IMPROVEMENTS IN PACK SADDLES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Woods, of 60 and 61, Crown Street, Finsbury
Square, Saddlers' Ironmonger, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PACK SADDLES."
Sealed the 6th November 1855, and dated the 27th July 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Woods at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
July 1855.
I, GEORGE WOODS, of 60 and 61, Crown Street, Finsbury Square, Saddlers'
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PACK SADDLES " to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of constructing pack saddles of two square pieces of
leather, which form the sides of the saddle, and which are connected together
by webbing passing over the back of the animal, and also by a girth passing
under the animal. The sides are lined with fibre mats, which I prefer to other
descriptions of padding for this purpose. To each of the sides of the saddle
are connected two pieces of wood, which keep the load at a distance from the
side of the animal. At the end of each of these pieces of wood an iron bar is
hinged, which can turn down and lie in a recess in the wood when the saddle
is out of use, and when it is in use they turn up at right angles to the wood to
support the load, which is secured by suitable straps attached to the two sides
of the saddle.
The above-described saddle may be used over an ordinary saddle, or, if a mat
is first placed over the back of the animal, it may be employed without such

page_text: ordinary saddle. It will be seen that by the arrangement above described the
use of a saddle-tree is avoided, by which the bulk of the saddle is very much
diminished.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Woods in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WOODS, of 60 and 61, Crown Street, Finsbury Square, Saddlers' Ironmonger,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Woods, Her special licence that I, the said George Woods, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Woods, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PACK SADDLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Woods, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under.my, or their,
or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Woods, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention consists of constructing pack saddles-of-two-square pieces of
leather, which form the sides of the saddle, and which are connected together by
webbing passing over the back of the animal, and also by a girth passing under
the animal. The sides are lined with fibre mats, which I prefer to other descrip-
tipus of padding for this purpose. To each of the sides of the saddle are
connected two pieces of wood, which keep the load at a distance from the side

page_text: of the animal. At the end of each of these pieces of wood an iron bar is hinged,
which can turn down and lie in a recess in the wood when the saddle is out of
use, and when it is in use they turn up at right angles to the wood to support
the load, which is secured by suitable straps attached to the two sides of the
saddle.
The above-described saddle may be used over an ordinary saddle, or, if a mat
is first placed over the back of the animal, it may be employed without such
ordinary saddle. It will be seen that by the arrangement above described the
use of a saddle-tree is avoided, by which the bulk of the saddle is very much
diminished.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto.
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a plan of a pack saddle constructed according to my Invention;
and Figure 2 is a section through the centre of the same.
A, A, are the two square pieces of leather which form the sides of the saddle;
B, B, are two pieces of webbing, which are stitched to the pieces of leather
C, C, which pieces of leather are also stitched to the sides A, A; D, D, are the
mats with which the sides A, A, are lined, and to which they are attached by
stitching at intervals; E, E, are pieces of wood, two of which are fastened to
each side of the saddle; they keep the load at a distance from the sides of the
animal. To the end of each of them an iron bar F is hinged. These bars F, F,
turn down and fit into recesses in the pieces E, but when in use they turn up
into the position shown in the Drawing, to support the load. G, G, are straps
for securing the load; they are fastened to the rings H, H, which are sewn
on to the webbings B, B. I, I, are rings attached to the sides A, A, through
which the load straps pass. The red lines in Figure 2 shew the manner in
which the straps H, I, are used for attaching the load. K, K, are girth straps.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Woods, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our
GEORGE WOODS. (L.S.)
Vitness,
JOB EDWIN BRIDGES.