In yesterday's post,
Ebenezer Perry Carlisle Webster ~ Inventor of The Webster Dehorning Chute, I shared my excitement at discovering that my maternal 2nd great-grandfather was an inventor and was granted a patent.
I realized later that I didn't include Ebenezer's full patent in my post. I included images of his invention, but not the actual patent. So, today I'd like to share Ebenezer's patent. I've also included a transcription of Ebenezer's patent in case it's difficult to read it in the images below.
Transcription of Ebenezer's Patent
Ebenezer P. C.
Webster, Of Marysville, Kansas.
Dehorning Apparatus.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.
425,478, dated April 15, 1890.
Application
filed May 22, 1888. Renewed August 21, 1889. Serial No. 321,457. (No Model.)
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, EBENEZER P. C. WEBSTER, a
citizen of the United States, and a resident of Marysville, in the county of
Marshall and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements
in Dehorning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.
This invention relates to
improvements in dehorning apparatus for holding cattle during the operation of
dehorning them and to prevent them from injuring themselves by falling down
after their heads have been tied up in position for the dehorning operation.
The prime object of this invention
is to have a chute for holding the animal not only against the possibility of
falling or lying down, but also holding its head immovably in the most
advantageous position for dehorning. Another object is to have the chute of
such a character that animals of all sizes may be held thereby without
alteration thereto and from which the animal may escape by walking out the
front end after being dehorned instead of backing out, as has heretofore been
necessary. A further object is to combine with such a chute a halter of
peculiar form and a windlass, also attached to the chute, by means of which the
animal’s head may be immovably held at an angle to its body and in the best
position for the successful performance of the dehorning operation. I attain
these objects by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
–
Figure 1 represents a side elevation
of a dehorning apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a perspective view
thereof; Fig. 3, a front elevation, parts being broken away; Fig. 4, a
transverse vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction
indicated by the arrows; and Fig. 5, a detail perspective of a part of one of
the stanchions, showing my halter attached thereto.
Similar letters of reference
indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.
Referring by letter to the
accompanying drawings, A indicates the upper cross-timbers, B the lower
cross-timbers, and C the vertical standards, of my chute, there being
preferably three of each of the cross-bars and six of the standards, each pair
of cross-bars being united by a pair of standards and the entire frame
connected and held together by means of longitudinal side timbers D, attached
to the standards, and the floor-board E, attached to the lower cross-bars, so
that the whole constitutes the stationary frame of my chute, having a generally
rectangular shape; but I may here state that the frame of the chute may be
constructed in any convenient manner so long as it forms a support for the
operative parts thereof, the main object being to provide a strong and simple
structure in which to drive and hold the cattle. This chute is permanently
boarded up between the two rear standards on each side thereof, as shown at F,
so as to form a closed passage leading to the movable side portions of the
chute in which the cattle are held during the operation of dehorning. These
movable portions or wings consist of two pairs of vertical bars G, pivoted at
their lower ends, as shown at H, to the front pair of the lower cross-bars and
connected by short longitudinal bars I and boarded up between them, as shown,
so as to form close frames occupying the entire space between the front and
middle pair of standards. Below the center or about the lower line of the body
of an ordinary-sized animal these movable sides incline inwardly toward each
other – that is, toward the center of the chute—leaving a narrower space
between the sides at the bottom or level with the floor E than at the top, the
boards of these movable sides being preferably laid vertical, so as to prevent
the animals catching their feet in the cracks thereof.
Journaled between the front and
middle upper cross-bars, at the center of length thereof and extending
longitudinally of the chute, is a shaft J, to which is secured, near the ends
thereof, one end of ropes or cords K, the opposite ends of which are attached
to the upper ends of the vertical bars G of the movable sides, while near one
end of the shaft is mounted thereon a ratchet-wheel L, with which engages a
spring-actuated pawl M, pivoted to a stationary portion of the frame, the
forward end of said shaft being provided with radial spokes N, a pilot-wheel,
crank-arm, or any other device by which said shaft may be rotated. By rotating
this shaft the upper ends of the movable sides may be drawn toward each other,
swinging on their pivots, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 and in full lines
in Fig. 2, and will be locked in any adjusted position by the spring-actuated
pawl, which latter, however, may be disengaged and the parts returned to their
normal position whenever it is desired to release the animal.
At the forward end of the machine,
between the front pair of cross-bars, extend vertical stanchions O P, the one O
being fixed and the one P hinged or pivotally connected at the lower end
thereof, as shown at Q, to the lower cross-bar or floor of the chute, while the
upper end thereof projects into an oblong groove in the upper cross-bar, where
it engages one end of a notched lever or latch-bar R, pivoted in said
cross-bar, the outer end of which projects beyond the cross-bar within easy
reach of the operator, so that it may be depressed and the opposite end
elevated, so as to release the end of the said stanchion and permit it to swing
down on its pivot. The said latch-lever is spring actuated, so that the notched
end thereof has always a tendency to remain in engagement with the end of the
stanchion when elevated, and the notches or teeth therein are so inclined as to
permit the insertion of the stanchion without manipulating the lever, but which
will lock the stanchion in any position to which it is moved after being
engaged thereby. It is between these stanchions that the neck of the animal is
held during the operation of dehorning, the adjustment to the necks of animals
varying in thickness and its removal out of the path of the animal, so that the
latter after being operated upon may pass out of the forward end of the chute
instead of being backed out, as would otherwise be necessary, the said pivoted
stanchion being preferably located in the center of the chute, while the fixed
stanchion is located to one side thereof, and will therefore not interfere with
the exit of the animal.
On the fixed stanchion is sleeved a
ring a, free to slide up and down
thereon, to which is secured one end of my improved halter, which consists of a
looped rope or strap b, both ends of
which are attached to said ring, and are connected near the ends thereof by the
cross-pieces c d, the looped end of
said halter being passed around a loose vertical roller e, journaled to one of the forward standards and hooked over pins f or some projections upon a windlass g, journaled in a supplemental frame h, hinged to the said front standard,
the journal of said windlass being provided at its outer end with a
crank-handle I, by means of which the
windlass is operated. This windlass is designed to be adjustable in its
bearings, so as to operate on cattle of different heights, and for that reason
the supplemental frame is provided at each side thereof with journal-plates j k therefor, the former being provided
with a vertical series of sockets into which the end of the journal of the
windlass projects, while the latter is provided with a corresponding series of
half-bearings or hooks into which the opposite end of the journal may be
inserted without the necessity of removing the crank-handle. The nose of the
animal is inserted into the space l,
between the ends of the loop b and
the cross-piece c, while the
cross-piece d lies across the brow of
the animal below the horns, the loop end being then brought across the top of
the animal’s head and caught on the hooks f
upon the windlass, and the slack in the loop taken up thereby, so as to draw the
animal’s head to one side and in a slightly-inclined position, as shown by the
position of the halter in Fig. 2, in which position it is impossible for the
animal to move its head, the windlass, ring, and the fixed stanchion serving to
immovably hold him in the desired position. The supplemental frame, in which
the windlass is journaled, is hinged to the standards in such manner that when
not in use it may be folded back out of the way; but when thrown forward in
position for use it will be as firmly held as if rigidly secured to the
standard.
In the practical use of my apparatus
the animal is driven into the chute from the rear end thereof, while the
adjustable sides are extended in their normal position and the hinged stanchion
drawn to one side, so as to permit the passage of the animal’s head through the
forward end of the apparatus, after which the stanchion is brought up into
position and adjusted so as to fit the size of its neck and firmly locked in
that position, after which, by means of the shaft J, the adjustable sides of
the chute are brought together until they bear snugly against the sides of the
animal, in which position they are likewise locked by the pawl and ratchet, as
before described, after which the head of the animal is inserted into the
halter and the looped end thereof attached to the windlass, when, by operating
the latter, the animal’s head will be drawn to one side and in a
slightly-inclined position and there firmly held during the dehorning
operation.
By the use of my chute not only is
the animal prevented from injuring or in any manner interfering with the work
of the operator, but it is so securely held in position that it cannot hurt
itself by falling or being thrown down while its head is tied up in position
for dehorning, which frequently happens with the old methods of securing the
animal and generally results in the permanent injury, if not death, of the
animal by breaking its leg or neck. In conclusion, I may state that this chute
is of a size which may be readily placed upon the body of a wagon for
transportation; or the bottom cross-bars may be provided with axles for
mounting the structure upon wheels, from which it may be removed when in
operation, while still another, but not so convenient, construction might be formed
by mortising and bolting the joints in such manner as to make the parts readily
detachable and what is commonly known as “knockdown frame.”
Having described my invention, what
I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is –
1. In a dehorning apparatus, the open-ended
chute and the adjustable sides thereof, in combination with a fixed vertical
stanchion in the forward end thereof to one side of the center, an opposing
movable stanchion pivoted at its lower end to the center of the forward end of
the chute, a socket for the upper end of said stanchion, and a notched lever
for locking said end in the socket, whereby after the dehorning operation the
movable stanchion may fall and an animal be permitted to pass out through the
forward end of the chute, substantially as described.
2. In a dehorning apparatus, the open-ended
chute and a pair of vertical stanchions at the forward end thereof, one of said
stanchions being fixed and the other adjustable, in combination with a halter
having a ring attached thereto and sliding upon the fixed stanchion, and a
windlass, also secured to said chute to one side of the stanchions, upon which
to wind the free end of said halter, whereby the animal’s head may be firmly
held at an angle to its body, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a dehorning apparatus, the chute, the
fixed stanchion O, and the adjustable hinged stanchion P in combination with
the halter having the ring a, loop b, and cross-pieces c d, substantially as described.
4. In a dehorning apparatus, the chute, the
movable sides thereof pivoted at the lower edges to the chute, a shaft journaled in said
chute above and midway between said sides, cross-pieces connecting the upper
edges of said movable sides and the shaft, a ratchet-wheel mounted on said
shaft, and a spring-actuated pawl engaging said wheel, in combination with a
pair of stanchions at the forward end of said chute, one of said stanchions
being fixed and the other adjustable, a halter attached to and sliding upon the
fixed stanchion, and a windlass, also secured to said chute to one side of the
stanchion, upon which to wind the free end of said halter, substantially as
described.
5. In a dehorning apparatus, the chute, the
hinged movable sides thereof, a shaft J, ropes K, connecting said sides and
shaft, ratchet-wheel L upon the said shaft, pawl M, engaging said wheel, fixed
stanchion O, an adjustable hinged stanchion P, and notched lever R, in
combination with the halter having a ring a,
sliding on a fixed stanchion, loop b,
and cross-pieces c d, hinged frame h, adjustable windlass g, and journal-plates j k, and the roller e, secured to the chute-frame between said windlass and the
stanchions, substantially as described.
EBENEZER
P. C. WEBSTER.
Witnesses:
GEO.
T. SMITH,
W.
A. CALDERHEAD.
I definitely have more fascinating finds relating to Ebenezer's patent. I'll share those in future posts.
Thanks for reading!
Jana
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