IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SADDLES FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER VEHICLES." SIMILAR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Robert Baillie Hamilton, of Greenwich, in the
County of Kent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
AND ARRANGEMENT OF SADDLES FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER
VEHICLES."
SIMILAR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Robert Baillie
Hamilton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December
1881.
CHARLES ROBERT BAILLIE HAMILTON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SADDLES FOR
BICYCLES AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
This Invention has for its object to enable the motion of the body to follow that
of the feet, and also to make the weight of the body operate in favor of the treadles,
thus enabling the rider to obtain a high rate of speed combined with perfect
safety and a minimum amount of exertion.
For this purpose 1 fit a bicycle or other velocipede with a saddle capable of
rising and falling according to the movements of the rider. This saddle i attach
to the backbone of the bicycle or other vehicle by hinges, springs, or other suitable
mechanism in such a manner that it remains sufficiently free at all points to rise or
fall according to the movements of the rider's body.
Such saddle is supported on a suitable fulcrum, and is fitted with a bifurcated lever
resting upon rollers or other suitable supports formed on or connected with a sliding
ring which travels up and down the upper part or shank of the fork of the machine.
Attached to the outer extremities of such rollers or their equivalents are suitable
connecting rods, the lower ends of which are attached to or otherwise connected
with eccentrics, cams, or other suitable equivalents mounted upon or attached to
the shaft of the driving wheel.
Motion is transmitted to these connecting rods through the bifurcated lever
before mentioned, and thence to the driving mechanism through the eccentrics,
cams, or other equivalents already referred to.

page_text: By means of this improved construction and arrangement of saddle and of the
mechanism in connection therewith, the circular forward motion imparted to the
vehicle when the weight of the rider's body is placed upon the treadles imparts a
rising and falling motion to the saddle, which latter motion being transmitted to
the driving mechanism considerably increases the propelling power, thus not only 5
relieving the machine from the vis inertie hitherto created by the dead weight of
the rider, but actually converting such dead weight into a powerful motor to assist
in the propulsion of the vehicle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Robert Baillie Hamilton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th May 1882.
86
CHARLES ROBERT BAILLIE HAMILTON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SADDLES FOR
BICYCLES AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
saddles for bicycles and other similar vehicles, and has for its object,-
1stly. To enable the motion of the body to follow that of the feet.
2ndly. To make the weight of the body operate in favor of the treadles, thus
enabling the rider to obtain a high rate of speed combined with a minimum amount
of exertion, and
3rdly. To procure for a bicycle or other similar machine a propelling force by
the motion of the body akin to that which a rider on horseback imparts to the
animal when trotting or galloping, thus enhancing the safety and durability of the
vehicle.
And in order that my said Invention may be better understood and readily
carried into effect, I will now with the aid of the accompanying Drawings (whereon
similar Figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts) proceed more
particularly to describe the same.
Figure 1 of such Drawings shews a view in side elevation of a bicycle with my
Invention applied thereto. The remainder of the Figures shew views in detail of
the various parts of my Invention, and will be referred to seriatim in the following
description.
In order to carry out my Invention, I fit a bicycle or other velocipede with a
saddle (1), see Figure 2, capable of rising and falling according to the movements
of the rider.
Such saddle is mounted upon elliptical or other suitably curved springs (2), see
Figure 3, pivotted on a pin (3), see Figure 4, which connects them with a slotted
boss (4), see Figure 5, mounted upon the shank of a jointed bifurcated lever (5),
presently more particularly described.
Such boss can readily be adjusted either backwards or forwards by the rider to
any desired position, and when so adjusted is fixed in position by a screw (6), see
Figure 10, inserted at the top, which screw presses on a metal key (7), see
Figures 10-11, wedged in between the boss and the lever shank,

page_text: This key has two toothed projections (S) formned upon it, one at each end, while
it is made wedge-shaped and slightly curvilinear in form, so that when secured it
bites at either end and is prevented from working loose through the vibration of
the machine by the toothed projections before mentioned.
The jointed bifurcated lever before referred to consists of a fore part (a) in
which one or more perforations are made (see Figure 7) to allow of the adjustment
of the boss, as already described, while such fore end terminates in two bifurcated
arms (b, c) so as to allow the upright part of the fork of the bicycle to pass
between such arms, as seen in Figure 1. The shank (a') of this jointed bifurcated
lever is supported on a pin (d) which passes through the standard and also through
the fore part of the lever, whilst a recess (e) is formed in such shank which
restrains the end of the fore part of the lever from working upwards at the same
time that it leaves it free to play downwards. Detail views of this jointed
bifurcated lever are shewn at Figures 6, 7, 8, while Figure 9 shews a view of the
pin (d) which connect the two parts of the lever.
A standard (9), 500 Figures 12, 13, is either mounted or formed on the back
bone of the bicycle, or in the case of tricycles and other similar vehicles it may be
placed in any other convenient position, which standard forms a fulcrum whereon
tho lever works. I sometimes form this standard by means of a projection on
either side of the upper part of the fork of the machine, as indicated in the
accompanying Drawings, see Figures 1 and 14.
An oval sliding ring (10), sec Figure 15, provided with two short lateral pro-
jections (f) having rollers (9) mounted thereon so as to obviate friction is fitted
between the bifurcated arms of the lever, the extremities of such arms being
sheathed in suitable metal casings; and this oval ring is supported and beld in
position by the projections (ƒ) which lodge in the lateral recesses formed by the
bifurcations.
When motion is imparted to the vehicle such oval sliding ring travels up and
down the upper part or shank of the fork, such shank being elongated sufficiently
to allow free scope for such travel.
To the extremity of each of the short lateral projections (f) connecting rods (11),
see Figures 16, are attached, the lower ends of which rods are fastened to and
operate a pedal crank (12), sec Figure 17, which is made of a zig zag form in
order to give a greater throw to the feet, and is mounted on the shaft of the
driving wheel of the vehicle; or instead of such pedal crank an eccentric, indicated
at (12), see Figure 18, may be employed.
Motion is transmitted to the connecting rods through the jointed bifurcated
lever, and thence to such pedal crank or its equivalent, the shorter portion of such
crank, when a crank is employed, producing one half of the revolution, while the
other half of such revolution is produced by a lever (13), see Figure 19, attached to
a support (14). Such lever has an orifice formed therein through which a con-
necting rod (15) passes, and is attached at its upper end to the pedal crank or its
equivalent, and at its lower end terminates in a nut (15) whereto a suitable
stay (16) is pivotted, while at the outer extremity of such lever a treadle plate (17)
is affixed, beneath which an india rubber pad or suitable springs (170) are fitted
which serve to break the force of the shock by being brought in contact with the
treadle plate when it is depressed. If it be desired to procure an up and down
motion of the feet so as to avoid the segment of the circle described by the end of
the pedal lever, and to have a reciprocating motion with the saddle of which it is
an important and essential adjunct, I fix a pedal support (18), see Figure 20, to
the end of an upright rod (19) which travels freely through two rings (20) fixed
on supports (21), such rod being opened in the middle part so as to let the end of
the pedal lever (22) pass through it, the lever being connected by a rod (23)
working on pins or hinges with one end of the opening, as shewn at Figure 20,
and the spring (174) being placed under the pedal, as in the arrangement illustrated
at Figure 19.
I would here observe that the first half or nearly the first half of the revolution

page_text: is produced by the weight of the rider's body rosting on the saddle, and thus
communicating by means of the jointed bifurcated lever and the other mechanism
connected therewith the necessary impétus.
A wiro fender (not shown in the Drawings) is provided in order to prevent the
rider's legs from slipping into the wheel, while on each side of the machine a foot
rest (24), sec Figure 21, is likewise provided, and is attached to an arm or
extension (25) which springs from or is a prolongation of the end of the fork
of the machine; such arm or extension (25) is held in position by suitable
supports (26). These foot rests afford a support to the feet when not engaged in
working the treadles.
When required such arm or extension (25) may be continued so as to pass
round outside the back bone of the vehicle, and thus impart additional stability
thereto. When this arrangement is adopted the arm or extension is secured in
position by two eyes (27) or their equivalents. This arrangement is illustrated at
Figure 22 of the Drawings.
A suitable brake is mounted on the crank shaft in order to enable the rider to
control the movements of the vehicle.
A pad or buffer of rubber (27), see Figure 23, is attached by a screw (28) so that
it can be raised and depressed to a boss (29) mounted on a spring (30) connected
with the back bone of the machine, and the end of the lever with which the
saddle is connected rests on this pad at the end of the downward action of the
body. This arrangement is illustrated at Figure 23; while Figure 24 shews an
alternative arrangement.
A metal shield plate (31), see Figure 1, is fixed to the upright part of the fork
as a protection to the mechanism, and the handles (32), see Figure 1, are inade to
any convenient curve so as to be within easy reach in view of the altered position
of the rider's body. Figure 25 shews a viow in perspective of the mechanism at
the top of the elongated shank of the fork already described.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into operation, I would have it
understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
The improved construction and arrangement of saddle for bicycles and other
similar vehicles, consisting of the saddle (1), springs (2), pin and boss (3, 4,) jointed
bifurcated lever (5), screw and key (6, 7,) pin (d), and sliding ring (10), all sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated, acting in conjunction with the
connecting rods (11), cranks or eccentrics (12, 12ª,) and other mechanical parts
herein before respectively mentioned, whereby a reciprocatory motive power is
created, which is derived primarily from the impetus resulting from the weight of
the rider's body when mounted thereon.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Robert Baillie Hamilton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
ELT & Co.,
CHARLES RUDERI DA URADITION.
(L.S.)
British, Foreign, and Colonial Patent Office,
33, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn,
London.