Improvements in Horse Collars and Saddles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1895-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Horse Collars and Saddles.
We, ANDREW FERGUSON MCLENNAN of Main Street, Drymen, General
Dealer, and JOHN FAIRIE of 82 West Nile Street, Glasgow, Chartered
Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to horse collars and saddles.
In carrying out our invention we make the outside of the collar and the saddle
preferably of the same material as that in use, generally leather, and the shape is
also, by preference, the same. The inner surface or lining is, however, made of
pliable india-rubber and is cast, moulded or made into somewhat the same shape as
at present.
A space is left between the rubber lining and the leather or other
backing and this space is inflated with air or gas in the same manner as a cycle
tyre. The valves for inflating purposes are preferably fitted at the top of the
collar and saddle so as to be out of harm's way.
These
The collar and saddle may be divided by rubber or other partitions into_com-
partments which communicate with each other by holes or passage ways.
partitions impart sufficient strength to the material to give an uniform resistance
to the air pressure and as the holes are comparatively small the air is prevented
from passing rapidly from one compartment to the other.
The rubber surface or lining of the collar and saddle may be ribbed or corru-
gated and be covered or partially covered or padded on the surface next the skin
with soft fabric or material.
If desired the collar and saddle may be made with ventilating holes or passage
ways.
The inflating valves are preferably arranged with a screw and spring device
so that if the inflation is too great a little air may readily be allowed to
escape.
The saddles and collars may be made of any suitable size and shape so as to fit
any horse or pony.
The inflated lining may be applied to metal horse collars.
Improvements in Horse Collars and Saddles.
We, ANDREW FERGUSON MCLENNAN, of Main Street, Drymen, General
5 Dealer, and JOHN FAIRIE, of 82 West Nile Street, Glasgow, Chartered
Accountant, 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 pneumatic horse collars and saddles.

page_text: The improved pneumatic collar and saddle, which is otherwise of the usual
construction, is provided with a soft and resilient lining or pad formed of one or
more inflated chambers made of pliable india rubber and which have rubber or
other flexible partitions dividing them into compartments. The chambers can be
inflated by means of one or more ordinary inflating valves fitted preferably at the
top of the collar or saddle so as to be out of harm's way.
The partitions are so arranged that whilst they give a certain amount of
strength and support to the walls of the chambers they stay the material of the
walls and thereby enable it to offer a more uniform resistance to the air pressure.
The partitions are provided with communicating passage ways which are so made
and arranged, that, when a compartment is subjected to a sudden pressure, by the
exertions of the horse or otherwise. the air therein is prevented from passing
rapidly and suddenly into the adjoining compartment or compartments. When
the abnormal pressure is relieved the ejected air passes back again through the
passage ways freely. The air being confined in the compartment subject to
pressure in this manner prevents the shoulders or other part of the horse, as
the case may be, coming in contact with the hard back frame of the collar or
saddle.
And in order that our said invention may be properly understood we have
hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the horse collar.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line - Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation slightly in perspective of a side saddle.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line a Fig. 3 of the seat of the saddle
Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cart-horse saddle.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged section of one side of the saddle Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 shows in section a partition and the passage ways therein, and illustrates
the action of the latter.
Referring to the drawings
In Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the collar is provided with a flexible rubber
lining or pad A extending round the neck and which is divided into two
chambers Y, Z, one at each side of the neck, by means of a solid wall or
partition D. Each chamber is divided into somewhat triangular compartments C,
C1, C2, (3, by flexible rubber partitions B, B1, B2, which, instead of being
perpendicular to the walls, are arranged at an angle thereto and cross diagonally
from side to side of the chamber. By arranging the partitions in this manner
a certain amount of strength and support is given to the walls of the chambers
without exposing hard solid stiff surfaces or ridges for the horse to press against.
The partitions, which act to a certain extent as stays, also strengthen the
material of the walls and enable it to better retain its shape and also give a
more uniform resistance to the air pressure. In order to better show the method
of fitting the partitions the lining K and inner wall Y¹ of the chamber Y have
been removed in Fig. 1. The partitions are secured to the walls at the
parts m, n, o, F.
The compartments communicate with each other by the passage ways E of
which there may be three or other suitable number in each partition wall. The
passage ways may be of any of the shapes shown in section at E, E², E³, E4, E³,
Fig. 7. The passage way E' is large and tapered, at one side, at e', but com-
paratively small and restricted at the other side at e. The passage way E2 has
the small restricted part e near the centre of the partition with widened out
parts e, e², at each side. The passage way E3 differs only from E' in that the
restricted part e is made longer. The passage way E4 is much the same as E³
but is slightly larger in diameter and the part 2 somewhat larger. The passage
way E is curved throughout the restricted part e being at or near the centre of
the partition. The flared openings e', e² are also both about the same size.

page_text: The view at the right hand side shows the action of the passage ways with their
comparatively small and restricted openings e when the partition wall B is pressed
or bulged outwards, by the sudden pressure on the air in a compartment, caused by
the exertions of the horse or otherwise. As will be seen the rubber partition
acting under compression on one side and tension on the other side tends to close
or partially close the small orifices e thereby preventing, as aforesaid, the sudden
and rapid exit of air from the compartment on which the pressure is exerted. The
greater the abnormal pressure the greater is the closure of the holes e. When the
pressure is relieved or the partition bulged out the opposite way (see left hand
view) there is not the same closure of the passage ways as the compression now
takes place on the side of the partition having the comparatively large open parts e¹
of the passage ways. As a consequence air can pass through freely.
The partitions, are preferably sewn, cemented, solutioned and (or) rivetted in
place in the chambers.
The side saddle shown at Figs. 3 and 4 has an inflated pad H forming the seat.
An opening is made in the top of the saddle in order that the rider may be in
direct contact with the top wall H₁ of the pad which latter is interposed between
the back of the horse and the rider and forms a resilient seat. This pad H is
divided into compartments C by means of the partitions B, B1, B2, secured to
the walls at n', 'm', o¹, p¹, and having passage ways E in the same manner as
the collar Figs. 1 & 2.
The cart horse saddle I Figs. 5 and 6 has a lining formed of two pads J, J',
which are divided into compartments C, C1, C2 in the same manner as before by,
in this case, preferably, two partitions B, B. In order to show the partitions the
end walls of the pads J, J', (Fig. 5) have been cut away. The inside wall and
lining of one pad J¹ has also been cut and bent down.
On the drawings F, F1, F2, F³, are inflating valves.
In some cases sponge rubber padding may be used in conjunction with the
inflated pads.
The arrangement of the partitions can be modified and other forms of passage
ways besides those shown at Fig. 7 can be used provided they have the same or a
similar effect or action.
The rubber wall or lining of the pads of the collar and saddle may be ribbed or
corrugated and be covered or partially covered on the surface next the skin with
soft fabric or material.
If desired the collar and saddle may be made with ventilating holes or passage
ways.
The inflated lining can be applied to horse collars made of aluminium or other
metal.
If desired communicating passage ways can be made in the structure or
framework of the collar or saddle.
The invention can be applied to the different classes of saddles and collars.
The rubber partitions can be made thinner or thicker as may be found most
suitable to meet the requirements and to give the best effect.
The rubber pads may be moulded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. Pneumatic horse collars and saddles in which the pneumatic pad or lining is
divided into compartments, by means of flexible partitions, such as B, having small
passage ways, which, when a compartment is subjected to sudden pressure, prevents
the air contained therein passing rapidly and suddenly into the adjoining com-
partment or compartments, substantially as and for the advantages herein before
set forth.
2. The improved pneumatic horse collar and saddles with their compartments,

page_text: partitions, and passage ways constructed and arranged substantially as herein before
described and shown on the annexed drawings.
Dated this 4th day of June 1895.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.