Improvements in Supplemental Seats for Bicycles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Supplemental Seats for Bicycles.
FRANK DOWD JONES of No. 250 Worthington Street,, Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, Mechanic, and ALFRED GORDON FISHER of No. 371 Main Street in
said Springfield, Massachusetts Book-keeper both in the United States of
America 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 present invention relates to improvements in supplemental seats or saddles
for velocipedes, more particularly for safety bicycles, by means of which a child.
or other person may also ride with the rider who impels the machine.
The objects of the invention are to provide supplemental seats or saddles which
are entirely efficient, safe and comfortable so far as the child or second person is
concerned, and to provide a seat or saddle which, when borne upon, does not unduly
tax or strain the machine, and whereby the additional weight is best disposed for
being easily supported and without tending to unbalance the vehicle or to render
the controlling thereof difficult.
The invention consists in a supplemental seat or saddle having appliances for
the suspension thereof at its rear from the main saddle or saddle-support of the
machine, and at its front from the head of the machine; and in combination with
the above, the invention consists in other appliances, all substantially as will
hereinafter more fully appear and be set forth in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which an embodiment of the present
invention is illustrated,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a safety bicycle showing the supple-
mental seat applied thereon.
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the supplemental saddle
and of its appliances as seen at the under side of the saddle, the same being
removed from the machine.
In the drawings, A represents a part of the frame of a safety bicycle of which B.
is the head, and of which head the handle bars, B', are regarded as parts.
any
C represents the main or usual saddle for the machine, comprising, or having
provided therefor, saddle-supporting parts generally indicated by C
D represents the supplemental saddle or seat which is to be made of suitable
material and in any suitable or practicable form, a form more or less as shown.
being a desirable one; and the saddle is preferably made of leather and at its rear
is provided with a metallic cantle a.
For the suspension of the saddle at its rear from the main saddle or saddle-
support of the machine, the straps, bb, are provided which are riveted to the rear
portion of the saddle, D, the one strap being shorter than the other, and having a
buckle, and the longer strap is adapted for an engagement with the spring coils or
other loop-like or appropriate part of or for the main saddle. There are straps, dd,
which by intermediate portions thereof are riveted to the under side of the
saddle, D, at its front so as to form the closed loops, ff-more particularly seen
in Figure 2,-and on one end of each strap there is a buckle, g, the other end
portion of the strap having a greater extent from the place of connection with
the saddle than the buckle carrying portion, and is adapted to be passed around
the handle bars next to the upright portion of the head and to be secured by said
buckles, g.
/ represents a strap which is of loop-form the ends being closed and secured by
the buckle, i, and one bight thereof is adapted to engage the loops, ff, of the
straps dd, under the saddle, and the other bight thereof is adapted to embrace and..,

page_text: .
engage one of the braces or members, j, of the main frame, A. The said strap,
is drawn taut, and, thus confined by the buckle, i, serves as a stay for the supple-
mental saddle; D,. to prevent undue lateral movements thereof.
m m, represent straps which are in the form of extended loops the terminals
thereof being connected by the buckles, n n. A bight of each loop-like strap has
an engagement with the said. loops, ff, of the-straps, d,d, under the saddle, and
the bights at the bottom of said straps constitute foot-rests.
Leather foot pieces, o o, or stirrups, more or less as shown in Figure 1, may if
desired, be provided for the comfort of the child, or second rider. Clearly the
foot-rest straps may be lengthened or shortened for comfort or convenience, or they
may be entirely removed, and the second rider, if his legs are long enough, may
rest his feet on the usual coasting supports, on the front fork legs of the bicycle.
Of course it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms of engage-
ment between the saddle and the various appliances provided for supporting and
steadying the same, and the foot supports, but the forms and arrangements or
combinations of the appliances with the saddle, and with each other, substantially
as shown, are efficient, cheap, durable and desirable.
In the use of a saddle constructed and applied substantially as shown in Figure 1,
it is found that the weight of the person on the saddle, D, preponderates rearward;
and is largely sustained by the support for the primary saddle, thus disposing the
additional weight well towards the centre of the machine, which obviously is
advantageous, and moreover the suspension saddle partakes of the spring effects of
the support for the rear or main saddle.
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:
1. A supplemental seat or saddle for a bicycle having at its rear, a device for
the support thereof from the main saddle, or saddle support, of the machine, and
having at its front an appliance for suspending the saddle from the head of the
machine for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with the head of a bicycle and a saddle and support therefor
to the rear of said. head, of a supplemental seat or saddle having appliances at its
rear for the support thereof from the main saddle or saddle support of the machine
and having appliances at the front thereof for its suspension from the head of the
machine, for the purpose set forth.
3. A supplemental seat or saddle for a bicycle having at its rear a device for
the support thereof from the main saddle of the machine, and having at its front
an appliance for suspending the saddle from the head of the machine, and a stay
device connected to the saddle and adapted to be engaged with the frame of the
machine for preventing undue lateral movements of the supplemental saddle,
substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with the head of a bicycle, and a saddle and support therefor
to the rear of said head, of a supplemental seat or saddle having appliances at its
rear for the support thereof from the main saddle or saddle support, and having
appliances at the forward part thereof for its suspension from the head of the
machine, and also having suspended therefrom one or more foot-rests, substantially
as set forth.
5. The combination with the head of the bicycle and the saddle and support
therefor, of a supplemental seat having appliances at its front and at its rear for
the suspension thereof from the head and main saddle or saddle support, and having
a stay device connected thereto and adapted to be engaged with the frame of the
machine for preventing undue lateral movements of the supplemental saddle, and
also having suspended therefrom the foot-rests substantially as set forth.
6. A supplemental seat or saddle for a bicycle having at its rear portion the
connected straps, b, and buckles, adapted to engage a part of the main saddle of
the machine or its support, substantially as described, and having at its forward

page_text: portion the straps, dd, each by an intermediate portion united to the saddle, and
one terminal of each of said straps having a buckle, and the other end portion of
each strap adapted to embrace the handle-bar carried at the head of the machine,
and to have a connection with the buckle, substantially as described.
7. A supplemental seat or saddle for a bicycle having at its rear, appliances for
the support thereof from the main saddle or saddle support of the machine and
having at its forward portion the straps, dd, each having its intermediate portion
formed as a loop and secured to the saddle, and one terminal of each of said straps
having a buckle and the other end portion of each strap adapted to embrace the
handle-bar at the head of the machine and to have a connection with the buckle,
and the pending straps engaged with said loops and each forming or carrying a
foot-rest, substantially as described.
Dated this Second day of September 1891.
FRANK DOWD JONES.
ALFRED GORDON FISHER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.