Improvements in Saddles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
Improvements in Saddles.
Communicated by GABRIEL BOURRELLEY, of 199, Faubourg St. Honoré, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I JAMES MORISON BURNUP of 23 Carlisle Mansions Victoria Street in the
City of Westminster Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
as follows:-
In saddles as at present ordinarily made and fitted the following evils amongst
others are very generally experienced. As the backs of horses and other animals are
nut always and in all cases exactly of the same size and shape and contour each saddle
has to be made and formed for each back and are not interchangeable with propriety
and to the comfort of the animals and also it is very difficult even if not absolutely
impossible so to forin and stuff the insides of saddles as quite exactly to fit the
backs. Again horses and other animals alter in condition from time to time
whereby their backs must also to some extent change. The natural consequence
of the aforesaid variation difficulty and change is that the animals very frequently
Further the present
get sore backs and this is a very great and crying evil.
usual stuffing of the insides of saddles is very heating to and for the backs of
horses and other animals and it absorbs the perspiration thereby occasioned whereby
it tends to become hard and lumpy and the backs are very frequently galled. Further-
more when horses and other animals have sore backs or are galled they cannot
properly be used for they cannot well bear their saddles or carry any person or
any thing.
The object of this invention is to remedy these amongst other evils and so to fit
saddles of all descriptions that one and the same saddle can be placed on and
properly and conveniently adapt itself to the backs of horses and other animals
whatever may be the varying sizes and shapes and contours of such backs and that
the saddles so fitted shall be lighter and more comfortable to the animals than
those at present in use while they shall also be cooler and they can properly be
used even if and when the animals may have one or two or a few sores or galls or
lumps or other excrescences on their backs. Saddles fitted with this invention
therefore will be extremely useful on all occasions but perhaps more especially for
military purposes and this invention can quickly easily and cheaply be applied to
and fitted in any existing saddle.
To carry out this object to and on the inside of the saddle bow on each side in
the proper position the desired distance from and below the centre or apex of the
same and a little off or away from such saddle bow is supported in suitable brackets
preferably three in number a longitudinal rod. This rod is flexible to a certain
extent and may be created by a number of wires or pieces of whalebone or other
suitable material or may be a bar or a riband of metal or cane or rattan or the like
and tension is or may be if desired given to this rod. On the rod are mounted in
such wise that they can move thereon a number of stirrups or small plates of metal
or other suitable material with projecting lugs wherethrough the rod loosely
passes and on each stirrup is secured by rivets or otherwise a small panel or plate
made of metal or wood or leather or other suitable material and formed of the
desired size and shape and the whole series of panels so mounted on this rod is
preferably of a shape corresponding to that of the saddle bow plate.
Therefore as these panels are supported by the rod a certain distance off the inside
of the saddle bow and as they can separately oscillate on their supporting rod
which likewise is flexible to a certain extent the whole series of panels can

page_text: obviously adapt itself to the varying shapes and contours of the backs whereon the
saddle is placed while the two complementary series of panels in such saddle can
similarly adapt themselves to the varying sizes of the same and further as it is
obvious that air can enter and pass between the saddle bow and the panels the
saddle will not be so heating to and for such back while as the ordinary stuffing is
not required the saddle will be lighter.
When the horse or other animal has one or two or a few sores or galls or lumps
or other excrescences on its back the corresponding panel or panels can easily be
removed without vitiating the action aforesaid of the other panels and thus the
saddle so fitted with this invention can properly be used even in this case.
The faces of the panels may if desired be covered with leather or skins or any
other suitable material which will be in immediate contact with the back of the
animal. For example sealskin or sea calf's skin or the like is very suitable as also
is sheepskin especially of the kind commonly known as rasan which skins would
preferably be used with the hair outside or in immediate contact with the back of
the animal.
Dated thin 9th day of Tu 1902
66
"
HART & Co.,
186, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agents.
Communicated by Gabriel Bourrelley, of 199, Faubourg St. Honorè, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I JAMES MORISON BURNUP of 23 Carlisle Mansions Victoria Street in the
City of Westminster Gentleman 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:-
In saddles as at present ordinarily made and fitted the following evils amongst
others are very generally experienced. As the backs of horses and other animals are
not always and in all cases exactly of the same size and shape and contour but
commonly even if not invariably differ each saddle has to be or ought to be made for
each back and cannot be or ought not to be used or placed for or on another back
whereby the saddles are not interchangeable with propriety and to the comfort aud
well-being of the animals and further it is very difficult even if it be not absolutely
impossible so to form and stuff the insides of saddles as quite exactly to fit the backs.
Again horses and other animals will and naturally must change in condition from time
to time whereby their backs also must to some extent vary and then the saddles
can no longer exactly or properly fi unless and until the internal stuffing thereof
is complementarily varied. The natural and almost necessary consequence of the
aforesaid difference and difficulty and variation is that unless very great care is
taken and excessive caution is exercised the horses and other animals very
frequently get sore backs and this is an extremely great and crying evil.
Furthermore the present usual stuffing of the insides of saddles is very heating
to and for the backs of horses and other animals and it absorbs the perspiration
thereby occasioned or that otherwise is produced whereby it tends to become
hard and lumpy and the backs are thus very frequently galled. It need hardly
be pointed out that when horses and other animals have sore backs or are galled
they cannot properly be used for they cannot well or without discomfort and pain-
bear their ordinary saddles and thereon carry any person and any thing.
The object of this invention is to remedy these aforesaid and other evils by so
fitting and with such apparatus saddles of all descriptions that one and the same saddle
can conveniently be placed on and can properly and duly adapt itself to the backs

page_text: of horses and other animals whatever may be the differing and varying sizes and
shapes and contours of such backs and also that the saddles so fitted shall be lighter
and more comfortable to the animals than those at present in use while they shall
also be much cooler and further that the saddles so fitted can still properly be used
if and when the animals may have one or two or even it may be a few sores or
galls or lumps or other excrescences on their backs.
Saddles fitted with this invention will therefore be extremely useful and
advantageous everywhere and on all occasions aud by all persons but perhaps more
especially for military purposes and uses wherein these aforesaid evils are generally
even more experienced and felt and their consequences are even more serious than
on most ordinary occasions and this invention can quickly and easily and cheaply
be applied to and fitted in all existing saddles of whatever descriptions.
In order the more clearly to explain this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing wherein
Figure 1 is an elevation of the inner side of the half of an ordinary saddle
fitted with this invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the inner side of one convenient form and style of
construction and arrangement of the apparatus or that is to say of that side thereof
that faces the inner side of the saddle and
Figure 3 is a side elevation of this apparatus, partly in section.
On the inside of any ordinary and usual or other saddle tree or framework of a
saddle in the proper position the desired distance from and below and on one side
of the apex or central longitudinal line of the same are fitted and secured any
suitable and ordinary or other brackets B it may be as is shewn in the drawing
three in number in which case one such bracket B may be so fitted on each of the
saddle bows A at the front and the rear of the saddle and the other such
bracket B may be so fitted on the side bar G between such saddle bows A at or
about the middle of its length and these brackets B support and hold in any
convenient and appropriate manner a longitudinal rod C a little distance off or
away from the inside of such saddle tree. The rod C is flexible to a certain extent
and can follow the contour of the saddle tree and it may be created by a number
of metallic or other wires or pieces of whalebone or other such like and suitable
material or it may be a bar or riband of metal or cane or rattan or the like and
tension is or can be given to this rod C if necessary or desirable in any suitable and
ordinary or other manner. On the rod C can be separately mounted in such wise
that they can oscillate thereon any convenient number of stirrups D or very
small flat plates of metal or other rigid material made of any desired shape and it
may preferably be formed with transverse projecting lugs E wherethrough the
rod C loosely passes and on each stirrup D is secured by rivets or otherwise a small
panel For flat plate of metal or wood or leather or other suitable material which
may perhaps most conveniently be to a very slight extent flexible and these several
panels F are preferably made of such sizes and shapes and then are so arranged
that it may be as is shewn in Figure 2 the whole series of panels F so mounted on
this rod C corresponds with and in length and breadth and contour is like unto the
side bar G of the saddle tree.
Instead of securing the panels to the stirrups as is hereinbefore described and
shewn in the drawing it may sometimes be convenient or even preferable to
separately mount the panels directly on the rod in such wise that they can oscillate
thereon in any desirable manner and through and by means of any appropriate and
ordinary or other appliances and devices.
Instead also of mounting a large number of small panels on the rod as is shewn
in the drawing it may sometimes be convenient or even preferable to attach or
combine together two or more of the small panels shewn or that is to say to cause
and make fewer and larger panels to constitute the whole series of panels herein-
before described each of which fewer and larger panels would similarly be separately
mounted on the rod as is herein before described.
Instead again of supporting and holding the rod in and by three brackets as is

page_text: herein before described and shewn in the drawing it may sometimes be convenient
or even preferable to fit and secure on the inside of the saddle tree any further
desired number of similar or other brackets for the same purpose in which case
each bracket may perhaps preferably be so arranged and placed as to be at or
about the middle of each panel whatever may be the number of such panels that
constitute the whole series of panels hereinbefore described and then each bracket
may very suitably be so constructed in any appropriate and ordinary or other
manner that it is capable of adjustment and alteration in height so that it can
support the rod at the particular desired distance off or away from the inside of
the saddle tree.
This apparatus hereinbefore described is similarly fitted and arranged on each
side of the apex or central longitudinal line of the saddle tree and any desired
ordinary and usual or other saddle is placed and fitted on such saddle-tree in any
suitable and customary or other manner but the usual internal stuffing of such
saddle or the greater part thereof is not needed and can be and is dispensed with
as this saddle so fitted with this invention bears on and is carried by the back of
the horse or other animal through and by means of these two series of panels.
Therefore as the panels are supported by the brackets through the rods the
desired distance off or away from the inside of the saddle tree and as they can
separately oscillate on such supporting rods which likewise are flexible to a certain
extent each series of panels in the saddle can and obviously will adapt itself to the
differing and varying shapes and contours of the backs of the horses and other
animals whereon such saddle is or may from time to time and at any time be placed
while the two complementary series of panels in the saddle also can and obviously
will similarly further adapt themselves to the differing and varying sizes of such
backs and furthermore as air can enter and pass between the saddle bows and the
side bars of the saddle tree and the panels and also if so arranged and constructed
as is preferable and as is shewn in the drawing between the panels themselves for
their adjacent transverse edges are a little distance apart the saddle obviously will
be much cooler to and for the animals than are those at present in use while the
absence of the usual internal stuffing of such saddle or of the greater part thereof
also obviously will make it lighter and more comfortable for and to the animals
than are those at present in use as well as cooler.
If and when the horse or other animal has one or two or even it may be a few
sores or galls or lumps or other excrescences on its back the corresponding panel or
panels can easily be removed without in any wise vitiating or interfering with or
nullifying the aforesaid action of the other panels so long as a sufficient number say
for example four or three at the least of such panels remain and are retained to
properly constitute each whole series of panels and to duly perform the desired
function hereinbefore described and therefore the saddle so fitted with this inven-
tion can still properly be used even under these circumstances but it is obvious that
it is generally preferable in this case that a comparatively large number of small
panels should be provided to constitute the whole series of panels herein before
described and not a small number of large panels so that the greatest possible and
allowable bearing surface may be retained and utilized.
The outer or bearing faces of the panels may if desired be covered with skins or
Jeather or other suitable material which can be in immediate contact with the back
f the horse or other animal. For example sealskin or seacalf's skin or the like
is very suitable and appropriate especially when the saddle is to be placed
on the back of an horse as also is sheepskin more particularly of the kind commonly
known as and called " rasan which skins would preferably be used with the hair
utside or in immediate contact with the back of the horse or other animal.
"
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
elaim is
1. In a saddle the combination with the saddle bows A. and the side bars G of

page_text: a saddle tree of two flexible rods C brackets B on the inside of the saddle tree to
support the rods C and a series of oscillating panels F separately mounted on each
rod C substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and declared.
2. The improvements in saddles substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn
5 in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 18th day of November 1893.
HART & Co.,
186, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agents.