Improvements in or relating to Saddle Clips and Saddle Pillars for Velocipedes and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left. 7th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Saddle Clips and Saddle Pillars for
Velocipedes and the like.
I, JOHN JAMES HENRY STURMEY of No. 19 Hertford Street Coventry in the
County of Warwick Journalist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to the saddle clips and saddle pillars of velocipedes and
the like. Hitherto the saddle pillars of velocipedes have usually been made of
form, the longer or upright arm being fixed in the framework of the velocipede
and the shorter or horizontal arm being adapted to carry the saddle. The saddle
is commonly attached to the horizontal arm by means of an annular or like clip
which surrounds the arm and is provided with means for being locked in any
desired position thereon within certain limits. The position of the clip and saddle
on the said horizontal arm has been limited in one direction by the length of the
arm and in the other by the juncture between the two arms. To allow of securing
the saddle at further positions in the latter direction, the horizontal arm has some
times been extended beyond the juncture thus T but with this arrangement it
is still impossible to secure the clip in positions immediately over or nearly
over the juncture owing to the projecting upright arm obstructing the annular or
like clip.
The principal object of my invention is to provide a saddle clip and saddle pillar
which shall allow of the saddle clip being secured in any position. along the
horizontal arm (whether the said arm be extended or not) of the saddle pillar.
In carrying out my invention, instead of constructing the parts in such a way that
the clip effectively transversely surrounds the horizontal arm, I construct them
so that the arm effectively, though not entirely, transversely surrounds the clip or
a material portion thereof. I form the horizontal arm of the saddle pillar with a
groove along the upper surface and make the transverse section of such groove
of two widths and place the lesser width above the greater, so that a part or parts
of the groove is or are overhung lengthwise by a portion or portions of the
material of which the horizontal arm is made. And I form the saddle clip or a portion
thereof of two widths in transverse section, the wider part being adapted to lie
within the wider part of the groove and engage with the part or parts of the arm
that overhang the groove and the narrower part being adapted to project up
through the narrower part of the said groove. And the said clip or the said
portion thereof is adapted to slide along the said arm and as the upright part
of the pillar is secured to the exterior or under surface of the said arm, the juncture
between the two arms offers no obstruction to the horizontal adjustment of the
saddle.
According to one method of constructing my improved saddle pillar, I take a
strip of sheet steel or other suitable material and of suitable dimensions, the
length of the strip corresponding to the length of the desired horizontal arm.
I bend the strip transversely to any desired angle or curve about the centre line
and then turn the sides of the strip over inwards on themselves so as to make
tubular edges overhanging to a greater or less degree the intermediate part of the
strip, thus forming a groove along the upper surface the said groove being over-
hung along each side. The strip is secured in this shape by brazing any parts that
come in contact or by any other convenient means and forms the horizontal arm.
The said horizontal arm is joined on its under side to the upper end of the upright

page_text: arm (which may be of any suitable form) by brazing or any other convenient means
and the juncture may be formed, at any convenient position along the said underside
of the horizontal arm.
I will describe my clip for holding the saddle to the pillar as applied to a saddle
Constructed with one of the well known wire rod spring frames in which two of the
wire rods are, as to certain parts thereof situated more or less nearly under the
centre of the saddle, set parallel or approximately parallel for the attachments
thereto of the clip; but the clip may be modified to make. it applicable to saddles
constructed with other forms of frames. The clip is further described as applied to
a saddle pillar having a horizontal arm, constructed with inwardly overhanging
tubular edges as above set forth, but this is by way of example only as the clip may
be modified to apply to any horizontal arm constructed to effectively transversely
surround the clip or a material portion thereof.
I take a block of steel or other suitable material and of suitable dimensions and
shape it transversely more or less to the transverse section of the groove in the
horizontal arm, so that the sides of the upper surface of the block are adapted to
engage with the under surfaces of the overhanging tubular edges of the arm when
the block is drawn upward. I take a second block of steel or other suitable
material and of dimensions and adapt the under surfaces thereof to lie on the upper
surfaces of the said tubular edges. Along the upper surface of this second block
parallel to the length thereof, and at a suitable distance apart I form two grooves
of suitable form and dimensions. I also take a flat plate of steel or other suitable
material and of suitable dimensions the length and width preferably being equal to
the length and width respectively of the second block. Along the under surface of
the plate and parallel to the length thereof I form two grooves at the same distance
apart as, and of corresponding form and dimensions to, those in the upper surface
of the second block, the said four grooves being adapted to hold the said wire rods
of the saddle frame. I form'a 'screw of suitable material, form and dimensions, and
attach it in any convenient manner to the first block so that it projects perpendicularly
up' from the middle of the upper surface thereof and so that it cannot rotate on its
own axis, Itore a hole through the centre of the plate at right angles to its plane
and of a diameter convenient for the projection through the said hole of the said
screw and bore a similar and corresponding hole through the second block. The
plate may have its upper surface raised along the course of the grooves and around
the hole through its centre. The grooves adapted to hold the wire rods and the
parts of the plate and block in which they are formed may be curved or otherwise
depart from the flat surfaces of the plate and second block to follow any curves or
the like in the parts concerned of the said wire rods.
To attach the saddle to the pillar, the first block is slid into the groove in the
horizontal arm from one end, with the screw projecting up between the tubular
edges of 'the grooves. The second block is next passed on to the screw so that its
under surface lies, as adapted, on the upper surfaces of the tubular edges. The
wire rods are then laid on the upper surface of the second block so that their under
surfaces lie in the grooves in the said upper surface. The plate is then passed on
to the screw so that its under surface lies, as adapted, on the upper surfaces of the
said wire rods. A suitable nut 'is then screwed down the screw forcing the plate
down into closer proximity to the second block and drawing the first block up into
closer proximity to the second block and so simultaneously gripping the wire rods
and the horizontal arm in the clip and securing the saddle to the said horizontal
arm of the 'pillar. By loosening the nut the positions of the wire rods in the clip
may be altered or the clip and saddle may be moved to any other point along the
horizontal arm, or both these adjustments may be effected at the one time.
A washer may be interposed between the nut and top of the plate if desired.
The blocks and plate may conveniently be cast in malleable iron. The head of
the screw and the first block may in some cases be made in one piece. I prefer
to arrange the respective surfaces of the first and second blocks that come into
contact with the tubular edges of the horizontal arm in such a way that the forces

page_text: acting on the tubes are fairly opposed to each other and in all forms of my clip
and horizontal arm.
I prefer to arrange the parts so that the tightening the clip has little if any
The clip is
tendency to distort the transverse configuration of the horizontal arm.
made of a sufficient length to resist any tendency the saddle may have to rock
lengthwise on the arm and the construction of the clip and horizontal arm are
Instead
peculiarly adapted to prevent the clip from rotating axially on the arm.
of constructing the herein before described horizontal arm from a single thickness
of sheet metal, it may, in order to obtain increased strength, be made from tubing,
so that the intermediate part of the said arm preferably takes the form, of a hollow
crescent. Or the whole tube may be made to take in transverse section the form
of a hollow crescent, the edges or horns of the crescent being then bent over
inwards to overhang the sides of the groove. Or again, I may take two distinct
tubes of weldless steel or other suitable material and of suitable dimensions and
set them parallel to one another at a convenient distance apart. These two tubes
are secured to the top of the upright arm in such a manner that the clip may
secure a hold on the undersides of the two tubes in a similar manner to that
hereinbefore described with reference to the sheet metal arm with tubular edges;
for example I take a block of steel or other suitable material and of suitable
dimensions and form a groove of convenient dimensions along the centre of its
upper surface. This leaves two upwardly projecting ridges, and along each of the
inner edges of the tops of these ridges I form a groove, these two grooves being
set parallel to the first or central groove and of a form convenient for the securing
to such ridges of the two tubular members of the horizontal arm by brazing or
otherwise. The said block may conveniently be cast in malleable iron. When
secured to the block the said tubes are held by their outer sides and at such a
distance apart as to leave free course for the clip to be moved from end to end, the
central groove in the block being of a suitable shape and size to allow of this.
The lower part of the block is formed and attached to the upper end of the upright
pillar in any convenient manner. The respective adjacent ends of the two tubes
constituting the horizontal arm may be joined by short bridges of any suitable form
and if they be used the lower part of the clip will be applied to the arm by
passing the said part up to the under surfaces of the tubes from the underside,
instead of sliding the clip on from one end of the arm.
Instead of forming the groove along the upper surface of the arm I may form it
along either side or the under surface thereof, in which cases I modify the clip and
the juncture between the two arms correspondingly.
Dated this 7th day of November 1893.
W. B. MAXFIELD,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in or relating to Saddle Clips and Saddle Pillars for
Velocipedes and the like.
1, JOHN JAMES HENRY STURMEY of No. 19 Hertford Street, Coventry in the
County of Warwick, Journalist, 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 the saddle clips and saddle pillars of velocipedes and the
like. Hitherto the saddle pillars of velocipedes have usually been made of form,
the longer or upright arm being fixed in the framework of the velocipede and the
The saddle is
shorter or horizontal arm being adapted to carry the saddle.
commonly attached to the horizontal arin by means of an annular or like clip which
surrounds the arm and is provided with means for being locked in any desired
position thereon within certain limits.

page_text: The position of the clip and saddle on the said horizontal arm has been limited
in one direction by the length of the arm and in the other by the juncture between
the two arms.
To allow of securing the saddle at further positions in the latter
direction, the horizontal arm has sometimes been extended beyond the juncture
thus but with this arrangement it is still impossible to secure the clip in position
immediately over or nearly over the juncture owing to the projecting upright arm
obstructing the annular or like clip.
The principal object of my invention is to provide a saddle clip and saddle pillar
which shall allow of the saddle clip being secured in any position along. the
horizontal arm (whether the said arm be extended or not) of the saddle pillar. In
carrying out my invention instead of constructing the parts in such a way that the
clip effectively transversely surrounds the horizontal arm, I construct them so that
the arm effectively though not entirely transversely surrounds the clip or a material
portion thereof. I form the horizontal arm of the saddle pillar with a groove
along the upper surface and I make the transverse section of such groove of two
widths and place the lesser width above the greater, so that a part or parts of the
groove is or are overhung lengthwise by a portion or portions of the material of
which the horizontal arm is made. And I form the saddle clip or a portion thereof
of two widths in transverse section the wider part being adapted to lie within the
wider part of the groove and engage with the part or parts of the arm that over-
hang the groove and the narrower part of the said groove. And the said clip or
the said portion thereof is adapted to slide along the said arm and as the upright
part of the pillar is secured to the exterior or under surface of the said arm, the
juncture between the two arms offers no obstruction to the horizontal adjustment of
the saddle. And in order that my invention may be well understood I append
drawings which show the general form and arrangement of the parts in several
methods of carrying out my invention or parts thereof, but modifications can be
made without departing from the spirit of my invention. Similar numerals refer to
similar parts throughout the drawings.
Figure I shows an end view in elevation of a clip securing the wire rods of a
saddle to a pillar, both the clip and the pillar being constructed according to my
invention.
Figure II shows a transverse section of a hollow horizontal arm.
Figure III shows an end view in elevation of a pillar in which the horizontal arm
(shown in section) is composed of two separate tubes.
Figure IV shows a broken plan of the same.
Referring to Figure I. According to one method of constructing my improved
saddle pillar I take a strip of sheet steel or other suitable material and of suitable
dimensions, the length of the strip corresponding to the length of the desired
horizontal arm. I bend the strip transversely to any desired angle or curve about.
the centre line and then turn over the sides of the strip, by any suitable means,
inwards on themselves so as to make tubular edges 23, 24 overhanging to a greater
or less degree the intermediate part of the strip, as shown; thus forming a
groove 35 along the upper surface, the said groove being overhung along each
side.
The strip is secured in this shape by brazing the respective edges of the strip to
the intermediate part thereof where they come in contact, or it may be secured by
any other convenient means. The strip forms the horizontal arm 21 and is joined
on its underside to the upper end of the upright arm 20 by any suitable means.
The said upright arm may be of any suitable form, such as a tube, and the
juncture 19 may be made by belling or lapping out the top of the tube and brazing
the arm 21 thereto as shown in the manner well known as a "lap joint" or by
rivetting or any other suitable means. The juncture 19 may be formed at any
convenient position along the said underside of the horizontal arm 21.
I will describe my clip for holding the saddle to the pillar as applied to a saddle
constructed with one of the well known wire rod spring frames in which two of the
wire rods are, as to certain parts thereof situated more or less nearly under the

page_text: centre of the saddle, set parallel or approximately parallel for the attachment
thereto of the clip; but the clip may be modified to make it applicable to saddles
constructed with other forms of frames. The clip is further described as applied
to a saddle pillar having a horizontal arm constructed with inwardly overhanging
tubular edges as above set forth, but this is by way of example only as the clip may
be modified to apply to other horizontal arms constructed to effectively transversely
surround the clip or a material portion thereof. Referring to Figure II take a
block 1 of steel or other suitable material and of suitable dimensions and
shape it transversely more or less to the transverse section of the groove 35
in the horizontal arm 21, so that the sides 25, 26 of the upper surface of
the block are adapted to engage with the under surfaces of the overhanging tubular
edges 23, 24 respectively of the arm, when the block is drawn upward. I take a
second block 2 of steel or other suitable material and of suitable dimensions and
provide the under surface thereof with two grooves 27, 28 adapting it to lie on the
upper surfaces of the said tubular edges 23, 24. Along the upper surface of this
second block, parallel to the length thereof and at a suitable distance apart I form
two grooves 7, 8 of suitable form and dimensions for receiving the wire rods 17, 18
of the saddle. I also take a flat plate 3 of steel or other suitable material and of
suitable dimensions, the length and width preferably being equal to the length
and width respectively of the block 2. Along the under surface of the plate 3
and parallel to the length thereof I form two grooves 15, 16 at the same distance
apart as, and of corresponding form and dimensions to the grooves 7 and 8
respectively in the upper surface of the block 2, the said four grooves 7, 15 and 8, 16
being adapted to hold the said wire rods 17, 18 respectively of the saddle frame.
I form a screw 4 of suitable material, form and dimensions and attach it in any
convenient manner to the block 1 so that it projects perpendicularly up from the
middle of the upper surface thereof and so that cannot rotate on its own axis.
I bore a hole shown by dotted lines, through the centre of the plate 3 at right
angles to its plane and of a diameter convenient for the projection therethrough of
the said screw 4 and I bore a similar and corresponding hole also shown by dotted
lines through the block 2, the plate 3 may have its upper surface raised along the
course of the grooves and around the hole through its centre. The grooves adapted
to hold the wire rods and the parts of the plate and block in which they are formed
may be curved or otherwise depart from the flat surfaces of the plate and second
block to follow any curves or the like in the parts concerned of the said wire rods.
To attach the saddle to the pillar the block 1 is slid into the groove in the horizontal
arm 21 from the end, with the screw 4 projecting up between the tubular.edges 23, 24
thereof. The block 2 is next passed on to the screw 4 so that its under surface lies
as adapted on the upper surface of the tubular edges 23, 24. The wire rods 17 and 18
are then laid on the upper surface of the block 2 so that their under surfaces lie in
the grooves 7 and 8 in the said upper surface. The plate 3 is then passed on to the
screw 4 so that its under surface lies, as adapted, on the upper surfaces of the said
wire rods 17, 18. A suitable nut 5 is then screwed down the screw 4 forcing the
plate 3 down into closer proximity to the block 2 and drawing the block 1 up into
closer proximity to the block 2 and so simultaneously gripping the wire rods 17, 18
and the tubular edges 23, 24 of the horizontal arm of the pillar. After loosening
the nut 5, the positions of the wire rods 17, 18 in the clip may be altered or the clip
and saddle may be moved to any other point along the horizontal arm, the groove 35
being clear from end to end, or both these adjustments may be effected at the one
time. A suitable washer 29 may be interposed between the nut 4 and top of the
plate 3, if desired. The blocks 1 and 2 and plate 3 may conveniently be cast in
malleable iron or other suitable metal, more or less in the respective forms required
when finished. The head of the screw 4 and the block 1 may in some cases be made
in one piece. I prefer to arrange the respective surfaces 25, 26 and 27, 28 of the
blocks 1 and 2 that come in contact with the tubular edges 23, 24 of the horizontal
arm 21, in such a way that the forces acting on the tubes 23, 24 are fairly opposed
to each other as shown, and in all forms of my clip and horizontal arm I prefer to

page_text: arrange the parts so that tightening the clip has little if any tendency to distort
the transverse configuration of the horizontal arm. The clip is made of a sufficient
length to resist any tendency the saddle may have to rock lengthwise on the arm 21
and the construction of the clip and horizontal arm are peculiarly adapted to prevent
the clip from rotating axially on the arm, which rotation would be dangerous to the
rider on the saddle.
Instead of constructing the herein before described horizontal arm from a single
thickness of sheet metal, it may, in order to obtain increased strength, be made
from tubing, so that the intermediate part of the said arm. preferably takes the
form of a hollow crescent as shown at Figure II. Or the whole tube may be inade
to take, in transverse section, the form of a hollow crescent, the edges or horns of the
crescent being then bent over inwards to overhang the sides of the groove. Or
again, I may take two distinct tubes 23, 24 of weldless steel or other suitable
material and of suitable dimensions and set them parallel to one another at a
convenient distance apart asshown in Figures. III and IV.
The two tubes are secured to the top of the upright arm 20 in such a manner
that the clip may secure a hold on the under sides of the two tubes in a manner
similar to that hereinbefore described with reference to the sheet metal arm 21
with tubular edges 23, 24 shown in Figure 1; for example, I take a block 19 of
steel or other suitable material and of suitable dimensions and form a groove 35 of
convenient dimensions along the centre of its upper surface. This leaves two
upwardly projecting ridges, and along each of the inner edges of the tops of these
ridges I form a groove, 31, 32, these two grooves being set parallel to the central
groove 35 and of a form convenient for the securing to such ridges of the two
tubular members 23, 24 respectively of the horizontal arm 21 by brazing or
otherwise. The said block 19 may conveniently be cast in malleable iron or other
suitable metal, more or less in the form required when finished, and may be
lightened by coring out the centre thereof. When secured to the block 19, the
said tubes 23, 24 are held by their outer sides and at such a distance apart as to
leave free course for the clip to be moved from end to end, the central groove 35
in the block being of a suitable shape and size to allow of this. The lower part
of the block 19 is preferably formed as a socket of suitable dimensions to receive
the upper end of the said upright pillar in any convenient manner. The respective
adjacent ends of the two tubes 23, 24 constituting the horizontal arm may be joined
by short bridges of any suitable form such as 33, 34 Figure IV and if they be
used, the lower part of the clip will be applied to the arm 21 by passing the said
part up to the under surfaces of the tubes 23, 24 from the under side, instead of
sliding the clip on from one end of the arm. One or both of the bridges 33, 34
may be of similar form to the upper part of the block 19 so as to admit the clip
from one or either end of the arm 21 and permit of its being secured in any
position along the said arm. I am aware that saddle pillars and saddle clips have
already been constructed which allow of the saddle clip being secured in any
position along the horizontal arm of the saddle pillar, the same being set forth in
the Specification of Theodore James Biggs No. 20605* 1891 and I do not broadly
claim such construction as my invention but
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 attaching a saddle to a velocipede, forming the horizontal arm of the
saddle pillar and the saddle clip, so that the said arm effectively, though not
wholly surrounds a material portion of the said clip, substantially as herein
described for the purpose set forth.
2. A saddle pillar for a velocipede or the like constructed substantially as herein
described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A saddle pillar for a velocipede or the like constructed substantially as herein
described with reference to Figure II of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 4. A saddle pillar for a velocipede or the like constructed substantially as herein
described with reference to Figures III and IV of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a velocipede or the like, the combination of two shaped blocks and a plate,
a screw and nut constituting a saddle clip adapted to simultaneously grip the frame
of the saddle and the horizontal arm of the saddle pillar, and to be capable of
being locked at any point along the horizontal arm of a saddle pillar constructed
according to this invention, substantially as herein described.
6. A saddle clip for a velocipede or the like consisting of 'two blocks such as 1
and 2, a grooved plate such as 3, a screw such as 4 and a nut such as 5, all
combined arranged and operating substantially as herein described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
7. In a velocipede or the like, preventing the clip and saddle from rotating
around the horizontal arm of the saddle pillar substantially as herein described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
8. The improvements in saddle clips and saddle pillars for velocipedes and the
like substantially as described and as herein illustrated.
Dated this 4th day of Avon 1904
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Registered Patent Agent,
19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester, Applicant's Agent.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Registered Patent Agent,
9, Bowling Green Street, Leicester, Applicant's Agent.