for the purpose of lugging or pulling the check-rein at once forces the arched part of the checkbar against the roof of the mouth,-which is tender and sensitive. The lips yield sufliciently to allow such contact of the bar with the roof of the mouth. This causes the horse to raise his head and hold it up to avoid the unpleasant sensation. Should the horse, however, return to the pressure and finally conclude to bear it, as they will sometimes do, a slight movement of the lower bar by the reins will shift the arch of the check-bar against the side portion of the roof of his mouth and make him throw his head up. A similar action of the bit occurs when the horse attempts to press down or hang hard upon the bit. The effective action of the bit may be increased when necessary by the driver moving the bit back and forth in the horses mouth. This serves to force the arched part of the checkbar iirst against one side of the roof of the mouth and then against the other. This will produce an immediate effect upon the most tough-mouthed horse. In side pulling the horse seizes the bit and throws his head on one side. This forces the curved portion of the check-bar against the roof of the mouth on the side opposite to the direction taken by the horse. The side pressure thus produced compels the horse to bring his head back to its regular position. This bitis also designed to prevent tongue-lolling, in doing which a horse always runs his tongue out over the bit. The construction of this bit is such that there is not suiiicient room between the check-bar and the roof of the mouth for the passage of 'the tongue, and if the horse attempts to run his tongue out between the main bar and the IOO check-bar it will be pinched by the movement of the bit and after one or two attempts he will cease his eii'orts.

lt will be understood that the arched center portion olA the check-bar should conform quite strict-ly to the arch of the rootl of the horses mouth, and it can be readily bent or fitted to a particular horse, it' necessary.

l claim as my invention*A l. A bridle-bit Comprising a main bar, a checlvbar having an arched central portion conforming substantially to the roof of the horses inout-h, straight side portions on opposite sides of said central portion terminating` in upwardly-extending end portions adapted to be connected with the bridle-check to hold said bit normally in an upright position, and means for loosely connectingl said straight side portions of said check-bar with said main bar, whereby said check-bar is capable oli' longitudinal movement in the horses mouth, substantially as set forth.

2. A bridle-bit comprising a main bar, a check-bar having an arched central portion conforming substantially to the roof of the horses mouth, straight side portions on opposite sides of said central portion terminating in up wardly-extending end portions adapted to be connected with the bridle-check to hold said bit normally in an upright position, and links loosely connecting said straight side portions of said check-bar with said main bar, whereby said check-bar is capable of longitudinal movement in the horses month, substantially as set forth.

3. A bridle-bit comprising a main bar, a check-bar having an arched central portion conforming substantially to the root' of the horses mouth, straight side portions on opposite sides of said central portion terminating in u pwardlyextending end portions adapted to be connected with the bridle-check to hold said bit normally in an upright position, and links slidably engaging at one of their ends said straight side portions of said checkbar and confined between the arched central portion thereofl and said upturned ends and pivotally connected at their opposite ends to said main bar, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 4th day of May, 1904.

FISHER (l. ATHERTUN.

lfVitnesses:

E. C. HARD, C. M. BENTLEY.

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