Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles and similar Vehicles.
I, HERBERT CLYDE PHILLIPS, of Newcastle, in the County of Lawrence and
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 improvements in saddles designed more especially for
use on bicycles and similar devices, the object of the invention being to produce
an exceedingly light, simple saddle which will give the maximum comfort to
the rider and which embodies a capacity for adjustment adapting it for use by
different persons and enabling the rider to change the adjustment at will to secure
greater case or comfort.
The invention consists primarily in a saddle having a support or base carrying
at its rear end a cantle or rear plate pivotally mounted thereon so as to be capable
of a limited oscillation in accordance with the movements of the rider, a pommel
on the forward end of the support and seat material suspended between the cantle
and pommel and adapted by its tension to hold the said parts in position. The
invention further consists in an improved form of cantle or rear plate and an
improved form of pommel together with certain other details of construction
and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will be hereinafter described
and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure is a top plan view of a saddle embodying my present improvements.
Figures 2 and 3 are longitudinal views of the cantle or rear plate and pommel
respectively.
Figures 4 and 5 are similar views illustrating modifications of the said cantle
or rear plate and pommel.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the cantle or rear plate of Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the pommel illustrated in Figure 4.
Figure 8 is a front elevation of the pommel illustrated in Figure 5.
Figure 9 is a top plan view of a saddle having supplemental pivotal supports.
Figure 10 a section taken longitudinally of the saddle through the cantle and
supplemental support shown in Figure 9.
Figures 11, 12 and 13 show a cantle adjustable longitudinally of the saddle and
transversely for width.
Figure 14 shows a saddle having the pommel formed integral with the supports
by bending said supports upwardly in the form of a loop.
Figure 15 is a detail section showing one of the retainers for the cords passing
around the pommel.
Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.
Referring now particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 it will be seen that the part
which I have heretofore designated as the support, consists in this preferred con-
struction of a spring wire A. doubled at its center to form one end of the support
and the two ends are brought together to form the opposite end of the support,
D
.
011

page_text: the said support being adapted for the application of a clip of any approved
character, not shown, for attaching the support to the seat post or other part for
carrying the saddle. The ends of the rod support are preferably brought close
together and bent so as to remain in contact or if desired, united and said ends
are rounded to form a curved bearing corresponding approximately to the curved
bearing formed by doubling the rod at its center. The support so formed is
somewhat elastic and permits of a limited contraction and expansion of the two
ends of the saddle when weight is applied to the seat which is suspended between
the ends of the support, so to speak. The support may be curved up at the ends
to a greater or less degree to vary the elasticity of the saddle as will be apparent
from an inspection of Figures 6 and 10. At the front end, the support is pro-
vided with a pommel B having its edges b turned down in the form of a cap
fitting around and adapted to be drawn back over the end of the support as shown,
by the tension of the seat material extending from the pommel back to the cantle
as will be presently explained. The pommel is thus carried movably on the
front end of the support so as to be capable of a limited pivotal movement thercon
to accommodate the motions of the rider's body and in order to afford a means
for attaching the seat material thereto without liability of cutting the same, it
is provided with openings C, the material from which openings is bent back
therein for the accommodation of cords which constitute the seat imaterial when
the seat material is passed.
This principle of forming a rounded bearing by striking the material out and
doubling it back upon itself to form a rounded bearing may be applied to the
cantle as well as to the pommel and such an arrangement I have shown in
Figs. 4 and 6 wherein it will be seen that an opening or openings D, is formed
in the cantle plate and the material therefrom is doubled back on itself to
form a rounded bearing as described in connection with the pommel, and, where
desired, this material may be corrugated as shown at d or have recesses formed
therein for the accommodation of cords which constitute the seat material when
cords are so employed.
In the preferred construction illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the cantle or
rear plate E is struck up from sheet metal, hollow or U-shaped in cross section
(Fig. 3) and with a series of corrugations e running around transversely thereof
to prevent the slipping of the seat material laterally and at its central part it
is provided with a concavity or recess bearing e in which the rear end of the
support fits and upon which the cantle or rear plate has a pivotal movement.
The cantle or rear plate preferably curves forwardly on each side of this concavity
or recess bearing in consequence of which, the tension on the seat material tends
at all times to hold the cantle or rear plate firmly to its seat and at the same
time permits of the requisite degree of movement to accommodate the movements 4
of the rider's body.
Direct vertical support may be afforded the cantle or rear plate and pommel
by the ends of the support A against which these parts may rest, especially when
the rider is seated thereon, or, if desired, supplemental supports may be provided
as shown for instance, in Figures 9 and 10, wherein plates are attached to the 4
support A and are provided with a top bearing or point f adapted to rest against
the end, sides or surfaces of the cantle or rear plate and pommel, respectively, and
upon which the said parts may tilt laterally the tendency of the arrangement
being to cause the parts to assume a horizontal position unless tilting in one
direction or the other by the direct application of a weight greater on one side 5
than on the other of this longitudinal center.
The seat proper of the present saddle I preferably make of cords which it is
found form a most perfect and comfortable seat material, well ventilated and not
liable to wear the clothing of the rider to any appreciable extent. The cords
constituting the seat and lettered H in the accompanying drawings are strained 5
back and forth between the pommel and cantle or rear plate, being passed around
the curved bearings formed thereon as previously described, and lying in the

page_text: 15
Pro
grooves so as to prevent lateral displacement. In the preferred construction the
cords are laced doubled, that is to say, two cords are placed adjacent each, other
and in the same groove, then a wider space is formed then two more cords, and
so on until a seat is formed of the requisite width. Being laced back and forth
between the pommel and cantle a double row of cords, to wit, a top and bottom
row is provided and when the top row is depressed by the rider's weight to any
appreciable degree a portion of the strain is received upon and supported by the
bottom row, thereby affording a double support and at the same time the seat
is left in its open-work form. A light rider will as a result probably only strain
and be supported by the top strands of the cord, while a heavy rider will depress
these top strands, bringing the bottom strands into play. There is little or no
shifting back and forth of the cords over the curved bearing surfaces and with
my present construction there is no appreciable wear due largely to the conforma-
tion of the bearings and to the further fact that the utmost freedom of movement
is afforded to the cantle and pommel to accommodate itself to the movements of
the rider. When the cord has been properly strained the front end or ends may
be passed through openings or holes in one or the other of the plates and a knot
tied therein to prevent its escape, or slots h may be formed in the edges of the
pommel into which the ends of the cord may be passed when properly strained,
a simple knot preventing the escape of such ends.
In Figures 5 and 8 I have shown a cantle K, or rear plate provided with
grooves or corrugations k in its rear face only for the reception of the cords, and
a pommel having its front edge grooved and bent down on each side as illustrated
in Figure 8, giving a more extended surface and a saddle having a wider front
end with the edges depressed.
For the purpose of adjusting the width of the saddle and adapting it for
universal usage, I preferably provide an intermediate loop or confining loop M
usually in the form of a running or slip noose, having the free end of the cord
attached to the cantle plate or rear portion of the saddle whereby the loop or
noose may be adjusted toward the front or rear of the saddle at any desired point.
Where the cantle plate is provided with a doubled portion to form the rounded
bearing for the seat material, it may be made substantially angular in cross-
section as illustrated in Figure 6, and the socket or recess bearing formed imme-
diately below the top plate or portion thereof and in forming the pommel it is
obvious that it need not of necessity have the seat material pass through open-
ings therein as it may be made of substantially the shape shown in Figures 4
and 7, wherein the front end is in the form of a cap O adapted to fit over the
front end of the support, as previously described, and in rear of this cap portion
the pommel is provided with laterally extending side pieces P, having their front
edges or portions of their under edges p doubled back to form the rounded bear-
ings for the seat material. Such construction has some advantages inasmuch
as the necessity of passing all the lacing through apertures is avoided and the
construction is perhaps a little cheaper than that first described although it has
the disadvantage incident to the employment of projecting shoulders or side
pieces.
Figures 11, 12 and 13 show a cantle or rear plate having supplemental inde-
pendently movable pieces S, adjustably held in place by screws s and adapted
when moved laterally to increase the width of the saddle, it being understood
of course, that the seat material is strained between these laterally movable
portions and the pommel of the saddle. In addition these views show a con-
struction wherein the cantle is pivotally mounted on a supplemental connecting
piece or bridge T, and this bridge is adjustably mounted on the supports so as
to be capable of a movement longitudinally of the saddle to vary the length
thereof. The connection between the supports and the bridge is formed by
clamps T, Figure 12, having set screws which are adapted to project through
the bridge and form stops for limiting the pivotal movement of the cantle in
each direction. In this latter construction of saddle it is preferred that eye-lets

page_text: or simply apertures be formed in the edges of the cantle and pommel respectively,
for the passage of the cords forming the seat.
In Figures 14 and 15 the pommel is formed as an integral part of the supports
by bending the doubled portions of said supports upward in the form of a loop U,
around and through which the seat material may be drawn as shown clearly in
said figure. The cantle used may be of any of the types before mentioned and
the slipping of the seat material transversely at the pommel is prevented by
collars or rings on the loop or pommel portion of the support and these collars or
rings are preferably made as shown in Figure 15 but extending only partially
around the pommel, thus the cords may be passed through the loop forming the
pommel and will lie against each other on the inner side where there is little
room but on the outside where there is more space the rings or separators will
be inserted for maintaining the cords in their proper position. As many of these
separators may be employed as is desired, or the pommel itself may be recessed
or corrugated to hold the cords or seat material in position, thus for instance
as shown in Figure 14 small projections z may be struck up in the metal itself
or pins may be inserted in drilled holes to maintain the strands of the cord in
proper place on the pommel.
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. A saddle comprising the supporting rod and pommel with a rear plate
pivotally mounted on the rod to form a rocking support and a cord passed back
and forward between the pommel and rear plate to form a seat.
2. A saddle comprising a supporting rod having its ends rounded to form bear-
ings, a pommel and rear plate or cantle pivotally mounted on said rounded ends
of the support and the seat strained between the pommel and rear plate and
holding the same in place.
3. A saddle comprising a rod forming the support doubled at its center to form
a rounded bearing and having a rounded bearing at its opposite end, of a pommel
having a socket for the reception of one of said rounded bearings, a rear plate
or cantle having a socket for the other rounded bearing and the seat material
strained between and holding the pommel and rear plate in place.
4. A saddle comprising a support, a pommel at the forward end of the support,
a cantle plate struck up from sheet metal and having a socket bearing for the
rear end of the support and seat material strained between the cantle plate and
pommel.
5. A saddle comprising a support and pommel with a cantle plate struck up
from sheet metal, of substantially U-shape in cross section with the center bear-
ing for the rear end of the support and seat material strained between the
pommel and cantle plate and passing around the curved surface of the latter;
substantially as described.
6. A saddle comprising a support and pommel with a cantle plate struck up
from sheet metal of substantially U-shape in cross section and having transverse
corrugations with the center bearing for the rear end of the support and seat
material strained between the pommel and cantle plate and passing around the
curved surface of the latter; substantially as described.
7. A saddle comprising a support, pommel, cantle plate having lateral exten-
sions and seat material strained between said cantle plate and pommel substantially
as shown in Figures 11 and 12.
8. A saddle comprising supporting plates and intermediate yielding supporting
material secured to the plates and a cord having a loop enclosing the supporting
material and movable with respect thereto to vary the width of the saddle.
9. A saddle comprising supporting plates and intermediate lacing or cords and
an extensible loop enclosing the cords or lacing and adapted to be moved longi-
tudinally thereof to vary the lateral dimensions of the saddle.

page_text: 10. A saddle comprising supports, pommel and rear or cantle plate and cords
or lacing passed back and forth between the pommel and cantle or rear plate,
the bearings over which said cords pass being rounded by bending the metal
constituting the pa ts; substantially as described.
TY:
1
e
1 1007
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.