IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SADDLES FOR BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Boultbee Brooks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th October 1882.
.
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS of Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SADDLES FOR BICYCLES AND
TRICYCLES"
My Invention has for its object the construction of the saddles for Bicycles and
Tricycles so that they shall be more comfortable and easy especially when in
continual use or for long distances, and also for removing or reducing the metalic
vibration imported to the body of the Rider from saddles of ordinary construction.
In carrying my invention into effect I secure the leather (or other material forming
the covering of the outside of the saddle) to the metal base or frame of the said
saddle in the ordinary manner, dispensing with the padding or stuffing usually
placed between the leather covering and the frame or base part, and into the space
or cavity thereby left, I insert an airtight bag or receptacle made of India-rubber or
its equivalent, a slot or orifice sufficiently large for this purpose being formed in the
aforesaid metal base or frame over this slot or orifice a coresponding or suitable
shaped plate is placed which is secured by being hinged to the base plate or having
slots in suitable position so that it may be passed over coresponding projecting
bolts on the base and secured in position by screw-nuts or otherwise.
Attached to or formed with the airtight bag is a tube through which the air is
blown into the said bag or resceptacle and the same is expanded by the tube or blow
pipe projecting outwards through an opening in the base or back plate and which
is kept in position by a screw-collar or its equivalent at the loose or outer end of
the tube or blow pipe a mouthpiece is attached fitted with a screw cap or plug
allowing the airtight bag to be inflated or the air released at pleasure without in
any way interfering with or removing the saddle from its position on the Bicyclo
or Tricycle To prepare the saddle for use it will be seen from the above description
that it is simply necessary to remove the plug from the tube or blow pipe and then
inject sufficient air into the bag so as to expand the same sufficiently to fill up the
cavity between the leather covering and the metal frame or base part and replace
the plug in the mouthpiece when the saddle will be ready for use forming a perfect
and comfortable saddle seat which yielding to the body effectually removes all

page_text: -
metallic vibration from the body of the Rider without in any way distorting the
shape or appearance of the saddle. In some cases the air tight bag or receptacle
may be so constructed that when the air is injected it will expand more at the
sides or edges than in the centre thereby forcing the leather or other material
forming the covering of the saddle well over the edges of the base plate or frame of
same causing a slight depression in the centre giving a firmer hold and extremely
comfortable seat to the Rider.
In order to assist the Rider useing a Tricycle when going uphill or down I so
arrange the fittings for connecting the saddle to the saddle-bar or frame carrying
the same of the Tricycle that the saddle can be kept in an horizontal or other anglo
contrary to that of the machine This I effect by suitable lugs or their equivalent
fixed to the plate by which the saddle is attached to the Tricycle fitting over a
projecting tongue or otherwise on the base plate or frame of the saddle and secured
by suitable axis thereby allowing the front or back part of the saddle to be
depressed or elevated as occasion requires according to the weight or will of the
Rider and to regulate same I fix a suitable spring or springs in a line with the
saddle bar or frame at each end of which are regulating screws or their equivalent
which may be fixed so as to clearly define the pitch or angle that can be imparted
to the saddle by the Rider or if required the regulating spring may be notched to
fit into corresponding Racks or slots attached to the base of the suddle by which
means the saddle may be fixed in any desired angle when the Rider is travelling
up or down a continuous hill. To prevent the top of the saddle becoming heated I
-pierce.a.suitable_number of small holes in same and place a curved or concave plato
between the leather and the air bag or receptacle in such a position as to allow-the-
hot air imparted to the saddle by the body of the Rider to escape through same.