Year: 1886

page_text: I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co: 'Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to
ine from abroad by Louis Frederic Albert Bourguet, Military Veterinary Surgeon
and Albert Edouard Nicolas Decarpentry, Gentleman, both of Douai, in the
Republic of France) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement (and
accompanying drawing) 'that to say :-
This invention relates to stirrups ordinarily used by persons riding on horseback,
and it has for its object an improved method of constructing such stirrups by
which great convenience and comfort are secured to the rider. An ordinary stirrup
is composed of three parts,-1st the eye through which the stirrup leather passes,
2nd the sides which separate downward from the eye so as to enclose a space for
the rider's foot, 3rd the foot plate which connects the lower end of the branches
and which supports the foot of the rider.
In 'stirrups as heretofore made the object has been 'to give the foot plate such
a form as to reduce the chance of the foot slipping from it or to so arrange it
that in case of the rider being thrown he is not caught and dragged along by
his foot.
The improved stirrup has quite a different object, mainly to lessen or prevent
fatigue and the tiring nature of riding, rendering the action easy and enabling the
rider to use his legs better in guiding his horse. In all existing stirrups opposition
is offered to the free oscillating movements of the rider's foot both round the
principal articulation at the ankle and the smaller articulations of the metatersus
and phalanx,, and particularly, the movement of "extension" caused by lowering
the point of the foot, as opposed to the movement of flexion, produced by raising
the point of the foot and lowering the heel.
Ordinary stirrups cause the rider an inconvenience which soon ends in fatigue
from its interference with these frequently repeated natural movements which are
essential to give flexibility and grace to the rider, to 'compensate to some extent 'for
jars and shocks, and to render his seat in the saddle easier.

page_text: When the foot rests properly upon a footplate of a stirrup, it is in contact at the
same time with both the front and back edges of the latter, and in this position
the rider is comfortable. But when, from any cause, the simultaneous contact of the
foot with both edges of the footplate ceases, the rider becomes at once uncomfortable
and ill at ease until by contractions of his foot which are very fatigueing it regains
its complete contact with the stirrup. This is an evil which is of constant
occurrence with ordinary stirrups, in the case of poor riders, or those who are out
of practice so that many in order to obtain more easily the desired position of
double contact with the footplate, acquire a bad position of the legs which they
keep too forward bringing the stirrup leather into an inclined instead of its proper
vertical position.
Moreover, in riding it is often desirable to lower the toe of the foot, without
moving the leg backward or forward; and with ordinary stirrups this is impossible
from the resistance of the foot plate, at any rate without raising the knee which
is always to be avoided in riding.
I
In the improved stirrup which forms the subject of this invention, the foregoing
objections are avoided, first by allowing the foot plate to follow without resistance,
all the movements of the foot whether up or down, forward or backward, thus
causing great relief to the joints of the foot, second by allowing the foot to retain
the desired double contact with the foot plate in all positions; third, by thus
rendering the proper position of the legs easy; fourth, by allowing the toes to be
turned down, without the knees rising, as in ordinary stirrups.
The invention consists therefore, essentially, in constructing stirrups so that the
foot plate can follow all the oscillating movements of the foot, and the detailed
method of doing this, may be varied more or less. In the accompanying drawing
which is in illustration of the invention stirrups are shewn answering the necessary
requirements but varying slightly in their details.
In all of them the foot plate of the stirrup is arranged so that it can oscillate
upon a transverse axis, in a manner somewhat similar to stirrups which have
sometimes been made for an entirely different purpose, that is to say to allow the
ready disengagement of the foot; the necessary modifications and alterations béing.
made for the purpose of the present invention, as for instance the removal of the
bar or stop which has heretofore been used to prevent the oscillation of the foot-
plate forward and to limit it in this direction to the horizontal position; or the
alteration of the position of such bar or stop so that it allows within proper limits
the necessary oscillating movements in either direction. Or, the extent of the
oscillation backward may be limited, but always so as to leave sufficient movement
for the purposes above described. These alterations are essential, as without them
the results claimed could not be obtained.
:
The foot plate may be arranged to oscillate as described on a transverse axis
consisting either of a fixed spindle or bar, or two pivots situated upon the ends of
the foot plate, or upon the lower ends of the sides of the stirrup. The pivots may
either form part of the stirrup or of the plate, or may be made separate and
moveable, the only necessary condition being that the foot plate should be capable
of oscillating freely, in front of the stirrup sides to facilitate the movements of
extension in the foot, and behind them in order to allow those of flexion.
In the drawing, the same letters of reference indicate the same parts, in the
several figures. A is the eye for the stirrup leather. B, B, the sides of the stirrup.
C, the footplate. D, D, pivots on which the footplate oscillates.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are vertical sections of the stirrup through the axis of
oscillation. In figure 1 the pivots form part of the plate; in figure 2 they are
made separately and fixed in the plate; in figure 3 forming part of the stirrup
sides; and in figure 4 they are fixed upon the sides.
Figure 5 shews an open foot plate.

page_text: Figure 8 a stirrup in which the ends of the pivots are rivetted or hammered
over, after having been introduced into the stirrup; figure 9 shews a side view of
the lower end of the side of the stirrup; and figure 10 a footplate having a con-
tinuous transverse axis or spindle.
The shape and dimensions of the improved stirrups may be varied more or less
as may be desired, and the footplate is preferably hung so that its centre of
gravity is below the axis on which it turns, in order that its upper surface may
take its proper horizontal position when the foot of the rider is withdrawn
from it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which it is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The stirrup having a footplate suspended upon a transverse axis or pivots, so
that it can oscillate either in front or at the back of the sides of the stirrup,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn in the drawing.