AN IMPROVED SADDLE BAR
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Albert Barnsby, of Walsall, in the County
of Stafford, Brown Saddler, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SADDLE
BAR."
Sealed the 16th May 1879, and dated the 29th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Albert Barnsby at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1878.
JOSEPH ALBERT BARNSBY, of Walsall, in the County of Stafford, Brown Saddler.
" AN IMPROVED SADDLE BAR."
The object of my Invention is the construction of a saddle bar, which, while
properly and securely holding the stirrup leather or strap while the rider is seated
upon the horse, will immediately release it should the rider be thrown and his or
her foot remain entangled in the stirrup.
I effect my object by carrying the stirrup leather upon a moveable or pivoting
lever instead of a fixed horizontal support as hitherto.
The ordinary saddle bar has a hinged piece which is lowered to admit the
stirrup leather, and when pushed up again locks the stirrup leather in the
bar.
About where this hinged piece is usually pivoted I pin or hinge a lever or elbow
having a short and a long arm, the short arm acting like the hinged piece of the
ordinary saddle bar, and the long arm supporting the stirrup leather as it hangs in
the usual manner from the bar.
I may form each face of that arm of the saddle bar which usually carries the
stirrup leather with a diagonal seat, slanting from the end of the arm where the
lever is hinged up to the other end, and make the long arm of the moveable or
pivoting lever with corresponding flanges, so that when down upon this fixed arm
it comes upon it like a cap and cannot have any lateral motion; or I may make
the long arm of the lever take into the fixed arm of the bar in any convenient
•

page_text: manner; or, again, I may make the long arm to simply come with a plane surface
upon the bar.
I may leave more space than is usual, between the top and bottom arms of the
bar, and curve the top arm so as to guide the stirrup leather to the upper part of
the short arm of the hinged lever, and thus obtain the greatest leverage upon it
when there is a drag upon the stirrup.
I may also shape the short arm of the pivoting or hinged lever so that the
pressure of the edge of the stirrup leather against it, while the leather is down on
the long arm, will not force it open, and I may also place a spring in the hinge to
prevent the moveable piece from pivoting or turning too readily on its hinge after
long use.
My improved saddle bar may be riveted to the saddle tree in the ordinary
manner, or secured to the saddle in any suitable way.
In fitting the stirrup leather it is easily passed over the short arm of the hinged
lever, and by its weight keeps the long arm down upon the fixed bar; but should
the rider be thrown this long arm will rise and, together with the curve of the
upper fixed arm, incline the stirrup leather to the top of the short arm of the
hinged piece, and as this turns on its pivot or hinge the long arm will act as a lever
to eject the stirrup leather.
I may make my improved saddle bar of polished steel or of any suitable metal or
material, and of any size.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Albert Barnsby in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 26th
May 1879.
JOSEPH ALBERT BARNSBY, of Walsall, in the County of Stafford, Brown Saddler.
"AN IMPROVED SADDLE BAR."
The object of my Invention is the construction of a saddle bar which while properly
and securely holding the stirrup leather or strap while the rider is seated upon the
horse, will immediately release it should the rider be thrown and his foot remain
entangled in the stirrup.
I effect my object by carrying the stirrup leather upon a moveable or pivoting
cranked lever instead of a fixed horizontal support as hitherto.
The ordinary saddle bar has a hinged piece which is lowered to admit the
stirrup leather, and when pushed up again locks the stirrup leather in the
bar.
About where this.hinged piece is usually pivoted I pin or hinge a cranked lever
or elbow having a short and a long arm, the short arm acting like the hinged piece
of the ordinary saddle bar, and the long arm supporting the stirrup leather as it
hangs in the usual manner from the bar.
I may form each face of that arm of the saddle bar which usually carries the
stirrup leather with a diagonal seat, slanting from the end of the arm where the
lever is hinged up to the other end, and make the long arm of the moveable or pivoting
lever with corresponding flanges, so that when down upon this fixed arm it comes
upon it like a cap and cannot have any lateral motion; or I may make the long
arm of the lever take into the fixed arm of the bar in any convenient manner; or,
again, I may make this long arm to simply come with a plane surface upon the
bar.
I may leave more space than is usual between the top and bottom arms of the
bar and curve the top arm so as to guide the stirrup leather to the upper part of
the short arm of the hinged lever and obtain the greatest leverage upon it when
there is a drag upon the stirrup.
I may also shape the short arm of the pivoting or hinged lever, so that the
pressure of the edge of the stirrup leather against it while the leather is down on
the long arm will not force it open, and I may also place a spring in the hinge to
prevent the moveable piece from pivoting or turning too readily on its hinge after
long use.
My improved saddle bar may be rivetted to the saddle tree in the ordinary
manner.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawing shows saddle bars embodying my Inven-
tion,―
Figure 1 being a front view of my improved saddle bar.
Figure 2 represents the same having the arm or lever raised.
Figure 3 illustrates a saddle bar fitted with a spring, and
Figure 4 shews the arm or lever raised and the stirrup leather in the act of
releasing itself. The extreme position of the arm being indicated by the dotted
lines,
A, being the saddle bar.
B, the stirrup leather.
C, is the long arm of the moveable cranked lever.
D, the short arm of the moveable cranked lever.
E, hinge pin.
F, spring.
In fitting the stirrup leather it is easily passed over the short arm D of the
hinged lever, and by its weight keeps the long arm C down upon the fixed

page_text: will rise, and, together with the curve of the upper part of the bar A, incline
the stirrup leather to the top of the short arm D of the hinged lever, and as
this turns on its pivot or hinge pin E the long arm will act as a lever to eject
the stirrup leather, as shown at Figure 4.
•
I may make my improved saddle bar of polished steel or of any suitable
metal or material, and of any size.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is or may be performed, what
I claim as secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
The use in a saddle bar of the moveable or pivoting cranked lever C, substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore specified."
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Albert Barnsby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.