Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1896
I, THEODORE ERNEST BECK, of 21 Lincoln Park, in the City of Newark and State
of New Jersey, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The objects of this invention are to reduce the cost of construction; to provide a
saddle that has easier riding qualities; to cushion more effectually the pommel
end of the saddle to facilitate manufacture, and to secure other advantages and
results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the
description of the working parts.
The invention consists in the improved saddle for bicycles and other velocipedes,
and in the arrangements and combinations of parts, all substantially as will be
hereinafter set forth.
The supporting spring which may be clamped upon the usual L-shaped rod or
other supporting portion of the vehicle frame is of a peculiar construction. It
is of a single flat or strap-like piece of spring metal, the centre of which, where it
is clamped to the vehicle frame, is bowed to admit of a change of inclination of
the saddle on its support At its opposite ends, said spring metal piece provides
bearings to which the seat portion of the saddle is fastened.
The pommel end of the said strap-like spring is twisted or bent to lie in a vertical
plane or at right angles to the horizontal plane of the saddle. The vertically
iwisted pommel part is perforated to receive a series of rivets by means of which
the pommel end of the seat is permanently fastened to the spring. At the rear
or cantle end of the saddle, the spring is bent or formed to lie approximately in a
horizontal plane.
To hold the flexible seat spread out broadly at the cantle, I employ a cantle
plate which is secured to the seat by rivets, screws and like fasteners, the said
cantle plate is preferably bowed, and on the under side is provided with a socket
for the spring. Said socket is preferably cast integral with the cantle plate and
forms a horizontal slot in which the spring is adjustably seated.
When the cantle plate is of wood, the box or socket for the spring may be of a
separate piece and be fastened on the bottom of said cantle plate by screws or
similar means.
The casting also provides, below the slot, an ear in which the adjusting screw
has its bearings. Said screw engages a bearing formed on or projecting from the
spring so that, when the said screw is turned, it will cause the spring to slide
in the slot and the seat to be increased or diminished in tension.
At the pommel, the leather seat is fastened at its opposite sides directly to the
spring, by a series of rivets before referred to, the parts being so constructed and
arranged as that the seat which is preferably of leather forms a raised loop which
projects considerably above the metal of the upwardly extending spring and
forms a comparatively soft and narrow pommel cushion by which the forward part
of the seat is rendered much more easy, and the action of the legs is not interfered
with, thus conducing to a less tiresome movement.

page_text: When the saddle seat is made of other material than leather such for example,
as cotton duck, or other heavy textile fabric, I may line the same with rubber
so as to maintain in the loop a sufficient resiliency, as will be understood. I may
also employ a rubber lining with the leather when it is used.
D: 914 love of Tul. 1906
THEODORE ERNEST BECK.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
I, THEODORE ERNEST BECK, of 21 Lincoln Park, in the City of Newark, and State
of New Jersey, United States of America. Manufacturer, 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:-
The object of this invention is to reduce the cost of construction; to provide a
saddle that has easier riding qualities; to cushion more effectually the pommel
ends of the saddle; to facilitate manufacture, and to secure other advantages and
results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the
description of the working parts.
The invention consists in the improved saddle for bicycles and other velocipedes
having the arrangements and combinations of parts, all substantially as will be
hereinafter set forth and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of references
indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation of
the improved saddle, and Figure 2 is a reverse plan of the same; Figure 3 indicates
in detail the supporting spring on which the leather seat is stretched; Figure 4
is a section taken on line r, of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a section taken on line y,
and Figure 6 is a detail of a certain clamp.
In said drawings, a indicates the supporting spring which may be clamped upon
the L-shaped rod or other portion of the bicycle frame in any usual manner.
Said spring is of a peculiar construction. It is of a single flat or strap-like
piece of spring metal, the centre a', of which, where it receives the L shaped rod,
is bowed as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and, at its opposite ends, it provides bearings
to which the seat is fastened.
The pommel end all, of the said strap like spring is bent to lie in a vertical plane
01 at right angles to the horizontal plane of the saddle as will be understood
upon reference to Figure 3. The vertically disposed pommel part is perforated
to receive a series of rivets, h, by means of which the pommel end of the seat is
permanently fastened to the spring.
At the rear or cantle end of the saddle, the same is bent to approximate a
horizontal plane, as at all, and is slotted at all, to receive a certain fastening
Doe, b, an adjusting screw c, and to provide a bearing d, for the said screw.
e, indicates a cantle plate adjustably secured upon the said spring by the bolt b,
and the nut b'. The said cantle plate is preferably bowed and on the underside
is preferably provided with an intermediate plate e, of brass or other suitable
material to provide a better bearing for the cantle end of the spring than is
afforded by the cantle plate when the same is of wood.
At the pommel, the leather seat g, is fastened at its opposite sides directly to the
spring a, by a series of the rivets h, the parts being so arranged as that the leather
seat forms a raised loop i, Figure 4, which projects considerably above the metal

page_text: and forms a comparatively soft and narrow pommel cushion by which the seat
is rendered much more easy to the rider. The cushion being narrow, the action
of the legs is not interfered with as said legs are allowed to remain close together
in their normal position, thus conducing to increase ease and a less tiresome
movement.
When the saddle seat is made of other than leather, such for example, as duck,
or other heavy textile fabric, I may line the same with rubber so as to maintain
in the loop a sufficient resiliency and supporting quality as will be understood. 1
may also employ the rubber lining in connection with leather, and, especially so,
when the said leather is light.
The adjustable connection of the spring and cantle plate is shown in Figures 2
and 5. The slot al, of the spring «, opens rearwardly and through the same
extends the vertical bolt b, by which the spring is clamped to the cantle plate.
Said bolt is perforated at a point in line with the horizontal part of the spring
and receives the adjusting screw c, thereat. The said adjusting screw lies in said
slot and bears directly upon the hearing d, at the end of said slot as shown in
Figure 2.
The bolt b, is also threaded to receive the threaded adjusting screw, and thus,
when said adjusting screw is turned, the bolt 6, the cantle plate and the cantle
end of the seat are moved toward or from the pommel, thus increasing or relaxing
the tension on said seat as will be understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination with the saddle seat, of a spring having its forward end
perforated, the seat being riveted directly upon said spring and a raised loop or
cushion being formed in said seat above the metal of the spring, substantially as
set forth.
2. In a bicycle saddle, the combination with the spring having its pommel end
bent vertically, of a saddle seat fastened against the opposite sides of said spring, a
loop being formed in said seat which extends above the said spring, substantially
as set forth.
3. In a bicycle saddle, the combination with the spring consisting of a strap
like piece of metal bent or twisted near the pommel end and forming a vertically
disposed portion a", which is provided with a series of perforations, of a saddle
seat looped over the upper edge of said vertically disposed portion and riveted
against the opposite sides, substantially as set forth.
4. In a bicycle saddle, the combination of a spring of flat or strap like metal
bent or twisted near its pommel end and forming a vertically disposed portion a",
and a saddle seat fastened to said spring, the pommel of said saddle being thus
rendered thin or narrow in plan where it covers said vertically twisted portion,
substantially as set forth.
THEODORE ERNEST BECK.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.