EP1724236B1

EP1724236B1 - Member for horse saddle trees

Info

Publication number: EP1724236B1
Application number: EP20050380097
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lucas Vazquez Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-05-16
Filing date: 2005-05-16
Publication date: 2008-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 2025-05-16
Also published as: DE602005009930D1; EP1724236A1

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an element for a horse saddle tree, specifically one of the members established between the rear cantle and the front pommel, which has been conceived and structured to provide the tree as a whole with a greater sturdiness and stability, as well as a greater comfort for both horse and rider, all of this along with a great flexibility, both longitudinally and transversally, of the saddle as a whole.
The invention is therefore applicable in the field of saddlery, this is, the industry related to the manufacture of saddles and hamesses for horses and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various different structural solutions are known in the field of horse riding saddles, among which can be cited that described in US Patent 6474052 , which comprises two identical parts joined by one of their greater segments, each of said parts having a sinusoidal perimeter and incorporating on the surface of their outer faces protective thickenings attached by leather rivets, producing a "Western" type saddle.
Spanish patent 2 152 876 describes a riding saddle tree which consists of two arched blades defined by corresponding peripheral rods that can receive an inserted padding, a front curved fork between said blades for supporting the front edge of the seat, a rear curved fork between the two blades, a separable front arch that can be housed in a transverse passage of the front edge of the seat and means to allow attaching the front arch to the tree.
Also known are solutions that intend to make the seat structure lighter, such as European Patent 1081092 , as well as the existence of additional supporting elements in both the front and rear areas, as is the case in German patent 19924383 .
US Patent 6223509 discloses a stiff saddle tree comprising a front element constituting the pommel, from which emerge two longitudinal prolongations or ribs separated from each other by a large opening on which the elements constituting the saddle are mounted.
European Patent Application EP-A1-1 336 589 discloses a saddle tree member according to the preamble of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
The common element in the documents cited above is a great stiffness of the saddle tree, which results in a degree of discomfort for both the horse and rider, as the saddle's comfort is determined only by the padded lining of the upper and lower faces of said tree.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The tree member proposed by the invention solves the drawbacks described above in a fully satisfactory manner in all of the aspects discussed, so that by acting as a union fork, jointly with another symmetrical one, between the rear cantle and the pommel of the tree, it provides a great flexibility of the tree as a whole, as well as a great sturdiness and stability, improving the comfort of both horse and rider, as mentioned before.
To do so and more specifically, the main characteristics of the member being disclosed is that it is made from a leather envelope with two layers, an upper and a lower layer, sewn to each other, with the special characteristic that inside said envelope are established two metallic and elastic plates in a crossed arrangement, said envelope having a very sinuous outer edge, so that the crossing point of the two plates is located in correspondence with the narrowest area of the leather envelope, with the additional characteristic that at the rear end of the member, where it reaches its maximum width, the spacing between the two plates is also maximum and an intermediate opening is established with the shape of a circular segment which, by a suitable separation of the two members, coincides with the lower arc of the ischia of a rider's pelvis, thereby providing an improved conditioning for such bone appendices that leads to a greater comfort of both horse and rider.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complete the description being made and in order to aid a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to an example of a preferred embodiment for the same, a set of drawings is accompanied as an integral part of said description where for purposes of illustration and in a nonlimiting sense the following is shown:

Figure 1 shows a perspective exploded view of a member for horse saddle trees made according to the object of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a pair of members with the structure defined in the previous figure, properly finished and integrated in the general structure of the saddle tree.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the figures, particularly figure 1, it can be seen that the member for saddle trees taught by the invention consists of a leather envelope comprising a bottom layer or body (1) and a second upper layer or body (2), meant to be attached to each other along a peripheral seam (3) to define a flat space in which a pair of metallic, elastic plates (4,4') are housed, arranged longitudinally and crossing each other, to provide the member with a high sturdiness and stability, as well as an optimum flexibility in both a longitudinal and transverse sense.
The outer edge of the bodies (1,2) has an arched shape, so that it defines in said bodies (1,2) an intermediate, although frontally off-centre, area with a minimum width in correspondence with the crossing point (5) of the plates (4,4'), said bodies or envelope (1,2) having a considerably widened front end (6) with a configuration tending to a trapezoid shape, and an also considerably widened front end (7) with a rounded shape.
Complementing the structure described above, and according to another essential characteristic of the invention, the bodies (1,2) have corresponding openings (8,8'), identical in shape, size and position, with a circular segment shape, in correspondence with which said bodies are also attached to each other long another peripheral seam (9), so that said openings (8,8'), by a suitable separation (10) of the members, as the latter are placed between the rear cantle (11) and the pommel (12), are placed conveniently opposite the lower bone appendices of the rider's pelvis, constituting areas of greater deformability of the saddle's padded envelope, not shown in the drawings, to improve the comfort of both horse and rider.
The aforementioned widenings in the end areas (6) and (7) of the members, as shown in figure 2, determine large areas or attaching said members to the cantle (11) and the pommel (12), so that this attachment can be performed by a large number of rivets (13) on each end, considerably separated from each other, to ensure an optimum attachment of the members and therefore a greater mechanical sturdiness of the tree as a whole.

Claims

Member for a horse saddle tree, for attachment together with a symmetrical member between the cantle and the pommel of the saddle, characterised in that the member consists of a leather envelope comprising two superimposed bodies (1,2), suitably attached to each other, between which are established two elastic metallic plates (4,4') which cross each other, said leather envelope (1,2) also having a large opening (8-8') near one of its ends, specifically the end corresponding to the saddle cantle (11).
Member for a horse saddle tree, according to claim 1, characterised in that the bodies (1,2) constituting the leather envelope have a straight inner edge and a markedly sinuous outer edge, so that an area of maximum narrowness is defined between them at which is located the crossing point (5) of the two elastic metal plates (4,4'), which frame the opening (8-8') on one of its ends, said bodies (1,2) having a maximum width at their end areas (6,7) where they are attached to the cantle (11) and the pommel (12), this attachment being performed by rivets (13) substantially separated from each other.
Member for a horse saddle tree, according to the previous claims, characterised in that the longitudinal position of the opening (8-8') in the leather envelope, together with the separation of the two members of the saddle, determine that said opening (8-8') be placed in correspondence with the area on which the lower bone appendices of the rider's pelvis rest on the saddle.
Member for a horse saddle tree, according to the previous claims, characterised in that the two bodies (1,2) constituting the leather envelope are attached to each other along a peripheral seam (3) and a second seam (9) on the perimeter of the opening (8-8').