GB2053647A

GB2053647A - Stirrup leather supports

Info

Publication number: GB2053647A
Application number: GB8023323A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Cotterell James & Sons; EUROTREND Ltd
Current assignee: Cotterell James & Sons; EUROTREND Ltd
Priority date: 1979-07-17
Filing date: 1980-07-17
Publication date: 1981-02-11
Also published as: GB2053647B

Abstract

A stirrup leather support comprising a bar (6) which is adapted to be fixed at each end to a saddle tree and a hook 9, 10 for a stirrup leather which is slidable along the bar between a number of predetermined positions. The hook can be locked in any one of the predetermined positions to suit a rider and riding conditions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stirrup leather supports The present invention concerns stirrup leather supports.

Known stirrup leather supports are non-adjustable and are secured at one end only to a saddle tree.

According to the present invention a stirrup leather support comprises a rigid support bar, means at each end of the bar for attachment to a saddle tree and a hook for a stirrup leather selectively movable along the bar between predetermined positions.

The hook can be moved between a number of positions along the bar, conveniently four or five different positions, to provide adjustment to suit rider and horse.

The bar can be a cylindrical rod having reduced diameter portions at spaced intervals along its length. The hook is slidably and rotatably mounted on the rod and is formed with a key which cooperates with the reduced diameter portions to releasably lock the hook in a desired position along the rod. The hook can be moved to a new position by rotating, preferably upwardly from a locked lower position, to bring the key into alignment with a corresponding keyway in the rod. This allows axial displacement of the hook to a new position at which the hook is rotated back into a locking position.

Alternatively, the bar can be a cylindrical tube having an axial slot communicating with spaced apart transverse slots. The hook can comprise a cylindrical portion within the tube having a hook member cooperating with the slots and extending through the wall of the tube. The hook can be moved between positions defined by the transverse slots by rotating and sliding along the slots.

The bar is secured to the saddle tree at or adjacent each end thereof and the construction is stronger than stirrup leather supports which are fixed at one end only to the saddle tree.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. lisa generalised diagrammatic view of a saddle assembly; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, not to scale, of a stirrup leather support forming a part of the assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view of a further embodiment of a stirrup leather support; and Fig. 4 is a section on A-A in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1, a saddle tree 1 has a bar.2 carrying a hook 3 for a stirrup leather 4. A stirrup 5 is carried by the leather 4. The bar 2 is secured and fixed at each end to the saddle tree 1. The hook 3 is selectively movable along the bar 2 between predetermined positions.

Fig. 2 shows the bar 2 and the hook 3 in more detail. The bar 2 comprises a cylindrical rod 6 having reduced diameter portions 7 at spaced intervals along its length. The rod is formed with an axially extending keyway 8 which in Fig. 2 is a substantially V-shaped section. It will be appreciated that the keyway can have other shaped sections.

The hook 3 comprises a tubular cylindrical portion 9 having an integral hook member 10. The bore of the portion 9 is such as to receive the rod 6 in a sliding fit and the length ofthe portion 9 is greater than the axial length of the reduced diameter portions 7 of the rod 6.

The bore of the cylindrical portion 9 is formed with a key 11 which is shaped and dimensioned to cooperate with the keyway 8 in the rod 6. The axial length ofthe key 11 is substantially equal to but not greater than the axial length of each reduced diameter portion 7 of the rod. As a result, the ends of the key 11 can abut against the annular faces of the rod at the reduced diameter portions to thereby lock the hook 3 against axial displacement along the rod.

The hook 3 is rotatable on the rod 6. To displace the hook axially along the rod, the hook is rotated to bring the key 11 into axial alignment with the keyway 8. The hook can then slide along the rod to a new position as determined by a reduced diameter portion 7. At the new position the hook is again rotated into a locked position. Preferably, the hook is locked when the hook member 10 extends in a downwards direction from the rod.

Conveniently, the rod is provided with four or five reduced diameter portions 7 to enable the hook to be located at four or five different positions along the bar 2. A rider can therefore alter the positions of his legs depending on his shape and size and upon the work in which he is engaged, i.e., work on the flat, jumping or dressage. The stirrup leather support comprising the bar 2 and the hook 3 permits a rider to put his legs in a position not normally attainable with known supports with resultant advantages to both rider and horse. As the bar 2 is fixedly attached at each end to the saddle tree the support is stronger than known supports in which the bar is fixed to the saddle tree at one end only. The hook 3 which carries the stirrup leather 4 cannot be moved when it is in the locked position.The hook is rotated upwards so that it can then slide along the bar to change the position ofthe stirrup leather. At the new position the hook is rotated downwards for locking.

In the embodiment of Figs 3 and 4, the hook is arranged to slide within the bar. The bar comprises a cylindrical tube 20 having brackets 21 at its opposite ends for fixing to a saddle tree. An axial slot 22 extends along the bar and a number of transverse slots 23 extend from the slot 22 in a downwards direction and through an arc of approximately 90".

Conveniently, the tube can be formed with four slots 23 spaced apart at equal intervals along the tube.

The hook comprises a cylindrical portion 24 which is located within the tube 20 and a hook member 25 which extends through the slot 22 whereby the hook can be moved along the length ofthetube 20 between the slots 23. The hook can be locked in any one of the slots 23 by rotating the hook to allow the member 25 to drop along the chosen slot 23 as shown in Fig. 4 and in which position the hook member 25 extends downwardly from the tube 20.

To move the hook to a new position the hook is rotated to return the member 25 to the slot 22 and the hook is then moved along the tube to a further slot 23.

The embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 has the advantage that the hook operates along the front of the bar, that is the side of the bar away from the saddle thereby avoiding any moving parts between the back of the bar and the saddle.

Claims

1. A stirrup leather support comprising a rigid support bar, means at each end of the bar for attachment to a saddle tree and a hook for a stirrup leather selectively movable along the bar between predetermined positions.

2. A stirrup leather support according to claim 1, in which the hook is slidably and rotatably mounted on the exterior of the bar.

3. A stirrup leather support according to claim 2, in which the bar comprises a cylindrical rod having reduced diameter portions at spaced intervals along its length and the hook comprises a cylindrical sleeve mounted on the rod and having an internal key co-operable with the reduced diameter portions and a keyway formed in the rod.

4. A stirrup leather support according to claim 1, in which the bar comprises a cylindrical tube and the hook is slidably and rotatably supported within the tube.

5. A stirrup leather support according to claim 4, in which the tube is formed with an axial slot communicating with spaced apart transverse slots and the hook comprises a cylindrical portion within the tube having a hook member co-operating with the slots and extending through the tube.

6. A stirrup leather support substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 3 and 4 ofthe accompanying drawings.