Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 1st June, 1889
I, MATTHEW JAMES BURN of 9 & 10 Pancras Lane, Bucklersbury, in the City of
London Solicitor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved form of Stirrup, which will be secure for
riding but which, whilst not presenting outwardly the appearance of being an unusual
contrivance for safety, is intended to easily free the foot of the rider, when thrown or
falling from the horse.
On the bow of each leg of the stirrup iron, and near the upper part thereof, I form
a hinge joint, made to allow the leg to open outwardly only. The lower parts of the
bows are preferably made broader and wider than the upper, and on the inside of each
bow close to the bottom, are recesses, or the bottom of the bows may be perforated
with holes in which rests the bottom plate of the stirrup. The ends of the bottom
plate are shaped to fit easily into these recesses or holes, and beneath, and attached to,
the bottom plate, and nearly along its whole length, passes a well tempered spiral coil
or spring (which may be contained, either in a hollow beneath the bottom plate, or in
a tube) terminating at each end in a loop, or plate, containing a hole, which loop or
hole, when the spring is stretched to suitable tension, is made to pass over a pin
projecting vertically from the bottom of each bow, in this manner binding the bows
together and securing the bottom plate, thus holding the stirrup rigid for riding. A
screw or screws may be arranged so as to tighten or slacken the spring.
The plate attached to the coil or spring, may contain a stop pin or pins to prevent
the spring being stretched too much.
The bottom plate is of peculiar shape. The part usually touching or near the heel
of the riders boot, is made to taper towards the heel nearly into a point, but the upper
edges are rounded and smoothed, the object being twofold,-first to prevent the stirrup
during riding going so far "home," or near the heel, and secondly, when the foot is
turned in the stirrup into an abnormal position, as in the act of falling, or being
thrown, to guide the foot towards one of the bottom corners of the stirrup.
When the rider is thrown or falls, pressure will be brought to bear upon one of the
bottom corners of the stirrup, the side will be forced open, and the bottom plate will
press the spring loop or plate off the pin at the bottom of the bow, and the foot will
be liberated from the stirrup instantaneously.
n L
1
1
1000

page_text: +
.
My invention relates to an improved stirrup which will be secure for use in riding,
and, whilst not presenting outwardly the appearance of being an unusual contrivance
for safety will easily free the foot of the rider when thrown or falling from the
horse.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan of one forin of my improved safety stirrup, the bow thereof being
removed.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the said stirrup, partly vertical in section, and
Figure 3 is an end elevation showing details of construction.
Figures 4 and 5 are views showing modifications hereinafter described. _
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is the bow of the stirrup-iron, which is provided near the upper part thereof with
hinge-joints B so constructed as to allow the bow to open outwardly. Enlargements A'
are formed upon the lower extremities of the stirrup-iron A, as shown more clearly in
Figure 3, and on the inside of each of the said enlargements A¹ is formed a recess or
cavity A2 in which rests the bottom plate C of the stirrup. D, D are projections
upon the said bottom plate C so shaped as to fit easily into the recesses or cavities A²
in the bow A.
Beneath the bottom plate C is arranged a well tempered spiral spring E, which is
preferably enclosed in a tube or case F screwed or otherwise firmly secured to the
bottom or foot plate C. At each end of the spiral spring E is a loop E' by means of
which the said spring is attached to hooks G upon slide-pieces or bolts G. Holes G
are provided in the slide-pieces G, into which are adapted to fit, when the springs E
are stretched to a suitable tension, pins or projections A³ upon the lower portions of
the enlargements A' of the how A, thus securing the sides of the bow together and to
the bottom plate Cand keeping the stirrup rigid for riding.
When the rider is thrown or falls from his horse, pressure will be brought to bear
upon one of the bottom corners of the stirrup, the spring will yield and one side of
the bow A with the corresponding slide-piece or bolt G will be forced outward, and
the bottom or foot plate C will press the bolt off the pin A³ at the lower extremity
of the bow, and the foot will be instantaneously liberated from the stirrup.
Figure 4 illustrates a modification wherein the bottom plate C is formed of peculiar
shape. C is an extension provided upon the part usually touching or near the heel
of the rider's boot. The extension C¹ is made to taper towards the heel nearly to a
point, but the upper edges are rounded and smoothed, the object being twofold,
namely, first to prevent the stirrup, during riding, going too far "home" or too near

page_text: the heel, and secondly, when the foot is turned in the stirrup into an abnormal
position as in the act of falling or when being thrown, to guide the foot towards one
of the bottom corners of the stirrup. The use of this form of bottom plate, however,
is optional inasmuch as some riders may object to the same on account of singularity
of shape, but the same result may practically be gained by avoiding the tapering
nearly to a point and by making the bottom or foot plate rather oval in shape.
A screw or screws may be arranged so as to tighten or slacken the spring, but if,
from any cause the spring becomes over-stretched or slack, I profer replacing it with
another stretched to the desired tension.
The bolt to which the spring is hooked may be hollowed out to work over a stop-pin
in the bottom plate, to prevent the spring being over-stretched.
For a hunting stirrup or for a heavy rider, the spring can be made of extra
strength.
To facilitate the readjustment of the bolt-mechanism (after the stirrup has been
opened), I sometimes cut away a part of the bolt to form a shoulder G³, as shewn in
Figure 5, which, when the bolt is moved outward, will engage with the edge of the
tube F and thus be retained in position to receive the pin A³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that I claim :-
First. A safety stirrup wherein the side of the bow is arranged to move outwards
about a hinge-joint and is securely held in its normal position by a spring bolt carried
by the bottom plate and adapted to yield under excessive pressure and thus permit the
outward movement of the side of the bow and the release of the rider's foot.
Second. The modification of my safety stirrup, wherein the bottom plate or foot
plate is extended, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third. The improved safety stirrup constructed substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawing and operating as above specified.
T900
IRWINA KAI
M. JAMES BURN.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London.
Agents for the Applicant.