This invention concerns a rack, more precisely a rack used in stables, on top of which a saddle may be hung for storage and drying, and by means of which the saddle blanket can also be dried if necessary. The rack makes the theft of the saddle impossible.

When they are not in use, saddles are hung in stables on various kinds of racks. A saddle blanket is used beneath the saddle, against the back of the horse, for the purpose of softening the contact between the saddle and the back of the horse and, on the other hand, also acting as a collector of the horse's sweat so that the leather parts of the saddle do not become unnecessarily wet.

After use, the totality formed by the saddle and blanket is lifted onto a rack for storage and drying. The theft of saddles has, however, become a considerable present-day problem. This is in part due to the fact that a person carrying a saddle is a normal sight in the vicinity of stables and so it is difficult to distinguish between someone engaged in unauthorized activities and someone legitimately carrying a saddle. In Sweden, for example, thefts of 1500 saddles are reported annually. As the value of a saddle can be as much as ten thousand Finnish markka, the problem is considerable and can be assumed to be worsening.

One solution for storing a saddle and locking it in place is known from GB application publication 2 197 781. This is composed of quite a number of bar-like components, which form lower and upper locking components- The drawback with this invention is that its construction is complicated. Another drawback is that, except for a height adjustment carried out by means of a locking pin, there is no possibility of adjusting the device in accordance with the saddle, so the device can only be poorly adapted to different types of saddles.

The purpose of this invention is to create a solution to the above problems and to create a rack for storing a saddle in such a way that the unauthorized removal of a saddle from its place of storage is prevented and at the same time to create the rack in a simple and economic manner. An additional purpose is to create a rack, on which the drying of a saddle and also a saddle blanket will succeed easily and certainly.

The aforementioned and other advantages of a rack according to the invention are achieved in the manner described as characteristic in the accompanying Claims.

In what follows, the invention is described in greater detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows one form of application of a rack according to the invention seen from the front and

Figure 2 shows a form of application of the same type seen from the side.

A rack according to the invention can be made in a modular form in such a way that, if desired, several racks can be placed on top of one another. The dimensions and details in the figures do not entirely correspond to each other.

The rack 1 is formed of a frame component 2 made from tube-like material, to the upper and lower ends of which lugs 3 are attached, through the holes 8 in which screws or bolts can be threaded and thus secure the frame 1 to the wall. It is, of course, possible to make the attachment in other ways than that now described. In addition, the permanent attachment of the construction to the wall or other surface is also possible.

In a case in which the frame 2 is a tube, racks can be placed on top of one another for example in such a way that a connecting piece (not shown), which secures the tubes precisely on top of each other, can be pushed inside the opposing ends of two tubes of racks 1 that will be placed on top of one another.

A bar-like saddle carrier 4 is attached to tube 2, this being shown in Figure 2 as being formed into a curve, to approximate to the under- surface of the saddle. An alternative is also to use a tube-like material and support the carrier, for example, from frame 2 by means of a slanting brace 9 of the kind shown in Figure 2, should there be a need for support.

Figure 1 also shows component 5, which is attached beneath the saddle carrier 4, the purpose of which is to keep the saddle in a suitably spread position to improve its drying and to maintain a position reminiscent of the back of a horse. The spreader 5 is in no way essential, as a saddle is, as such, a relatively stiff object and retains its shape quite well.

A saddle blanket support 6, 7, which can be of any type at all, is attached to the frame beneath the saddle carrier 4. The purpose of the support 6, 7 is to keep a saddle blanket placed upon it spread out, so that it will dry and be aired properly. This is because the saddle blanket is not normally separated from the saddle, as has been mentioned above, but is attached to the saddle even during drying, because certain straps run through the blanket-

The essential feature of the invention is that the rack now includes a locking bar 1 1. The outer end of the carrier 4 includes a lug 10 and the locking bar 11 includes a component 12 that can be locked to the lug, when components 10 and 12 can be locked to one another, usually with a padlock, but if desired, permanent locking can also be located in the bar 1 1 or carrier 4.

Now special reference is made to Figure 1 , which shows how in practice a saddle is placed on the carrier 4 according to the invention, in such a way that carrier 4 goes between the under-surface of the saddle and the blanket. The blanket can then drop to a lower level and rest on support 6, 7, which keeps it spread and ensures drying. The blanket is, nevertheless, also secured to the under-parts of the saddle.

After this, the bar-like component 1 1 is set into a hole made in the frame tube 2 or corresponding frame component, and bar 11 is locked at its end to the lug 10 at the end of bar 4, for example by means of a padlock.

An arrangement of this kind would possibly be, as such, a perfectly good way of preventing the theft of the saddle, but, to ensure this, bar 11 is further equipped with a downwards protrusion 13, which holds the saddle firmly in place, preventing its theft.

Thus protrusion 13 is especially of a collar-like shape and is equipped with an internal thread. It is intended that a pin-like insert 14, the lower end of which is equipped with prongs 15 that are meant to press against the saddle and retain it firmly in place, can be rotated to a suitable height along these threads. Because the prongs 15 are pin-like, and because they are slanted to some extent, it follows that they press tightly along the corresponding slanting surfaces of the saddle. After bar 11 is set in place, pin 14 cannot be rotated without removing bar 11.

Because the carrier bar 4 has a curved shape corresponding to that of the saddle, and because the protrusion of the locking bar 11 presses the saddle firmly in place from above, the saddle is locked in place in such a way that it cannot be moved in any direction. In particular, it is impossible for attempts to twist the saddle out laterally from between carrier 4 and locking bar 1 1 to succeed, on account of the shape of the saddle and carrier and the protrusion pressing from above.

In the same way as the protrusion 13 was described above as a collar and the insert 14 as a pin, they may be formed of a pin 13 and a collar 14. On the other hand, the intention of the connection between pin 14 and collar 13 is to adjust the length of the assembly and this purpose can be achieved by other means than threads. One example that can be given are projections on the outside of the pin and corresponding grooves on the inner sides of the collar, when suitably shaped cross- grooves in the inner surface of the collar act as locking devices as far as length is concerned.

It was stated above that the bar 11 is pushed into a hole in the frame 2, but it is quite possible to attach the bar 11 to the frame in other ways. Another obviously practical way is to swivel the bar to the frame like a hinge, in which case it is raised from the locking position and correspondingly lowered to its locking position by using the swivel. In this form of application the bar 11 can be equipped with either an automatic (e.g. a spring) or hand operated device to retain the bar 11 in the raised position.

It is advantageous if the locking bar 11 can be detached, so that the saddle rack can be used without locking if desired, and if locking is required, the locking bar is simply put in place.

It is obvious that the locking of the end of the bar 11 to the end of the carrier 4 can be carried out in many ways. For example, locking can take place in such a way that the end of the bar 11 is shaped to enter a locking gap and lock there automatically, when the bar is freed by operating a lock installed to act upon the locking gap and which is located, for example, in the end of the carrier 4.

Sheet metal and tubes are used especially in the manufacture of the construction according to the invention, when dimensioning is made in accordance with the loading prevailing in a particular instance. The

entire rack according to the invention can be made from metal tube by attaching the components to one another by, for example, welding. The rack can be surface-treated in a suitable manner to ensure a pleasant appearance and durability.