Harness for working animal – Riding saddle – With padding
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-12
2001-12-25
Swiatek, Robert P. (Department: 3643)
Harness for working animal
Riding saddle
With padding
C054S044500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332307
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to seating apparatus and more particularly to a novel saddle assembly for horse-back riding or the like.
Conventional horse saddles, such as English saddles, include a frame or tree mounting a seat upon which the rider sits and, on each of the left and right sides of the seat, a panel, an under or sweat flap, and a long flap affixed to the tree. Traditional construction has included natural leather or synthetic materials, the flaps and panels being stitched or otherwise permanently bound to the tree. This simple, reliable arrangement has undergone few modifications for hundreds of years.
With the advent of modem transportation, the use of horses and other pack animals has changed from transportation to general sports and recreation. This trend has, in turn, defined new problems and needs to be fulfilled by saddles. A principal issue for competitive riders, for instance, has been the difficulty in transportation of saddles to and from horse shows. Their sheer size, bulk, and rigidity has made their transportation, particularly air travel, costly and cumbersome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a saddle assembly which is both simple and economical to store and transport.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a saddle assembly which can be readily assembled, disassembled, and reassembled repeatedly for storage or transportation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a durable and reliable saddle assembly which is simple and convenient to use, store or transport.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, economical method of assembling, disassembling, and reassembling a saddle assembly for storage or transportation.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention is a saddle assembly which comprises a seat portion with optional skirts secured to opposing sides thereof, panels detachably mounted to the seat portion, one on each of the opposing sides and preferably underlying the respective skirt, an under flap underlying each skirt and detachably secured between the respective panel and skirt, and a long flap overlying each under flap and detachably secured to the respective panel, the panels and long flaps each having cooperating fasteners for detachably securing the under flaps and long flaps to the respective panels, each panel including a cavity for receiving a filler material, the cavity having an access opening suitably configured for adding and removing the material therefrom, and fasteners across the opening for retaining the material in the cavity.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention is a saddle assembly which comprises a seat portion optionally having skirts secured to opposing sides thereof, panels detachably mounted to the seat portion, one on each of the opposing sides and preferably underlying the respective skirt, an under flap underlying each skirt and detachably secured between the respective panel and skirt, and a long flap overlying each under flap and detachably secured to the panel, the panels and long flaps each having cooperating fasteners for detachably securing the under flaps and long flaps to the respective panels, each panel including an inflatable cavity with a valve for controlling the passage of fluid to and from the cavity.
According to a further aspect of the present invention is a method of assembling a saddle which comprises the steps of:
(i) providing a saddle seat portion,
(ii) detachably securing panels to opposing sides of the seat portion, one panel to each side,
(iii) detachably securing under flaps to the panels, one under flap to each panel, and
(iv) detachably securing long flaps to the panels, over the under flap, one long flap to each panel, the panels each having front and rear faces, the rear face including fasteners for detachably mounting the panel to the seat portion and the front face having fasteners for detachably securing the corresponding under flaps and long flaps to opposing sides of the respective panels, each panel including a cavity for receiving a filler material, the cavity having an access opening suitably configured for adding and removing the material therefrom, and fasteners across the opening for retaining the material in the cavity.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention is a method of disassembling a saddle, which comprises the steps of:
(i) detaching fasteners securing an access opening in a saddle panel, the opening leading to a cavity for receiving a filler material, the panel underlying an under flap and a long flap detachably secured thereto,
(ii) removing the material from the cavity,
(iii) detaching the panel from a saddle seat portion,
(iv) detaching the under flap and the long flap from the panel,
(v) separating the panel from the seat portion, and the under flap and long flap from the panel, and
(vi) flattening the panel, under flap, long flap, and seat portion for transportation.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention is a method of assembling a saddle having an inflatable panel, which comprises the steps of:
(i) providing a saddle seat portion,
(ii) detachably securing panels to opposing sides of the seat portion, one panel to each side,
(iii) detachably securing under flaps to the panels, one under flap to each panel,
(iv) detachably securing long flaps to the panels, over the under flap, one long flap to each panel, the panels each having front and rear faces, the rear face including fasteners for detachably mounting the panel to the seat portion and the front face having fasteners for detachably securing the corresponding under flap and long flap to the panel, and
(v) inflating the panel, the panel including an inflatable cavity with a valve for controlling the passage of fluid to and from the cavity.
According to still another aspect of the present invention is a method of disassembling a saddle having an inflatable panel, which comprises the steps of:
(i) deflating a saddle panel overlapping under and long flaps, the panel including an inflatable cavity with a valve for controlling the passage of fluid to and from the cavity,
(ii) detaching the panel from a saddle seat portion,
(iii) detaching the under flap and the long flap from the panel,
(iv) separating the panel from the seat portion, and the under flap and long flap from the panel, and
(v) flattening the panel, under flap, long flap, and seat portion for transportation.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention is a saddle assembly comprising a seat portion, panels detachably mounted to the seat portion, one panel to each opposing side thereof, under flaps detachably secured to the panels, one to each panel, and long flaps overlying the respective under flaps and detachably secured one to each panel, the panels and long flaps having cooperating fasteners for detachably securing the under flaps and long flaps to corresponding panels, each panel further including a cavity for receiving a filler material, the cavity having an access opening suitably configured for adding and removing the material therefrom, and fasteners across the opening for retaining the material in the cavity.
According to a further aspect of the present invention is an English saddle assembly which comprises a seat portion, panels detachably mounted to the seat portion, one panel to each opposing side thereof, under flaps detachably secured to the panels, one to each panel, and long flaps overlying the respective under flaps and detachably secured to each panel, the panels and long flaps having cooperating fasteners for detachably securing the under flaps and long flaps to corresponding panels, each panel further including an inflatable cavity with a valve for controlling the passage of fluid to and from the cavity. Alternatively, the panel includes an inflatable cavity with a valve for controlling the passage of fluid to and from the cavity.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention is a
Brackett, Jr. Tim L.
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Swiatek Robert P.
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