An Improved Adjustable Saddle.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
An Improved Adjustable Saddle.
We, CARL KÄDING, Saddler and OTTO KNAUF, Coachbuilder both of
5 Hafenstrasse, alte Neustadt, Magdeburg, Prussia, in the Empire of Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The present invention consists of a saddle in which the curve of the saddle tree
is made adjustable and is provided with padding or cushions, the said part being
also of a yielding, or flexible nature.
Hitherto it has been necessary to have saddles of various sizes for different
horses, but by the present invention by making the curve of the saddle tree
adjustable we provide a standard or normal saddle, which may be adjusted to fit
horses of any sizes such adjustment being effected very quickly and easily.
Furthermore by padding the curves of the saddle tree we obviate a disadvantage
which has hitherto existed even in the best fitting saddles and especially after
long rides, viz. that the horse, in. consequence of the pressure of the rigid saddle
tree curves hitherto employed often gets laid up and has to be carefully treated
and kept out of service for some time.
In order to make the present Specification more easily intelligible, reference is
had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters denote similar parts
throughout the several views,
Fig. 1 being a longitudinal section through the centre of the saddle (on line xx
in Fig. 2)
Fig. 2 a front elevation of the same,
Fig. 3 a side elevation of the curve of the saddle tree,
Fig. 4 a detail elevation of the device for adjusting the latter and
Fig. 5 a section through the curve of the saddle tree in full size.
Underneath the front fork A is arranged the mechanism for adjusting the same
and the curves of the saddle tree, consisting of a sleeve a having internal right and
left hand threads, in which the threaded bolts bb engage. By turning the sleeve a
it is obvious that the said bolts b b will be either drawn together or widened out.
The said bolts are forged in one piece with the plates c c to which are attached the
curves dd of the saddle tree carrying the padding ee; thus all these parts will
follow the movements of the bolts bb and may be adjusted by means of the same.
A curved steel rail running along the center of the saddle underneath the seat
joins the front and rear forks, said rail fhaving a hinged cap g at the front end
adapted to span the sleeve a and thus hold the rail in place. In order, however to
enable the adjustment of the said sleeve a the cap g is cut away at g' so that the
sleeve a may be adjusted by inserting a suitable tool or implement into the holes
arranged therein (Fig. 4). In order to render the front part of the saddle
sufficiently stiff or rigid, a bridge piece h, is provided having the form shown in
section in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The curves d d carrying the rings
or loops for the attachment of the saddle girth and stirrups, consist of two or
more layers of soft tough so called horn-leather pressed together as shown in
full size at kk Fig. 5 and sewn, and the same are attached to the plates c c by
means of rivets as also by the rings or loops for the attachment of saddle bags
or the like. These latter loops mm are pivoted excentrically to the bolts n n
and act as levers when turned down holding the curvés securely against the
plates.
In order to avoid rubbing and wearing the upper leather in turning
down these loops, metal plates o are provided underneath the same (Fig. 4).
The heads qq of the bolts n n are countersunk in order to prevent their

page_text: pressing into the padding and irritating the back of the horse. The padding e
is held in place by means of the pockets sewn on to it and engaging over the
laps of the curves d d. The cushions are covered with soft smooth leather to
prevent any pressure being exerted on the horse.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what mauner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :
1. An adjustable saddle having the sleeve a arranged underneath the front fork
and adapted to operate the bolts to adjust the curves of the saddle tree in the
manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
2. In combination with an adjustable saddle the employment of flexible or
yielding curves of the saddle tree made as specified, and of the elastic padding
or cushions e e in the manner substantially as described.
3. In combination with an adjustable saddle, the arrangement of the steel rail f
under the centre of the seat having the hinged cap and the bridge piece h
substantially as described.
4. In combination with an adjustable saddle the arrangement of the rings or
loops m m excentrically pivoted to the bolts n n to operate in the manner and for
the purpose substantially as described.
5. An adjustable saddle substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of July 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.