Improvements in Saddles for Spring Cart, Van, and like Heavy Harness.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1897-Accepted, 23rd Oct., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Saddles for Spring Cart, Van, and like Heavy
Harness.
I, EPHRAIM LIGGINS, of Paddington, near Sydney, in the Colony of New South
Wales, Saddler, 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 improvements in those kinds of saddles used in heavy
harness which have a tree whose principal part is the trough for the back band
and which have flaps (fixed to said tree) above the bearing boards of the pad, and
it has been specially devised in order that such saddles may be more quickly made
and be of better appearance and more weather proof than those heretofore manu-
factured. By these improvements the tree trough is fixed on the top of the flaps
without other perforation of said flaps than that needed for screws or rivets and
thus the saddle while very strong will have a light appearance be easily adjusted
and be practically waterproof while the terrets will be firmly held and little likely
to become loosened.
In a saddle constructed according to these improvements the tree consists of a
bent trough of metal having a counterpart or inverted trough also of metal as a
cover the base or bottom of the trough is laid upon the flaps which are whole with
the bearing boards underneath and bolts or screws are inserted through
the bottom of the trough the flaps and the bearing boards and being
tightened up hold the whole together. In the top of the trough at
the proper distance apart are two cross pieces having in them screwed
sockets for the terrets or the screwed ends of the stems of the terret rings.
which ends pass through holes in the cover or inverted trough and hold it firmly
to the trough. The outer ends of the cover or inverted trough are inwardly turned
to take over the metal of the trough and its bottom edge at either end and at points
midway if desired has lugs or ears for screws to fasten it to the leather of the flaps.
This bottom edge of the cover or inverted trough as well as other parts of it might
be more or less ornamented and it is in most cases made of polished metal or alloy
while the bent trough is preferably made of steel. The backband of the harness
(to which band the shaft tugs are attached) passes through the trough and has
free motion therethrough.
But in order that this invention may be clearly understood reference will now be
made to the drawings herewith in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation Figure 2
a plan and Figure 3 side view of a saddle constructed according to these improve-
ments Figure 4 shows on large scale a section on line a a in Figure 2 while
Figures 5 and 6 show on same scale sections of cover and trough rests respectively
taken apart Figures 7 and 8 are cross sections on lines b b and c c respectively
Figure 4. The metal trough A is bent to me required angle of the saddle and it
has bottom or base A¹ and sides A2 the former having punched or counter sunk
holes A for the heads of bolts A which bolts have countersunk heads and passing
through the leather flaps B and through the bearing boards B₁ underneath said
flaps and are screwed up by nuts A5 against the underside of said bearing boards

page_text: so that the trough or under tree is bolted tightly down upon said flaps the padding
or stuffing B2 of the saddle being attached to the flaps as ordinarily. The cover
or inverted trough or over tree C consisting of top or arch C and sides C² takes
over trough A the ends C thereof being turned inwardly form flanges over the
edges of the sides A2 of the trough A thus protecting said sides A2 from any out-
ward contact. At the base of the sides C2 of cover C at each end and if desired at
midway are lugs C by which the sides C2 are screwed down upon the leather flaps
and form water tight joints therewith a recess C is made in the back face of
cover C to take over the plate A6 which secures the crupper ring A7 to the under-
side of the trough A. Across the top of the trough A from side to side are two
cross pieces or bridges A8 formed solid with the trough or brazed or otherwise
fast thereto having screw sockets A into which through holes Co the stems D of
the terret rings D screw and so hold the cover and trough firmly together to form
the complete tree. The base or bottom A¹ is if necessary as when Hush bolts are
used or if desired is lined with say leather but is preferably left smooth metal. On
this base the backband of the harness has free movement from side to side of the
saddle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is:
First. In a saddle for spring cart van and like heavy harness the construction
and arrangement with the bearing boards such as 13₁ and leather flaps such as B
from which no part is cut away of metal tree consisting of a trough such as A. and
cover or inverted trough such as C taking over said trough such as A substantially
as herein described and explained.
Second. In a saddle for spring cart van and like heavy harness the construction
and arrangement with entire flaps such as B of a trough such as A bolted through
said flaps to the bearing boards and having bridges or cross pieces such as A8 for
sockets such as Aº for fastening screws or bolts but preferably for stems of terrets
or terret rings substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated
in the drawing.
Third. In saddle for spring-cart van and like heavy harness the construction
and arrangement with the parts such as those set out in the preceding (second)
claim of a cover such as C having ears or lugs such as C and preferably having
return flaps at the ends and recess such as C5 substantially as herein described and
explained and as illustrated in the drawing.
Fourth. The improved saddle for spring-cart van and like heavy harness sub-
stantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the drawing.
Dated this Sixteenth day of August One Thousand Eight Hundred and
Ninety-seven.