IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAPS OR BANDS TO BE USED AS SADDLE GIRTHS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Studdy, of Waddeton Court, in the County of
Devon, Gentleman, Commodoro Royal Dart Yacht Club, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAPS OR BANDS TO BE USED AS SADDLE GIRTHS AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Studdy at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th June 1881.
HENRY STUDDY, of Waddeton Court, in the County of Devon, Gentleman,
Commodore Royal Dart Yacht Club. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAPS OR BANDS TO
BE USED AS SADDLE-GIRTHS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to an improved apparatus or device designed to be used
as a saddle-girth, or as a strap or band for securing boxes, trunks, portmanteaus,
or the like, or for any other purpose where a strap or band is required, which
can be tightened with facility, so as to hold securely the article to which it is
applied.
In making a saddle-girth according to my Invention I proceed as follows, that is
to say I provide two bands of woven material or of any other suitable substance
such as is ordinarily used. Each band is of the same or about the same length as
the other, but there is a difference in the width, the one designed to lie next to
the animal's belly being somewhat wider than the other one. Both bands are
placed together in such a manner that the wider one covers the narrower one, but
each band is free to move independently of the other, although both act together
when tightened. To each end of the narrow or lower band I secure a buckle by
means of a strong leather strap, and to each end of the broad or upper band I
attach a leather strap, which enters the aforesaid buckle on the narrow band.
Before entering the buckle the strap is passed over a roller working freely upon a
metal frame, which is securely fastened to a strong flat piece of leather designed to
be attached in a suitable position to the saddle. This arrangement of strap,
buckle, roller, and leather piece is provided at each end of the said bands.

page_text: When a girth so made is in position upon the animal, the broad band is next to
his belly, and the straps at the two ends of this band lead up to the aforesaid
rollers, over which they pass, and turn downward and outward to and through the
buckles, the tongues of which enter holes in the straps provided in the usual
manner. When it is desired to tighten the girth upon the animal the loose end of
the strap on one or both sides is grasped and pulled upward against the buckle,
thus causing the strap to travel over the aforesaid roller and the girth to be
tightened. The roller being held by the leather piece to which it is attached,
forms a support for the strap, and the latter has another point of support in the
buckle, so that the tightening is effected with the greatest possible ease and
certainty.
With a girth so made a person riding a horso and desiring to tighten the girth
is not required to dismount for the purpose, as by reaching down and pulling
upward the free end of the strap on either side such tightening will be very readily
effected.
Narrow cross bands of thin metal, leather, or other material may be secured at
intervals along the lower surface of the wider band to serve as guides for the
narrow band, or to help to keep the two bands in the desired relative positions.
In some cases, instead of employing one flat piece of leather on each side to
connect the bands with the saddle, I may employ two or more of such pieces in
order to cause the pull upon the saddle to be evenly distributed at several points
of the same.
When applying my Invention for the purpose of securing boxes, trunks, or the
like for travelling or otherwise, the construction will be substantially the same as
above described, but it may for such uses be desirable to uso leather for the bands
instead of woven or similar material. The rollers may be fastened to the box,
trunk, or similar article in any suitable position, and the power obtained by the
arrangement above described will enable a person to tighten the bands around the
article with great facility and in such a manner that it will be far more secure
than is possible when using the ordinary straps, however much labour may be
expended to tighten the latter.

page_text: Figure 2 a top view of the said saddle girth.
Figure 3 is an end or edge view of Figure 1.
Like letters indicate the same parts in each of these Figures.
In constructing the said saddle-girth according to my Invention I proceed as
follows, that is to say-I provide two bands a, b, of woven material, or of any
other suitable material such as is ordinarily used. Each of these bands is of the
same or about the same length as the other, but there is a difference in their
width, that is to say, the band a, which when in use lies next to the animal's belly,
is somewhat wider than the band b beneath, as clearly shewn in Figure 1 of the
Drawing. The said bands are placed together in such a manner that the wider
band a covers the narrower band b, but each band is free to move independently of
the other, although both act or move together when their tightening up is effected.
To each end of the band 6 I secure a buckle c by means of a strong leather strap d,
and to each end of the band a I attach a leather strap e, which enters the aforesaid
buckle c on the band b, as clearly shewn in Figure 1. This strap e, between its
point of attachment to the band a and the buckle c, passes over a roller f working
freely upon a metal frame g, which is securely fastened to a strong piece h of
leather or other suitable material designed to be attached in a suitable position to
the saddle.
When a girth so made is in position the band a is next to the animal's belly,
and the straps e at the two ends of the same are passed over the rollers ƒ and
extend downward and outward to and through the buckle c, the tongues c¹ of
which enter holes in the said straps in the usual manner.
When it is desired to tighten the girth upon the animal the loose end of the
strap e on one or both sides is grasped and pulled upward through the buckle,
thus causing the said strap to travel over the roller fand the girth to be tightened.
This roller being held by the leather piece h forms a support for the said strap,
and as the latter has another point of support in the buckle the tightening up of
the girth is effected with the greatest possible ease and certainty.
With a girth so made a person riding a horse may readily tighten the girth
without requiring to dismount, as by pulling upward the free end of the strap e on
either sido such tightening may be very readily effected.
Narrow cross bands i of thin metal, leather, or other material may be secured
at intervals along the lower surface of the band a to serve as guides for the band b,
or to assist in keeping the two bands in their proper relative positions.
-
In some cases, instead of employing one flat piece h of leather on each side to
connect the bands a, b, with the saddle, I may employ two or more of such pieces
in order to cause the pull upon the saddle to be evenly distributed at several points
of the same.

page_text: When applying my Invention for securing boxes, trunks, or the like for
travelling purposes or otherwise, the construction will be substantially the same as
that above described, but it may for such uses be desirable to use leather for the
bands instead of woven or similar material. The rollers f in this case may be
attached to the box, trunk, or similar article in any suitable position, and the
power obtained by the arrangement above described will enable a person to tighten
the bands around the trunk or other article with great facility, and in such a
manner that it will be far more secure than is possible when using the ordinary
straps, however much labour may be expended in tightening the latter.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,
The combination with the band a and the straps e attached thereto and passing
over the rollers ƒ arranged as above described, of the band b provided with the
buckles, through which the said straps pass, and by which they are secured,
substantially as above set forth and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Studdy, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
H. STUDDY. (L.S.)