CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEORGE SHIPLEY, of Bruton Street, Berkeley Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Saddler, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Sixth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and
forty-two, in the sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John George Shipley, my exors,
admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and autho-
rity, that I, the said John George Shipley, my exors, admors, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John George Shipley, my exors, admors, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Her said Majesty's United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion of
Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Her Islands of Guernsey, Jersey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES ;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me to particularly

page_text: describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be and may be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John George Shipley, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, and by the Drawings
therein referred to and hereunto annexed, that is to say:-.
.
My Invention relates to certain improvements in saddles, and consists,―
Firstly, in a novel and peculiar arrangement of certain parts employed for
connecting that part of a saddle called the "pannel" to the saddle "tree,"
whereby the pannel can be readily removed by any one when required to
dry the same, a circumstance essential to the preservation of the saddle and
comfort of the horse, but much neglected by grooms, first, from the circum-
stance of other parts of the saddle being subject to injury when exposed to the
heat of a fire, and the trouble of having the nails removed which connects the
"tree" and "pannel" together, which according to the old system of con-
structing saddles generally can only be done by the assistance, of a saddler.
Secondly, in the application to saddle "trees" of a lining of felt placed
between the "pannel" and the "tree," such lining being.composed of one or more
thicknesses of. felt or other suitable..material, attached to the "bars" of the
"tree" at the bearing parts thereof by strings or thongs; as represented, whereby
a broad fitting saddle can be adapted to fit a horse not requiring so wide a
one, by which much. expense is avoided, as by this arrangement the necessity
of having separate saddles for different sized horses is in a great measure.
dispensed with.
.
Thirdly, in the application of a metal lining placed between the "pannel." and.
"tree" of the saddle when required. to carry weight in racing or steeple chasing..
The novelty of this part of my Invention consists in attaching the metal lining.
to the "tree" by strings or thongs fixed to the "tree" by which it can be readily.
affixed or removed.
I would here remark that.I am aware-that metal linings have been used for
similar purposes, but have been found objectionable from the lining being
rivitted or
nailed to the "tree," thereby rendering it difficult to disengage the
same, an objection entirely removed by the above arrangement.

page_text: 3 the "tree."
...And in order to explain my said improvements as complete as possible I will
proceed to describe the 'arrangément of parts which I consider well calculated
for carrying out my said Invention, and which will be found to answer
extremely well.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a plan view of the under side of a saddle "tree," shewing
the arrangement of the metal sockets and eyes; Figure 2, a plan view of the
back of a pannel, shewing the arrangement of spring plugs and hooks which
connect the pannel to the tree; Figure 3, a plan view of the under side of a
saddle, shewing-the pannel attached thereto; Figure 4, a detached view of the
spring plug and socket, shewn full size; Figure 5, a detached view of the spring
plug and ring; Figure 6, detached views of a hook and eye employed for con-
necting the pannel to that part of a saddle tree called the "gullett;" Figure 7,
a plan view of the under side of a saddle tree, shewing the method of fixing the
lining of felt or other material thereto; Figure 8, a front view of a saddle tree
with the félt lining attached thereto; Figure 9; the'hind part of a saddle tree with
felt lining attached thereto; Figure 10; a plan view of the under side of a saddle
tree shewing the method of fixing the metal lining X, X, thereto; Figure 11, a
front view of a saddle tree with the metal lining attached thereto; Figure 12, a
plan view of the under side of a saddle tree, shewing the straining thereof.
In Figure 1, a, a, represent the bars of an ordinary saddle "tree" to which
are attached by screws or otherwise the metal sockets b, b, b, b, b; into each of
these sockets I insert a spring plug 'c (see detached Figure 5), and connect the
same to the "pannel" by a ring d, which is attached to the pannel by sewing
thereto a piece of leather e, e, passed through the ring d, as is shewn. Figure 5*
shews another method of connecting the pannel and tree together, and consists
ofvan ordinary clasp (such as is used for securing bracelets or such like articles)
the socket 9, as in the former case, being attached to the saddle tree and the
spring plug h; sewn to the pannel. i, i, plates or eyes of metal (see detached
Figure 6), secured to that part of a saddle called the "gullett;" into these.
metal eyes the hooks k, k, which are firmly sewn to the pannel, are inserted,
being for the purpose of connecting the pannel to the tree at this part. It.

page_text: will appear evident that very little time or trouble is required either to attach
the pannel to the tree or separate it therefrom.
Having now described the nature of this part of my said Invention, I wish
it to be understood that I am aware of saddles having been attempted to be
constructed in such a manner as that the pannels thereof could be removed by
any one, but such attempts have, I believe, failed; I do not therefore claim the
constructing of saddles with removable pannels, nor do I claim the exclusive
use of any of the separate parts above mentioned and referred to, except so far
as the same may be employed for the purposes of my said Invention, one part
of which I declare to consist in, and I claim,-
Firstly, the application of certain springs and parts connected therewith
attached to those parts of a saddle called the "pannel" and the "tree," whereby
the said parts may be readily disengaged from one another or connected
together, as the case may require, as herein-before particularly described and
epresented.
In Figure 7, 1, 1, represent a lining of felt or other suitable material attached
to a saddle "tree" by strings or thongs m, m, fixed thereto, passed through holes
formed in the lining, and maintained in the required position by tying. In
Figure 10 a similar method to the foregoing is employed for affixing a metal
lining to a saddle tree. In Figure 12, n, n, represents that part of a saddle
tree called the "straining," which in this case is composed wholly or chiefly of
whalebone, or whalebone and web, or whalebone and canvass combined, such
straining being secured to the tree in the ordinary way.
Having now described the nature of the remaining parts of my said Invention,
I wish it to be understood that I do not claim the exclusive use of any of the
separate parts above mentioned and referred to, except so far as the same may
be employed for the purposes of my said Invention, which I declare to consist
in, and I claim,―
Secondly, the application of a lining of felt or other suitable material to a
saddle "tree" whereby a saddle can be adapted to fit different sized horses, as
above described. Another part of my said Invention I declare to consist in,
and I claim,
Thirdly, the mode of attaching a lining of metal to a saddle "tree," as above
described.
Another, the last part of my said Invention, I declare to consist in, and I
claim,―
Fourthly, and lastly, the novel and peculiar mode of constructing that part
of a saddle called the "tree" by forming the "bars" thereof of certain thick=

page_text: nesses of steel and whalebone combined, or wholly of whalebone. And, further,
the mode of constructing the "bars" of saddle "trees" by the application of
wood and whalebone combined, whereby greater durability and elasticity is
obtained, as herein before particularly described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John George Shipley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-three.
JOHN GEORGE (L.s.) SHIPLEY.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John George Shipley,
in the presence of
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of April, in the year
of our Lord 1843, the aforesaid John George Shipley came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.