Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
107~876
The present invention relates to improvements in plastic
saddle trees for riding saddles. Saddle trees in accord with the
present invention consist of a saddle tree frame member having
depending, bow-like front arches or points which overlap the
withers of the horse, a waist joined to said front arches, and
a rear cantle, on which a separate cantle plate determining
the length and width of the cantle is rested and attached.
The invention particularly concerns improvements in
the saddle trees of Canadian patent application Serial l.~Jo.
221,687 filed on r5arch 10, 1975.
As already stated in application No. 221,687 r the
manufacture of saddle trees of the conventional type, whether of
wood or spring steel bands or of plastic materials, is re-
latively costly. Even though the production of plastic saddle
trees has reduced costs considerably, a relatively high cost -
factor still has to be taken into account due to the high cost
of molds. The manufacture of plastic saddle trees is thus in
principle only worthwhile in large numbers.
A reduction in mold costs was the aim of the proposal
in application No. 221,687, this to be accomplished by providing ~ -
a saddle tree frame suitable for various, different saddle sizes
on which appropriate cantle plates of varying dimensions could
be mounted.
Plastic saddle trees have up to now always had the
disadvantage, resulting from their construction and the material
used, that they do not bounce or yield to the desired and
necessary extent when the rider is seated on the saddle, Hithereto,
only riding saddles with conventional spring saddle trees have
had the desired springy properties.,
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According to one aspect of the invention there is pro-
vided a saddle tree which comprises a rigid, front saddle tree
member having a neck with points depending therefrom, a waist
extending rearwardly from said neck, and mounting means adapted
to receive cantles of different lengths and widths so that
saddle trees of different sizes can be made using identical
front saddle tree members, said mounting means comprising a
recess in the upper surface of said front saddle tree member
for locating a cantle relative to said front saddle tree
member; a separate cantle member seated in said recess, said
cantle member having a lower surface portion configured to
match said recess and thereby position said cantle member
relative to said front saddle member; and means fixing said
cantle member to said front saddle tree member, said cantle
member being of thin-wall configuration and fabricated of a
resilient material and, further, being fixed only at the front
and rear portions thereof to said rigid, front saddle tree
member and otherwise being spaced from said front saddle tree
member so that it can elastically yield in a downward direction
into the space between it and said rigid, front saddle tree
member. -
According to another aspect of the invention there is
provided a saddle tree for riding saddles which comprises a
rigid saddle tree member having a neck and a waist extending ::
rearwardly from said neck and a separate, resilient cantle
plate supported and fixed only at the front and rear portions -
thereof to said rigid member, said cantle plate otherwise
being spaced from said rigid member so that it can elastically
yield in a downward direction under the weight of a rider,
there being a recess in the waist of the saddle tree member
and the front portion of the cantle plate being seated in said
recess, said saddle tree further including means fixing the
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forward portion of the cantle plate in place in said recess
and co-operating stops on said saddle tree member and said
cantle plate for locating the forward edge portion of the
cantle plate relative to the saddle tree member, the stop on
the saddle tree member being defined by a wall bounding the
recess therein and the stop on the cantle plate being defined
by a projection depending from the forward portion thereof.
According to another aspect of the invention there is
provided a saddle tree for riding saddles which comprises a
lC rigid saddle tree member having a neck and a waist extending
rearwardly from said neck and a separate, resilient cantle
plate supported and fixed only at the front and rear portions
thereof to said rigid member, said cantle plate otherwise being
spaced from said rigid member so that it can elastically yield
in a downward direction under the weight of a rider, said
cantle plate having a downwardly extending, reinforced portion
at the rear thereof and a spring member fixed to a lower edge
of said downwardly extending portion and there being a recess
in the rear of the rigid saddle tree member, said spring member
being configured to match, and seated in, said recess to there-
by fix the rear portion of the cantle plate to the saddle tree~:
member.
According to another aspect of the invention there is -
provided a saddle tree for riding saddles which comprises a
rigid saddle tree member having a neck and a waist extending
rearwardly from said neck and a separate, resilient cantle
plate supported and fixed only at the front and rear portions
thereof to said rigid member, said cantle plate otherwise being
spaced from said rigid member so that it can elastically yield
in a downward direction under the weight of a rider, there
being a recess in the waist of the saddle tree member and the
front portion of the cantle plate being seated in said recess,
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said saddle tree further including means fixing the forwardportion of the cantle plate in place in said recess which
includes means for placing said cantle plate under tension of
a selected magnitude longitudinally of the saddle to thereby
impart a wanted springiness thereto.
According to another aspect of the invention there is
provided a saddle tree for riding saddles which comprises a
rigid saddle tree member having a neck and a waist extending
rearwardly from said neck; a separate, resilient cantle plate
supported and fixed only at the front and rear portions thereof
to said rigid member, said cantle plate otherwise being spaced
from said rigid member so that it can elastically yield in a
downward direction under the weight of a rider; means for
placing said cantle plate under a tension of a selected magni-
tude to thereby impart a wanted springiness thereto comprising
means for fixing the front portion of the cantle plate to the -
rigid saddle tree member at different locations longitudinally
of the latter whereby said cantle plate can be placed under
tensions of different magnitudes; and openings on opposite
sides of and through the front portion of the cantle tree
plate; the means~for fixing the front portion of the cantle
plate to the saddle tree member comprising apertured members
fitted in said openings and fasteners extending through the
apertures in said members into the saddle tree member whereby,
by employing members with apertures spaced at different dis-
tances relative to the front and rear edges thereof, the
location of the front edge portion of the cantle plate
relative to the rigid saddle tree member can be varied.
It is an advantage of this invention, at least in pre-
ferred forms, that it can provide a saddle tree made of a
plastic material for riding saddles having properties
equivalent to all the desirable properties of a conventionally
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mounted spring saddle tree. A riding saddle equipped with a
saddle tree constructed according to a preferred form of the
invention may furthermore lie as fully as possible on the
horse's back, thus avoiding in particular pressure sores, as
well as having an adequate amount of springy give when the
rider, by virtue of his own weight, is pressed more or less
firmly into the seat of the saddle during the different paces
of the horse. It is also an advantage of the invention, at
least in preferred forms, that it makes it possible to keep
the production costs of saddle trees, even in differing
sizes, relatively low.
The cantle plate preferably extends forwardly across
about two-thirds of the length of the relatively firm, stable,
and rigid saddle tree member, and is preferably constructed
of a relatively thin-walled, elastic material. Advantageously,
the cantle plate rests with only its front peripheral area on
the waist section and its rear, downwardly-inclined cantle
plate edge on the rear edge of the cantle of the saddle tree -~
member, and is preferably attached to the saddle tree frame ~-
member with an initial tension to assist the springing action
as the cantle plate yields downwardly under the weight of the
rider.
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~ saddlc trce constructed in this way co~ incs .111
the advantages of known saddle trees. Tho rigidity of tllc saddle
tree frame member ensures the desired support of the saddle on
the horse's back, and the construction and arrangement of the
cantle plate, which virtually extends across the seat of the
saddle tree (and therefore of the saddle), guarantees the
desired springy property. The construction furthermore renders
economic production possible since only one uniform saddle tree
frame is used for all saddle sizes; and only cantle plates of
differing sizes need to be mounted on it to give the saddle
tree the desired size as regards width and length. The cost
of a mold for the saddle tree frame thus occur only once, along
with mold costs for relatively simple molds for the different
cantle plates.
Preferred en~odiments of the invention are described
in detail in the following with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a side view of a preferred saddle tree
embodying the present invention;
Fisure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the
saddle tree according to Figure l;
Figures 3 and 4 each show a longitudinal section
through alternative embodiments in the region of junction
between the cantle plate and the saddle tree frame member;
and
Figure 3a shows a section through an alternative
adjusting plate for use with the construction according to
Figure 3.
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~ s can be seen from ~igures 1 and 2, univcrsally
applicable saddle trce frame or frame member 21 is equipped with
lla cantle plate 22 which cxtends essentially over the entire seat
,'area of the saddle tree (and, therefore, the saddle itself).
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The cantle plate 22 is joined to the saddle tree frame 21 only
at its front peripheral area 23 and at its rear cantle plate
edge 24, which rests on the rear edge of the cantle 25 of the
saddle tree frame 21. As a result of the shape and the above- j
jmentioned disposition of the cantle plate 22, there is a space
28 between the upper side 26 of the saddle tree frame and the
under side 27 of the cantle plate 22. This enables the latter
to elastically yield or bounce into space 28 when the saddle
seat is stressed by the rider seated on it.
The front peripheral area 23 of the cantle plate 22
lies in the vicinity of saddle tree frame waist section 29 in a
correspondingly shaped recess 30 of the saddle tree frame 21
which, in area 29, is provided with an appropriate reinforce-
ment 31. The attachment of the cantle plate 22 at its front
peripheral area 23 to the saddle tree frame 21 may be effected
~y screws 34.
The rear, reinforced, cantle plate edge 24 is provided
with a spring 32 and, to ensure a safe placement and attachment
of the cantle plate 22 in the area of the cantle 25 of the saddle
tree frame 21, is fitted in a notch 33 disposed in the edge of
the cantle 25. No additional fastening is necessary since the
cantle plate 22 is attached to the saddle tree frame 21 under
a selected initial tension or stress.
The saddle tree frame may, as shown in Figure 2, have
l a centrally placed slot 35 underneath the cantle plate 22.
¦ Alternatively, it may be closed in this area.
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10718~6
The initial stress desired on the cantle plate 22
can be produced relatively easily by attaching the front peri-
pheral area 23 of the cantle plate 22 to the saddle tree frame
21 in a position which is either further forward or further
rearwards in its recess 30. This is accomplished by placing
the bore holes for inserting the attaching screws 34 further
forward or further back in the reinforced part 31 of the curved,
waist section 29.
To render possible an economic series production,
¦however, it is preferred, as shown in Figures 3 and 3a, that the
cantle plate 22 have, on each side of its front peripheral area
23 and in the same general location as the screws 34 shown in ¦~
Figure 1, a conical aperture 36 into which can be inserted a trun-l
cated, cone-shaped plug 37 or 37' having either a central bore
hole 38 (Figure 3) or an eccentrically located bore hole 39
~(Figure 3a) to take the attachment screw 40. In the reinforced
¦¦area 31 of the tree frame waist section 29, there is preferably
¦¦a screw socket 41 into which the attaching screw 40 can be screwed
The conical periphery of the plugs 37 and 37' may be corrugated
to counteract rotation. Depending upon whether a plug as shown ~
in Figure 3 or Figure 3a is employed and, if the latter, the -
spacing of aperture 39 relative to the front and rear edges of
the plug, the front edge can be located at one of plural locations -
relative to saddle tree frame 21.
Another method of attaching the front peripheral area
23 of the cantle plate 22 to the saddle tree frame 21 is shown
~in Figure 4. In this, both sides of the cantle plate have, on
the underside in the front peripheral area 23 and in the same
Igeneral location as the screws 34 shown in Figure 1, a hooklike
projection 43 which fits in a groove 44 in the reinforced area 31
1071876
of ~he wai~ s~ction 29. Groove 44 has a stop forming ~acc 45.
An attachment ~crew 46 passes through an oblong hole
47 in the outer peripheral area 23 of the cantle plate 22. In
the furthest back position of the cantle plate 22, a stop providing
face 48 on the hooklike projection 43 lies directly against the
stop providing face 45 of the groove 44. If the cantle plate 22
is to be fixed in a further forward position on the saddle tree
frame, a separator piece 49 of appropriate thickness is inserted
between the two stop faces 45 and 48, positioning the hooked
projection 43 further forward.
Through the arrangements just described, it is relatively
simple to adjust or even alter the tension of the saddle tree
or the initial tension of the springy, elastic, cantle plate.
The above described constructions have made it
possible for the first time to produce a plastic saddle tree
having the same resilient properties as a conventional spring
steel saddle tree and, also, the advantages that it nevertheless
lies firmly and securely in its entire length on the horse's
back, even during the spring action of the seat, and that it can
be economically produced.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms .
wi-thout departing from the scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims. The present embodiments are therefore to
be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restric-
tive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the apper.ded
claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all changes
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the
claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
