GB2295082A - Saddle horse convertible to a table - Google Patents

Abstract

A saddle horse 2 is adapted so that it may be converted into a table. The saddle horse has preferably two leaves 32, 34 which lie substantially horizontally in a first position to allow use as a table, and in a second position the two leaves form a triangular cross section to support a saddle. The saddle horse may also be provided with a base 4 to hold a saddle at a suitable working height, and may also be provided with a shelf 16 for storing tools etc. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO SADDLE HORSES This invention relates to saddle horses.

Saddle horses are well known in the equestrian world as a means of supporting a saddle whilst the saddle is being cleaned. They are also used to support a saddle that is not in use.

Saddle horses have been used for many hundreds of years and over that time their shape and construction has varied little. In order to be simple to construct they are usually of an A-frame construction with a ridge portion forming a seat upon which a saddle may rest.

According to the invention I provide a saddle horse which is adapted to be converted into a table.

Preferably the saddle horse comprises base means.

The base means may be a support frame. The base means may comprise a lower portion of the saddle horse. The base means may comprise legs. The legs may have ground engaging feet. There may be three, four or more legs.

The saddle horse may also comprise shelf means.

The shelf means may be located in the base means. The shelf means may be located between the legs of the base means. The shelf means may be substantially rectangular in plan. Corner regions of the shelf means may be attached to the legs of the base means. The shelf means may be adapted to store or keep cleaning materials for cleaning a saddle.

The base means may be of a truncated A-frame construction. An upper region of the base means may be adapted to support table-forming or saddle horse-forming means.

The table-forming or saddle horse forming means may comprise a table member. The table member may have a substantially planar surface. The table member may be substantially horizontal. The table member may be fixed to the upper region of the base means.

Alternatively the table member may be removable from the base means.

The table-forming or saddle horse-forming means may comprise one or more leaves. The leaf or leaves may be hingeably attached to the table member or to the base means. The leaf or leaves may be removable from the table member or the base means.

A leaf may be hingeably moveable about a respective axis. The axis may be in the region of a first edge of the leaf. The leaf may be adapted to pivot from a first position to a second position. In a first position the leaf may be in substantially the same plane as the table member. In a second position the leaf may be in a plane forming an acute angle with the plane of the table member.

All of the leaves may be hingeably moveable as described in the foregoing paragraph.

Locking means may be provided to fix one, two or more leaves with respect to the table member. The locking means may act to fix one leaf with respect to another leaf. The locking means may lock two leaves together. The locking means may be releasable.

In an embodiment with two leaves, in the second position, the leaves may make contact with each other along a second edge, opposed to said first edge. In cross-section, the leaves and the table member may form a triangular shape.

The second edges of the leaves may be attached to one another by locking means.

The saddle horse may comprise leaf support means.

The leaf support means may comprise strut or stay means. The leaf support means may prevent the second edge of a leaf or leaves from passing substantially beneath the plane of the table member. Alternatively, the leaf support means may be adaptable to allow the second edge of a leaf or leaves to pass substantially below the plane of the table member. The leaf support means may comprise struts. Alternatively the leaf support means may be incorporated into the hinges to present a definite stop to the travel of the leaf or leaves.

Once the saddle horse has been converted into a table, the table may be converted back into a saddle horse when desired.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the saddle horse; Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the saddle horse of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows an end elevation of the saddle horse of Figure 1.

A saddle horse 2 comprises a support frame 4 and table-forming part 6.

The support frame comprises four legs 8, 10, 12, an 14. A first pair of legs 8 and 10 are parallel with respect to one another. A second pair of legs 12 and 14 are parallel with respect to one another. The first pair of legs 8 and 10 and the second pair of legs 12 and 14 are divergent.

Towards the lower ends of the legs is a shelf 16.

The shelf 16 comprises a substantially rectangular base 18 surrounded by a wall 20 comprising wall elements 22, 24, 26 and 28. Corner regions of the rectangular base 18 are fixed to the legs. End regions of the wall elements are fixed to the legs.

The shelf presents a convenient storage space for tack cleaning equipment.

The table-forming part 6 comprises a central table member 30 flanked on either side by leaves 32 and 34.

Each leaf 32 and 34 is connected to the table member 30 by pairs of hinges 36. The hinges allow each leaf 32 and 34 to pivot from a first position in the same plane as the table member 30 to a second position in a plane at an acute angle to the plane of the table member 30 (shown in broken outline).In the first position the table member 30 and the leaves 32 and 34 form a planar table surface. In the second position the table member 30 and the leaves 32 and 34 form a saddle horse ridge 38 on which a saddle may rest. The leaves 32 and 34 may be fixed to one another by a catch (not shown).

Support struts or stays 40 and 42 are provided for leaves 32 and 34 respectively. The struts 40 and 42 may be attached to the support frame 4 and may be fixed unmovably thereto. In another embodiment, struts 40 and 42 may be attached to leaves 32 and 34 respectively. The struts 40 and 42 may be fixed unmovably to the leaves 32 and 34 or may be attached by a pivotal connection.

The invention enables easy conversion between a saddle horse and a table. If a saddle horse is needed to support a saddle, then it may be so used. When not needed the saddle horse may be converted into a table to be used for other purposes. Therefore rather than needing both a saddle horse and a table, a saddle horse according to the invention may be used. This can provide a space saving in having only one item rather than two.

The leaves shown in the Figures may fold down below the level of the flat control table portion, they may hang generally downwards in one configuration of storage or use.

Instead of having a central, fixed, portion with two leaves attached to it the saddle horse could have no fixed portion, the two leaves being connected to each other in such a way that their adjacent edges can be raised to form the inverted V of the saddle horse (for example their adjacent edges may be hinged together). Their portions disposed further away may have guide means, such as a pin running in a guide slot.

Another way of looking at the invention is that it is a method of converting a saddle horse to a table, or vice versa.

Claims (17)

1. A saddle horse which is adapted to be converted into a table.

2. A saddle horse according to claim 1 which comprises table forming means which is movable between at least a first position and a second position, said table forming means when in said first position defining a table and said table forming means when in said second position defining a saddle horse.

3. A saddle horse according to claim 1 or claim 2 which comprises a base means.

4. A saddle horse according to claim 3 in which said base means comprises a support frame having one or more legs.

5. A saddle horse according to claims 3 or claim 4 in which said base means further comprises a shelf means.

6. A saddle horse according to any preceding claim in which table forming means is provided and comprises a table member having a substantially planar horizontal surface fixed to or removable from the base means.

7. A saddle horse according to claim 6 in which the table forming means comprises one or more leaves arranged such that the leaf or leaves can be placed in a first position in which the leaf or leaves lie in substantially the same plane as the table member, and such that the leaf or leaves can be placed in a second position in which the leaf or leaves lie at an acute angle to the plane of the table member.

8. A saddle horse according to claim 7 in which the leaf or leaves have a first edge that is hingeably attached to the table member or to base means so that the leaf or leaves are capable of moving in use angularly about an axis (or a respective axis) to adopt the first and second positions at the choice of the user.

9. A saddle horse according to claim 7 or 8 in which one or more leaves are removable.

10. A saddle horse according to any one of claims 7 to 9 in which lock means are provided to fix one or more leaves in a selected one of the first and second positions.

11. A saddle horse according to any one of claims 7 to 10 in which the table member and leaves have a substantially triangular cross section when in said second position.

12. A saddle horse according to any preceding claim in which two leaves are provided, the leaves making contact, in use, along an edge when the saddle horse is in its saddle horse configuration.

13. A saddle horse according to claim 12 in which the leaves do not contact each other at said edges when the saddle horse is in its table configuration.

14. A saddle horse according to any one of claims 7 to 13 in which leaf support means are provided, the leaf support means preventing an edge of the leaf or leaves passing substantially below the plane of the table member.

15. A saddle horse according to claim 13 in which the leaf support means are adapted to allow the leaf or leaves to move to a position in which an edge of the leaf or leaves lies substantially below the plane of the table member.

16. A saddle horse according to any one of claims 8 to 15 in which leaf support means are provided, said leaf support means being incorporated into one or more of the hinges to present a definite stop to the travel of the leaf or leaves.

17. A saddle horse which is adapted to form a table substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 1.