Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1897
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Palent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
The saddles in general use are now made by stretching a heart-shaped leather
seat between a cantle which forms the back of the saddle, and a device at the front
or pommel; the cantle affording no support to the sides of the seat.
My invention consists, first, of a frame for a saddle extending throughout its
entire circumference or contour; second, of a frame so constructed as to be capable
of adjustment to stretch or take up the slack of the seat; third, of devices for
expanding the frame; and fourth, of a novel construction of the seat attached to
the sides of the said frame whereby any sag or stretch of the same by use, may be
readily taken up by an expansion or spreading of the sides of the frame.
I preferably construct the frame of wood and in a continuous piece, bending it.
into proper shape, and bringing the two ends together at the pommel. I provide
a wedge to be forced between these two adjacent ends which constitute the
pommel. A casting is attached to the usual supporting rods of the seat, through
which a screw is operated to press the wedge forward and separate the arms of the
pommel.
I preferably form the seat by stretching thongs or strands of lace leather across
the frame upon which may be imposed such cushions as are desired.
These strands are to be so located that any slack or stretch may be taken up by
forcing the wedge forward between the arms of the pommel. The strands are also
brought to a proper tension in the first instance by the same means.
It will be observed that the mere lateral separation of these arms carries the sides
of the frame wider apart, but the effect of the separation of the arms upon the
shape of the frame can be influenced by the relative stiffness in different parts of
the frame. It is further to be observed that where the lacing across from one part.
of the frame to another is such as to bind or hold the two arms of the pommel
together, the forcing of the wedge forward between the arms occasions a backward
tbrust against the opposite or rear portion of the frame tending to carry these two
points farther apart..
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a plan of the frame.
Figure 2 shows how the lacing may be applied.
Figure 3 is a side view of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a section through Figure 2, showing the casting attached to the
supporting rods and provided with the screw for advancing the wedge.
Figure 5 is a top view of the casting and of the supporting rods and a section of

page_text: Figures 7, 8 and 9 are details of the wedge and pommel.
Figure 10 is a top view of the saddle, the seat being provided with cushions and
covered with leather or other suitable material.
Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 are plans of modifications in the form of the frame,
and in which the rods which make up the frame may be extended to also constitute
the support of the saddle.
Fis the frame, P the pommel, L the lacing or strands. C is the casting into
which the ends of the supporting rods R are inserted in sockets k, and through
which the screw S passes and enters a socket t in the wedge block B. The forward
end of the screw rod which occupies the socket t is not threaded. The wedge is
shown with an upper and lower flange fto hold the arms a of the pommel from
slipping by or overriding each other.
I prefer to depress the sides of the frame as they approach the pommel, to
accommodate the thighs of the rider; the pommel being in substantially the same
plane with the rear portions of the frame, and also to make a slight inward curve
at the same points for the same purpose.
The styles of frames shown in Figures 11 to 14 inclusive, are further
illustrations of my inventions and are well adapted to the use of metal in their
construction.
near
I have shown a system of lacing by which the strands radiate diagonally across
the frame from three points or narrow spaces upon the same, one point being at the
rear opposite to the pommel, the other two being opposite to each other, at the
forward part of the frame, near the pommel. If now, we locate yielding points in
the frame at the rear, on either side of the centre, the effect of a separation of the
arms of the pommel will be to separate the points of attachment of most of the
strands and tighten the same, particularly those which radiate from
the pommel. The forward and backward thrust of the screw also increases the
distance between the forward and rear parts of the frame stretching the strands
that radiate from the rear to the forward parts of the frame. By this arrangement
there are few short strands, and there is the least displacement between their points
of attachment, while those strands which are subjected to the most use in riding,
are operated upon to a greater degree.
But I find that by properly proportioning the strength of the strands to the
lateral stiffness of the frame, guod results can be obtained also, without providing
special yielding points. When the expanding force is applied by advancing the
screw against the wedge, those parts of the frame connected by strands somewhat
slackened or stretched, will be the first to yield until the slack is taken up, and
hence the spreading will take place over such portions of the frame as are least
firmly bound together. This will be the practical effect when the strands are
arranged as herein before described and shown in the drawings. As a certain
portion of the strands are more exposed to the weight of the rider than others, the
arrangement of strands can readily be made such that the slack will be taken up in
the way last suggested.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manuer the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
First. A frame for a bicycle saddle substantially as described, being of substan-
tially continuous outline or circumference, enclosing the space to be occupied by
the seat.
Second. A frame or skeleton for a bicycle saddle forming a substantially
complete circumference of a saddle, and adapted to support a seat covering the
space included within said frame.
Third. A frame for a bicycle saddle of substantially continuous outline as
specified, and having its opposite sides, forward of the centre and as they approach
the pummel, curved inward and downward, to accommodate the legs of the rider in
operating the pedals, substantially as specified:

page_text: Fourth. A bicycle saddle composed of a continuous frame, capable of extension
to take up the slack of the strands, substantially as described.
Fifth. A bicycle saddle composed of a continuous frame substantially as shown,
having yielding points, whereby to take up the stretch of the strands by separating
the arms of the pommel, substantially as described.
Sixth. A bicycle saddle having a substantially continuous frame as specified, and
provided with cross lacings for a seat.
Seventh. A saddle for bicycles, having a continuous frame, lacings attached to
same for a seat, and provided with a screw or its equivalent adapted to force a.
wedge between the arms of the pommel to separate them, and at the same time to
increase the distance between the pommel and the back of the saddle, all
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Eighth. In a bicycle saddle the combination of the continuous frame, as.
shown, lacings across the same for a seat, and means for expanding said frame
both laterally and longitudinally, substantially as shown and for the purpose
specified.
Ninth. In a bicycle saddle the combination of the continuous frame F, the
lacings L, the pommel P, the wedge B, and the casting C, provided with the
sockets t and the screws S, all substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of February 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.