Improvements in or connected with Hand Tools for Tightening Saddle Girths, and for other purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Hand Tools for Tightening Saddle
Girths, and for other purposes.
I, FERDINAND VON EULENFELD, of Friedrichstrasse 51, Breslau, in the Empire
of Germany, Riding Master, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved device by means of which saddle girths
can be tightened very easily without any particular exertion.
The device is so arranged that it can also be employed as an accessory tool in
saddling and bridling the horse, and also for operating upon the hoof and the shoes
of the animal, as hereafter described.
The improved device consists essentially of two arms connected to each other at
both extremities of their lateral edges by means of two hinge joints. When both
arms are laid flat in one plane, between the two hinge-joints a longitudinal slot is
left free, limited on either side by the opposite lateral edges of the two arms afore-
said. Through this slot the free end of the girdle is introduced from beneath and
clamped fast therein by means of the said lateral edges of the arms, said edges
acting like the jaws of pincers. The free end of the front arm of the device is
then brought to bear against the flank of the horse, whilst the rear arm, acting as a
lever, forms the handle for tightening the girdle. The device is besides provided
with several incisions and adjustable parts by means of which the above mentioned
accessory purposes of the device are attained.
The annexed drawings represent the improved device in which,
Figure 1 is a top view of the device in its opened condition.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 represent a top view and a lateral view of the device, the two
arms of the same being shewn folded together.
Figures 5 and 6 represent the application of the improved device as an accessory
tool for the above mentioned secondary purposes.
Figure 7 shews the way in which the improved device is used for tightening a
saddle girth.
As shewn in the drawings, the improved device is composed of two arms A and B,
which at the extremities of their longitudinal edges a and bare provided with
hinge-joints a and b by means of which they are movably linked to each other.
When the device is laid out flat in one plane, as is shewn in Figure 1, the
longitudinal edges a and b do not reach each other, so that a longitudinal slot c is
left open between them and, when the device is used as a girdle-tightener, the free
end of the girdle D, on being drawn through the buckle d, is inserted into this
slot c (see Figure 7).
C.
The front arm B of the device is then pressed with its free end against the flank
of the horse and the rear arm A is raised in the direction of the arrow
This causes the edges a and which are, as above stated, at a certain distance
from the fulcra of the hinge joints a' and ', to approach each other and to clasp
tightly the free end of the girdle D. The device now acts as a lever and on the
further raising of the same in the direction of the arrow, the girdle is tightened to
the desired degree without any notable effort.
The arm A, which is intended to serve as a handle for operating the device, is
provided with a plate A¹ pivotted on a pin a² and with a tapering apex a³,
which on the plate A¹ being turned outward (see Figure 5) serves for cleaning
the hoof and the calkin-holes. The notch a made in the plate A¹ can be
employed for opening the stirrup bars.

page_text: For making holes whenever necessary in the girdle and in straps of the bridle,
a punch a is arranged in the arm A beneath the said plate A This punch
is movable round a pin, and the plate A¹ being opened, it can be turned, where-
upon it is fixed in its opened position by turning the plate A¹ back again in
its closed position.
The slanting front edge of the arm B is provided with a notch 62, by means of
which, loose shoe nails can be extracted. The described device can also be used as
a calking key for screwing on and off the calkins and for this purpose the arm B is
provided with a suitably shaped aperture 3.
The aperture a perforated in the arm A is provided for the purpose of diminish-
ing the weight of the device, which in its clasped condition (see Figures 3 and 4)
can be very handily carried in the pocket.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A device for tightening saddle girths consisting of two arms A and B
movably linked together at the two extremities of their lateral edges a and b by
means of hinge joints a' and ', so as to leave free, when both arms are laid flat in
one plane, between the two hinge joints, a longitudinal slot c, through which the
free end of the girdle D is passed, and the free end of the arm B being leaned
against the flank of the horse, the other arm A is raised upwards and the girth is
tightly clasped between the two arms and tightened to the desired degree, substan-
tially as shewn and described.
2. In a girth tightening device having the arrangement specified in Claim 1, the
movable parts A a³, the perforation 63 and the notches 62 and a², intended for
enabling the application of the device as an accessory tool for saddling and bridling
the horse and for operating upon the hoof and the shoe of the horse, substantially
as shewn and described.
Dated this 28th day of March 1891.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.