Improvements in or connected with Saddle Supports for Bicycles, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1897-Accepted, 18th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Saddle Supports for Bicycles,
and other Vehicles.
I, HENRY RENNO HEYL, of No. 4050 Aspen Street in the City and County of
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Machinist, 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 a construction of saddle supports for bicycles, and
analogous vehicles, whereby the saddle may, at the pleasure of the rider, while in
motion be depressed and raised to any point between the fixed limits of its adjusta-
bility; the lowest limit being fixed at an elevation that enables the rider to place
both feet upon the ground without dismounting, and the extreme upper limit
being at a proper height to enable the rider to operate the pedals with the greatest
ease and efficiency.
I attain these objects by mechanism such as hereinafter described, reference
being had to the annexed drawings, in which—
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a bicycle equipped with my
improved saddle support.
Figure 2 is an elevation, enlarged, of the saddle post, toggle and adjuncts.
Figure 3 is a rear view thereof.
Figure 4 is a vertical section, as on the line of Fig. 3, showing the saddle
post as depressed and the toggle collapsed.
Figure 5 is a sectional detail, as on the line y of Fig. 2.
The numeral 1 designates the frame of a bicycle, and 2 the saddle thereon,
which saddle is or may be mounted in the usual manner on the saddle post 3. This
post is affixed to the upper end of a tube 4 which is fitted within the tube 5 of
the frame so as to be longitudinally adjustable within certain limits. Within
these tubes is confined a long spiral spring 6, the lower end thereof resting on
an abutment at the base of the frame and the upper end bearing against the
closed end of the sliding tube. The spring is of sufficient length and strength
to sustain the saddle and its supporting tube in the extreme upward position, and
yet permit these parts to be depressed to the lowest position, the range of move-
ment being in practice about seven inches. The extreme upper position is such as
to enable the rider to operate the pedals with the greatest ease and efficiency, and
the lowest position is such as to enable him to place both feet upon the ground
without dismounting.
As a simple and effective means to sustain the weight of the rider, when the
saddle is in the elevated position, and also to prevent the saddle from turning, I
employ a toggle 7, the lower end of which is seated to rock in a bearing bracket S
secured to the top of the frame tube, while the upper end of the toggle is similarly
seated in a bracket 9 secured to the sliding tube. The bracket 9 is split on one
side, as at 10, and is provided with a clamp screw 11, whereby it, the bracket,

page_text: may be readily released and adjusted lengthwise of the tube, and clamped in the
desired position of adjustment. The relation of the parts is such that when the
saddle is in the elevated position, the toggle is off center, leaning toward and
against the sliding tube, as indicated in Figs. liand 2. Hence, neither the weight
of the rider, nor the shaking or jolting of the machine, can collapse the toggle,
for obviously the greater the downward pressure exerted upon the toggle, the
firmer it will be held in the upright position... In order, however, to avoid any
possible liability of the toggle being accidentally displaced, by a sudden jar, a
torsion spring 12 is arranged in the lower bearing bracket, one end of which
spring extends through the bracket and bears against a stud 13 on the lower
member of the toggle.
When it is desired to depress the saddle the toggle must be drawn outward
beyond the center, in which case the weight of the rider, overcoming the stress
of the spring 6, will force the saddle, and its adjuncts, downward to the lowest
limit, as indicated in Fig. 4.
As a convenient means to trip the toggle, preparatory to the depression of the
saddle, there is fulcrumed on the lower bearing bracket 8 a lever 14 having a stud
or projection 15 which is arranged to act against the lower toggle arm and move
it outwardly when the lever is rocked. The operation of the lever is effected by
means of a hand lever 16 on the handle bar of the machine, which hand lever is
connected with the trip Tever by means of a chain 17 or other equivalent means.
When the saddle is depressed as above stated, it is locked in place by a suitable
latch device, which, in this instance, comprises a hook 18 formed on the lever 14
and so arranged as to engage and catch a plate 19 on the upper bearing bracket
when the saddle is depressed. A spring 20 secured to the lever 14 and to the frame
tends to maintain the said lever in the normal position. From the foregoing it
will be seen that if the trip lever he pulled forward, when the toggle stands
upright, the latter will be drawn back over the center, and the saddle will be
depressed by the weight of the rider, thereupon, by the act of releasing the lever,
the hook will operate to seize the saddle support and hold it down. As the trip
lever is connected with and operated by means of a hand-lever on the handle bar,
as above stated, it will be seen that both saddle locks are directly under the control
of the rider, and may thus be instantly operated as occasion may require.
As before mentioned, the toggle serves the double purpose of sustaining the
saddle when it is up, and of preventing the saddle support (which is usually and
preferably cylindrical) from turning around, thus obviating the necessity of using
a spline and key for the latter purpose, which spline and key by reason of the
extreme thinness of bicycle tubing would be impracticable.
By the construction above described it will be obvious that, a rider is enabled.
to depress the saddle of the bicycle to its lowest limit, where it, is locked fast, and
then to seat himself upon the saddle while both feet are on the ground. In this
position he may place his feet upon the pedals and start the bicycle; then at his
pleasure he may release the catch that holds the saddle down, and, by the act of
raising his body upon his feet, the saddle will rise with him to its highest position
and thereupon be automatically locked in place. It will be seen that the
depression and elevation of the saddle is the voluntary act of the rider and may be
effected quickly or leisurely at will. He thus has unusual control of the wheel,
for when he approaches a place which necessitates cautious riding he can at once.
depress the saddle and proceed slowly, and if it becomes necessary for him to
stop he may do so without dismounting, simply putting his feet upon the ground
and sitting still upon the saddle until the way is clear for him to proceed.
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 vehicle, the combination, with the saddle, a support therefor, and means
for normally elevating said saddle, of a toggle operatively connected with said

page_text: saddle and adapted to sustain the same in the elevated position, substantially as
described.
2. In a vehicle, the combination, with the saddle, a support therefor, and means
for normally elevating said saddle, of a toggle operatively connected with said
saddle and adapted to sustain the same in the elevated position, and means for
tripping said toggle, substantially as described.
3. In a vehicle, the combination, with the saddle, a support therefor, and means
for normally elevating the saddle, of a toggle operatively connected with said
saddle and adapted to sustain the same in the elevated position, and means for
locking said toggle in its down or folded position against the action of the spring,
substantially as described.
4. In a vehicle, the combination, with the saddle, a support therefor, and means
for normally elevating the saddle, of a toggle operatively connected with said
saddle and adapted to sustain the same in the elevated position, means for trip-
ping said toggle, and means for locking it in the down or folded position against
the action of the spring, substantially as described.
5. In a vehicle, a saddle, the post whereof is fitted to the tubular frame of the
vehicle, and an elevating spring confined within said frame tending to lift the
saddle to its highest limit, in combination with a supporting toggle, one limb of
which is connected with said frame and the other limb with the saddle post,.
whereby the said toggle sustains the saddle in the elevated position, substantially
as described.
G. In a vehicle, a saddle, the post whereof is fitted to the tubular frame of the
vehicle, and an elevating spring confined within said frame. tending to lift the
saddle to its highest limit, in combination with a supporting toggle, one limb of
which is connected with said frame and the other limb with the saddle post, and
means for acting upon the lower limb of the toggle to trip the same, substantially
as described.
7. In a vehicle, a saddle, the post whereof is fitted to the tubular frame of the
vehicle, and an elevating spring confined within said frame tending to lift the
sadale to its highest limit, in combination with a supporting toggle, one limb of
which is connected with said frame, and the other limb with the saddle post, and
a latch device adapted when the saddle is depressed, to engage the saddle post and
lock the same against the action of the spring, substantially as described.
8. In a vehicle, a saddle, the post whereof is fitted to the tubular frame of the
vehicle, and an elevating spring confined within said frame tending to lift the
saddle to its highest limit, in combination with a supporting toggle, one limb of
which is connected with said frame and the other limb with the saddle post,
means for acting upon the lower limb of the toggle to trip the same, and a latch
device adapted, when the saddle is depressed, to engage the saddle post and lock
the same against the action of the spring, substantially as described.
9. The combination, with the supporting frame, of a. saddle the post whereof
is fitted to the tubular frame of the vehicle, a spring tending to lift the saddle to
its highest limit, an adjustable bearing bracket on said post, a bearing bracket
on the said frame, and a toggle operatively connected with said brackets, substan-
tially as described.
10. A vehicle saddle mounted upon a tubular post fitted to slide within a tubular
frame, and an elevating spring confined within the two tubes tending to lift the
saddle to its highest limit, in combination with a locking device to hold the saddle
at either point of its extreme motion until released by the voluntary act of the
rider, substantially as described.
11. A vehicle saddle mounted upon a tubular post fitted to slide within a
tubular frame, and an elevating spring confined within the two tubes tending
to lift the saddle to its highest limit, in combination with a toggle attached at
one end to the saddle post and at its other end to the tubular frame of the vehicle
to sustain the saddle when raised to its highest limit against depression by the

page_text: weight of the rider, and a hand lever with connections to trip the toggle and
thereby allow the saddle to descend, substantially as described.
12. A vehicle saddle mounted to slide freely up and down within limits, a
toggle to support said saddle at its highest limit, one end of which toggle is
attached to the movable saddle support and the other end attached to the vehiclo
frame, in combination with a catch lever which engages with the depressed saddle
to hold it down, and a hand lever with connections to operate the catch lever
to release the saddle at the will of the rider, substantially as described.
13. A vehicle saddle mounted to slide freely up and down within limits, a
toggle to support said saddle at its highest limit, one end of which toggle is
attached to the movable saddle support and the other end attached to the vehicle
frame, in combination with a spring operating to hold the toggle with its centre
joint resting against the sliding saddle post, substantially as described.
14. A vehicle saddle mounted to slide freely up and down within limits,
toggle to support said saddle at its highest limit, one end of which toggle is
attached to the movable saddle support and the other end attached to the vehicle
frame, a lever fulcrumed on said frame and provided with a trip stud and catch
hook, a projection on the said support for the engagement of the catch hook
when the saddle is depressed, a hand-lever, and connections between the hand-
lever and the lever first-named, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th dor of Tune 1807
HENRY RENNO HEYL.
Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.