IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES FOR BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS of Great Charles Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES FOR BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
to be as follows:-
"
My invention has reference to saddles for bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes
as hereinafter described in which the leather or seat of the saddle is suspended
from the front and back of a metallic frame situated underneath the said seat, and
my said invention consists essentially of a stamped sheet metal suspending frame,
the back end of which rests within a socket or joint in the form of a trough or
groove running underneath the skirting of the cantle end of the saddle; that is to
say, a metal trough or groove following the curvature of the back end of the
saddle is attached underneath the leather of the seating by rivetting or otherwise;
and within this groove or socket the back end of the supporting frame takes and
constitutes the abutment for the seat-Hooked lugs or fixing stops are fixed
within the groove of the trough described, which take into corresponding holes
or recesses in the end of the framing-These stops prevent the twisting or lateral
movement of the parts when connected together. The other or front end of the
framing is connected to the saddle by a screw pin and socket arrangement
which forms the expedient for giving the necessary tension to the sent of the
saddle. So that on tension or pressure being put upon the seat of the saddle, the
socket or joint moves around the back end of the supporting frame; by such
means the said seat is capable of adjusting itself to the tension or to the movement
of the rider.
When the back ends of saddles are supported by springs attached to the metallic
framing, the terminal ends of the springs are made into the form of a hook which
rest and seat themselves within a socket or groove joint as herein before de-cribed;
stops preserve the position of the framing with regard to the saddle.

page_text: Instead of a continuous trough or groove constituting the joint as before
described, I may form the said joints or sockets in separate or independent recesses
into which the terminations of the suspending frame takes and works. Or the
joint connection between the extreme end of the framing and the connection under
the skirting of the saddle may be attached by knuckles and a joint pin.
Saddles made according to my invention as described, are both simple and light
in their construction and efficient in their action, and the detachable parts reduced
to a minimum.

page_text: I, JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS of Great Charles Street, Birmingham in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDE,"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention has reference to saddles for bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes
as hereinafter described in which the leather or seat of the saddle is suspended
from the front and back of a metallic frame situated underneath the said seat, and
my said invention consists essentially of a stamped sheet metal suspending frame
the back end of which rests within a socket or joint in the form of a trough or
groove running underneath the skirting of the candle end of the saddle; that is to
say, a metal trough or groove following the curvature of the back end of the saddle
is attached underneath the leather of the seating by rivetting or otherwise; and
within this groove or socket, the back end of the supporting frame takes and
rests-Fixing stops or lugs are placed at suitable distances apart within the groove
of the trough described.
The other or front end of the framing supporting the seat of the saddle has a
screw box, wherein a tension screw pin takes, while the terminal front end of this
screw pin is left plain, which plain end works within the eye of a supporting bracket;
and within this bracket and a nut on the screw pin a yielding pad is interposed
which allows the skin of the saddle to give or yield on pressure being applied-
The cushion or pad also intercepts tremor or vibration imparted to the saddle
through the machine-The yielding of the seat of the saddle allows the pivoted end
to move freely within the eye of the supporting bracket-The other or back end
of the framing can also work knuckle like, within the socket of the trough or
frame, thus allowing perfect freedom of motion of the rider.
The seat of the saddle may be made to move both laterally and longitudinally
by placing a second pivot or tension screw at the back of the saddle frame, as well
as at the front, so that the seat shall be capable of adjusting itself both to the
weight, and to the movement of the rider-Or the back of the frame of the saddle
may be supported by springs, thus imparting additional elasticity to the seat-In
this case, each spring is made in the form of a hook situated and moving between
the grooved joint on the back skirting of the saddle in the end of the metallic
framing.
Instead of a continuous trough or groove constituting the joint as before
described, I form the said joints or sockets separate from each other, and wherein
the terminations of the suspending frame take and work; or the joint may be
made in the form of separate knuckles with an affixing joint pin passing through
the parts to be connected together.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which the same is to be performed.

page_text: Figure 1 is an underside view and figuro 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of a
saddle constructed according to my invention, whore the suspending frame of the
seat of the saddle is tensioned and cushioned at the front or pummel end-Figure 3
is an underside view of that portion of the frame which works and seats itself in
the joint or socket running along the back skirting of the saddle-Figure 4
represents (partly broken off) the underframing removed from the socket or joint-
Figure 5 is the tension screw and anti-vibration cushion separately-Figure 6
represents a modification of the cushion and the joint upon which the back end of
the framing turns-Figure 7 is a cross section showing the form of the joint and
how the trunnion like ends of the bar, turn within the joint cut away parts in the
snugs Figure 8 represents a saddle supported at its back or cantel end by bent
springs Figure 8 shows the mechanical equivalent of these springs in the form
of rubber pads which give or allow the requisite motion between the back of the
saddle and the back of the supporting frame between which the pads work-Or
metallic ribband springs may be employed instead of rubber with like effect-
Figure 9 represents a longitudinal vertical section of figure 8-This view shows
the shape of the springs and how their upper terminal ends lie within the trough
of the joint and the means employed for putting the requisite tension upon the
supporting springs-Figure 10 shows an underside view of a portion of the back
of the saddle Figure 11 is the underside view of a saddle constructed according
to my invention provided with doublo tension and double concussion pads or
anti-vibration interceptors-The outside terminal ends of the tension screw
constitute centres upon which the saddle swivels or turns laterally to an extent
dependant upon the movement of the rider; so that this saddle is provided with
means whereby the saddle gives in all directions to the weight and motion of the
rider Figure 12 is a complete longitudinal vertical section of the said saddle and
parts connected with it-Figure 13 is a cross vertical section of figure 11 in its
normal condition and figure 14 the same with the saddle tilted or turned upon its
swivelling ends which form rocking centres-Figure 15 is the end attachment bar
of the framing shown separately.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in figures 1 to 5 of the
accompanying Drawings.
a is the seat of the saddle, stretched between the back or cantel end a³ and the
front end a³—b is the suspending metallic frame situated underneath the seat of
the saddle, so as to allow the seat to be elevated or raised in a suspended
condition-c is a trough or groove running underneath the back of a saddle
skirting which forms a continuous socket wherein the knuckle end 6 of the
metallic framing b rests and seats itself, so as to form a hinge joint which allows
the free movement of the back end of the saddle upon the suspending frame as
best seen in figure 2-c² c³ are stops or lugs fixed within the groove of the joint,
and taking into the gaps b³ of the frame as best seen in figure 3, so as to keep the
said frame in position-d is a tension appliance with a wormed end taking
within a screw box d' on the front end of the frame b, while the other end d³ is
plain and works piston like within the hole or eye e² of the bracket e, and through
the concussion or anti-vibration cushion f situated between the inside face of the
bracket and the nut of the tension appliance; and f' f' are supporting washers,
so that on the deflection or giving of the seat of the saddle the concussion cushion
is squeezed or compressed between the afore-named abutment faces-The bulging
outwards of the cushion being limited by the confining ring g; so that on pressure
being applied to the seat a, the skin or leather which is suspended between the
front and back ends, acts, and is reacted upon by the concussion cushion f, which
allows the seat to yield by the compression which subsists between the bracket e
being drawn or pulled in one direction, by the front of the saddle, and the
suspending frame being drawn in the other direction by the back end of the said
saddle The flexibility of the seat, and the change of position or form of the parts
being allowed for, by the knuckle or joint end-Thus the presence of the concussion
pad or cushion between the adjustment expedient and the bracket carried by the

page_text: front of the saddle is compressed by the reciprocal action or movement of the parts
on its opposite sides; so that the seat at its back end, is capable of turning as it
were, upon a hinge joint, and at its front end is able to slide, and turn or rock
upon a supporting pivot carried by the front end of the adjustment screw.
By arranging and combining the parts as described, the seat of the saddle is
highly flexible, and moreover, it is capable of a slight lateral or rocking movement
at the front which gives great freedom of motion and ease to the rider; and further,
the concussion pad which receives the whole impact of the movable parts of the
saddle, intercepts or counteracts any tremor or vibration which is an improvement
upon Letters Patent for an invention granted to me on the 9th day of January
1883 and Numbered 114.
Instead of the anti-vibration cushion being disposed as before described, it may
be placed within a box or case h and compressed by a piston like end i as seen in
figure 6-The supporting frame of the saddle is supported at the back end by a
cross head j, the trunnion ends of which work within the gap of the lugs kk so as
to be capable of turning like a hinge joint.
In figure 8 the back end of the supporting frame is provided with a curved
spring jointed an terposed between the back of the frame and the back of the
underside of the saddle; that is, the spring is composed of several thicknesses with
one end turned into a knuckle which works within the socket of a trough or
frame c, while the other end is jointed and turns upon a pin m―The metal
of the spring is also extended into a heel part 1, and pressed upwards by a
screw pin n passing through a screwed hole in the frame b, so that by the
screwing up of the screwed pin, the requisite tension is put upon the spring.
By placing and jointing the spring as described, increased elasticity and ease is
imparted to the saddle.
Figure 11 represents a saddle constructed with two pivoted ends or centres upon
which the saddle turns.
a is the saddle turning upon the pivoted ends d³ d³ of the tension or adjustment
expedient dd, the wormed ends d'd take into screw boxes b b at both ends of
the frame b, the plain end of the front end of the adjuster turns within the eye
or bush e of the bracket e, and the other plain end d³ works within the eye or bush
of a swivelling bracket support o which allows the saddle to rock or turn upon the
plain pins as centres, when the frame of the saddle is affixed to a velocipede-
ff are concussion pads situated at both ends of the saddle instead of at one end as
before described-h is a cross bar having feet or projections e³ which engage within
the trough of the frame c so as to form the joint or centre upon which the saddle
moves or turns vertically; thus on the supporting frame b being affixed to a bicycle
or other velocipede, the saddle is allowed to give or yield in every direction, thus
imparting to the seat increased elasticity and ease or comfort to the rider; for
example, the weight and movement of the rider in a downward direction, causes
the deflection of the skin or covering stretched between the brackets at the cantel
end front ends, which pressure impinges itself upon the rubber pads in opposite
directions compressing or displacing the rubber of the pads, which is limited by the
encircling rings-The re-action, and the taking back of the parts to their normal
positions being effected by the expansion of the double cushioned ends and further,
the saddle being supported upon pivots, it is able to cant or rock upon swivelling
joints which allow the saddle to follow the motions of the rider.
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 claim is
First The construction of saddles for bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes in
which the cantel or back end of the supporting frame of the saddle works within
a trough or socket so as to form a hinge or joint end to allow the skin or covering
of a saddle to yield on downward pressure being applied, while the front end of
the said supporting frame is provided with a pivoted end or centre pin which

page_text: preferably passes through a concussion pad or spring and slides piston like within
the bush of a supporting bracket so as to allow the saddle to turn sideways and
move longitudinally-The concussion pad receives the impingement of the
contracting parts and also intercepts tremor or vibration, substantially as and for
the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1 to 10 both inclusive
of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly Making bicycle, tricycle and other velocipede saddles turn aside or
rock upon pivots or centres, which act concurrently with a hinged back and upon
these pivots (carried by the fixed supporting framing) the brackets both at the
back and front of the saddle slide longitudinally and forcibly abut or impress
themselves upon concussion pads or springs, interposed between the fixed and
movable parts, thus the collateral movements and pressure of the rider act
concurrently and renders the saddle highly elastic or yielding so as to follow his
movements the parts being constructed and working in the way substantially as
described and illustrated in figures 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the accompanying
Drawings.