Improvements in or relating to Saddles for Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Saddles for Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM LAMBERT RENNOLDSON, of 15, Windsor Terrace, in the City and County
of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Chemical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
The objects are to facilitate mounting and dismounting and the invention is
specially adapted to ladies bicycles and those used in military operations.
The invention consists in mounting the saddle in such manner that it can be readily
lowered for mounting and will afterwards, when the rider is seated, automatically rise
to any desired height to suit the choice of the rider.
The saddle pillar sliding in its socket or guides rises by or descends against the
action of a coiled spring enclosed in the socket or other convenient position and has
formed upon or secured to it a notched bar or toothed rack external to the down
tube and sliding thereon in suitable guides and secured in any required position
by a double armed "pawl" mounted on a fulcrum pin in a clip embracing or
otherwise attached to the socket or guide. This double armed pawl is caused, by
the action of a tripper controlled by a spring, to engage one or other of its ends in
the notches or teeth of the rack bar the other end then being disengaged.
To lower the saddle it is pressed down against the resistance of the spring and
the lower arm of the pawl engages with the rack and holds it in its lowest
position. Before mounting the rider reverses the "tripper" and having mounted
momentarily rises in the saddle which movement causes the saddle to rise to the
required height and it is there securely and automatically fixed by the upper arm
of the pawl engaging in one of the notches or teeth in the rack. For dismounting
it is only necessary to reverse the spring "tripper" when the weight of the rider
lowers the saddle against the resistance of the spring and the lower arm of the pawl
secures it. Mechanical means, as a small pinion working in a rack operated by a fly
key, may be used to lower the saddle but pressure of the hand will be found
sufficient. Machines for men riders will have the rack on the back of the socket or
guide tube to keep clear of the "back-bone" tube

page_text: manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The objects are to facilitate mounting and dismounting and the invention is
specially adapted to ladies' bicycles or those used in military operations.
It consists in mounting the saddle in such manner that it can be readily lowered
for mounting and will afterwards, when the rider is seated, automatically rise to any
desired height to suit the handle bar.
The saddle pillar sliding in the down tube of the treadle frame rises by or descends
against the action of a coiled spring enclosed in the down tube and has formed upon
or secured to it a notched bar or toothed rack external to the down tube, and sliding
thereon in suitable guides secured in any required position by a double armed pawl
mounted on a fulcrum pin in a clip embracing the down tube. This double armed
pawl is caused, by the action of a tripper, controlled by a spring, to engage one or
other of its ends in the notches or teeth of the rack bar, the other end then being
disengaged.
In mounting the rider first presses down the saddle against the resistance of the
spring and the lower arm of pawl engages with the rack and holds it in that
position. Before mounting the rider reverses the "tripper" and having mounted,
momentarily rises on the treadles which movement sets free the pawl and causes the
saddle to rise automatically to the required height at which it is fixed by the upper
arm of the pawl engaging in one of the notches or teeth in the rack. Instead of
attaching an independent notched bar to the saddle spindle, I may in some cases
notch, or perforate, the saddle spindle itself, and in that case I dispense with the
clamp carrying the double pawl, but use the usual upright pillar clamping-bolt, as a
fulcrum for the pawl to turn on. The pawl in this modification is operated when the
saddle is lowered by a notched tappet on the saddle bar, which engages in a corre-
sponding tooth on one arm of the pawl, and puts the arm into locking position, but
when mounted the weight of the rider depressing the saddle, the spring tripper
having been reversed, disengages that arm and causes the other arm, when the saddle
has risen to the required height, to engage with one of the notches in the saddle bar
and secure it there. For dismounting it is only necessary to reverse the spring
"tripper" when the weight of the rider lowers the saddle against the resistance of
the spring and the lower arm of the pawl secures it or in the modification the hooked
arm of the pawl engages with the notched tappet.
Mechanical means, as a small pinion working in a rack operated by a fly key, may
be used to lower the saddle, but pressure of the hand will be found best. Machines
for men riders will have the rack at the back of the treadle frame tube to keep clear
of the "back-bone" tube.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings, Fig. 1 shews a cycle fitted with my
invention, the saddle bar being lowered for mounting, and Fig. 2 with the saddle bar
raised to the required height for the rider. Only the parts necessary to explain the
invention are shewn.
Referring to Fig. 1, A is the down tube of the frame. B is the saddle bar tube
sliding in it and controlled by a spiral spring C. Upon the saddle bar is clamped a
notched bar D sliding with the saddle bar in guides E E¹ in clasps on the down
tube A, the back fork F is attached in the usual way. Upon the guide clasp E¹ is a
fulcrum pin G which carries the double armed pawl H and the tripper J controlled by
the spiral spring K. The notched bar D has at its lower end a split pin which
prevents the saddle bar rising by the re-action of the spring C when released out of
the down tube A. M shews the clasp on saddle bar forming the adjustable support
for the saddle which is not shewn.
On Fig. 2 the saddle bar tube B, instead of carrying the notched bar D, is itself
perforated with holes at suitable intervals, and the fulcrum pin G is carried in the
usual clasp E which takes the back fork F on top of the down tube A. In this

page_text: modification the double armed pawl H consists of two arms H H', both on one side
of the fulcrum pin G, H being of the ordinary shape and H¹ formed with a hooked
end, the tripper J and spring K acting as previously explained. When the saddle is
lowered a notched tappet N clamped upon the saddle bar B engages with the arm H¹
and holds the saddle bar down. The rider before mounting reverses the tripper J
into the position shewn and when mounted the spring K disengages the arm H¹ from
the notched tappet N when the saddle rises and the arm H engages in one of the
notches or slots in the bar B and is secured at riding height. On Fig. 2 the dotted
lines shew the saddle bar B lowered for mounting with the arm H engaged by the
notched tappet N.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The improvement in velocipedes for facilitating mounting or dismounting,
consisting of a double armed pawl so mounted on a fixed fulcrum that a tripper on
same fulcrum, the action of which is controlled by a spring or equivalent device,
engages one arm or other of the pawl in notches or slots in a bar attached to or formed
on the saddle bar or in the saddle bar itself, in such manner that the saddle being
lowered the pawl automatically engages and secures it till the tipper is reversed by
the rider before mounting, the act of which automatically disengages that arm of the
pawl when the saddle bar rises and the other arm of the pawl comes into operation
and secures the saddle bar at the required height, substantially as described.
2nd. The improvements in velocipedes for facilitating mounting and dismounting, con-
sisting in combination of a double pawl H mounted on a fulcrum pin G in such manner
that when the saddle is lowered against the action of a spring C in the down tube for
mounting, one end of the pawl H enters a notch or slot in a bar D attached to the
saddle bar B and properly guided; or in an alternative form Fig. 2 the pawl enters
into a slot or hole in the saddle bar itself and prevents the saddle rising until the
rider has mounted; said pawl being fitted with a tripper, actuated by a spring K
which, being reversed before mounting, disengages the end of the pawl from the
notch or slot by the weight of the rider, and the saddle rising by the re-action of
the spring C in the down tube the opposite arm of the pawl enters a notch or slot ;
or the alternative modification shewn by Fig. 2 in which a tappet N engages with the
arm H¹ of the double armed pawl, and secures the saddle until it is released by the
rider reversing the tripper J before mounting and mounts when the saddle
automatically rises until the arm H of the pawl engages and fixes the saddle bar
at the desired position.
Dated this 7th day of July 1899.
T. J DANSON, F.Inst.P.A.,
Agent for Applicant, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.