Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles and their Supports.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles and their Supports.
I, FREDERICK EDWARD BLACKETT BEAUMONT, of St. Margarets Mansions, 51,
Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County of London, Colonel, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
According to my invention I construct bicycle saddles and their spring sup-
ports as I shall describe with reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Fig. 1 shews a perspective view of the saddle and its support, Fig. 2 shows a
side view Fig. 3 an underside plan and Fig. 4 a cross section on line 4-4 Fig. 3.
Fig. 4* a part top side plan with leather cover removed and shewing the spring
support.
I construct the saddle of a thin metal plate A having two cup-shaped
recesses B B in such positions as to correspond with the bones of the pelvis; the
thin flat parts of the plate surrounding these recesses serve to support the other
parts of the rider's seat and these are formed without any surrounding rim or
Hange for strengthening the same, the requisite strength being afforded by the
special mode of supporting the saddle hereinafter described. The recesses are
perforated for the circulation of air, and extending over the tops thereof are steel
blade springs C of any suitable form such as that shewn.
The spring supports thus provided take the entire pressure of the pelvis bones
of the rider and together with the surrounding metal surface of the saddle effec-
tually support the seat of the rider so that he is prevented from coming into
injurious contact with the projecting middle part thereof, while at the same
time the seat is kept cool by the fact that the saddle is of thin metal without
any surrounding rim and thus gives free access to the air and rapidly conveys
the heat thereto as the air flows in contact with the underside of the saddle. At
the same time the air in circulating through the perforations of the recesses B
will also keep the spring supports C cool.
The saddle is by preference provided with a top covering of leather D secured
to the edges of the metal.
For affording the saddle the requisite strength against transverse flexure, and
for securing it to the bicycle frame, it has fixed to its underside two screw
clips which embrace a transverse bar F having a screw clip. G at its middle
by which it is secured to the saddle bar H.
The requisite spring action for the saddle is by preference provided by the
following arrangement.
Instead of the saddle bar H being rigidly fixed to the tubular stem I that is
adjustably secured in the pillar J of the frame in the usual manner, the saddle
bar carries a solid stem K which passes through and can slide in the tube I;
the latter contains a helical spring L on the upper end of which bears a shoulder
on the stem K, which after passing through the spring L and tube I, has a
nut M screwed on to its projecting threaded end by means of which nut the
action of the spring can consequently be regulated.

page_text: It will thus be seen that the spring action of the saddle is solely in the
vertical direction as have found that this is a much more advantageous arrange-
ment for the rider than where the saddle is capable of lateral as well as vertical
deflection, as is usually the case.
For preventing the saddle from turning the upper end of the stem K is either
of a square or polygonal section, fitting a correspondingly shaped hole in the
upper end of the tube I or it may be formed circular with a flat side as shown
at the section Fig. 5, a loose piece N, corresponding to the segment cut off being
fitted in the upper end of the tube and held by a screw O, by adjusting which
any looseness of fit due to wear can be made good.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A bicycle saddle formed of a thin metal plate A without surrounding flange
or rim, and having two cup shaped recesses B B over which are fitted spring
supports C, the saddle being secured to a transverse supporting bar 1 serving
both to strengthen it and as means of attachment to the bicycle frame, sub-
stantially as described.
2. A support for a bicycle saddle consisting of a transverse bar F to which
the saddle is attached by screw clips E, and which is secured to a saddle bar H
having a stem K, passing through a tube I adapted to be adjustably fixed in the
pillar of the bicycle frame and containing a spring L, on which the stem K
bears for affording the spring action to the saddle, substantially as described.
3. The combination of a saddle A with cup shaped recesses B B, a transverse
bar F to which the saddle is secured by screw clips, a saddle bar H to which the
bar F is secured and which has a stem K passing through a tube I adapted to be
secured in the bicycle frame and containing a spring L, on which the stem K
bears, substantially as described.
Dated this 11th dor of Au 1908