Improved Tightening Device for Saddle-girths.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Tightening Device for Saddle-girths.
I, FRITZ HOFER, of Alt Moabit 19, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
As is well known, saddle girths are liable to become loose, during riding, to such
an extent that the saddle slips in various directions on the back of the horse and it
becomes necessary to retighten the girth. To effect this it has been necessary for
the rider to dismount, loosen the girth put the saddle in its right place again, and
refasten it on the horse's back by tightening the girth. Attempts to tighten the
girth without dismounting have heretofore failed, but by my invention I am
enabled to achieve the object in view in an easy and practicable manner.
The annexed drawing illustrates an arrangement of girth tightening apparatus
according to my invention. A is a narrow case adapted to be fixed to the left side
of a saddle. In it is a bar a, toothed on each edge, whose lower end terminates in
an eye into which the girth is secured. bis a lever which oscillates on a pino fixed
to the case A. To tighten the girth, the rider moves the lever b up and down
whereby a pawl d on the lever is caused to engage with a toothed wheel e (which
also turns on the pin o) catching against a fresh tooth at each downward movement
and thus turning the wheel e which engaging with the teeth on the left side of the
bar a moves that bar upward into the case A and tightens the girth. A detent f
prevents the downward movement of the bar a.
The saddle is loosened by means of a lever g with which the rider actuates a
double armed lever that is movable on the pin o, the arrangement being such that by
means of the two links i and k, which connect the ends of the lever / with the
detent fand pawld respectively, the detent & pawl are put out of gear with the
rack a and the toothed wheel respectively. The link is formed with a slot at one
end into which takes a pin on the part in such manner that the up and down
movement of the lever will not operate the lever h. When however the lever gis
moved toward the bar a the link k will put the pawl d out of gear with the toothed
wheel and the detent out of gear with the bar a so that the latter, through the
pull of the girth, will move downwards and the girth can be readily unhooked from
the eye at the lower end of the bar.
Dated this 7th day of February 1891.
F. HOFER,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Tightening Device for Saddle-girths.
'
I, FRITZ HOFER, of Alt Moabit 19, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved tightening device for saddle girths and is
chiefly designed to provide a compact and convenient device whereby the saddle
girth may be tightened by the rider without dismounting from the horse.
It is well known that saddle girths are liable to become loose or slack during
riding, frequently to such an extent that the saddle slips in various directions on
the back of the horse and it becomes necessary to retighten the girth. To effect
this it has heretofore been necessary for the rider to dismount, loosen the girth
[Price 6d.]

page_text: readjust the saddle and secure it on the horse's back by refastening and tightening
the girth. Attempts to provide for tightening the girth in a convenient manner
without dismounting have not heretofore met with success, but by the improved
device herein described I am enabled to achieve the object in view in an easy and
practicable manner.
An arrangement of girth tightening apparatus according to my invention is
illustrated partly in section and partly in elevation in the drawing left with my
Provisional Specification. A is a shallow case adapted to be fixed to the left side
of a saddle. In it is a bar or rack a toothed on each of its narrower edges, and
having its lower end terminating in an eye in which the end of the girth is secured
as shown. is a lever journalled upon a pin or stud o fixed to the case A. To
tighten the girth, the rider operates the lever causing the same to move up and
down. In the downward movement of this lever a pawl d thereon is caused by a
suitable spring to engage with a toothed wheel e (which also turns on the pin o),
catching a fresh tooth at each downward movement and thus turning the wheel e.
The wheel e engaging with the teeth on the left side of the bar a moves that bar
upward in the case A thereby tightening the girth. A detent f engaging with the
teeth on the other side of the bar or rack a prevents the downward movement of
the said bar or rack.
The loosening of the girth and the saddle is effected through the medium of a
lever g by means of which the rider actuates a double armed lever pivoted about
midway between its extremities on the pin o, and the arrangement is such that
through the two links i and k, which connect the ends of the lever with the
detent and pawl d the pawls are thrown out of gear with the rack a and, the
toothed wheel e respectively. The link kis pivoted upon the extremity of
the lever and is formed with a slot at one end adapted to receive a pin on the
pawl d in such manner that the up and down movement of the lever 6 will not
operate the lever h. When however the lever g is moved toward the bar a the
link will disengage the pawl d from the toothed wheel and the link i will disengage
the detent from the bar a so that the latter, through the pull of the girth, will
move downwards thereby loosening the girth which can then be readily unhooked
from the eye a¹ at the lower end of the bar or rack a.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improved tightening device for saddle girths comprising a bar or rack a
levers and g, lever h, links i and k, pawl d and. the detent f, combined and
operating substantially as herein before described and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 14th day of March 1891.
F. HOFER,
By L. W., per F. B.