1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of the equestrian activities, particularly to a saddle and means for riding an equine and, more particularly the invention refers to means for adjusting a saddle in order that the same may be used in equines having different back sizes or in the same equine that, by any circumstance, the size of the back or withers thereof have increased or decreased, wherein a saddle according to the invention may be adjusted to any new size as well as parts thereof may be installed and removed in an easy and quick manner without the need of expertise.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It well known that a saddle, particularly those employed in equestrian activities are composed of a complex structure combining leather working and engineering to provide comfort and safety not only for the rider but also for the horse. A bad saddle will cause affliction to the horse and rider when no correct fit of the saddle is obtained in the back or withers of the horse generally due to an incorrect design or manufacture of the saddle. This discomfort leads to future affections of the horse and rider as well as to a handicap for any sport competition.
Any saddle generally has an upper part or surface designed for sitting the rider and a bottom part or surface open at an angle to accommodate to the back or withers of the animal. When a rider employ more than one horse, for example in several sportive competitions such as polo, the rider is provided with several saddles, generally one saddle per horse wherein each saddle is designed to fit the size of the animal where the saddle will be employed. Thus, each saddle has a design with a bottom part thereof having an opening forming an angle or predetermined angle that fits the size and anatomy of the horse's back.
In other situations, when only one horse is employed, it may happen that in short or long periods of time the anatomy of the horse had changed in an extent that the saddle usually employed for that horse becomes anatomically inappropriate. This is a frequent complication when the horse gets weight or looses weigh thus varying the angular profile of the back thereof, particularly the horse's withers. Since the saddle has been designed with a predetermined angle to fit the former horse's anatomy, the saddle will not yield its form to the anatomy changes and will not fit adequately.
Under the above circumstances many attempts have been made to design a saddle having a structure with the capacity of being adjusted in its dimensions, particularly in the angle of the bottom part of the saddle, to fit to the new characteristics of the animal anatomy. However, the solutions provided by the prior art have failed in that the same are complex, expensive, not reliable and they require of technical skillfulness and specialized workers to carry out the necessary adjustments.
Among the known solutions there are saddles having a structure or tree that is comprised of two or more hinged portions. These portions are hinged along a center line of the saddle, namely a line coinciding with the spine of the horse, and the parts can be angularly moved in order to open or close the parts relative to each other for altering the opening of the saddle to a desired angle according to the back shape of the horse. This regulating movement is achieved by means of a hinge and adjusting system that requires of strong, complex, bulky and heavy mechanisms including metal plates, bolts, levers and nuts. A system of this type is disclosed in GB 2254234 to the UK firm Thorowgood Limited.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0120683, to Swain, discloses a saddle tree including a progressive flex headplate capable for properly fitting a variety of different size horses, wherein the headplate is constructed of a plurality of flexible, and resilient overlapping layers secured together at a top of the headplate with the layers increasing in length from top to bottom wherein the assembly provides progressive flexure to fit horses of varying widths. As mentioned above comfort and proper fitting mostly exclusively depends on the as exact as possible design of the structure and bottom part of the saddle to copy the back of the equine. The saddle of Swain has a fixed bottom shape, this is that the bottom is open at a fixed angle and it is expected that the headplate yields upon the weight of the rider to accommodate to the horse's back. However, the fixed angle could fit size within an average size of the horse's back but will not fit properly in other dimensions, for example thin backs or wide backs. In addition, the top of the headplate is mostly rigid therefore while the distal ends of the layers may yield and flex under the rider's weight if the angle of the top part is not the correct one this part will be floating over the withers and back without offering a correct fitting.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0011167, to Belton, discloses a saddle tree including a front part comprising a bridging element with an internal surface for receiving an engagement part of a bearing part. Engagement part is configured to fit closely with receiving part and a plurality of different bearing parts can be provided, each of which having a generally similar engagement part but each differing insofar as the internal configuration, as it is indicated by reference 30 in
All the above known systems have not entered into a known market perhaps because the costs and complexities thereof have caused them to be no competitive. In addition, because of their complexity they require of special maintenance to guarantee that, when needed, it operates as expected and, if not well maintained, when one needs to use them it does not work properly. Even in addition there is one aspect that is of very much importance in any saddle but particularly in a saddle of high costs such as the saddles for competition and this aspect is the appearance and aesthetic of the saddle. The above regulation system makes difficult, if not impossible, to design and manufacture a high quality saddle with fine and delicate terminations and fittings.
Under the above circumstances it would be very convenient to have a new adjusting system and or adjustable saddle capable of being adjusted to fit varying horse sizes with no need of expertise or specialized personnel, and in an easy and quick manner, and also permitting to manufacture a saddle without alterations as to the design is concerned.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new saddle provided with adjusting means for quickly and easily adjusting the saddle to fit several horse sizes without the need of skilled personnel, with the aid of only simple tools such as a screwdriver and with an easy access to the adjusting means, without the need of disassembling the saddle to adjust the saddle.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable equestrian saddle and adjusting and reinforcing system for adjusting an equestrian saddle to permit the saddle fit several sizes of the back and withers of one or more horses, wherein the adjusting system comprises a plurality of reinforcing members having different angular dimensions with the saddle having a tree comprising a flexible front part or headplate for interchangeably receiving the reinforcing members in a manner that the tree and head plate are deformed to accommodate each different reinforcing member.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable saddle for equestrian use, of the type having a tree with a seat, a resilient headplate, a cover for providing comfort and cushion for the rider and elongated pad members forming a cushion between the saddle and a back of the equine, wherein the head plate includes a rigid reinforcing member removably connected to the head plate by fixation means having at least one portion thereof accessible from outside the saddle and wherein the rigid reinforcing member is preferably one of a reinforcing assembly comprising a plurality of interchangeable rigid reinforcing members, wherein each rigid reinforcing member has an inverted V-shape to accommodate to the back of the equine and the V-shape is open at different predetermined angles with each predetermined angle corresponding to one of said rigid reinforcing member.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforcing assembly for use in an equine saddle for adjusting the saddle to different sizes of horse backs, the reinforcing assembly comprising a plurality of reinforcing rigid members for interchangeably attaching to the saddle, wherein each reinforcing rigid member has an inverted V-shape with the V-shape being open at different angles for each reinforcing rigid member in order to accommodate to different back sizes of the equine.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be better understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and description.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example in the following drawings wherein:
Now referring in detail to the invention, the same refers to a saddle generally indicated by numeral reference 1 that comprises an inner frame or tree 2 and a plurality of covering materials to provide comfort and cushion not only for the rider but also for the horse. Saddle 1 may be flocked with any appropriate material such as polymeric foams, wool, synthetic or natural fibers, air and any material according to the use and quality of the saddle. These covers are extended and arranged all around the inner structure forming pads, skirts, flaps, panels and the like all indicated by reference 3 in phantom lines to show transparency. Generally, the leather parts and pads are conventional ones except when the opposite is indicated and when some of them, such as elongated pads “B” in
According to
Tree 2 may be constructed conventionally of any material such as wood, plastics, resins, light metals, etc. reliable to incorporate the teachings of the invention. Tree 2 has a middle part 4, a rear part 5 and a front part forming a flexible headplate 6 having a general inverted V-shape having a bottom or lower surface or face 7 designed to rest onto the back or withers of the horse and that, according to the invention, is provided with an elongated recess or channel 8 for receiving and securing a rigid reinforcing member 9 that is removably connected to the head plate by fixation means having at least one portion thereof accessible from outside the saddle and to which means reference will be made below. Member 9 is preferably a metal band having a thickness corresponding to the depth of recess 8 and more preferably band 9 remains entirely within the recess in order that bottom face 7 is uniform and if band 8 must be thicker the thickness will not affect the horse.
Also according to the invention, rigid member 9 is part of an inventive reinforcing assembly comprising a plurality of interchangeable rigid reinforcing members, wherein each rigid reinforcing member has an inverted V-shape to accommodate to the bottom surface and recess 8 and to the back of the equine. Each V-shaped member 9 is open at a predetermined angle and the predetermined angles of all the rigid members of the assembly will be different from each other in a manner that each predetermined angle, corresponding to each one of said rigid reinforcing member, will accommodate to or fit a size or dimensions of different horses or to the changing dimensions of a horse that, for example, gains or looses weight.
For instance, a saddle is manufactured and has a reinforcing member having an angle designed for a given horse. If the horse gains weight along the time, the saddle will not fit the new dimensions of the horse and, if a conventional saddle, the reinforcing member conventionally welded or riveted to tree 2, and with the leather liners and pads, adhered, glued or sewed entirely closing the inner structure, must be brought to a leather worker to disassembly at least the front part of the saddle to remove welding, rivets, an the like to replace the reinforcing member by a new one having an angle wider than the first member. Since this work requires of the use of heat to remove welding, or strong impacts to remove rivets the saddle must be opened in a large proportion to prevent damages in the leather liners, however, always the leather is at least minimally damaged.
According to the invention, member 9 is easily and quickly removed and replaced by another wider one, as will be described below, without disassembling the saddle. For this purpose, band 9 is secured into recess 8 by at least one fastener accessible from outside the saddle. More particularly, two screws 10, 11 are provided that are received in threaded orifices 12, 13 in band 9 and pass through the headplate and the outer lining materials “RS” in a manner that screws 10, 11 not only secures band 9 but also retains the upper and side liners in a zone above the outer skirts “FE” and below side skirts or skirt panels “SP”. Therefore, while screws 10, 11 have their threaded stems retained in the structure and their heads easily accessible from outside the saddle, the screw heads do not appear visible but are hidden under the foldable skirts “SP”.
At both sides of recess 8 two side resistant and flexible rims or strips 14, 15, are provided for compensating any decrease in the structural resistance due to recess 8 and for providing flexibility to accommodate to wider or closer rigid members 9. The angular opening of flexible headplate 6 will correspond to a design angle with capability to open or to close according to the rigid member installed into recess 8. This is important as long as the tree should accompany, as close as possible, the variations in the angles when forced by the interchanging rigid members 9 having different angles. Headplate has a strength enough to resist the stresses to which the saddle is subject to but it is flexible enough to be deformed and accommodate the angle of member 9.
Headplate 6 also includes at least two orifices 16, 17 at one side of recess 8 for threadably receiving screws 18, 19 for retaining, at this corresponding portion of the saddle, lower liners “RI” or any pad member to the tree. In addition, strip “CI” running along the center line of the saddle, has a front end portion 20 for fixing, by fixing means 21, to front edges of headplate 6 for providing termination to the assembly. Considering that all the bottom front assembly, including pad members “B”, is already fixed or retained by screws 18, 19, there is no need of further fixation means or fasteners. For providing a better finishing, end portion 20 may be attached to the tree by a very well known fastener of hooks and loops 21 that can be manually closed and opened easily.
The assembly also includes other components and fittings such as a connector 22, 23 for girth tabs, not shown, at opposite sides of the saddle. According to the invention, these connectors are provided in a side upper surface of the headplate in order to prevent interference with the installation and/or removal of rigid members 9 into recess 8.
Distinctly from the saddles of the prior art, that reference to the structures thereof have been made above, a saddle according to the invention provides the aids to adjust the saddle to different horse sizes easily, quickly and without the need of skilled personnel to disassemble the saddle. In the event that the horse wherein the saddle is used gains weight and, hence the angle of the back is enlarged, the saddle must be adjusted, or opened, to fit the new dimensions. Thus, by lifting skirt panels “SP” access is provided directly to screws 10, 11 while access to screws 18, 19 is obtained by pulling portion 20 and dislodging the same from means 21, and spacing portion 20 and bottom cover “RI” slightly out from the tree. By unscrewing screws 10, 11, by means of a screwdriver “T” for example, rigid member 9 may be removed once portion 20 and cover “RI” are slightly spaced apart from the tree. A new rigid member can be then secured into recess 8 and fastened by screws 10, 11 and portion 20 and cover “RI” may be placed back into place and secured by screws 18, 19 and closing means 21.
While the screws have been shown with a cross-type notch, any screw or fastener may be used as long as the same may be easily removed by a simple tool such as screwdriver.
According to another embodiment of the invention, depicted in
At the bottom part of the saddle elongated pad members “B” are arranged to provide cushion between the saddle and the horse. When rigid members 9 must be removed and replaced by another interchanging rigid member, said pad members does not need to be entirely removed but only detached at a front part of the saddle and lifted the end of the pad member to have access to the headplate as shown in
Pads “B” are designed according to conventional techniques and may be made, for example, of urethane polymer foam or natural or synthetic wool, like other components of the saddle, and therefore plates 31, 32 will be designed to guarantee a good retention into the foam or wool. Said plates 31, 32 may be fixed to sleeves 28, 29 or may be made of only one piece together with the sleeves. The design of the plates will also accommodate to any design of the pads, namely the dimensions and the geometry of pads “B”.
Connecting sleeves 24, 25, 28, 29 may be made of any appropriate and light material, such a light metal, and they may be entirely interiorly threaded and the opening thereof for receiving the screws may be provided with a biased edge, as illustrated in
According to still another embodiment of the invention, the saddle of the invention, the bottom view of which is depicted in
The saddle of
Cover or lid means 35, as better shown in
As it was already disclosed, pad “B” is affixed to bottom skirt “RI” and both are affixed to head plate 6 and bearing or reinforcing member 9 through screws 18, 19 that are received in threaded sleeves 29, 30, see
To gain access to member 9 the retention means must be detached and lid 36 lifted as shown in
The assembly formed by bottom skirts “RI” and pads “B” includes, at bottom surfaces thereof, respective pockets 40, 41 the purpose of which is to receive ends 42, 43, respectively, of the head plate or any support that the head plate may include to provide additional strength. Once the new member is inserted and lid 36 closed, as describe above, skirts “RI” and pads “B” are moved back to their original positions, as shown in
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
P060104462 | Oct 2006 | AR | national |
P070100178 | Jan 2007 | AR | national |
This application is a Continuation-in-Part and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/674,797, filed Feb. 14, 2007, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference in this application.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2667 | Freed | Jun 1842 | A |
63322 | Spurgin | Mar 1867 | A |
786502 | Lappan | Apr 1905 | A |
2034474 | Knetsch | Mar 1936 | A |
4996827 | Pellew | Mar 1991 | A |
5517808 | Schleese | May 1996 | A |
20050011167 | Belton | Jan 2005 | A1 |
20050120683 | Swain | Jun 2005 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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744376 | Nov 1996 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120137640 A1 | Jun 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11674797 | Feb 2007 | US |
Child | 13267481 | US |