Improvements in Saddles for Horses and other Animals.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Saddles for Horses and other Animals.
We, RICHARD HOBBS TAUNTON of Brook Vale, Witton, near the City of Birmingham,
Engineer, and GEORGE HOLLOWAY, of The Avenue, Ellen Street, Brookfields
Birmingham, aforesaid, Manager of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to pad, harness, pack, draught, riding and other saddles used
upon horses and other animals, and has for one of its objects, a cool and light
saddle, for another object, a saddle which is self adjusting upon an animal's back, for
a further object, a resilient saddle, and for a still further object, the making of the
primary parts of such saddles entirely from sheet metal.
.
In carrying out our invention in connection with a cart-harness saddle, the base of
the saddle consists of two curved, connected-together and free-ended flaps made arch-
wise and in their combined cross sections alike in shape to the section of a bell with
a considerably expanded mouth and a narrow dome, to which a superstructure or
semi-circular or arch-shaped shell, with the ends extending to near the free ends of
the foundation or base, is affixed by bolts or otherwise.
The base, which is convexed at its outside top and concaved upon its outer sides, is
preferably made from thin sheet steel, with the marginal edges turned up into beadings
or flanges to stiffen the same, but when the said base, which is of about the inside
contour of a horse's back, is placed in position it self-conforms or falls to the shape of
the animal's back by its own weight.
Thus, when applied to a horse with a broad back, with the ridge narrower at the
front than at the back, then the sides of the base will spread out laterally, with the
rear part expanding and the front part contracting so as to follow the figure of
the back, which is admitted by the metal being flexible in all directions.
The superstructure or saddle tree being concaved, has a considerable all-through
and surrounding air space is formed between it and the flexible base, and we prefer
that the peak or ridge of the superstructure or top shell should have a clearance at
the middle of the forepart so as not to be in the way of a horse's neck when he throws
up his head.
Located between the opposite faces of the tree forming the outer shell (which is
made from thin sheet metal stiffened or strengthened by cross ribbings, beadings,
corrugations and the like and whose edges are reinforced by being turned over,
beaded or thickened) and the flexible foundation or base, are flat, coiled or other
springs or rubber blocks, pneumatic cushions or like buffering expedients, which, on
pressure coming upon the superstructure or shell, which may be fitted with an
ordinary trough-sectioned chain-race, yield or are compressed, thus greatly
relieving vibration from the upper part of the saddle and making the base take
a uniform bearing and equally distribute the weight upon it.
The belly-band or other harness are attached to the tree or superstructure and in
order to prevent the conduction of heat, we may employ asbestos facings to the base,
and in order to acquire a smooth surface we may employ celluloid, whilst to prevent
the superstructure swaying, it may be yieldingly tied to its base by bracings.
Di 11

page_text: The application of our invention to other saddles as enumerated differs in no
essential respect from its application to a harness pad saddle as described.
Dated this 1st day of September 1896.
RICHARD HOBBS TAUNTON,
GEORGE HOLLOWAY.
Improvements in Saddles for Horses and other Animals.
We, RICHARD HOBBS TAUNTON of Brook Vale, Witton, near the City of Birmingham,
Engineer, and GEORGE HOLLOWAY of The Avenue, Ellen Street, Brookfields, Birming-
ham aforesaid, Manager of Works, 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 pad, harness, pack, draught, riding and other saddles used
upon horses and other animals, and has for one of its objects, a cool and light saddle,
for another object, a saddle which is self adjusting upon an animal's back, for a
further object, a resilient saddle, and for a still further object, the making of the
primary parts of such saddles entirely from sheet metal.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a front end elevation of a
resilient and self-adjusting cart-harness saddle constructed in accordance with our
invention.
Figure 2 is a tranverse vertical section of the same.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section upon the dotted line x, figure 1.
Figure 4 is an underside plan of figure 1.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
In the cart-harness saddle represented in the aforesaid figures the base or
foundation a, of the same consists of two curved, and free-ended hinged flaps a', a²,
arranged so as to comprehend an arch-like space a³, or with their combined cross
sections resembling somewhat the section of a bell with a considerably expanded mouth
and a narrow dome. The upper and inward edges a', of these sections are bent over
into sleeves a5, which take over horizontal pivot bars b', arranged in a parallel pair
running longitudinally along the saddle, and having upturned ends 62, the summits
of which support the arched superstructure or semi-circular outer shell b, of the
saddle body, which is affixed to the said bar ends by nuts 63, whilst its edges b*,
extend downwards nearly to the free lower edges as, of the pivoted sections or flaps a²,
each of which is convexed at a, near its outside top and concaved at its lower
part a, and further, is preferably made from thin sheet steel, with the marginal
edges turned up into beadings or flanges as, to stiffen the same. When the said
base, which is of an inside contour approximately conforming to the shape of a
horse's back, is placed in position, it self-conforms or falls to the shape of the
animal's back so as to follow the figure of the back.
The superstructure or saddle tree being concaved, has a considerable all-through
and surrounding air space d, formed between it and the flexible base, thus keeping
the back of the animal wearing the saddle, ventilated and cool.
Located between the opposed faces of the tree or outer shell (which is made from
thin sheet metal stiffened or strengthened if required by cross ribbings, beadings,
corrugations and the like, with the edges b', reinforced by being turned over into
beadings b', or thickened) and the flexible foundation or base, are metal springs e,
which act as buffering expedients on pressure coming upon the superstructure or

page_text: shell, whereby the same are compressed or made to yield, thus greatly relieving
vibration and causing the sections of the elastic base to take a uniform bearing upon
the horse's back and an equal distribution of the weight of the load upon it.
Each of the said springs e, consists of two arms e, e, with their outer ends e³, e',
respectively secured to the inside of the superstructure by a nut and pin es, and to
the outside of the concaved part of the flap sections by being coiled around a stud e³,
whilst the junction of the inward ends of the said arms with one another is fashioned
into a loop coil e. The superstructure is also provided with the usual trough-
sectioned chain race f, whilst the belly-band g, is attached by pins and nuts g¹ to
the inside of the said superstructure, which is also provided with other barness
connections h, i, secured thereto in any suitable manner and the forward ends of the
pair of parallel pivot bars b¹, are provided with a leather shield 66.
Instead of double armed springs as shown, I may employ tongue, flat, helical coiled
or other springs, or rubber blocks, pneumatic cushions or like buffering expedients
interposed between the superstructure and base of the saddle, which said base need
not necessarily be in two jointed sections or flaps as shown, as if desired, each flap
may be subdivided into two or more hinged sections severally provided with in-
dependent interposed springs, or the said opposite flaps may be made continuous or
from a single sheet of spring metal, in which case they are arranged to open out to
conform to the shape of the horse's back simply by virtue of their own elasticity.
In order to prevent the conduction of heat, we may employ asbestos facings to the
elastic base, and in order to acquire a smooth surface we may face the contact parts
of the said base with celluloid, whilst to prevent the superstructure swaying, it may
be yieldingly tied to its base by bracings.
The application of our invention to other saddles as enumerated differs in no
essential respect from its application to a cart harness pad saddle as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:-
First. A cart-harness, pad or other analogous saddle, comprising a superstructure
or outer shell, yieldingly supported upon a self-adjusting base, which lends or
conforms itself to the general shape or figure of the animal's back, substantially as
described and set forth.
Secondly. In cart-harness, pad and other analogous saddles providing the same
with an elastic self-adjusting or self-conforming base or foundation comprising two or
more sections or flaps jointed to or hung from the inside crown of a rigid super-
structure or outer shell, and with springs or yielding expedients interlocated between
the opposed parts of the base and superstructure and adapted to admit of the said
sections being self-adjusting, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set
forth.
Thirdly. In cart-harness, pad and other analogous saddles, the general construction,
arrangement and combination of the parts, substantially as and for the purpose
described and set forth.
Fourthly. In saddles of the kind referred to in the preceding claims, making the
superstructure and the sections of the elastic base from sheet metal and beading the
edges and corrugating the same at parts, to give stiffness or strength thereto,
substantially as described and set forth.
Datcu CHIS IS
пе 1084.
RICHARD HOBBS TAUNTON.
GEORGE HOLLOWAY.
By Henry Skerrett, 24 Temple Row Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.