Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
I, ARTHUR FRANCIS MARTIN, of 74, Gordon Mansions, Francis Street, W.C., in
the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
'
My invention has for its, object to provide a saddle for bicycles and other velo-
cipedes which is lighter, simpler and cheaper in construction and more comfortable
in riding, than are cycle saddles as at present constructed.
According to my invention the frame of the saddle is built of parts stamped out
of sheet steel and the parts are so connected together as to admit of the saddle
being expanded and contracted to suit different riders. The steel of which the
frame is composed is springy so that it will readily yield to the rider and afford
comfort in riding. The hind part of the frame is curved and capable of yielding
in a horizontal direction by the pressure of the riders legs against the sides of the
saddle. The central stay of the frame is forked both vertically and laterally at
the back of the saddle and to these forks are connected the parts constituting the
back portion of the frame, which back portion is made in parts, and connected
together by a bolt passing through slots so that the saddle may be adjusted in
width and fixed in its adjusted position, the said back portion being retained in
a true vertical position by the vertical fork of the central stay. The leather is
divided from the rear towards the front of the saddle to admit of the said contrac-
tion and expansion and also so as not to present a hard seat for the rider. The
front end of the central stay carries an adjusting bolt by means of which the leather
of the saddle can be tightened independently of the spring of the frame. The
front end of the central stay is also connected to a girder by which the saddle is
connected to the saddle support of the cycle. The bolt by which the central stay
is connected to the girder is provided with a spring preferably of india rubber and
the rear ends of the said girder is connected by links to the portions of the forks
of the central stay so as to admit of vertical yielding of the saddle. The girder
is slotted longitudinally to admit of the longitudinal adjustment of the saddle and
to admit of the use of any ordinary or other suitable clip.
D
1 L
0. J 1
1
1007

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
+1
My invention has for its object to provide a saddle for bicycles and other velo-
cipedes which is light, simpler and cheaper in construction and more comfortable
in riding than are cycle saddles as hitherto constructed.
According to my invention the frame of the saddle is built of parts stamped out
of sheet steel and the parts are connected together so as to admit of the saddle
being expanded and contracted to suit different riders. The steel of which the
frame is composed is springy so that it. will readily yield to the rider and afford
comfort in riding. I will describe my invention with reference to the accompany-
ing drawing of which Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section and Figure 2
an underside view of a saddle constructed.according to my invention. The hind
part of the frame is curved as shewn at a a² and is capable of yielding in a hori-
zontal direction by the pressure of the rider's legs against the sides of the saddle.
The central stay e of the frame is forked both vertically as at d and laterally as
at e at the back of the saddle, and to these forks d and e are connected the parts a a²
constituting the back portion of the frame. The parts a a² are connected together
by a bolt f passing through slots in the adjacent end of the said parts so that the
saddle may be adjusted in width and fixed in its adjusted position by the bolt f
and nut f the said back portion a a² being retained in a true vertical position by
the vertical forks d of the central stay. The leather of the saddle is divided from
the cantle or rear end towards the pommel or front end of the saddle as shewn at g
to admit of the said contraction and expansion of the width of the saddle and also
so as not to present a hard seat for the rider. The front end of the central stay has
pivotted thereto a lever h one end of which lever is connected to a metal frame i
rivetted to the interior of the pommel end of the leather seat whilst the other
end of the said lever is connected to an adjusting bolt connected to a girder!
by which the saddle is connected to the saddle support. By means of the bolt k
and lever the leather of the saddle can be tightened independently of the spring
of the frame. The front end of the central stay c is connected by links m to the
girder and the bolt & by which the girder is connected to the lever is hinged
to the said lever so as to admit of the frame moving in a vertical direction with
reference to the girder 7. Interposed between the girder and a washer on the
bolt is a spring n preferably of combined metal and india rubber which together
with the links m by which the front end of the girder is connected to the forks of
the central stay admit of a springy or yielding vertical movement of the saddle
seat. The girder is slotted longitudinally as shewn at p to admit of the longi-
tudinal adjustment of the saddle on its support, and also to admit of the use of any
ordinary or other suitable clip. The parts constituting the frame and girder being
stamped out of light sheet steel and suitably tempered, can be readily connectedl
together in the manner illustrated and described, and the leather seat can be
attached to the front and rear ends of the frame by rivets or otherwise, the whole
structure forming a light comfortable and inexpensive saddle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. Saddles for bicycles and other velocipedes built up of parts stamped out
of light sheet steel and connected together so as to admit of expansion and contrac-
tion to suit different riders; substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A saddle for a bicycle or other velocipede having a frame formed of parts
stamped out of light sheet steel, the rear end of the centre stay of frame being
forked or bifurcated both vertically and horizontally; the rear end of the frame
made in two parts, one part being connected to one of the vertical forks or bifur-
cations of the central stay, the other part being connected to the other vertical fork
or bifurcation of the said central stay; and the adjacent ends of the said two parts

page_text: being connected together by an adjustable connection substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constiting the improved saddle
for bicycles or other velocipedes, substantially as hereinbefore described and illus-
trated by the accompanying drawings.
100
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.