GB1598635A - Safety stirrup - Google Patents

Description

(54) SAFETY STIRRUP (71) I, JAMES PATRICK PRENDERGAST, an Australian citizen, of 29, MacFarlan Street, South Yarra, 3141, Victoria, Australia, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to stirrups. There is a need to provide a safety stirrup to avoid or at least reduce the likelihood of a person who falls from a horse having his foot caught by the stirrup and being dragged by the horse.

According to the present invention a stirrup having a planar surface on its bight is used in combination with a support having a single plate-like portion also having a planar surface and a portion bent at an angle thereto for receiving a stirrup leather, the planar surface of the support being abbutable along one side of the' bight of the stirrup at the planar surface thereof, one of the planar surfaces having a projection and the other having an abutment for engaging the projection when the stirrup and support are in abutment, the combination including biasing means in the form of a U-shaped spring clip having two legs and a joinder portion, one of the legs contacting the stirrup and the other contacting the support for biasing the stirrup and support into abutting relationship with the projection and the abutment in engagement so that the stirrup depends from the support, the combination being so constructed and arranged that in normal use with force applied to the stirrup by a rider, the stirrup will be supported by the support but that when forces are applied to the stirrup at an angle to the support, the stirrup and support will pivot relative to one another against the biasing means until disengagement of the projection and the abutment occurs, whereupon the stirrup becomes separable from the support.

The invention may be applied to stirrups of English style and to stirrups of western or American style.

To aid in the further understanding of this invention, two specific embodiments thereof will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a safety device incorporating an English style stirrup from one side; Figure 2 is an elevational view of the device of Figure 1 but from the other side; Figure 3 is a cross section on line Ill-Ill in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross section on line IV-IV in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a partial elevation corresponding to Figure 2 but of a safety device incorporating an American style stirrup; Figure 6 is a cross section on line VI-VI in Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a cross section on line VII--VII in Figure 5.

The safety device shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises a stirrup 1 of English style having a footplace 2, arch arms 3 and 4 and a bight 5. The device further comprises a support 21 in the form of a plate and an angled upper portion 27, the plate having a first aperture 22 and a second aperture 23 through which is threaded a stirrup leather 24.

The device still further comprises a metal spring clip 31 having legs 32 and 33 and a resilient bight 34. The clip 31 is preferably made of spring steel.

The stirrup 1 has a planar surface in the region 6 on one side of the bight 5 and has a projection 7 extending from the region 6.

That projection 7 is generally rectangular and is received within the aperture 22 which is also generally rectangular and one edge of which constitutes an abutment engaging the projection 7.

The plate portion of the support 21 has a generally planar surface 25 which is designed to lie against the planar surface of the stirrup in the region 6.

The bight 34 of the clip 31 passes through the aperture 23 and the legs 33 and 32 biasingly lie on surface 8 of the stirrup 1 and surface 26 of the support 21.

It should be noted that the uppermost part 27 of the support 21 lies at an angle of from 2-15', preferably 3-7', more preferably about 5 to the lowermost part 28 of the support 21. By this angle forces on the footplate 2 are normally directed through the stirrup in a line through the stirrup leather 24.

In use a rider will place his foot on the footplate 2 with the projection 7 directed towards his shin, i.e., with surface 6 adjacent and surface 8 remote from the shin.

When so worn normal riding forces may be applied to and through the stirrup with little chance of accidental release. In this respect it will be noted that the stirrup leather 24 supports the support 21 which, through the side 29 of the aperture, supports the projection 7 and, in turn, the stirrup 1 and that the assembly is maintained together by the clip 31.

Note that side support is provided by shoulders 10 and 11 on the stirrup 1.

However, in a fall situation, particularly a situation in which a rider is in danger of being dragged, a force should be exerted which is out of alignment with the stirrup leather, and which, relative to Fig. 3, is in a rightwards direction as indicated by arrow 41. Such a force should not be exerted in normal use but in the fall situation should occur and will cause displacement of the stirrup I to an angle to the support 21 as indicated by line 42 which can be considered to be the release position.

That displacement will withdraw the projection 7 from the aperture 22; a withdrawal which is resisted, but not prevented, by the clip 31. On completion of that withdrawal, at the release position 42, the stirrup 1 becomes free to separate from the plate 21 whereby to safeguard the rider.

Reassembly is easily accomplished.

In a modification of the above the projection 7 may be at a higher location on the stirrup in which case it may be more convenient for the bight 34 to pass between the arch arms 3 and 4 and for the legs 32 and 33 to extend upwardly.

In another modification the projection 7 is on the support 21 and the aperture 22 is in the stirrup 1.

In another modification the legs 32 and 33 extend over the aperture 22.

Figs. 5-7 shows the invention applied to an American style stirrup. In Figs. 5--7 like reference numerals to those of Figs. 14 denote like parts.

The device of Figs. 5-7 differs principally in that the surfaces 6 and 8 and projection 7 are provided by a body 51 which is secured to the arch arms 3 and 4 by studs 52 and nuts 53, shoulders 10 and 11 are provided on the arch arms 3 and 4 and shoulders 54 are provided to deter the body 51 from tilting relative to the arch arms 3 and 4.

The safety device of Figs 5-7 operates in like manner to that of Figs. 14.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A combination of a safety stirrup and support, the stirrup having a planar surface on the side of its bight and the support having a single plate-like portion also having a planar surface and a portion bent at an angle thereto for receiving a stirrup leather, the planar surface of the support being abuttable along one side of the bight of the stirrup at the planar surface thereof, one of the planar surfaces having a projection and the other having an abutment for engaging the projection when the stirrup and support are in abutting relationship, the combination including biasing means in the form of a Ushaped spring clip having two legs and a joinder portion, one of the legs contacting the stirrup and the other contacting the support for biasing the stirrup and support into an abutting relationship with the projection and the abutment in engagement so that the stirrup depends from the support, the combination being so constructed and arranged that in normal use with force applied to the stirrup by a rider, the stirrup will be supported by the support but that when forces are applied to the stirrup at an angle to the support, the stirrup and support will pivot relative to one another against the biasing means until dis-engagement of the projection and the abutment occurs: whereupon the stirrup becomes separable from the support.

2. A safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection is located on the stirrup and the abutment is located in the support.

3. A combination substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. footplate 2 are normally directed through the stirrup in a line through the stirrup leather 24. In use a rider will place his foot on the footplate 2 with the projection 7 directed towards his shin, i.e., with surface 6 adjacent and surface 8 remote from the shin. When so worn normal riding forces may be applied to and through the stirrup with little chance of accidental release. In this respect it will be noted that the stirrup leather 24 supports the support 21 which, through the side 29 of the aperture, supports the projection 7 and, in turn, the stirrup 1 and that the assembly is maintained together by the clip 31. Note that side support is provided by shoulders 10 and 11 on the stirrup 1. However, in a fall situation, particularly a situation in which a rider is in danger of being dragged, a force should be exerted which is out of alignment with the stirrup leather, and which, relative to Fig. 3, is in a rightwards direction as indicated by arrow 41. Such a force should not be exerted in normal use but in the fall situation should occur and will cause displacement of the stirrup I to an angle to the support 21 as indicated by line 42 which can be considered to be the release position. That displacement will withdraw the projection 7 from the aperture 22; a withdrawal which is resisted, but not prevented, by the clip 31. On completion of that withdrawal, at the release position 42, the stirrup 1 becomes free to separate from the plate 21 whereby to safeguard the rider. Reassembly is easily accomplished. In a modification of the above the projection 7 may be at a higher location on the stirrup in which case it may be more convenient for the bight 34 to pass between the arch arms 3 and 4 and for the legs 32 and 33 to extend upwardly. In another modification the projection 7 is on the support 21 and the aperture 22 is in the stirrup 1. In another modification the legs 32 and 33 extend over the aperture 22. Figs. 5-7 shows the invention applied to an American style stirrup. In Figs. 5--7 like reference numerals to those of Figs. 14 denote like parts. The device of Figs. 5-7 differs principally in that the surfaces 6 and 8 and projection 7 are provided by a body 51 which is secured to the arch arms 3 and 4 by studs 52 and nuts 53, shoulders 10 and 11 are provided on the arch arms 3 and 4 and shoulders 54 are provided to deter the body 51 from tilting relative to the arch arms 3 and 4. The safety device of Figs 5-7 operates in like manner to that of Figs. 14. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A combination of a safety stirrup and support, the stirrup having a planar surface on the side of its bight and the support having a single plate-like portion also having a planar surface and a portion bent at an angle thereto for receiving a stirrup leather, the planar surface of the support being abuttable along one side of the bight of the stirrup at the planar surface thereof, one of the planar surfaces having a projection and the other having an abutment for engaging the projection when the stirrup and support are in abutting relationship, the combination including biasing means in the form of a Ushaped spring clip having two legs and a joinder portion, one of the legs contacting the stirrup and the other contacting the support for biasing the stirrup and support into an abutting relationship with the projection and the abutment in engagement so that the stirrup depends from the support, the combination being so constructed and arranged that in normal use with force applied to the stirrup by a rider, the stirrup will be supported by the support but that when forces are applied to the stirrup at an angle to the support, the stirrup and support will pivot relative to one another against the biasing means until dis-engagement of the projection and the abutment occurs: whereupon the stirrup becomes separable from the support.

2. A safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection is located on the stirrup and the abutment is located in the support.

3. A combination substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.