An Improved Pneumatic Saddle for Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1898-Accepted, 6th Aug., 1898
An Improved Pneumatic Saddle for Velocipedes.
I, LOUIS WIDDERSHOVEN, of 20, Scheldestraat, Antwerp, Belgium, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:—
The object of this invention is the construction of a pneumatic saddle for velo-
cipedes which shall be absolutely air tight, so as to retain the compressed air
within it, and which shall also possess great elasticity.
:
The drawing annexed hereto shows, by way of example, one mode of carrying
out the invention.
On the drawing:-
Fig. 1 is an inverted plan view of the saddle.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the saddle taken on the line -y Fig. 1.
The saddle is composed of an india-rubber pneumatic tube A, A, which is coiled
This tube which is
up in such a manner as to form the surface of the saddle.
closed at each end has provided at one end, at the back of the saddle, a valve K
by means of which the tube can be inflated in the usual manner by the use of
any suitable and well known form of air pump. The convolutions of the coiled
up tube are covered by a cover B made of rubbered canvas and this cover is so
arranged and secured together as shown at Fig. 2, as to tightly envelop each con-
volution. This cover prevents any escape of air even although there may be a
defect in the rubber of the pneumatic tube and it further prevents the tube
bursting through an over-pressure of air.
An outside covering C made of canvas or sail cloth encloses the parts of the
saddle hereinbefore described and retains them in position.
The saddle rests upon a perforated sheet iron plate which is similar in shape
to the outline of the saddle.
The leather D of the saddle, by which the above described parts are covered, is
secured to the plate J round its whole circumference by means of small screws i.
The plate J has, at its underside, a socket I with a polygonal opening for the
reception of the supporting or L pillar of the cycle.
The rubber and canvas cover B has, moulded in one with it, three india rubber
projections H which are cylindrical in shape and are directed downwards. Each
projection passes through a hole made in the sail cloth and in the plate J and
also into a tube F closed at the bottom but provided at the top with a curved
flange or rim. The tube is threaded externally and is also slotted for the greater
As will be seen the slot
part of its length, as indicated in dotted lines at r.
extends upwards through the flange. For the purpose of retaining the projec-
tions H within the tubes the latter are made, on the inner surface, with teeth
or notches F¹. The tubes F can, further, be caused to grip the projections by
means of nuts E which, when screwed up, cause the split tubes F to tighten upon
the projections. Each tube is fixed by its flange to the underside of the plate J.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is :-
which
over
A pneumatic saddle for velocipedes characterized by a coiled up pneumatic tube
of india-rubber the convolutions of which are tightly enclosed by a covering of
rubbered canvas,
is arranged
sail cloth;
a covering of
the whole being fitted upon a metal plate having a socket for the re-
ception of the seat pillar; the rubbered-canvas cover having three projections of
india-rubber which pass through holes in the sail-cloth and the metal plate and
enter slotted tubes screwed externally and which retain the projections by means
of teeth or notches made in the metal of the tubes and by nuts which can be
screwed upon the tubes, said tubes being fixed below the support plate; the
leather which covers the upper part of the saddle being fastened round its edges
to the underside of the support plate by means of screws or equivalent, substan-
tially as herein before described and shown on the drawings annexed.
1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.