IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES APPLICABLE FOR BICYCLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County,
of Lancaster Civil Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES
APPLICABLE FOR BICYCLES a communication from Thomas Jefferson
Kirkpatrick a person resident at Springfield, Clark county, Ohio United
States of America.
..A
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th December 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES APPLICABLE FOR BICYCLES." a commu-
nication from Thomas Jefferson Kirkpatrick, a person resident at Springfield, Clark
county, Ohio, United States of America.
It is the aim of this invention to provide a saddle more especially for use upon
bicycles, which shall possess a high degree of elasticity at its neck or forward end
without the slightest liability to move forward and backward so that the occupant
may ride well forward thereon with comfort and safely while retaining perfect
freedom of motion on the part of the lower limbs.
To this end it consists in a saddle having a frame the forward ends of which are
formed to straddle or pass around the head of the machine, combined with a seat
or saddle composed of a leather or similar pliant sheet, the rear end of which is
secured to the raised edge of the frame, while the forward end is secured to the
arms of the frame or tree by means of rollers or equivalent positive-acting tension
devices.
In constructing the saddle there is first provided a frame or tree having an
extended or widened rear end and diminishing in width thence towards its forward
portion but terminating at the forward end in two arms, separated laterally from
each other so that when the saddle. is in use they may pass on opposite sides of the
head or fork of the bicycle. Each of the arins has its forward end provided with

page_text: two raised flanges or cheeks which serve to sustain the ends of a horizontal roller
or drum inserted between them. Each of these rolls, is provided with an angular
neck by means of which it may be readily turned to exert the required strain upon
the saddle. Each roll is also provided with a ratchet wheel into which there
engages a pawl, pivoted to the frame for the purpose of preventing a backward
motion of the roll and thus maintaining the tension of the saddle. The rear end
of the saddle tree is curved upward, and adapted to receive the rear end of a
flexible seat or saddle proper which is riveted or otherwise secured firmly thereon.
The seat consists of a single sheet of leather, canvas, or equivalent pliant material,
the forward end of which is forked or divided and its two extremities secured to
the respective rolls, by means of which the sheet may be subjected to a strong
longitudinal strain and thus sustain a suitable degree of tension between its end
supports. The forward ends of the saddle or seat may be sustained directly by
the rolls but it is preferred to extend the ends of the tree forward above the roll
and provide them with fixed bars, over which the ends of the sheet will be passed
to the rolls.
In practice it is found that a seat sustained as above possesses a high degree of
elasticity; that it will relieve the rider from those sudden shocks and vibrations to
which he is liable when riding upon saddles of the ordinary construction. The
employment of rolls admits of the tension being increased or diminished to adapt
the saddle for the weight of its occupant. They also admit the compression
or elongation which occurs in the seat on account of the strain to which it is
subjected.
f
The frame may be modified in construction as desired, and tightening devices of
any suitable construction substituted in place of the rolls, provided that the mode
of action essentially such as described above is retained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Patent Office on the 3rd June
1884.
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES APPLICABLE FOR BICYCLES (a communication from
Thomas Jefferson Kirkpatrick, a person resident at Springfield, Clark county, Ohio,
United States of America)
C.
It is the aim of this invention to provide a saddle more especially for use upon
bicycles, which shall possess a high degree of elasticity at its neck or forward end,
without the slightest liability to move forward and backward, so that the occupant
may ride well forward thereon with comfort and safety while retaining perfect
freedom of motion on the part of the lower limbs.
To this end it consists in a saddle, having a frame the forward ends of which are
formed to straddle or pass around the head of the machine, combined with a seat
or saddle composed of a leather or similar pliant sheet, the rear end of which is
secured to the raised edge of the frame, while the forward end is secured to the
arms of the frame or tree by means of rollers or equivalent positive-acting tension
devices.
Referring to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. represents a perspective view of the improved saddle.
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of the same on 'the line X-X.
Fig 3 a top plan view of the frame or tree.
In constructing the saddle, there is first provided a frame or tree A. having an
extended or widened rear end, and diminishing in width thence towards its forward
portion but terminating at the forward end in two arms a separated laterally from
each other so that when the saddle is in use they may pass on opposite sides of the
head or fork of the bicycle. Each of the arms a has its forward end provided
with two raised flanges or cheeks which serve to sustain the ends of a horizontal
roller or drum c inserted between them. Each of these rolls is provided with an
angular neck & by means of which it may be readily turned to exert the required
strain upon the saddle. Each roll is also provided with a ratchet wheel e into
which there engages a pawl f pivoted to the frame for the purpose of preventing a
backward motion of the roll, and thus maintaining the tension of the saddle. The
rear end of the saddle tree is curved upward as shown and adapted to receive the
rear end of a flexible seat or saddle proper B, which is riveted or otherwise secured
firmly thereon. The seat consists of a single sheet of leather, canvas, or equivalent
pliant material, the forward end of which is forked or divided, and its two
extremities secured to the respective rolls c, by means of which the sheet B may
be subjected to a strong longitudinal strain, and thus sustain a suitable degree of
tension between its end supports. The forward ends of the saddle or seat may be
sustained directly by the rolls, but it is preferred to extend the ends of the tree
forward above the roll, and provide them with fixed bars b over which the ends of
the sheets will be passed to the rolls as plainly represented in Figs 1. and 2.
In practice it is found that a seat sustained as above possesses a high degree of
elasticity; that it will relieve the rider from those sudden shocks and vibrations
to which he is liable when riding upon saddles of the ordinary construction. The
employment of rolls admits of the tension being increased or diminished to adapt
the saddle for the weight of its occupant. They also admit the compression
or elongation which occurs in the seat on account of the strain to which it is
subjected.

page_text: The frame may be modified in construction as desired, and tightening devices of
any suitable construction substituted in place of the rolls, provided that the mode
of action essentially such as described above is retained.
Having thus described the invention as communicated to me, I wish it to be
understood that what I desire to claim is :-
1st. A suspension saddle with positive means for straining the same at the two
sides independently, substantially as described.
2nd. A saddle composed of a frame forked at the forward end, a flexible sheet
suspended between the extremities of the frame, and positive-acting tightening
devices, substantially as described.
3rd. In combination with the frame and flexible sheet, the two tightening drums,
the rolls, and means for fastening the same, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of May in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
11731 D THOMPSON
Gal