Improvements in Safety Saddle Bars or Suspenders for Stirrup Leathers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st Jan., 1895-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Saddle Bars or Suspenders for Stirrup
Leathers.
I, GUSTAVE BIEBUYCK, of 52 Rue de Spa Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present invention relates to an improved construction of safety saddle bars
or suspenders for stirrup leathers of the class described in the Specifications of
Letters Patent granted to me and dated 14th November 1889 No. 18194 and
9th February 1893 No. 2861 in which the apparatus is constructed with a base
plate of steel or other suitable metal screwed or rivetted to the saddle tree; and
the connecting piece or plate forming the saddle bar proper fitted in a plate or
block fixed to the said base plate.
According to my present invention these elementary parts are arranged in a
similar manner but the plate or block is somewhat modified in form, and my
improvement relates more especially to the arrangement of the moving parts on
the said plate or block.
The moving parts consist of two blocks, hinged to the plate which is fixed to the
base plate, the former block by means of a lug carrying at its upper part a thumb
piece for raising it and towards its lower end a lip shaped to the arc of a circle,
In like manner
and the said block is placed towards the front part of the saddle.
the second block is also hinged to the plate and is provided towards its lower end
with a lip shaped to the arc of a circle, this latter block being situated towards
the back part of the saddle. Both blocks should be formed with hollow circular
parts to receive the stud formed on the head of the connecting piece which takes
the stirrup leathers. To insert the connecting piece one of the blocks is swung
back on its hinge by applying pressure to the thumb piece and is returned again
to its closed position when the piece has been inserted. The lips formed on the
blocks are so shaped that when the blocks are in their closed position the lip on
one block lies under the lip on the other so that when one block is swung back it
will cause the other block to swing back also.
When in use under normal conditions the connecting piece bearing on the lips
of the blocks keeps the apparatus in a closed position even if the horse jumps or
rears. Should however the horse fall backwards or the rider be thrown out of his
saddle behind, the tension on the connecting piece which will now bear on one of
the blocks at a point above where it is hinged to the saddle will cause the said
block to swing backwards allowing the connecting piece with stirrup and leather
to escape. The same result is produced on the other block if the rider is thrown
over the horse's head. If again the rider be thrown off on either side so that one
of the stirrup leathers passes over the horse's back the tension will be immediately
produced on the upper parts of both of the blocks which will separate and swing
back on their axes so as to free the connecting piece.
It will thus be seen that in whatever direction a rider be thrown from his horse
the safety apparatus comes into operation and there is no fear of the rider being
dragged by the stirrups. The apparatus is of great simplicity and having neither

page_text: springs or complicated parts may be readily made at a low price, it is moreover
sinall and lies perfectly flat against the saddle so as to cause no inconvenience to
the ridor.
11.
11004
Improvements in Safety Saddle Bars or Suspenders for Stirrup
Leathers.
I GUSTAVE BIEBUYCK of 52 Rue de Spa Brussels in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The present invention relates to an improved construction of safety saddle bars
or suspenders for stirrup leathers of the class described in the Specifications of
Letters Patent granted to me and dated 14th November 1889 No. 18,194 and
9th February 1893 No. 2,861 in which the apparatus is constructed with a base
plate of steel or other suitable metal screwed or rivetted to the saddle tree; and
the connecting piece or plate forming the saddle bar proper fitted in a plate or
block fixed to the said base plate.
According to my present invention these elementary parts are arranged in a
similar manner but the plate or block is somewhat modified in form and my
improvement relates more especially to the arrangement of the moving parts on
the said plate or block.
I will describe a safety saddle bar with reference to the accompanying drawings
which illustrate what I consider the best method of carrying out my invention.
Figure 1 is a front view of the safety saddle bar with the moving parts in their
closed position. Figure 2 is a similar view with the hinged or moving parts opened
and Figure 3 is a front view with hinged parts removed.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of Figure 3.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 shew the hinged parts detached and
Figures 9 and 10 are front and side views of the connecting piece.
The moving parts consist of two blocks B. C pivotted at a and a respectively
to a plate A secured to a base plate X the block B having at its upper part a
thumb piece for raising it and towards its lower end a lip shaped to the are of
a circle and the said block B is placed towards the front part of the saddle. In
like manner the second block C, is also pivotted to the plate A at a' and is provided
towards its lower end with a lip e shaped to the arc of a circle, this latter block
being situated towards the back part of the saddle. Both blocks should be formed
with hollow circular parts to receive a stud e formed on the head of a connecting
piace E which takes the stirrup leathers. To insert the connecting pieces the
block B is swung back on its hinge a by applying pressure to the thumb piece b
and is returned again to its closed position when the stud e has been inserted. The
lips b and c formed on the blocks are so shaped that when the blocks B. and C. are
in their closed positions the lip lies under the lip e so that when the block B
is swung back it will cause the other block C, to swing back also.
When in use under normal conditions the stud e of the connecting piece E
bearing on the lips b and c keeps the apparatus in a closed position even if the
horse jumps or rears. Should however the horse fall backward or the rider be
thrown out of his saddle behind, the tension on the connecting piece will bear on
the block C above the joint a' and will cause the said block to swing backwards
allowing the connecting piece with stirrup and leather to escape. The same result

page_text: is produced on the other block B if the rider is thrown over the horse's head. If
again the rider be thrown off on either side so that one of the stirrup leathers
passes over the horse's back the tension will be immediately produced on the upper
parts of the two blocks B and C which will separate and swing back on their axes b
and c so as to free the connecting piece E. It will thus be seen that in whatever
direction a rider be thrown from his horse the safety apparatus comes into operation,
and there is no fear of the rider being dragged by the stirrup. The apparatus is
of great simplicity and having neither springs or complicated parts may be readily
made at a low price, it is moreover small and lies perfectly flat against the saddle
so as to cause no inconvenience to the rider.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In safety saddle bars or suspenders for stirrup leathers the combination with
a plate such as A of two blocks B and C oscillating on axes a and a' and formed
with parts b, b', and c substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting
improvements in safety saddle bars or suspenders substantially as described.
Dated this 31st day of December 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.