Improvements in Fastenings for Saddle and Handle Bar Posts and the like for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1897-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
Improvements in Fastenings for Saddle and Handle Bar Posts and
the like for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from R. H. Wolff & Co. Limited, a corporation existing
under the laws of the State of New York, and doing business at 118th Street and
Harlem River, in the City, County, and State of New York, in the United States
of America, Manufacturers of Wire, Wire Springs, and Bicycles) and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The invention has reference to improvements in fastenings for saddle and handle
bar posts and the like for bicycles and other velocipedes, and has for its object to
provide means whereby the saddle post or other support, is securely held, while
its height can be. readily adjusted. With this object in view the invention
consists essentially in the combination with a tubular member, of a post movably
fitting into said member and a wedging piece extending through the member and
the post and adapted to engage with the post to lock the same.
The nature of the invention will best be understood when described in connec-
tion with the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 represents an elevation of a portion of a velocipede provided with the
improved fastening device as adapted for the saddle post.
Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the wedging-piece.
Fig. 4 represents a sectional elevation of a portion of a velocipede provided with
the improved fastening device applied to the handle bar post.
Fig. 5 is a face view of the wedging-piece.
Fig. 6 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 7 is a central section of the adjusting nut.
Fig. 8 is a side view and Fig. 9, a top view, of a detail part.
Fig. 10 is a vertical section illustrating a modified form for the fastening device.
Referring at present to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the letter A desig-
nates the diagonal, tubular member of a diamond frame of the usual construction.
Into said member is fitted the post B of the saddle support C, said post being
tubular, as usual. In carrying out the invention the post B is provided with a
longitudinal slot 1 and the tubular member A with an opening, or passage, 2 near
its upper end, placed in the line of the slot 1. D is the wedging piece composed
of a tongue 3 lying within the post B and a part 4 bent substantially at right
angles thereto and forming a handle for said wedging piece. In the present
example the said wedging piece is made substantially elliptical in shape with

page_text: the major axis somewhat greater than the internal diameter of the post B, while
the minor axis is substantially equal in length to the said diameter of the post B.
The wedging piece can be inserted into the tubular member A by slipping the.
same, with the elliptical portion foremost, down into the tube A and then passing
the hantlle 4 upwardly through the passage 2 in the member A, or by making
the slot and passage wide enough to turn the wedging piece, the latter can be
inserted directly. The wedging piece it will be noticed, can turn in the member A
A spring 5 may be attached to the inner portion of the wedging
piece, which spring holds the same upwardly, substantially as shown in Fig. 1,
and offers resistance to displacement, thereby preventing overbalancing when the
saddle post is removed.
as an axis.
It is now evident that when the saddle post is inserted into the member A,
while the wedging piece is held in an oblique position with respect to the diameter
of the tube by pressing on the handle 4, the saddle post B can be slipped into the
When,
member A a distance to correspond to the required height of the saddle.
however, the handle 4 is released and the rider mounts the saddle, the wedging
piece D immediately grips the saddle post and tends to expand the same, and,
as it cannot follow the motion of the post, it retains the same positively in the
position to which it had been adjusted. In the present instance the usual rein-
forcement E is shown at the juncture of the several tubes, which reinforcement
is perforated at 6 for the passage of the wedging piece.
It is, of course, to be understood that the fastening device may equally well
be applied to handle bars and other supports, and that the wedging piece coul.l
be actually hinged in place of being loosely supported, as shown, and that any
optional shape could be given to the same, so long as its length exceeds that of
the interior diameter of the tubular post.
It will be readily understood that by the above described fastener, the saddle
or handle bar is always held in line with the frame, while at the same time its
height can be very quickly adjusted.
Referring now to Figures 4 to 10 of the drawings, wherein is shown a construc-
tion particularly adapted for holding the handle bar, the letter a designates the
head tube, 6 is the steering head mounted to turn therein and c is the hollow
handle bar post extending into the steering head, as usual. The upper end of the
head tube a is formed with a circular ball ráce and the steering head is threaded
for the head adjusting cone d in the usual manner. The upper end of the steering
head is provided with a longitudinal slot 1, and the handle bar post is provided
with a like longitudinal slot 2. In the handle bar post c is located the wedging
piece A composed of a tongue 3 and an arm 4. The arm of the wedging piece
extends into a circular seat 7 formed in an adjusting nut C engaging with the
thread on the steering head. In the handle bar post is also mounted a sleeve B
provided with an outwardly projecting arm 8 passing through the slots 1 and 2
and resting on the upper face of the adjusting cone d, whereby said sleeve is hel
within the handle bar post. To prevent the adjusting cone from turning, the
arm 8 may be provided with a tooth 9 engaging with a circular series of teeth 10
formed on the top face of the adjusting cone.
To the bottom of the wedging piece A is attached a spring 6 which engages
with the inner wall of the sleeve B, the inner end of the wedging piece resting
normally on the upper edge of said sleeve. Said sleeve therefore forms a support
which prevents the wedging piece from turning downwardly.
When the height of the handle bar is to be adjusted, the adjusting nut C is first
unscrewed, that is, caused to move upwardly to lift the arm 4 of the wedging
piece, so as to change the angular position of the latter. The height of the
handle bar is then adjusted to suit the convenience of the rider and the adjusting
nut screwed up, that is, moved downwardly, to cause the wedging piece to press
the handle bar post against the steering head. It will now be readily understood
that if a downward pressure is applied to the handle bar post, the wedging piece

page_text: is prevented from turning downwardly by the support B while if an upward pull
is exerted on the handle bar, the tendency of the wedging piece would be to turn
upwardly and to more firmly press the handle bar post against the steering head.
In the modification illustrated in Fig. 10 is shown substantially the same
construction but the wedging piece A¹ is lowered to a position where it will act
on the handle bar post opposite the head adjusting cone, whereby bulging of the
tubes is prevented when thin tubes are used. The supporting sleeve B₁ is cut
away at its top to correspond.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A support for saddle and like posts, comprising a tubular post, a tubular
member receiving said post, and a wedging piece placed within the said post and
provided with an arm or handle extending exterior to the tubular member; said
piece being of greater length than the distance across the corresponding portion
of the post and supported by the tubular member, substantially as described.
2. A support for saddle and like posts, comprising a tubular post, a tubular
member receiving said post, a wedging piece placed within the said post and
provided with an arm or handle extending exterior to the tubular member;
said piece being of greater length than the distance across the corresponding
portion of the post and supported by the tubular member, and a spring acting on
the wedging piece for pressing the same upwardly, substantially as described.
3. A support for saddle and like posts, comprising a tubular, slotted post, a
tubular member receiving said post and provided with a passage or opening, and
a wedging piece composed of an inner tongue of greater length than the diameter
of the tubular post and a handle extending through said slot and passage, substan
tially as and for the purpose specified.
4. A fastening for handle bar and like posts, comprising a tubular post, a
tubular member receiving said post, a wedging piece placed within said post
and provided with an arm extending exterior to the tubular member; said piece
being of greater length than the internal diameter of the post, and a support for
the inner end of said wedging piece, substantially as described.
5. A fastening for handle bar and like posts, comprising a tubular post,
a tubular member receiving, said post, a wedging piece placed within said post and
provided with an arm extending exterior to the tubular member; said piece being
of greater length than the internal diameter of the post, a support for the inner
end of said wedging piece, and an adjusting nut engaging with said wedging
piece, substantially as described.
6. A fastening for handle bar and like posts, comprising a tubular post, a
tubular member receiving said post, a wedging piece placed within said post
and provided with an arm extending exterior to the tubular member; said piece
being of greater length than the internal diameter of the post, a tubular support
for the inner end of the wedging piece, a spring acting on the wedging piece and
on the support, and an adjusting nut engaging with said wedging-piece, substan-
tially as described.
7. A fastening for handle bar and like posts, comprising a tubular post, a
tubular member receiving said post, a wedging piece placed within said post and
made of greater length than the internal diameter of said post, and an adjusting
device in engagement with said wedging piece, substantially as described.
8. The combination with the steering head tube formed with a circular ball-
race, the steering head having its upper end provided with a screw thread, the
tubular handle bar post fitted into the steering head, and the head adjusting
cone, of a support placed within the handle bar post, and provided with an arm
extending through longitudinal slots in the handle bar post and steering head
and engaging with the head adjusting cone, a wedging piece placed in the handle

page_text: bar post and provided with an arm projecting through the slots in said post and
in the steering head, and an adjusting nut engaging the screw thread on the
steering head and acting on the projecting arm of the wedging piece, substantially
as described.