IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Moody, of Plumstead, in the County of
Kent, Saddler, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES."
Sealed the 17th March 1871, and dated the 1st October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Moody at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st October 1870.
I, JOSEPH MOODY, of Plumstead, in the County of Kent, Saddler, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SADDLES," to be as follows:-
:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
constructing those parts of saddles or saddle trees commonly called the
head or pummel at the front of the saddle or tree, and the cantle at the
back of the saddle or tree.
By my improvements great strength combined with lightness and
simlicity of construction are secured, and also facility in fastening the
seat to the saddle, and when required the pack or baggage hooks.
.

page_text: My improvements are particularly applicable to pack or military
saddles, but are also applicable to ordinary saddles.
My improvements consist in making the pummel and cantle of the
saddle or saddle tree of T shaped iron as herein-after described.
In constructing a pack or military saddle according to my Invention,
I use T shaped iron for the pummel and cantle of the saddle tree instead
of wood, or wood combined with iron as usual. The T shaped iron is
bent into arched or bow-shaped bars, the ends of the said bow-shaped
bars being straight. The flat part of the T shaped bar is situated
vertically and the rib or flange projecting from the flat part is situated
horizontally. When the two bow or arch shaped bars forming the
pummel and cantle of the saddle tree are combined together their
projecting flanges or ribs are presented to each other and constitute.
ledges and attachment pieces. The lower straight ends of the ribs or
flanges of the arched bars are rivetted to the tree of the saddle, and the
riding seat of the saddle is attached to those parts of the ribs or flanges
situated at the bow or arched parts. To the said ribs or flanges at the
bow or arched parts hooks are rivetted for carrying ordinary baggage.
By prolonging the straight parts of the T iron of the arched or bow
shaped bars down the sides of the saddle a strong and light frame saddle
is made, the said frame saddle being especially adapted for military
purposes to carry guns, litters, and ammunition boxes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Moody in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPHI
MOODY, of Plumstead, in the County of Kent, Saddler, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Joseph Moody, Her special licence that I, the said
Joseph Moody, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Joseph Moody, my executors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: '
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed should and -
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle:
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Moody, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date.
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Moody, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof,, that is to say :—
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
constructing those parts of saddles or saddle trees commonly called
the head or pummel at the front of the saddle or tree, and the cantle at
the back of the saddle or tree.
By my improvements great strength combined with lightness and
simplicity of construction are secured, and also facility in fastening the
seat to the saddle, and when required the pack or baggage hooks.
My improvements are particularly applicable to pack or military
saddles but are also applicable to ordinary saddles..
My improvements consist in making the pummel and cantle of the
saddle or saddle tree of T shaped iron as herein-after described. In
constructing a pack or military saddle according to my Invention I
use T shaped iron for the pummel and cantle of the saddle tree instead
of wood or wood combined with iron as usual. The T shaped iron is
bent into arch or bow shaped bars, the ends of the said bow shaped
bars being straight. The flat head part of the T shaped bar is situated
vertically, and the rib or flange projecting from the middle of the flat.
head part is situated horizontally. When the two bow or arch shaped
bars forming the pummel and cantle of the saddle tree are combined
together, their projecting horizontal flanges or ribs are presented to
each other and constitute ledges and attachment pieces. The lower
straight ends of the ribs or flanges of the arched bars are rivetted to the.

page_text: tree of the saddle, and the riding seat of the saddle is attached to those
parts of the ribs or flanges situated at the bow or arched parts. To the
said ribs or flanges at the bow or arched parts hooks are rivetted for
carrying ordinary baggage. By prolonging the straight parts of the
Tiron of the arch or bow shaped bars down the sides of the saddle a
strong and light frame saddle is made, the said frame saddle being
especially adapted for military purposes to carry guns, litters, and
ammunition boxes.
The improvements described may be applied to ordinary saddles.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan a pack or military saddle constructed
according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the
same taken on the line a, Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a cross section of the
same taken on the line b, Figure 1; Figure 4 represents in front elevation,
and Figure 5 in section a portion of the same drawn to a larger scale,
and Figures 6 and 7 represent a modification of the same as herein-
after explained. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts
in each of the Figures of the Drawing.
The head or pummel at the front of the saddle or tree and the cantle
at the back of the saddle or tree are made of arch or bow shaped bars,
each bar being marked c, d. The iron from which the said bars c, d, c, d,
are made is of a T shape in cross section. The flat head c of the arch
or bow shaped bar is situated vertically on the outer sides of the saddle
tree, and the rib or flange d projecting from the middle of the flat
head c is situated horizontally as best seen in the section Figure 2.
The horizontal ribs or flanges d, d, of the bow shaped bars c, d, c, d,
forming the pummel and cantle of the saddle tree are situated on the
inner side of the saddle tree, that is, are presented to each other, the
said flanges or ribs d; d, constituting ledges for fastening the seat
of the saddle to as well as the baggage hooks and also attachment
pieces for connecting the pummel and cantle to the saddle tree.
The lower straight ends d³, d³, of the bow shaped bars are rivetted to
the wooden tree e, e, of the saddle, and the riding seat f of the saddle
is rivetted to the ribs or flanges d, d, at the summit of the bow or arch
shaped bars of the saddle tree. When the pack saddle is required to
be furnished with baggage hooks, the baggage hooks marked g, g, in the

page_text: Drawing are rivetted by the connection piece g³ to the summit of the
flanges d, d, of the bars c, d, c, d, previous to the rivetting of the riding
seat to the said bars.
It will be seen by referring to Figure 3 that the connection piece g³
of each of the pairs of hooks g, 9, at the pummel and cantle of the saddle
tree is made of a bow shape to seat itself upon the bow shaped flange d
to which it is rivetted. To the bottom of the straight parts d², d³, of
the arched bars c, d, c, d, wooden side bars or pieces h, h, are jointed
by the hooked parts i, i, rivetted to the said side bars h, h, engaging
with the eyes or loops k, k, made in the ends of the bars c, d, c, d.
The wooden side bars h, h, by turning on the joints at i, k, permit the
saddle to be used with animals of different sizes. The pads of the pack
saddle are connected to the ends of the tree e, e, in the usual way.
When it is wished to construct a frame saddle according to my Invention
the straight lower ends d³, d³, of the arched bars c, d, c, d, are prolonged
to the required extent down the sides of the saddle. A frame saddle so
made is both strong and light, and is fitted for carrying guns, litters,
and ammunition boxes. When a saddle or tree of less weight is required
than can be made by the use of bow or arch shaped bars of T iron,
angle iron may be used in place of T iron, that is to say, one end of the
branches of the flat head cof the T iron may be omitted or removed
so as to convert the T iron into angle iron.
Figure 6 represents in front elevation, and Figure 7 in cross section
a bow or arch shaped bar made of angle iron to be used for forming
the pummel and cantle of the saddle tree in the manner described and
illustrated in place of the T shaped bars. In the said Figures 6 and 7
the horizontal flange or rib of the bow shaped bar to which the riding
seat of the saddle and baggage hooks are rivetted is marked d, and the
vertical part of the bow shaped bar forming the outer face of the said
bar is marked c. The saddle tree may be further lightened by removing
the flat double or single head c of the bow shaped bar situated below
that part of the bow of the bar to which the scat and hooks are rivetted,
the straight ends d², d², in this case being made from the flange or rib d.
In placing of T or angle bars of iron T or angle bars of steel may be
used in the formation of the bow or arch shaped pummel and cantle.
Although I have only described and represented my improvements as
applied to a pack saddle and frame saddle yet my said improvements are
equally applicable to ordinary saddles.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that
I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and
illustrated as the same may be varied without departing from the nature
of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention the improvements in
saddles herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, that is to say, making the pummel at the front and the cantle
at the back of the saddle or tree of bow or arch shaped bars of T iron or
steel or angle iron or steel, the said bow or arch shaped bars of T or
angle iron or steel being constructed, combined, and used substantially
as herein-before described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Moody, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
B. WILLCOX, .
Clerk to H. H. Murdoch,
7, Staple Inn,
W.C.
JOSEPH MOODY. (L.S.)