An Improved Saddle for Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 31st Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1805
TROVISIONAL OIDCIFICATION.
An Improved Saddle for Velocipedes.
We PAUL HAMONIC, Doctor of Medicine, of 3 Rue du 29 Juillet and PAUL
PANSARD, Ladies' Tailor, of 17 Rue du Quatre Septembre, both in Paris France
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved saddle for velocipedes and it has for its
object to enable the rider to be comfortably and physiologically seated; to avoid
those affections of the genital organs which are so frequently caused by long
distance rides, and more especially to protect females from liability to metro-
vaginitis under those conditions, as well as to render velocipede riding more
suitable for heavy persons who do not find a comfortable seat on the saddles now
in use.
Both men and women in the sitting posture, whatever may be the position of the
lower members, should rest upon the ischial tuberosities.
A good saddle should, therefore afford a good support to the two ischii, inasmuch
as it is by these that the weight of the body is to be supported, but it is in this
that the ordinary saddles fail. Flat saddles have the defect of failing to afford
such a support to the posterior portion of the buttocks as to prevent slipping
backwards when the feet exert their action on the pedals. The rider requires,
when seated on the machine, to feel between the thighs a prolongation of the
saddle which serves as a fulcrum or means of support, but this prolongation has the
great objection of exerting an injurious pressure upon the perineal portion of
the urethra in the male and upon the valve in the female, particularly when the
rider leans forwards.
In constructing our improved saddle, regard has been had to all the above
considerations with a view to avoid the objections attending the use of existing
saddles.
Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein Figure 1 represents a plan, Figure 2 a side view, and
Figure 3 a cross section of the saddle, taken on line 12 Figure 1.
The seat
The saddle is composed of two parts, the seat and its extension.
presents two concave portions a a, in which the ischial tuberosities are placed, said
cavities being separated by a median line in the form of a slightly projecting
ridge which is received in the intergluteal furrow. The edge of each concavity
is semi-circular to adapt it to the form of each buttock of an adult in a
sitting position, the rear part which is slightly raised, presenting a still higher
projection c which is received in the upper part of the intergluteal furrow, so as
to afford a support and prevent slipping when working the pedals. The pro-
jection e and median line 6 serve as a guide to the rider in seating himself in the
saddle as they compel him to place the ischii in their respective cavities a and
thus enable him to at once place himself in the right position. The front edge
of the seat is considerably hollowed out on each side e where it meets the pro-
jecting horn d so as to present a concavity from which the edge slopes down in
a gentle curve so as to bring it in relation with the sub-gluteal folds, which
represent, so to speak, the hinge joints of the thighs and which should not be
subjected either to pressure or friction. The horn d is formed of a longitudinal
projection provided with an elongated oval slit f which comes between the thighs,

page_text: so as to avoid all compression of the perineal urethra and valve. The horn d being
of little breadth, permits of pedalling with the knees close together.
For racing machines the dimensions of the saddle may be reduced while
retaining the same advantages. In this case the rear projection may be dispensed
with and the saddle be constituted simply of the two concavities a a, separated
by the ridge b, and of the horn d.
The dimensions of the saddle would be varied to suit the individual and the
exact form may be obtained by moulding.
The saddle may be made entirely of wood padded or not and covered with
iron on its under face for the purpose of strengthening it, or it may be made of
leather stretched upon an open metal frame of suitable form or otherwise, the
seat being provided with ventilating apertures.
The saddle may be attached to the seat pillar in any suitable manner.
We, PAUL HAMONIC, Doctor of Medicine, of 3, Rue du 29 Juillet, and PAUL
PANSARD, Ladies' Tailor, of 17, Rue du Quatre Septembre, both in Paris,
France, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved saddle for velocipedes, and it has for its
object to enable the rider to be comfortably and physiologically seated; to avoid
those affections of the genital organs which are so frequently caused by long
distance rides; and more especially to protect females from liability to metro-
vaginitis under those conditions, as well as to render velocipede riding more
suitable for heavy persons who do not find a comfortable seat on the saddles now
in use.
Both men and women in the sitting posture, whatever may be the position of the
lower members, should rest upon the ischial tuberosities. A good saddle should,
therefore, afford a good support to the two ischii, inasmuch as it is by these that
the weight of the body is to be supported, but it is in this that the ordinary saddles
fail. Flat saddles have the defect of failing to afford such a support to the
posterior portion of the buttocks as to prevent slipping backwards when the feet
exert their action on the pedals. The rider requires, when seated on the machine,
to feel between the thighs a prolongation of the saddle which serves as a fulcrum
or means of support, but this prolongation has the great objection of exerting an
injurious pressure upon the perineal portion of the urethra in the male and upon
the valve in the female, particularly when the rider leans forward.
In constructing our improved saddle, regard has been had to all the above
considerations with a view to avoid the objections attending the use of existing
saddles.
Our invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying our Provisional
Specification, wherein Figure 1 represents a plan, Figure 2 a side view, and
Figure 3 a cross-section of the saddle, taken on line 1-2 Figure 1.
The saddle is composed of two parts, the seat and its extension. The seat
presents two concave portions a, a, in which the ischial tuberosities are placed, said

page_text: cavities being separated by a median line 6 in the form of a slightly projecting
ridge which is received in the intergluteal furrow. The edge of each concavity is
semi-circular, to adapt it to the form of each buttock of an adult in a sitting
position, the rear part which is slightly raised, presenting a still higher projection c
which is received in the upper part of the intergluteal furrow, so as to form an
abutment and prevent slipping when working the pedals. The projection c and
median line serve as guides to the rider in seating himself in the saddle, as they
compel him to place the ischii in their respective cavities a and thus enable him to
at once place himself in the right position. The front edge of the seat is con-
siderably hollowed out on each side e where it meets the projecting horn d so as to
present a concavity from which the edge slopes down in a gentle curve so as to
bring it in relation with the sub-gluteal folds, which represent, so to speak, the
binge-joints of the thighs and which should not be subjected either to pressure or
friction. The horn d is formed of a longitudinal projection provided with an
elongated oval slit which comes between the thighs, so as to avoid all compression
of the perineal urethra and valve. The horn d being of little breadth permits of
pedalling with the knees close together.
For racing machines, where lightness is an object, the dimensions of the saddle
may be reduced while retaining the same advantages. In this case the rear
projection may be dispensed with and the saddle be constituted simply of the two
concavities a, a, separated by the ridge b, and of the horn d.
The dimensions of the saddle would be varied to suit the individual and the
exact form may be obtained by moulding.
The saddle may be made entirely of wood padded or not and covered with iron
on its under face for the purpose of strengthening it, or it may be made of leather
stretched upon an open metal frame of suitable form or otherwise, the seat being
provided with ventilating apertures.
The saddle may be attached to the seat pillar in any suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
The herein described improved saddle for velocipedes characterized (1st) by the
form of the seat having concavities separated by a slightly projecting median ridge
and terminating at the rear part in a central raised portion serving as an abutment
for the rider, (2ndly) by the projecting horn forming an extension of the seat
provided with an elongated slit for preventing pressure upon the genital organs, as
specified.
Dated this 31st day of January 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.