Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1898-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1898
I, CHARLES BENTLEY MCDONALD, of 6345, Stewart Avenue, in the City of Chicago,
County of Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Machinist, 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:-
My invention relates to a new and useful bicycle saddle comprising certain
mechanical constructions whereby a saddle may be constructed that will be
sufficiently yielding to make it easy for the rider, and at the same time the spring
connections shall have sufficient strength so as to take up any possible jar without
entirely exhausting the strength of the springs, which is liable to occur in almost
all previously known forms of spring construction which are sufficiently yielding to
be comfortable.
My invention further relates to the details of construction by which the desired
results are secured, which details will be specifically pointed out in the claims
hereto annexed.
Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the frame of my improved saddle showing its
mechanical construction;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of half of the frame as shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of the complete saddle on the section line 3–3
of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view of the complete saddle on the line 4-4
of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view showing the adjustable spring; and
Fig. 6 is a detail on an enlarged scale in section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.
The main frame or tree A consists of a thin plate of metal having the form which
is best seen by reference to the drawings. In the design for a saddle shown, it
has the comparatively short nose A¹ and the wide seat-portions A². For ventilation,
economy of material, and to permit increased resiliency of the wings B, I cut away
a considerable portion of the center of each seat-portion forming the apertures A³,
the shape of which is best shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The outer edges
of the frame and of the apertures A³ are rounded as customary.
Upon each side portion and covering the apertures A' are fastened the wings B,
which are composed of sheets of spring metal of the shape shown in Fig. 2, and
are rigidly fastened by rivets or otherwise, as at B'. The natural position of the
bodies of the wings, as shown in Fig. 1, is standing with their free ends at some
little distance above the frame proper. These wings being composed of spring
metal furnish a certain amount of elasticity to the saddle by this construction
alone. To supplement this elasticity, I provide the curved leaf-spring C, which
is of the shape best shown in Fig. 1, and which is secured at its center to the
central line of the frame A by rivets or otherwise, as at C¹. The shape of this
spring and its location further assist in increasing the elasticity of the wings B. The
framework of the saddle is covered by the customary sheet of leather D, shown
in Figs. 3 and 4, which is suitably shaped, and which is fastened to the downwardly

page_text: turned edges of the frame by means of rivets or similar fasteners passing through
the apertures A4. In securing the covering D upon the frame, the wings B and the
spring C are compressed somewhat, and one or more pads, such as E, are interposed
between the upper surface of the wings B and the cover D, being preferably fastened
thereto by means of rivets or similar fastenings through the apertures B² in said
wings. These pads E are all substantially the same shape as the wings, and may
be made of any suitable material, such as Brussels carpet.
The
In mounting the saddle, I employ the bar-spring F, which is a flat spring having
its ends upturned to be secured to the inner sides of the frame by the mechanism
to be described. This bar-spring F may have beneath it one or more supplementary
bar-springs F1 which serve to increase its resiliency. These bar-springs F and Fi
are centrally secured to the clamp G, which consists of a casting having the
substantially circular aperture G¹ therein through which the arm of the saddle post
passes, and in which it is secured by the set screws G². The upper portion of this
clamp is flat, and it has another aperture G³ extending therethrough at right angles
to the aperture G¹, and of a substantially U-shape. A co-operating clamping piece
or jaw G, which is flat on its upper surface and has a curved under surface,
corresponding substantially to the upper side of the aperture G', acts with the
upper side of the clamp G and with the screw G5 passing therethrough and through
the bar-springs F and F to secure them in place. The upturned ends F2 of the
bar-spring F may be pivotally attached to the inner edges of the saddle frame in
any desired manner, but I preferably employ the following construction.
inner side of the downwardly turned edge of the frame is reinforced by a plate H
which is rigidly fastened thereto, and through which the screw-bolt H¹ passes.
Also mounted upon this screw-bolt H¹ is the short sleeve H2 which passes through
the circular aperture F³ in the upturned end F2 of the bar-spring F. The nut H³
is screwed upon the end of the bolt H¹ and when it is thus screwed in place, the
sleeve H2 becomes fixed in place and furnishes a pivot for the bar-spring F. This
construction allows the saddle to rock back and forward as much as may be desired.
To limit the amount of this rocking movement, I may have the upturned end F2
co-operating directly with the under surface of the frame A, but I preferably
increase the bearing surface by rigidly fastening to the said upturned end a
supplementary plate H of the shape best shown in Fig. 4. The forward and rear
ends of this plate are curved inwardly slightly to accommodate the curve of the
frame. The shape of this plate H* permits of the saddle being rocked back and
forth a limited amount. It will be readily seen that when the saddle is tilted in its
extreme forward or rear position, any further tilting of the saddle, whether
intentionally by the act of the rider or involuntarily by reason of a jar, will cause
the spring-bar F to yield slightly by torsional stress, thus introducing still another
spring element in the combination. In addition to this torsional stress against the
tilting of the saddle, I provide another spring of the following construction.
Secured to or integral with the clamp G are a pair of rearwardly projecting lugs Go
having apertures through which the hooks J' which form the ends of the U-shape
frame J pass.
This frame J is widened at the bottom and is there perforated by
the aperture J2 through which passes the screw-bolt J³, which also passes through
the nut J. This nut J' is oblong in shape, and in addition to its screw-threaded
aperture, it has at either side smaller apertures through which the arms of the
frame J pass. A helical compression spring J5 surrounds the screw-bolt J³ and is
secured between the nut J4 and the end of the U-frame J. It will be seen that by
turning the screw-bolt J³, the tension of this spring may be increased or diminished
as may be desired. This spring is customarily adjusted so that the seat cannot tilt
forward as far as permitted by the plates H4 without putting this spring Jb under
tension, as it will readily be seen that as the saddle is tilted forward, the
screw-bolt J³, which passes through an aperture in the rear of the saddle frame,
will cause the nut J' to be drawn rearward on the frame J, thus compressing the
spring J³.
The operation of my improved saddle will be readily apparent. The spring

page_text: wings B, assisted by the leaf-spring C, form a seat which is capable of yielding a
certain amount under the weight of the rider. When the weight of the rider
depresses the wings B until their edges rest on the frame A, the apertures A³, being
almost as large as the wings and of substantially the same shape, permit the elastic
wings B, although supported at their edges, to yield in their centres, and produce
a cushioning effect. The saddle being pivotally mounted upon the bar-spring F,
also takes up an additional amount of the vibration by reason of the torsional effect
of the spring-bar F. Before this comes into play, the spring J5 also serves to take
up a certain amount of the vibration, and owing to the adjustablity of its tension,
this spring may be made to take up as much or little of the vibration as may be
desired.
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:-
1. A bicycle seat comprising the rigid frame A, with the elastic wings B secured
thereto, substantially as shown and described.
2. A bicycle seat comprising the frame A containing the apertures A³, with the
elastic wings B secured to the frame at one side of, and covering, said apertures,
substantially as shown and described.
3. A. bicycle seat comprising the rigid frame A, with the wings B secured thereto,
and the springs C interposed between said frame and the wings, substantially as
shown and described.
4. A bicycle seat comprising the frame A containing the apertures A', with the
elastic wings B secured to the frame at one side of, and covering, said apertures,
and the springs C interposed between said frame and the wings, substantially as
shown and described.
5. A bicycle saddle comprising the frame A, with the transverse bar-spring F
pivotally connected to the inside of the downwardly turned edges of the frame, and
stops on the ends of the transverse bar-spring to limit the tilting movement of the
saddle, substantially as shown and described.
6. A bicycle saddle comprising the frame A, with the transverse bar-spring F,
pivotal connections between the sides of the frame and the ends of the bar-spring,
a spring J interposed between the bar-spring and the frame, and connections for
adjusting the tension of said spring, substantially as shown and described.
7. A bicycle saddle comprising the frame A, with the transverse bar-spring F,
pivotal connections between the sides of the frame and the ends of the bar-spring,
a spring J interposed between the bar-spring and the frame, and connections for
adjusting the tension of said spring comprising the nut J, the yoke J, and the
screw Js, substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. A bicycle seat comprising the rigid frame A having the elastic wings B
secured thereto, with the transverse bar-spring pivotally connected to the sides of
said frame, and stops for limiting the tilting of the frame, substantially as shown
and described.
9. A bicycle seat comprising the frame A containing the apertures A³, and having
the elastic wings B secured to the frame at one side of, and covering, said apertures;
with the transverse bar-spring pivotally connected at its ends to the said frame,
and the stops for limiting the tilting movement of the frame, substantially as and
for the purposes described.
10. A bicycle seat comprising the rigid frame A, having the wings B secured
thereto, and the spring C interposed between said frame and the wings; with the
transverse bar-spring pivotally connected to the sides of said frame, and stops for
limiting the tilting movement of the frame, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
•
11. A bicycle seat comprising the rigid frame having the elastic wings secured
thereto substantially as shown and described, with the transverse bar-spring
pivotally secured to the sides of said frame, stops for limiting the tilting movement

page_text: of the said frame, and a spring interposed between said frame and the bar-spring,
substantially as shown and described.
12. A bicycle seat comprising the frame A containing the apertures A³, and
having the elastic wings secured to the frame at one side of, and covering, said
apertures; with the transverse bar-spring pivotally connected to the sides of said
frame; stops for limiting the tilting movement of said frame; a spring interposed
between said bar spring and the rear of the frame; and connections for adjusting
the tension of the said spring, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 2nd der of February 1808
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.