Improvements in and relating to Seat Supports for Velocipedes and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by EMMET DENSMORE and HELEN DENSMORE,
both of 319, West Forty-fifth Street, New York, United States of
America, Physicians.]
Improvements in and relating to Seat Supports for Velocipedes
and the like.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 following statement :-
This invention relates to a novel construction in a support for a vehicle seat, the
object being to provide a device of this character that will effectually cushion the
shock to which a vehicle is subjected in going over an obstruction or a depression,
so that the rider will have a comfortable and easy seat.
The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts
hereinafter described and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention and which illustrates
several ways in which the invention can be carried out,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a velocipede seat support constructed in accordance
with my invention and a portion of one construction of a velocipede frame. Fig. 2
is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a seat
support constructed in accordance with my invention and illustrating the manner in
which it is applied to another construction of a velocipede frame. Figs. 4 and 5 are
side elevations illustrating other ways in which my invention can be embodied.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are views partially in side elevation and in vertical section of other
constructions embodying my invention. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of still another
modification embodying my invention. Fig. 10 is a section of the same on
line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my invention
applied to a wagon seat. Fig. 12 is an end elevation of same.
Although my invention is applicable to various vehicles where practical, yet it
is especially applicable as a velocipede seat support and I will describe the same
with particular reference thereto.
As far as I am informed velocipede seats have usually been supported by suitable
springs or cushions that permit the vertical movement of the seat, and in such way
they are intended to cushion the shocks caused by the velocipede passing over any
inequalities in the road and obstructions and depressions which, so far as they go,
are desirable and advantageous, but it is obvious that when the machine passes over
an obstruction or a deep depression that the efficiency of these cushions and springs
decreases, and their effect will in some cases be hardly perceptible and serviceable.
And further, the rider is subjected to a shock in a horizontal line as well as
vertically, and of course these vertically acting springs will have no effect whatever
in relieving such a shock. My invention, however, is intended to compensate for
not only the usual inequalities and obstructions in the road, but for such of abnormal
size and is also intended to compensate for the horizontal shocks to which the seat
is subjected, and in accordance with my invention I make a velocipede seat support
that will vibrate back and forth approximately upon a horizontal line, or, in other
words, I make a seat support that will allow the seat to move back and forth. Of
course, in so constructing a seat support the same must be provided with a suitable
stop for limiting the backward movement of the seat to prevent undue vibration
thereof, and I make said stop of a yielding nature, as will be clearly described
hereinafter. To secure the best results stops are employed for limiting the

page_text: movement of the seat in both directions, and the rear stop should be of a yielding
nature, although it will be understood that in accordance with the principle involved
by my invention the other stop could also be yielding and not interfere with the
working of the seat support, but as an essential feature of my invention the seat
must be capable of vibrating back and forth and be confined in the rear by a
yielding stop.
It will be clearly understood that my seat support can be arranged in various ways
according to the construction of the velocipede to which it is applied, and further,
that said stops are capable of being embodied in various ways, and I therefore do
not wish to be limited, except in the claims to the specific construction to any
particular construction I have illustrated herein, but reserve the right to make all
changes and modifications that come within the scope of the appended claims.
In the drawings I have shown several ways in which a seat support can be made
that will permit the seat to vibrate back and forth and is confined by two stops, one
of which, at least, is yielding, and also several ways in which said yielding stop
or cushion can be embodied. In every case I have shown some sort of spring
as the yielding stop or cushion, since a spring affords an economical and efficient,
expedient, but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to a spring as
the yielding stop or cushion. I will now proceed to describe the particular
constructions I have illustrated in the drawings.
In Figs. 1 and 2 of said drawings, I have illustrated a portion of the frame of a
bicycle consisting essentially of an upright rod 1 and a brace rod 2. I have shown
this form because it illustrates one way in which my invention can be applied. A
vibrating lever 3 is pivoted at one end to the frame of the machine and at its other end
portion carries the seat 4. The said vibrating lever 3 is held between two stops
carried by the frame of the machine, one of said stops consisting of an elastic
cushion acting against one side of the vibrating lever 3 and the other being a rigid
stop encountering the other side of the vibrating lever.
The said lever 3 is pivoted at its lower end to a clip 5 secured to the upright
frame piece of the bicycle. In use said lever 3 will stand in an upright position,
inclined to the rear, and at its upper end is provided with a finger 6 located at an
angle to the main portion of the lever and upon which the seat 4 is mounted in
the usual manner. The said lever is freely pivoted to the frame of the machine
and the seat is therefore at liberty to describe the arc of a circle upon the pivotal
point of said lever as the center. To control the vibration of said lever 3 the said
stops are employed. The rear stop is yielding and consists of a spring 7 located
between said lever and the frame of the machine which acts upon the lever to exert
a constant pressure in a forward direction, and I also arrange a rigid stop 9 to limit
the movement of the lever in such direction. Normally the lever is held by such
elastic cushion or stop under tension against this stop 9, but when a rider mounts
the seat his weight serves to move the lever away from the stop 9 against the tension
of the cushion, and in the ordinary riding of the machine the seat and lever will be
held in this balanced position which is the result of the weight of the rider acting
to move it in one direction, and the tension of the elastic cushion acting in the other
direction. From the foregoing description it is obvious that, should the machine
run into a rut, or over an obstruction, the sudden shock to which the frame of the
machine is subjected will not be communicated directly to the seat so as to shock or
jar the rider, but that when front wheel strikes the obstruction the lever is thrown
against the elastic cushion and this throws the weight of the rider upon the rear
wheel to relieve the front wheel of the weight at the moment when it passes over
the obstruction. Then the elastic cushion acts or rebounds and throws the weight
of the rider upon the front wheel to relieve the rear wheel of the weight when it
passes over the obstruction. It would seem that when the front wheel of the
machine encountered an obstruction the seat would have a tendency to move
forward on the pivot of the vibrating lever 3, and then rebound and throw the seat
back against the action of the yielding stop or elastic cushion and am inclined to
think that it does, but from my observations with a full sized bicycle with a seat

page_text: support constructed as 'herein shown, there is no perceptible shock experienced
when the obstruction is encountered that would be caused by the lever striking the
rigid stop before moving backward. It has also been suggested that by reason of
the obstruction encountering the wheel below its center, the rearward inclination of
the lever, and the weight of the rider being located in the rear of the pivot of the
lever, that the tendency of the seat is consequently to move against the yielding
stop. The invention has been repeatedly tested in riding over curbstones and deep
depressions, and is found to act as above stated, but owing to the speed of the
machine and the rapidity of action, the above explanation is as far as I am enabled
at present to state.
In the particular construction illustrated the said elastic cushion consists of a
spring 7 interposed between the lever 3 aud the frame of the machine carried by
a pin 8 pivoted to one of said parts and having a sliding connection through an
opening or slot in the other of said parts, while at the end of said pin 8 a key
or stop 9 is arranged which serves to limit the movement of the vibrating lever
in an obvious manner. The brace bar 2 of the frame, shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
is located vertically over the upright rod 1, and to accommodate my invention to
such form of frame and provide a guide for the lever, the said lever 3 is
provided with a loop or eye 10 through which the brace bar 2 can pass, said
loop 10 being larger than the brace bar to permit the swinging movement of the
lever. In full lines of the, drawings the pin 8 carrying the spring is pivoted to
a clip 11 secured to the frame of the machine, while the free end of this pin 8
passes through a slot 12 in the lever and is provided at its end with the stop 9
which may, for convenience of construction, consist of a nut or tap. The spring 7
is coiled around the pin 8 between the lever and the clip 11. In dotted lines
in said Fig. 1 I have shown a modified form of construction embodying my
invention which consists in pivoting the pin 8 to the lever, while its free end
passes through an opening in the frame or upon a projection 13 thereof and is
similarly provided with the stop and the spring.
The said yielding stop or elastic cushion is adjustable, and in the construction
just described this adjustability is attained by an adjusting nut 14 upon the pin 8,
so that by moving said nut back and forth the strength of the spring can be
regulated to accommodate the support of the persons of different weights.
In the construction above described, the rear stop is located in the rear of
the lever and presses against the same, but in dotted lines in Fig. 1 I have
shown a construction wherein the spring is located in front of the lever and
pulls upon the same, and also have illustrated the use of a plate spring, as my
invention contemplates any form of elastic cushion suitable for the purpose. A
plate spring like this could be held upon the rod 1 by an adjustable clip, so that
by moving the clip up and down the strength of the spring can be regulated, and a
collar is located upon the brace rod 2 to serve as the front stop.
In Fig. 4 I have shown the construction of my seat support when applied to a
bicycle in which the frame is provided with an upright post 15 to support the seat.
In this construction the lever is pivoted to the post 15 by a clip 5 as before
described, while upon the upper end of the post a guide bar 16 is secured having a
slot 17 through which the lever 3 passes. One end of said slot acts as a stop for
the lever in one direction, while between the lever and the frame of the machine an
elastic cushion is located, consisting in this instance of a pin 8 pivoted to the
lever 3 and passing through an opening 18 in the upright part of the guide bar 15.
In Fig. 4 I have also shown in dotted lines the manner in which a plate spring is
to be employed for the yielding stop, said plate spring being secured to the post by
an adjustable clip, and further, I have shown a spring that encounters the lever
before it reaches the rigid stop, to illustrate the manner in which both stops can be
yielding, although of course the flexibility of the front stop is considerably less
than the rear stop..
In Fig. 3 I have shown another embodiment of my invention differing from that
shown in Fig. 4 in that the vibratory lever and guide bar are secured to a rod 19,

page_text: and this rod 19 is secured to the post 15 by clips 20, but in this form, the rod 19 is
considered to be part of the frame of the machine when secured by the clips
thereto.
In Fig. 5 is shown a construction, not as desirable, in my opinion, as the other
forms set forth, but which shows the principle of the invention. In this construction
the lever 3 is not pivoted to the frame of the machine, but at its lower end is
elastic, or is a spring bar and is held to the post by a clip in the usual manner.
This clip is adjustable and can be moved up and down to regulate its strength. A
guide bar 16 is employed in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4, through a slot 17 of
which said lever 3 passes. The spring part of the lever serves as the yielding stop
to limit the rearward movement of the velocipede.
It is to be noted that in the construction shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4,
by tightening the adjusting nut sufficiently the spring can be contracted to such an
extent to prevent vibration of the lever, so that the seat support would be
inoperative and the seat held against vibration. In the instance where a plate
spring is employed this can be attained by a removable clip or collar as shown in
dotted lines in Fig. 5, to be rigidly clamped upon some rigid part in the rear of
the lever.
.
In Fig. 6 the seat is carried by a sliding block 21 mounted upon an inclined
guide rod 22. Anti-friction rollers 23 can be located within pockets in the
block 21, if desired. The outer end of the rod 22 is supported by a bracket 24 and
the upper end of the bracket 24 forms the rigid stop for the block 21 which is
pressed towards the same by a coiled spring 7 upon the rod as before described.
In Fig. 7 the seat is carried by two parallel levers 25 and 26 pivoted at their
upper and lower ends to the seat and frame, the lever 26 being located in advance
of the lever 25, although conveniently a little to the side. The lever 25 extends
through a slot 17 in guide bar 16, and the spring and rigid stop are arranged in the
manner shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
In Fig. 8 two levers 25 and 26 are used, but at their lower ends are located and
pivoted within a suitable box 27 and two springs 28 act upon the levers 25 and 26
to serve as a yielding stop, while the front end of a slot 29 in the box through
which the levers extend forms the front or rigid stop.
In Figs. 9 and 10 a yoke 30 is secured to the upper end of the post 15 and
carries at its upper end two parallel bars 31. Mounted upon these bars 31 is a
coupling 32 having two horizontal openings or guides 33 and an upright opening or
guide 34.
The coupling is free to slide back and forth on the bars 31, and the
stem 35 of the seat passes through and is free to slide up and down in the guide
opening 34. The stem 35 extends below the coupling 32 and is pivoted at its
lower end to a link 36 pivoted to the yoke. A collar or stop 37 is secured to the
lower end portion of the stem 35 and serves to limit the upward movement of the
stem by contact with the lower end of the coupling. An elastic cushion controls
the downward movement of the stem and consists of a spring 7 coiled around the
stem and acting at its opposite ends against the upper end of the coupling 23 and
against the clip 38 joining the stem 35 to the seat. An adjusting nut 14 upon
the stem serves to limit the strength of the spring 7. It will be seen that the
seat will move back and forth between the two stops in the manner above
deecribed.
In Figs. 11 and 12 I have shown the invention applied to a wagon seat. It is
made in the form shown in Fig. 3, except that instead of rod 19, the lever is pivoted
to a casting consisting of a frame 39 to embrace the sides of the wagon and an
upright post 40 carrying the guide 16, and a lug 13 to receive the pin 8. One is
conveniently located at each side of the wagon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a vehicle, of a seat mounted thereon, and movable back

page_text: and forth, and a yielding stop to limit the backward movement of said seat,
substantially as described."
2. The combination with a vehicle, of a seat mounted thereon, and movable back
and forth, a yielding. stop to limit the backward movement of the seat, and a stop.
to limit the forward movement thereof, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a vehicle, of a scat mounted thereon, and movable back
and forth, and an elastic stop to limit the backward movement of said seat,.
substantially as described.
4. The combination with a vehicle, of a seat mounted thereon, and movable back
and forth, an elastic stop to limit the backward movement of the seat, and a stop.
to limit the forward movement thereof, substantially as described.
5. The combination with a vehicle, of a seat mounted thereon and movable back
and forth, and an elastic stop of adjustable tension to limit the backward movement
of said seat, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a vehicle, of a seat mounted thereon and movable back
and forth, an elastic stop of adjustable tension to limit the backward movement of
said seat, and a stop to limit the forward movement of said seat, substantially as
described.
7. The combination with a vehicle, of a seat mounted thereon and movable back
and forth, and stops to limit the movement of said seat, substantially as described.
8. The combination with the frame of a velocipede, of a seat support mounted
thereon and movable back and forth, stops to limit the forward and backward
movement of said seat support, and a seat carried by said seat support, substantially
as described.
9. The combination with the frame of a velocipede, of a seat support mounted
thereon and movable back and forth, a yielding stop to limit the backward
movement of said seat support, and a seat carried by said seat support, substantially
as described.
10. The combination with the frame of a velocipede, of a seat support mounted
thereon and movable back and forth, a yielding stop to limit the backward
movement of said seat support, a stop to limit the forward movement of said seat
support, and a seat carried by said seat support, substantially as described.
11. The combination with the frame of a velocipede, of a seat support mounted
thereon and movable back and forth, an elastic stop to limit the backward
movement of said seat support, and a seat carried by said seat support, substantially
as described.
12. The combination with the frame of a velocipede, of a seat support mounted.
thereon and movable back and forth, an elastic stop to limit the backward,
movement of said seat support, a stop to limit the forward movement of said seat
support, and a seat carried by said seat support, substantially as described.
13. The combination with the frame of a velocipede, of a seat support mounted
thereon and movable back and forth, an elastic stop of adjustable tension to limit
the backward movement of said seat support, and a seat carried by said seat support,
substantially as described.
14. The combination with the frame of a velocipede, of a seat support mounted
thereon and movable back and forth, an elastic stop of adjustable tension to limit
the backward movement of said seat support, a stop to limit the forward movement
of said seat support, and a seat carried by said "seat support, substantially as
described.
15. The combination with the frame of a vehicle, of a lever 3 secured thereto
and movable back and forth, an elastic stop to limit the backward movement of the
same, a stop to limit the forward movement of the same, and a seat carried by said
lever 3, substantially as described.
16. The combination with the frame of a vehicle, of a lever 3 pivoted thereto, an
elastic stop to limit the backward movement of said lever, a stop to limit the
forward movement of said lever, and a seat carried by said lever, substantially as
described.

page_text: 17. The combination with the frame of a vehicle, of a lever 3 pivoted thereto, a
guide for said lever, an elastic stop to limit the backward movement of said lever,
a stop to limit the forward movement of said lever, and a seat carried by said lever,
substantially as described.
18. The combination with the frame of a vehicle, of a lever 3 pivoted thereto, a
slotted guide for said lever, an elastic stop to limit the backward movement of said
lever, and a seat carried by said lever, substantially as described.
19. A vehicle seat support consisting of a lever pivoted at one end to the frame
of the machine and carrying at its other end the seat, and devices located between
said lever and the frame of the machine to provide an elastic cushion between said
parts consisting of a pin pivoted to one of said parts and having a sliding
connection with the other of said parts, a stop to limit said sliding movement, and
a spring or cushion mounted upon said pin between said frame and lever,
substantially as described.
20. A vehicle seat support consisting of a lever pivoted at one end to the frame
of the machine and carrying at its other end the seat, and devices located between
said lever and the frame of the machine to provide an elastic cushion between said
parts consisting of a pin pivoted to one of said parts and having a sliding connection
with the other of said parts, an adjustable stop to limit said sliding movement, and
a spring or cushion mounted upon said pin between said frame and lever,
substantially as described.
21. A vehicle seat support consisting of a lever pivoted at one end to the frame
of the machine and carrying at its other end the seat, and devices located between
said lever and the frame of the machine to provide an elastic cushion between said
parts consisting of a pin pivoted to one of said parts and having a sliding connection
with the other of said parts, a stop upon said pin to limit said sliding movement,
and a spring or cushion mounted upon said pin between said frame and lever,
substantially as described.
22. A vehicle seat support consisting of a lever pivoted at one end to the frame
of the machine and carrying at its other end the seat, and devices located between
said lever and the frame of the machine to provide an elastic cushion between said
parts consisting of a pin pivoted to one of said parts and having a sliding connection
with the other of said parts, a stop to limit said sliding movement, and an adjustable
spring or cushion mounted upon said pin between said frame and lever, substantially
as described.
23. A velocipede seat support consisting of a lever pivoted at one end to the
frame of the machine and carrying at its other end the seat, a pin pivoted to the
frame of the machine and passing through an opening in said lever and provided at
its end with a stop, and a spring or cushion upon said pin between the lever and the
frame of the machine, substantially as described.
24. A velocipede seat support consisting of a lever pivoted at one end to the
frame of the machine and having a loop or eye between its ends for the passage of
a brace bar or other part of the frame of the machine and carrying the seat at its
upper end, a stop to limit the movement of said lever in one direction, and an elastic
cushion carried by the frame of the machine and acting upon said lever to move it
in the direction of said stop, substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of February 1894
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..