HK1018290A - Equestrian bit composition - Google Patents

Description

Horse bit alloy composition

The invention relates to an alloy composition for a horse bit.

A conventional horse bit includes two tubular members attached to the reins and an elongated member extending between and attached to the tubular members. The various bit components are made of metal alloys designed for the purpose of providing mechanical reliability and ready acceptance by horses.

Copper has been the metal of choice in the manufacture of horse bits because it is believed to provide comfort to the horse, is more acceptable to the horse, and thus facilitates the ability of the rider to control and direct the horse. Because of its relatively high plasticity, copper alone is not suitable for applications requiring high mechanical strength, such as in applications where tension and stress are typically placed on the components of a horse bit during riding.

Copper and its oxides have therefore been combined with various other metals to produce stronger alloys that can withstand such tensile and stress forces. From the very early days, most bit alloy compositions have been copper-based alloys containing nickel (so-called german silver) and nickel and zinc, typically in the range of 50-70 wt.% Cu, 12-18 wt.% Ni and 13-25 wt.% Zn.

Although nickel is useful in providing mechanical strength, nickel has been disfavored in the industry because it is believed to dry the mouth of the horse, as well as certain undesirable discomfort that may affect the behavior of the horse. Some have also proposed theories: nickel may be toxic to such animals. Accordingly, many efforts have been made to invent a nickel-free alloy composition to improve alloys for use in horse bits.

European patent 0638655 discloses a nickel-free composition that combines copper with silicon and zinc. The substitution of nickel with silicon (up to 4 wt%) increases the percentage of copper to 81-88 wt%, thereby providing a bit composition that is more pleasant and acceptable to horses.

Although desirable because of the absence of nickel, I have found that the patented composition lacks the tensile strength required for taut horse gear applications. The present invention therefore aims to provide a new nickel-free composition having greater mechanical properties than those shown in the prior art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a composition of matter for use in manufacturing a nickel-free horse bit component.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a composition for horse bit components having increased mechanical strength compared to the prior art.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a composition for a horse bit having greater tensile strength than prior art nickel-free alloys.

A final object of the present invention is a process for making a horse bit that provides a nickel-free bit with a relatively high copper content that is readily acceptable to horses and exhibits mechanical properties suitable for riding in a back-pulled horse.

The above, as well as other objects indicated in the course of the description, are accomplished by a horse bit constructed of a copper alloy containing aluminum and ferrite, the composition containing at least 85% by weight copper.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description that follows and particularly from the novel features pointed out in the appended claims. Accordingly, to the accomplishment of the objectives described above, this invention, then, consists of the features hereinafter fully described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Conventional horse bits include two metal gripping members or anchors which are designed to be fastened to and cooperate with the rings attached to the reins of the horse. The core of the horse bit is made up of an elongated flexible cable or a pair of hinged rods connected to each other with the fixture. In use, the cable or rod is the part which remains in the mouth of the horse. The main purpose of the composition described herein is therefore to provide an alloy for making such components which are in direct contact with the horse's mouth, although the alloy may be used for other components as well.

I have found that nickel-free copper alloys containing aluminum and ferrite can increase the copper content to over 85 wt% while still maintaining the tensile properties required for applications in which the horse is tensioned. In particular, it has been found that compositions containing from 85 to 90% by weight of Cu, from 8 to 11% by weight of Al and from 2 to 4% by weight of ferrite produce bits having mechanical properties and horse acceptance superior to those of the prior art. It is to be understood that ferrite (ferrite) as described herein refers to any one of such compounds: they are compounds related to salts of iron hydroxides, which are formed as defined in metallurgical technology, usually by treatment of hydrated iron sesquioxide with a base, or by heating metal oxides together with iron sesquioxide.

The preferred composition of the nickel-free alloy of the present invention is about 88 wt% Cu, 10 wt% Al and 2 wt% ferrite.

Various changes in the details and components that have been described may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the invention herein described. Thus, while the invention has been shown and described herein in what is believed to be the most specific and preferred embodiments, it is understood that it may be varied within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope encompassed by any and all equivalent compositions and products.

Claims (6)

1. A nickel-free alloy for use in the manufacture of horse bits and parts thereof comprising:

about 85 to about 90 weight percent copper;

about 8-11% by weight of aluminum, and

about 2-4% by weight of ferrite.

2. The nickel-free alloy of claim 1, wherein said copper is about 88 weight percent, said aluminum is about 10 weight percent, and said ferrite is about 2 weight percent.

3. A horse bit having at least one component made from an alloy comprising:

about 85 to about 90 weight percent copper;

about 8-11% by weight of aluminum, and

about 2-4% by weight of ferrite.

4. The horse bit of claim 3 wherein said copper is about 88 weight percent, said aluminum is 10 weight percent and said ferrite is about 2 weight percent.

5. A method of making a bit for a riding horse, wherein said bit comprises a component to be placed in the mouth of the horse at the time of use, said method comprising the step of making said component from an alloy consisting of about 85-90% by weight copper, about 8-11% by weight aluminum, and about 2-4% by weight ferrite.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said copper is present in an amount of about 88 weight percent, said aluminum is present in an amount of about 10 weight percent, and said ferrite is present in an amount of about 2 weight percent.