Improvements in Saddles for Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Saddles for Velocipedes.
I, THEODORE ERNEST BECK, of 42, 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 provide a velocipede saddle which will
be easily conform to and be more comfortable for the rider; one that will be
more elastic and better adapted to cushion the vibrations of the vehicle; to reduce
the cost of construction; to secure a more sightly device; to remove the pressure
from certain sensitive portions of the body and bring it upon other parts naturally
adapted to receive it, to avoid the use of the rigid plates such as will present
their edges to the limbs of the rider and be productive of discomfort, and to secure
other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in con-
nection with the description of the working parts.
From
The invention consists in the improved velocipede saddle and in the arrange-
ments and combinations of parts all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth.
In the preferred construction, the spring is doubled at the pommel of the saddle,
and forms a frame upon which the pad portions of the saddle are seated.
the pommel of the saddle the spring is curved with opposite ogee curves, back-
wardly and laterally, forming a forward concavity and a rearward convexity at
the opposite sides of the saddle giving to the rear or cantle end increased breadth.
At the cantle the two side portions of the spring are curved downward and toward
one another, forming spirals, the spirals being repeated as many times as desired;
but two spirals on each side of the longitudinal centre axis of the saddle is
ordinarily sufficient to secure the desired vertical elasticity. After forming the
two spirals, the ends of the wire spring extends forward again toward the pommel,
the forward extensions, lying approximately parallel with one another and in
side elevation being curved to permit a change in the inclination of the saddle.
At the pommel, the free ends of the wire are clamped together,
The clamps comprises, preferably, a threaded nut which is fitted into the loop in
the doubled wire, at the pommel thereof and is adapted to receive a clamping
screw. Outside of said loop, on the underside, is a clamp plate, flat on one side
to engage the leather covering the loop and longitudinally grooved on the under-
side to receive the free ends of the wire. This plate is centrally perforated to
permit a passage to the clamping screw. Co-operating with the plate is a second
clamping plate, which is also centrally perforated to receive the
the free ends of the
and
to receive
screw
wire
is provided with grooves
spring. At the front and opposite sides, it is provided with a screen adapted
to cover and conceal the plate, and give a finished appearance to the pommel. It
also covers the extremities of the wire. The said clamping plates form a
receptacle for the ends of the spring and, when screwed up, hold the same firmly
and securely in position.
In forming the pad portions or seat of the saddle, and attaching it to the frame

page_text: like spring, I first stamp out upper and lower leather flaps or pieces forming a
lower pair of pieces of the general outline of the desired saddle seat, the lower of these
is slotted at the rear to form an open passage for the spiral cantle ends or portions
of the spring so that the upper portion of the said spring, forming the frame for
the pad portions of the saddle, can pass through and lie on the upper side of the
under flap or piece, while the lower spring portions will lie below, outside of and
free or away from the said lower piece or flap. Said slits are closed by the lines
of stitching which unite the flaps or pieces. The upper and lower flaps or
pieces are sewed to the upper frame portion of the spring, by lines of stitching,
said lines of stitching extending on opposite sides of said spring parallel with
said spring to form pockets for said spring and hold the same securely in
permanent relation to the said flaps.
The lower flap is somewhat wider than the upper one at the forward parts so
that the former may extend down at the sides, and present a broad bearing for
the inner sides of the rider's legs and also conceal the spring to some extent.
At the edges, the lower pair of flaps are sewed to the upper pair next to be
described.
The
The said upper pair of flaps serve to hold the cushions in proper relative
position. These also are of the general outline of the seat, the upper one being
the widest so that it can extend down over the side edges of the lower one and
be joined to the bottom flap of the lower pair by sewing or other means.
upper one of the last pair is subjected to a press and is deeply recessed, on the
under side on opposite sides of the axial lines of the saddle, the recesses being on
the under side to receive the cushions and corresponding protuberances being
formed on the upper side with a deep groove between in the line of the axial
centre of the saddle.
Within the under side recesses thus formed are placed the thick cushions, which
are, preferably, of felt adapted to maintain the desired shape.
These are made to fit the said recesses and are held in place by the lower flap
or piece which is sewed to the upper by lines of stitching extending around the
cushions where the two pieces come together.
The said pads of felt and the protuberances formed upon the upper side of the
saddle because of the pressed leather and cushions referred to, forms the central
recess, on the upper side of the saddle, which said recess, preferably extends the
full length of the saddle, so that all pressure is removed from the sensitive organ
or part of the rider's body above referred to.
The two pairs of flaps or pieces, one having the frame therebetween and the
other having the two pads are then sewed together at their edges, at or near the
outer edges of the saddle. The topmost flap or piece of leather and the bottom
piece or lining are both somewhat of greater width than the intermediate flaps
or pieces, so that a curtain may be formed at the sides and a broader pressure
brought upon the insides of the legs.
By the construction thus described, while obtaining a saddle having requisite
firmness and supporting qualities, I secure an elasticity in every direction and
also provide a saddle which will give, or accommodate itself after service and thus
conform to the shape of the rider to a limited extent and thus be conducive to
increased ease and comfort:
1
01
·

page_text: improvements in Saddles for Velocipedes.
I, THEODORE ERNEST BECK, formerly of 42, Lincoln Park, in the City of Newark,
County of Essex, and State of New Jersey, but now of Warwick, Orange County,
State of New York, 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 objects of this invention are to provide a velocipede saddle which will
readily yield and conform to the movement of the rider; one that will be more
elastic and better adapted to cushion the vibration of the vehicle; to reduce the
cost of construction; to secure a more sightly device; to avoid the use of rigid
plates such as will present their edges to the limbs of the rider and be productive
of discomfort; to so unite the several parts entering into the construction of the
saddle that the latter, as a whole, will practically consist of but one piece whereby
liability of disconnection or displacement of the parts will be avoided, 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 above objects I secure by means of the construction and arrangement of
parts embodying my invention as hereinafter set forth in detail and pointed
out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1, is a top view of a saddle embodying my invention.
Fig. 2, is a bottom view of the same.
Fig. 2 is a cross section taken through line
of Fig. 2.
Fig. 3, is a cross section through line x-x¹ of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, is a side view of the saddle.
To explain in detail, a, indicates the spring which, according to my invention,
forms the frame upon which the seat portion of the saddle is secured.
This spring a is bent or doubled, as at a¹, at the pommel of the saddle, and is
formed with two upper limbs which substantially conform to the outline of the seat
by extending from the pommel in opposite ogee curves backwardly and laterally,
as at all, all, to form a forward concavity and a rearward convexity at the opposite
sides of the saddle, and so give to the latter the desired form at the pommel and
cantle ends of the same. At the cantle the said upper portions or limbs of the
spring are each bent downward to form one or more elastic coils b, b, at the
opposite sides of the longitudinal centre of the saddle and below the rear or seat
portion of the latter to provide for the desired vertical elasticity at such point.
After forming the coils b, b, the opposite limbs of the spring extend forward toward
the pommel, such portions b¹, b¹, of the spring being formed to extend approxi-
mately parallel with each other for the engagement therewith of the usual
saddle post clamp, and, in side elevation being curved as shown in Fig. 4 to
permit a change in the inclination of the saddle. At the pommel the upper and
lower portions of the spring are secured together by suitable clamping or fastening
means.
The means for clamping or securing together the upper and lower portions of
the spring, as herein illustrated and as more closely shown in Fig. 2, is as follows.
A threaded nut d is fitted into the eye formed by the loop a¹ in the spring a and
is adapted to receive one end of a clamping screw e. On the under side of the free
ends of the spring and engaging therewith is a clamping plate 9 which is
perforated to receive and be engaged by the opposite end of the
clamping screw e. Located between the loop a¹ and the free ends
of the spring is plate f which is longitudinally grooved in its
8

page_text: under side to receive the said free ends of the spring, and provided
with an opening for the free passage of the screw e. By this construction, it will
be obvious that by tightening the clamping screw e, the clamp parts will co-act
to hold the upper and lower portions or limbs of the spring at the pommel
securely in position. The lower clamping plate g as herein shown, is formed
with an upwardly turned edge h at the front and opposite sides thereof, adapted to
cover and protect the ends of the spring and the plate f and give a finished
appearance to the pommel. Any suitable means other than the construction shown
and described for securing together the upper and lower portions of the saddle
spring, may, however, be employed without departure from my invention.
<<
The seat portion of the saddle, as herein illustrated, is formed and attached
upon the spring or frame a in a manner as follows: Two pieces or flaps" of
leather or other suitable material having the general outline of the desired saddle
seat are first stamped out, one of which, represented at n, is preferable formed of
heavy stiff material and placed upon the upper limbs of the spring a as a support
for the padded portions of the seat to be hereinafter described, and the other flap,
represented at o, is placed over the under side of the said upper limbs of the
spring, and secured to the upper flap n, to enclose the said limbs therebetween,
by lines of stitching ¹¹, extending at opposite sides of the limbs as clearly shown
in the drawings.
The lower flap o is formed of a more flexible material than the upper one, so
that it may closely embrace the limbs of the spring where stitched to the upper
flap n, as shown in Fig. 3, and so secure a more firm and compact connection
between the parts. This lower flap o only encloses the upper limbs of the spring
and is therefore provided with slits k, k, therein, as shown in Fig. 2, through
which the opposite upper limbs pass at the cantle where they extend downward to
form the coils b, b, which letter portion of the spring and the lower limbs thereof
lie below and outside of the flap o as shown.
The padded portion of the seat, next to be described, is formed of two flaps i, j,
which are adapted to contain there between the cushions m, m, and be stitched or
otherwise secured at their outer edge to the edge of the lower flap o.
In the con-
struction illustrated, the upper flap i is pressed or otherwise formed with two
recesses in its under side and at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the
saddle, which are adapted to receive the cushions m, m, and form the raised
portions q, q, of the seat with a central groove or space p extending between the
same.
The cushions m, m, which may be formed of felt or other suitable material are
held in place within the recesses in the upper flap i by the lower one j, which
pieces are secured together by lines of stitching extending around the cushions
where the two pieces come together as at in Figs. 1 and 3.
The two pairs of flaps or pieces n, o, and i, j, one having the upper limbs of
the spring therebetween, and the other having the two pads or cushions enclosed,
are then sewed together at their edges, as indicated at s, at or near the outer edges
of the saddle. By this construction i.e. the spring being partially enclosed by
the seat portion and secured in permanent connection therewith, the saddle prac-
tically consists of but one piece and so avoids possibility of loss, breakage, or
displacement of any parts, the advantage of which will be obvious. Further, the
arrangement of the spring as described with the elastic coils beneath the cantle
or seat portion of the saddle and both upper and lower limbs being firmly united
and supported against undue lateral or vertical movement gives both the necessary
elasticity and firmness at the desired portions of the saddle.
Another feature of my improved construction is, that the seat portion of the
saddle being extended slightly beyond the upper supporting limbs of the spring
as clearly shown in the drawings, furnishes a yielding edge to the saddle and
so avoids possibility of any hard or unyielding surface being presented to the body
or limbs of the rider.

page_text: 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. In a velocipede saddle, the combination, with a suitable seat, of a spring or
frame, the upper portion of which has two limbs conforming to the outline of the
seat and supporting the same, and the lower portion of which extends down from
the cantle for engagement by a clamp or support, and then extends upwards at
the front end for attachment at the pommel to the upper portion of the spring, the
spring intermediate of the upper and lower portions beings bent to form one or
more elastic coils.
2. In a velocipede saddle, a spring or frame, the upper portion of which has
two limbs conforming to the outline of the seat and supporting the same, and the
lower portion of which is bent down from the cantle for engagement by a clamp
or support, and then bent upwards at the front end for attachment at the pommel
to the upper portion of the spring, the spring intermediate of the upper and lower
portions being bent to form one or more elastic coils, combined with a seat having
a flap resting on said limbs and a lower flap below said limbs secured to the
first mentioned flap and enclosing the limbs.
3. In a velocipede saddle, the combination, with a suitable seat, of a spring
bent at its middle to form an eye having an upper portion comprising two limbs
bent to conform to the outline of the seat and supporting the same, and a lower
portion bent down from the cantle for engagement by a clamp or support and then
bent upwards at the front end to the pommel, and a clamp having a bolt passing
through said eye and securing together the upper and lower portions of the spring
at the pommel.
4. In a velocipede saddle, a spring or frame, the upper portions of which has
two limbs conforming to the outline of the seat and supporting the same, and the
lower portion of which is bent down from the cantle for engagement by a clamp
or support, and then bent upwards at the front end for attachment at the pommel
to the upper portion of the spring, combined with a seat having a stiff flap resting
on said limbs with its edges projecting laterally beyond the latter, and a lower
flexible flap below said limbs secured along the latter to the first mentioned flap
and enclosing the limbs.
THEODORE ERNEST BECK.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.