Improvements in Cycle Saddle and Seat Springs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1899
Improvements in Cycle Saddle and Seat Springs.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM RUDOLPH DUERRE, of No. 466, King's Road, Chelsea, in
the County of Middlesex, Watch and Clock Maker, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
:—
This invention relates to improvements in cycle saddle and seat springs and
particularly to a further improvement upon my former invention for cycle saddle
springs described and illustrated in the Specification of British Letters Patent
No. 18937 A.D. 1894, the object being to eliminate the unpleasant concussion
of the seat incidental to riding along ordinary roads, and to ensure the resiliency
of the seat being equally balanced on each side of the seat pillar so as to keep
the saddle quite firm and steady.
In carrying my present invention into practice, I support the saddle or seat
upon a spring which is single at one end but double at the other; that is to
say, it is in one piece at the end which comes under the peak or front end of
the saddle or seat, and bifurcated or branched into two members towards the rear.
This spring is made up of one or more flat strips or leaves curved more or less
longitudinally. At the rear or bifurcated end it is curled round or formed into
eyes, one on each branch thereof, and its front end is provided with an anti-
friction link fitted with rollers.
The leaves of the spring are secured together and. held in position preferably
by means of a channel-shaped clip which is riveted to the top leaf, the two cars
or sides extending downwards and confining the several leaves so that no relative
side movement of them can take place.
The frame or stays over or upon which the saddle or seat is stretched or rests
is or may be similarly bifurcated at the rear end and also provided with eyes;
whilst the other or front end of the said frame is turned up at its extremity,
and just in front of the extremity is provided with a flat bearing plate or sur-
face of sufficient width to prevent any lateral rotation or tilting of the saddle
when all the parts are fixed up in position, which is effected as follows; -
The spring is secured to the saddle or seat frame or stays, convex side out-
wards, by bringing the eyes in the rear end of it in line with those in the said
frame, and then passing a pin through all the eyes, thus forming a hinge-like
junction at this end. The antifriction link at other end of the spring is passed
over the end of the frame and rests upon the flat bearing plate..
The saddle or seat and spring complete is mounted rigidly upon the seat pillar
by means of the usual clamp.
The essence of this invention is that instead of both ends of the spring being
pivoted and confined at a fixed relative distance, one only is so pivoted or hinged
and the other is free to slide in a longitudinal direction.
The bifurcated spring may be elliptic, semi-elliptic or of any other suitable
form, and composed of wire or flat band or bands, as desired.
The free end of the spring may be plain or provided with one or more rollers
and the form of the bearing surface for the said end or rollers may be either flat
or curved or of any other suitable contour.
Dated the 25th day of May 1898.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant..

page_text: Improvements in Cycle Saddle and Seat Springs.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM RUDOLPH DUERRE, of No. 466, King's Road, Chelsea, in
the County of Middlesex, Watch and Clock Maker, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be par-
ticularly described and'ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in cycle saddle and seat springs and
more particularly to a further improvement upon my former invention for cycle
saddle springs described and illustrated in the Specification of British Letters
Patent No. 18937 A.D. 1894; the object being to eliminate the unpleasant jar-
ring or concussion of the saddle or seat incidental to riding along ordinary roads,
and to ensure the resiliency of the saddle or seat being equally balanced on each
side of the seat-pillar or support so as to keep the saddle or seat quite firm and
steady.
I will now proceed to describe my invention in detail with reference to the
accompanying sheet of drawings which constitute part of this specification and
are to be read therewith, and in which:-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of an ordinary cycle saddle sup-
ported by my improved spring upon an ordinary L-pin or seat-pillar.
Figure 2 is a plan of the underside of Figure 1; the seat pillar and the seat
clamp being omitted for clearness.
Figure 3 is a detached end elevation of the combination of spring and its
roller-bearing link shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a transverse section through the spring and clip, taken on the
line 4 4 of Figure 1.
In carrying my present invention into practice, I support the saddle or seat a
upon a spring which is single at one end but double or divided at the other,
and more particularly, it is in one piece at the end b which comes under the
peak or front end c of the saddle or seat, and bifurcated or branched out into
two members 61 and 62 towards the rear. This spring may advantageously be
made up or composed of one or more flat strips or leaves spring-tempered and
curved more or less longitudinally as shewn. At the rear or bifurcated end it
is curled round or formed into eyes or more correctly speaking short cylindrical
sleeves d, d; d, ; one pair on each branch thereof and its front end b has
similar sleeves e, el provided, and has a link f rigidly fixed thereto said link
carrying an antifriction roller g. There may be more than one such roller or
the roller may be broader than that shewn if desired. The leaves of the spring b
are secured together and held in position preferably by means of a channel-shaped
clip, h, which may be fixed to the top leaf by means of a rivet ; the two ears
or sides of the said clip extending downwards and embracing all the spring leaves
thus confining them so that no relative side movement can take place.
The frame or stays j, j, over or upon which the saddle or seat a is stretched
or secured is or may be similarly bifurcated towards the rear end and also pro-
vided with eyes or sleeves 1, 11 which latter are advantageously formed at the
outer ends of lugs p, p¹ whilst the other or front end of the frame j, j is turned
up at its extremity 72 to receive the screw z of the bracket y which connects
it to the saddle cover a; and just before the extremity the said frame is pro-
vided with a flat bearing-plate or surface k of sufficient width to prevent any
lateral rotation or tilting of the saddle when all the parts are in position, which
is effected as follows:-
The antifriction link f at the other end of the spring b is passed over the
turned-up end of the frame and rests upon the flat bearing-plate k, as seen

page_text: in Figure 1. The spring b, 61, 63, is secured at its rear end to the saddle or
seat frame or stays j, j, convex side outwards, by bringing the eyes or
sleeves d, d; d¹, d, of it in line with those 1, at the rear end of the said
frame, and then passing the pin m through all the eyes or sleeves and riveting
its ends over, thus forming a hinge-like junction of the spring b to the frame jj
at this end of the seat.
The saddle or seat a and spring 6 complete is mounted fast upon the seat
pillar n by means of the ordinary or any suitable clamp o. The dotted lines of
this clamp, in Figure 1 are intended to indicate that it may be secured up the
reverse way, so that the clamp would come nearer underneath the saddle and
permit of the latter coming lower down, if and when desired.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the essential and
characteristic feature of this invention is that instead of both ends of the saddle
supporting spring or springs being pivoted and confined at a fixed relative dis-
tance, one end only is so fixed or confined and the other is free to slide in a
longitudinal direction.
Further, it will be understood that one end of the supporting spring being
free to move, the sudden downward force on the spring due to the weight of
the rider coming upon it after having been elevated by virtue of its elasticity,
is greatly eased and the jarring due to vibration greatly lessened, thus tending
to preserve the spring and render riding more comfortable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A spring for supporting a cycle-saddle or seat, one end of which is held or
secured in a fixed position whilst the other end is free to move longitudinally,
substantially as described.
2. A spring for supporting a cycle saddle or seat consisting of two longitudinal
members joined together at the front end and bifurcating or branching outwards
away from each other towards the rear, the front extremity formed into an anti-
friction surface or provided with one or more rollers and the rear extremities
formed into eyes for the reception of a hinge-pin, substantially as described
and illustrated.
3. The combination with a cycle saddle or seat of an underframe having a flat
bearing-plate fixed at its front end and eyes or sleeves provided at its rear end,
a spring consisting of two longitudinal members joined together at the front
end and bifurcating or branching outwards away from each other towards the
rear, the front extremity formed into an antifriction surface or provided with
one or more rollers and bearing upon the said bearing-plate of the frame and
the rear extremities formed into eyes, and secured to the frame by a hinge-pin
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
4. The combination of saddle or seat, seat frame having the special bearing-
plate at its front end and eyes at its rear end, the spring and the clamp all con-
structed arranged and operating substantially as described and set forth.
Dated the 27th day of February 1899
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.