IMPROVE- MENTS IN SADDLE STIRRUP BARS
Year: 1884

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I, WILLIAM WOOLLEY of St Martin's Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Saddler, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SADDLE STIRRUP BARS "-and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of my invention is to so construct the stirrup bar of a saddle, that
should a rider get thrown from his horse, the stirrup leathers carrying the stirrups,
become disengaged from the bars upon which they are suspended, thereby liberating
the rider; that is, on a rider being thrown and becoming entangled with the
stirrups on one' or other side of the horse, the stirrup strap instantly becomes
liberated or disengaged by the opening out of the bar upon which it is suspended,
as hereinafter particularly described.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a stirrup bar and parts connected with it,
constructed according to my invention, the stirrup leather being shown in the
position which it assumes when being used, the attachment parts which are
concealed under the leather of the saddle being shewn in dotted lines-Figure 2 is
a front elevation of the stirrup bar and parts connected with it detached from a
saddle or tree Figure 3 is a front elevation of the bar separately, and figure 4
shows the upper joint, with its square eye which locks the bar when in its normal
position Figure 5 is a plan of figure 1 shewing the curvature of the bar, and
figure 6 shows the bar thrown back, and the stirrup leather in the act of being
liberated, when a rider has been thrown-Figure 7 is a plan of figure 6, the dotted
lines and arrow show the direction which the bar takes on the stirrup leather being
disengaged therefrom.. Figure 8 is a cross section showing the position which the
bar takes when at right angles to the saddle. This view shows also more clearly
the action of the heel of the bar upon the spring, which assists to retain it in
position when closed.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the Drawing
a is the jointed stirrup bar, and a its curved end, which comes in direct contact
with the bar of the tree. as a³ are the rounded joints upon which the bar a turns,
the upper of the two joints a³ is squared at its extremity a', which squared part
takes into the square eye of the joint or upper knuckle b. c is the lower bearing
or knuckle which has a circular hole or eye. d is a flat spring free end of which is

page_text: acted upon by the heel a³ of the bar a. e is the bracket or supporting.plate
carrying the bar, and parts connected with it, the said bracket or plate c is attached
by screws or rivets or otherwise, to the saddle-tree f. g is the stirrup leather
carrying stirrup in which the rider places his foot.
In using the liberating stirrup bar, it remains in the position figure 1, so long as
the rider keeps to his seat with his feet firmly pressed upon the stirrups The
stirrup bar is kept in position, that is, it is prevented from being moved laterally from
the face of the saddle, partly by the tail end of the spring d acting upon the heel a³
of the bar; and further, by the square a of the axis a³ of the said bar, taking
into the square eye of the knuckle or joint b.
On a rider getting thrown from his horse, the stirrup strap g is disengaged
from the bar a by the jolting or jumping upwards of the bar; that is, should a
rider get thrown on one side, and entangled in the stirrup, the unequal weight and
jolting on the one side raises vertically the bar, so as to remove the square axis a
and bring the round of the joint a³ into the eye of the joint or knuckle b (see
figure 3) thereby allowing the bar a to fly open, as represented in figure 6, liberating
the stirrup strap, and so freeing the rider on being thrown forward.
Should the rider be thrown backward, the stirrup strap is released from under
the point a² of the horn shaped bar a.
said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is-
-
First-Constructing liberating or releasing stirrup saddle bars herein before
described and illustrated in the several figures of the Drawing, by which a person
on being thrown, is instantaneously liberated by the first rising and then opening
out of the bar or bars carrying the stirrup strap or straps, the parts being arranged,
combined and operating in the way and for the purpose as described and set
forth.
:-
Secondly The bulged or convexed bar marked a with heel a³, and combined
square and circular axes a³ a, the spring d and the circular and square eyed
knuckles b, c, as described and set forth in the several figures of the Drawing.
Dated this twenty-second day of December 1884.
WILLIAM
WOOLLEY,
By Henry Skerrett,
0, Livery Street, Birmingham, 3
Agent to the Applicant.