US3044234A

US3044234A - Saddle

Info

Publication number: US3044234A
Application number: US11321A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert W Baldwin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-02-26
Filing date: 1960-02-26
Publication date: 1962-07-17
Anticipated expiration: 1979-07-17

Description

July 17, 1962 A. w. BALDWIN SADDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb, 26, 1960 QJ.. A

INVENTOR. ALBERT W. BALL-.www

AT TO 2N EVS July 17, 1962 A. w. BALDWIN SADDLE 2 Sheets-Sheety 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1960 INVENTOR. ALBEZT W. BAL-DWH! AT1-05451 EYS UnitedStates Patent C 3,044,234 SADDLE Albert W. Baldwin, Box 334, Meeteetse, Wyo.

Filed Feb. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 11,321

7 claims. (ci. sti- 44) ri`his invention relates to the general class of saddles and, more specifically, the instant invention pertains to improvements in the making of western saddles.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a free swinging stirrup leather which swings forwardly to provide suitable bracing means when riding down steep inclines or when making sudden stops.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for hanging stirrup leathers in such a manner asto swing from `the center of the saddle seat, the stirrup leathers having substantially the same radius as the riders legs.

Still another object `of this invention is to provide a stirrup leather hanger which is sutliciently strong to withstand any strain placed thereon caused by severe pulls incurred in the ordinary use of the saddle or by virtue of an inadvertent accident.

Still another object of this invention is to provide means in a saddle whereby no opening is left to cause sag in the seat leathers.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a stirrup leather hanger which will t any adult size western type saddle tree.

Again, it is another object of this invention to provide la stirrup leather hanger which will not cut, bind or cause any excessive wear on the stirrup leathers, and a cover for the hanger to prevent the seat leathers extending thereacross from sagging.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means which eliminates the use of `an elongated T-shaped j conventional strainer in the seat.

A still further object of this invention is Ito provide a stirrup leather hanger to which the saddle groundwork may be easily fitted, and to provide a means whereby the groundwork may be formed from smaller pieces o-f leather than are normally incorporated in the conventional type "western saddle (and wherein no opening is left to cause sag in the seat leather.

Still Ianother object of this invention is to provide a stirrup leather hanger to which ground work may be fitted which does not make the saddle seat higher Ithan the-seats of conventional saddles.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a means by which stirrup leather openings which are conventionally found in all-leather riggings may be eliminated.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a saddle which is non-complex in construction and assembly inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, and a saddle which is durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantageous features of the instant invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of a western type saddle having a low seat land a forwardly sloping saddle fork constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the saddle shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, transverse, detail crosssectional view, FIGURE 3 being taken on `the vertical plane of line 3 3 of FIGURE l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, longitudinal, detail crossvsectional view, FIGURE 4 being taken on the horizontal plane of line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the saddle 3,044,234 PatentedJuly 17, 1962 ICC tree bars with `a stirrup hanger device secured thereto and further illustrating in `full lines the normal depending position of the stirrup leathers and their respective forward positions in dotted lines; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the component elements of the saddle shown in FIGURE l prior to their assembly.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates, in general, a western type saddle constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention. As is seen in the drawings, the saddle 1t) includes an upwardly and Iforwardly extending fork or yoke l2 which has, as 1an integral part thereof, a bight portion 14 from the central portion of which forwardly projects a horn 16. The yoke 12 includes a pair of rearwardly extending substantially parallel and laterally spaced apart tree bars 18 which normally engage the back of a horse on either side of its Withers. Extending transversely through the bight 14 is a passageway or gullet 26. Adjacent the free rear ends of the tree bars 18 and spaced inwardly from the outer ends thereof is fixedly secured a saddle cantle 22, the cantle 22 spanning the tree bars and being fixedly secured thereto by conventional means. All of the above constitutes saddle construction according to convention.

The improvement in saddle construction to which the instant invention is addressed comprises the provision of a stirrup leather hanger designated, Vin gener-al, by the reference numeral 24. The hanger 24 includes forwardly and rearwardly disposed

angle members

26, 28, re-

spectively. The angle members '26, 28 are formed'of lany suitable material, preferably, a malleable metal,` and the angle member 26 is seen to include a concave-convex chevron-shaped arm 30 having its respective arm portions 32, 34 extending forwardly with respect to the tree bars 18. From the rear longitudinal extending marginal edge of the `arm 30 upwardly projects a substantially V- shaped flange 36 having an apex 38. As is clearly seen in FIGURE 5, the flange 36 is provided with a rearwardly opening arcuate depression 38 disposed substantially at the apex thereof.

The rear angle member 28 comprises a similar concaveconvex chevron-shaped -arrn` 48 having lan upwardly opening depression 42 disposed centrally of its arm extensions or

portions

44, 46. The angle member 28 also includes an upwardly projecting, integrally formed flange 48 which extends along one of the longitudinally extending marginal edges of the arm 48. VAs is seen in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the flange 48 includes -a centrally disposed inwardly .bowed section 5t) which opens towards the depression 38 formed in the flange 36, the depression 3S and the inwardly bowed section `48 being located in substantially confronting relation relative to each other. The

angle members

26, 28 `are extended over `and fixedly secured, las by screws 52 to the tree bars 18.

Fixedly secured to the

llanges

36, 48 lare a pair of stirrup

leather hanger rods

54, 56 which have one pair of adjacent ends secured to the flange 36 on opposite sides of the depression 38, and the other ends of the stirrup leather hanger rods are fixedly secured to the ilange 48 proximate the opposed'sides of the bowed section 48. As is clearly seen in the several figures of the drawings, the

rods

54, 56 diverge away from each other from the flange 36 towards the flange 48. Stirrup

leathers

58, 60 are now looped about the

rods

54, 56, respectively, `and `depend therefrom. Reference numeral 62 denotes an open ended inverted substantially U-shaped channel member forming a cover for the hanger 24. The cover 62 includes a bight 64 having

flanges

66, 68 depending from the opposed longitudinally extending sides thereof, the

flanges

66, 68 being adapted to engage against the remotely disposed sides of the

flanges

36, 48, respectively.

The ground work and assembly ofthe `saddle also includes a pair of ,substantially trlangularly shaped spurs respectively, to the tree bars 18 with the base end '7 2 thereof abutting the lower ends of the arm portions 32, 34 of the arm 30.

Reference numerals

74, 76 denote a pair of substantially rectangular leather pads Which are secured, respectively, to each of the tree bars 18 in vthe conventional manner with the forward ends Vthereof disposed in abutting relationship with respect' to the

arm portions

44, 46, the rear ends 78, 80 of which are skived and extend rearwardly and partially into the cantle 22. As is clearly seen in FIGURE 6, the rear ends 78, 3810i the

pads

74, 76 are slightly rounded.

Reference numerals

82, 84, 86 denote leather strips having a substantially'ogive configuration, these strips -being superimposed on one another and on the Vleather spurs 70 with the bases thereof abutting :against the forwardly facing side of the ange 66. The

leather strips

82, 84, 86 have skived end portions and extend partially upwardly and over the yoke 12.

Reference numerals

88, 90, 92 denote a second series of superimposed leather strips also having an ogive conguration, the last mentioned leather strips being also superimposed on the

leather pads

74, 76 yand extending at their rear ends, upwardly into the cantle 22. The several bases of the

leather strips

88, 90, 92 are, as is seen in FIGURE 4,

disposed inA abutting relation with respect to the liange 68 of the cover 62. Interposed between the leather strips 88 and 90 an ogive shaped metal strainer 93 by which the leather layers thereabove are kept from. sagging.

superimposed over and iixedly secured to the

leather strips

86 and 92, the metal cover 62 and the bars 18, is a final leather 94. As is seen in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, this nal leather issubstantially rectangular in configuration but is somewhat arcuate in shape at its opposed ends. This iinal leather 94 comprises the only one of the several leather strips 82, 84, 86, 88, 90 and 92 which extends entirely across the bight 64 of the cover 62.

With the above described ground Work of the saddle 10 glued together and secured to the yoke 112 and tree bars 18, the leather strips 82, 84, 86 and 94 are cut away as at 96 to form a hand opening therethrough Which is in open communication with the gullet2l.

From the foregoing description of theV saddle 10 it now becomes obvious that for the most part, `the leather ground work of the saddle 10 may be built up of small pieces of leather 'which would normally find no use in the art of saddlery and which would be normally discarded as Waste material. that the leather ground work assembly does not increase the height of the saddle thereby permitting the rider to remain seated proximate the horses back.

Referring now more specifically to FIGURE 5, the

stirrup leathers

58, 60, as illustrated in full lines denote the normal depending positionv thereof fromV the

rods

54, 56. However, should the rider nd it necessary to ride At the same time, it should alsoV be observed g assassihaving a yoke including a pair of arms comprising saddle tree bars, said stirrup leather hanger device including a pair of concave-convex chevron-shaped angle members each having a normally upright flange extending longitudinally of an edge thereof, said angle'members extending transversely of said bars and secured thereto in longitudinally spaced relation, a pair `of longitudinally extending laterally spaced stirrup leather hanger rods extending between and ftxedly secured to said anges of said angle members, said rods diverging -away from each other in a direction away from said yoke, said rods each being adapted to be loosely engaged, respectively, within the looped end of a pair of stirrup leathers, and a cover member spanning said lianges at the upper ends thereof and extending over said rods.

2. A stirrup leather hanger device for a riding saddle having a yoke including a pair of arms comprising saddle tree bars, said stirrup leather hanger device including a pair of Vconoavefconvex chevron-shaped angle members extending transversely of said bars and secured thereto in longitudinally spaced and confronting relation, said angle members having their respective convex sides projecting away from `said tree bars, each of said angle members having a normally upright flange projecting away from an arm thereof, said flanges being `disposed in confronting relation relative to each other, a pair of longitu-v yoke and having one of their respective adjacent pair of ends iixedly secured to one of said flanges on opposite sides of the apex thereof, the other pair of adjacent ends of said rods being xedly secured to `the other of said anges on the opposite sides of the apex thereof, said rods each being adapted to be loosely engaged, respectively, within the looped end ofa pair of stirrup leathers, said cover means spanning the upper ends of said flanges and being disposed over said rods in -spaced relation relative thereto.

3. A stirrup leather hanger device for a riding saddle having a yoke including a pair of arms compri-sing saddle -tree bars, said stirrup leather hanger device including a pair of concave-convex angle members extending transdown a steep incline or come to an abrupt and sudden halt, the stirrup leathers 58, are free to swing forwardly vto assume substantially the positions shown in dotted lines without binding or cutting. As is seen in this ligure, when the stirrup leathers S8, 60 are in their normal depending position, only the forward corners of their respective looped

portions

98, 100 engage about the

rods

54, 56. When, however, it is necessary for the horsemen to move the stirrup leathers `to their respective forward positions, the entire looped portions ofthe stirrup leathers engage about the

rods

54, 56.. l `Ha1ving described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is oiered merely by way of example, and that thisinvention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. Y

What is claimed is: Y

l 1. A stimip leather hanger device for a riding saddle versely of said bars and secured thereto in longitudinally spaced relation, each of said angle members 4including a normally upstanding flange and said anges being disposed in confronting relation relative to each other, and a pairof longitudinally extending laterally spaced stirrup hanger rods extending between and being ixedly secured to said flanges with one pair of adjacent ends of said rods connected to one of said flanges on opposite sides of the apex thereof `and the other pair of adjacent ends being iixedly secured to the other of said flanges on the opposite sides of its associated flange, a substantially U-shaped cover member extending across and between said flanges, said cover member having longitudinally-extending depending `side anges engaging the remotely-disposed sides' of sai-d one and other anges, said rods each being adapted to be loosely engaged, respectively, within the looped end of fa pair of stirrup leathers.

4. In a riding saddle having a yoke including a pair of arms comprising saddle tree bars, that improvement in said saddle which comprises the provision of a stirrup leather hanger which includesa pair of concave-convex chevron-shaped angle members each having an arm portion extending transversely of said bars and secured thereto in longitudinally spaced relation, each of said angle members including a normally upright flange, said flanges being disposed in confronting relation relative to each other, a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced stirrup leather hanger rods extending between and xedly secured to said lianges, said rods diverging away from one another in a direction away from said yoke, said rods each being adapted to be loosely engaged, respectively, within the looped end of a pair of stirrup leathers, and a ground work for said saddle for forming a saddle seat, said ground work comprising a plurality of superimposed leather strips xedly secured to one another and to said tree bars, the uppermost one of' said seat forming strips extending entirely across said stirrup leather hanger device, and the remainder of said strips having ends disposed in abutting relation relative to the remotely disposed sides of said flanges.

5. In a riding saddle having a yoke including a pair of arms comprising saddle tree bars, and a cantle iixedly secured to said saddle tree bars adjacent the free ends thereof, that improvement in said saddle which comprises providing a Vstirrup leather hanger device which includes a pair of concave-convex chevron-shaped angle members each being provided with an elongated arm and a normally upwardly projecting flange, said yangle members extending transversely of said bars in longitudinally spaced relation relative to each other and having the arms thereof iixedly secured to said bars, said angle members each having their convex side facing upwardly and away from said tree bars, said flanges being disposed in confronting relation relative to each other, said ange of the angle member nearest said yoke having a depression formed therein adjacent the apex thereof, the flange of the other of said angle members having an inwardly bowed portion at the apex thereof, said depression and said inwardly bowed portion of said anges opening towards each other, a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced stirrup leather hanger rods extending between and being xedly secured to said flanges, said rods diverging away from each other in a direction away from said yoke, one adjacent pair of ends of said rods being secured, respectively, to the immediately adjacent one of said anges on opposite sides of said depressed portion and on opposite sides of said inwardly bowed portion, an inverted substantially U-shaped channel member including a pair of depending laterally spaced flanges, said anges being adapted to engage against the remote sides of said flanges of said angle members with the bight portion of said inverted U-shaped channel member spanning therebetween, and a ground work for said saddle including a plurality of leather strips superimposed one on the other and having one of their respective adjacent ends disposed in abutting relation relative to one of said anges of said channel member, the oppositely disposed ends of said strips being supported on said yoke, a plurality of leather strips disposed in superimposed relation relative to one another and having one of their respective adjacent ends positioned in abutting relation with respect to the other iiange of said inverted U- shaped channel member, the opposed ends of said last named leather str-ips extending rearwardly of said tree bars and partially into said cantle, a leather strip extending between said yoke and said cantle and superimposed against the uppermost ones of said superimposed leather strips, and said last named leather strip and the first of said superimposed leather strips having a hand hold opening extending transversely therethrough.

6. A stirrup leather hanger device for a riding saddle having a yoke including a pair of arms comprising saddle tree bars, said stirrup leather hanger device including a pair of concave-convex angle members extending transversely of said bars and secured thereto in longitudinally spaced relation with the convex side thereof facing away from said bars, a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced stirrup leather hanger rods extending between and ixedly secured to said angle members, said hanger rods diverging away from each other in a direction away from said yoke, said rods each being adapted to be loosely engaged, respectively, within the looped end of a pair of stirrup leathers, and -a covermember for said hanger, said cover member comprising an inverted substantially U- shaped channel member extending between and supported on said angle members.

7. In a riding saddle having a yoke including a pair of arms comprising saddle tree bars, and a cantle iixedly secured to said saddle tree bars adjacent the free ends thereof, that improvement in said saddle which comprises p-roviding a stirrup leather hanger device which includes -a pair of concave-convex chevron-shaped angle members each being provided with an elongated arm and a normally upwardly projecting flange, said angle members extending transversely of said bars in longitudinally spaced relation relative to each other and having the arms thereof lxedly secured to said bars, said angle members each having their convex side facing upwardly and away from said tree bars, said flanges being disposed in confronting relation relative to each other, said flange of said angle member nearest said yoke having a depression formed therein adjacent the apex thereof, the llange of the other of said angle members having an inwardly bowed portion at the v apex thereof, said depression and said inwardly bowed portion of said flanges opening towards each other, a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced stirrup leather hanger rods extending between and being fixedly secured to said iianges, said rods diverging away from each other in a direction away from said yoke, one adjacent pair of ends of said rods being secured, respectively, to the irnmediately adjacent one of said flanges on opposite sides of said depressed portion and on opposite sides of said inwardly bowed portion, -an inverted substantially U-shaped channel member including a pair of laterally spaced flanges, said anges being adapted to engage against lche remote sides of said flanges of said angle members with the bight portion of said inverted U-shaped channel members spanning therebetween, a groundwork for said saddle including a plurality of leather strips superimposed one on the other and having one of their respective adjacent ends disposed in abutting relation relative to one of said flanges of said channel member, the oppositely disposed ends of said strips being supported on said yoke, a plurality of leather strips disposed in superimposed relation relative to one another and having one of their respective adjacent ends positioned in `abutting relation with respect to the other flange of said inverted U-shaped channel member, the opposed ends of said last named leather strips ex- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mills July l0, 1923 Hawkins July 24, 192,3