Harness Attachment – Patent No. 392,908
Inventor: John Sidney Coolidge, of Washington, D.C.
Patent Number: 392,908
Date of Patent: November 13, 1888
Description: John Sidney Coolidge’s patent for a “Harness Attachment” was an invention designed to improve the connection between a horse’s harness and a vehicle, such as a carriage or wagon. The primary goal of the invention was to create a device that could be applied to any existing harness without cutting or dismembering it. It featured a case with a spring-locking bolt that could be adjusted to provide a secure and quick-release connection. The design aimed to prevent the horse from running away by allowing the driver to release the lines, which would in turn release the horse from the vehicle.
Societal Impact
Coolidge’s invention was a significant contribution to a world still largely dependent on horsepower for transportation and labor. His patent was part of a broader trend of incremental improvements that made horse-drawn transportation safer and more efficient.
- Improved Safety: Runaway horses were a major public safety hazard in the late 19th century. A quick and reliable way to detach a horse from a vehicle was crucial for preventing accidents that could injure people and cause significant property damage. Coolidge’s design, with its built-in spring-locking bolt, provided a more reliable and secure method for both attachment and release.
- Convenience and Efficiency: The ability to easily attach and detach a horse from a vehicle without altering the harness saved time and effort for coachmen, farmers, and delivery services. This type of efficiency was important for the commercial and personal use of horse-drawn vehicles.
- A Glimpse into the Past: This patent illustrates how technology was developed to solve practical, everyday problems in a time before internal combustion engines. It shows the ingenuity applied to a now-obsolete technology, which was once a critical part of daily life and the backbone of a pre-automotive economy.
There is no public information available about the life or other societal impacts of the inventor, John Sidney Coolidge, beyond this patent.
