Improvements in Velocipede Saddles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1893-Accepted. 25th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipede Saddles.
I, JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS of Great Charles Street in the City of Birmingham
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention pertains to velocipede saddles, and particularly to the hammock
type, or that class of saddles in which the seats are suspended from elevated ends
or parts of the supporting framings.
Heretofore, hammock saddles sag or sink in the middles of the seats, which is
undesirable, and further, the said sagging or sinking, creates a cocking up of the
peak, hence a discomfiture to the rider called "tucking."
My said invention has for its object, a constant tension hammock saddle, free
from the defect or defects as referred to.
In carrying out one form of my invention I support the saddle seat upon parallel
and horizontally directed framing rods, directed at some distance from the underside
of the said seat, and in parallel order, and with the rear ends bent upwardly and
terminated by loops, which take upon hanging pins, with cushioning or other
buffering expedients threaded thereon.
The middle parts of the said rods are embraced by, or connected to, as usual,
an pin boss, whilst immediately rear of the said L pin boss, the said have or are
evolved into, vertically disposed loop coils depending as it were, below the general
direction of the frame rods.
The extreme fore ends of the said frame rods, are fitted with bridge connections,
in the form of transversely directed plates, fitted with a tension screw.
To the upper parts of the said bridge plates, the extreme terminal ends of the
standside members or branches of vertically directed and forwardly disposed loop
coiled springs are connected.
The upper members or branches of the said advanced springs, bend backwardly
and downwardly, and then evolve themselves into hanging loop coils, with the
terminal branches of them directed from the front outer sides of the said last
named coils, and then proceed vertically upwards and terminate by a loop, which
takes over a hooked end or attachment, situated on the front underside of the
seat.
Thus, the front of the seat of the saddle is elevated upon spring arms, which
lever upon the advanced coils as centre of motion, and with the said arms inwardly
terminated by the hanging or suspended coils, supported from the vertical or
bracket termination formed from the inner terminations of the said last named
coils.
On a rider pressing upon the seat of the saddle, the frame rods slightly straighten
out, and contract, to a slight extent, the frame coils, and consequent upon which
straightening out of the said framing, the fore part of the seat of the saddle, makes
a slight retrograte movement, and as the suspension and hanging coils, are
immediately connected to the said front, they slightly closed, so that collateral
action lies between frame springs and suspension springs, consequent upon the rear
action of the seat, when the frame coils are contracted.
It is an important factor in the mounting of the seats of saddles, that the springs
move collaterally, so that the one shall take up or follow the movement of the
other or others, on one or other changing is figure, consequent upon compression or
the like.
I may observe that the hanging or suspended coil comes immediately above the
horizontal members of the frame rods, and immediately underneath the peak of

page_text: the saddle, and that the frame connection, with the advanced coils is alike unto a
bell cranked lever, with joint coils rear of the upward limbs, so that when the seat
of the saddle approaches more or less the frame rods, consequent upon compression,
the said hanging loops swing with the saddle seat and take up horizontal change of
position whilst the advanced loops take up all the vertical movement.
As a further form of my invention, I make the frame members of the front of
the the saddle extend in advance of the same, and shaped alike unto a sleigh runner
front, which forms in other words, upright brackets, and from the terminal ends of
which, hanging or suspended coil members are jointed.
These coil members have arms or limbs crossing each other, and which are
directed to right and left, and with the right hand limbs or branches, hooked or
connected to the front of the seat of a saddle, and the terminals of the left hand
members, connected to a cross bar which is jointed to another bar directed from the
summits of the sleigh end members.
Thus, by the hanging or suspended loop coiled members depend downwardly,
with the loops at the lowest parts, and the limbs or arms, are directed upwardly
from left to right, and with the free ends of the said arms of the hanger coils,
which are in double order, connected and jointed to the saddle and top of the sleigh
runner shaped framing or parts respectively.
As a still further form of my invention, the frame rods at front may be advanced
beyond the peak, and then bent upwardly into a curved bracket, with the
terminations directed into a loop, which lies in advance of, and in about the same
plane as, the fore part of the seat of the saddle, which is suspended from the said
loop or fore part framing by one, two or more coiled springs.
Instead of the springs being distended, on pressure being applied to the seat,
they may be compressed by threading the coils upon two wires or rods, and making
one end of the said rods, press upon the ends of the springs.
As a further modification of my invention, the collateral stretching of the seat
with suspension, may be attained by directing the members between the two front
coils as described, in an upward, or in a vertical direction, so that the front framing,
or the front part of the framing, is composed of members having loop coils at the
lower part, and loop coils at the upper part, or with loop coils intermediately
arranged.
The upper terminations of the members composing the framing are connected to
the front underside of the seat, whilst the lower terminations of the said members
are connected to the base framing or are or may be continuous members of the base
framing.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1892.
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipede Saddles.
1, JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS, of Great Charles Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 pertains to cycle saddles, and particularly to the hammock type,
or that class of saddles in which the seats are suspended from elevated ends, or
elevated end parts of supporting framings.
Heretofore, hammock saddles, as ordinarily mounted, sag or sink in the middles
of their seats, which is a disadvantage and undesirable, and as a further disadvantage,
this sagging or sinking, creates a cocking up of the peak, hence a discomfort to the
rider called "tucking."
"

page_text: My said invention has for its object, a constant tension hammock saddle, free
from the defect or defects as referred to.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I support the saddle seat upon parallel
and horizontally directed framing rods, directed at some distance from the under-
side of the said seat, and in parallel order and with the rear ends bent upwardly
and terminated by loops, which take upon hanging pins, with cushioning or other
buffering expedients threaded thereon.
The middle parts of the said rods, are embraced by, or connected to as usual
an L pin boss, whilst immediately rear of the said L pin boss, the said rods have,
or a e evolved into, vertically disposed loop coils.
The extreme fore ends of the said frame rods, are fitted with bridge connections,
in the form of transversely directed plates, fitted with a tension screw.
To the upper parts of the said bridge plates, the extreme terminal ends of the
standside members or branches of the vertically directed and forwardly disposed
loop coiled springs are connected.
The upper members or branches of the said advanced springs bend backwardly
and downwardly, and then evolve themselves into hanging loop coils, with the terminal
branches of them directed from the front outer sides of the said last named coils, and
then proceed vertically upwards, and terminate by a loop, which takes over a hooked end
or attachment, situated on the front underside of the seat.
Thus, the front of the seat of the saddle is elevated upon spring arms, which lever
upon the advanced coils as centres of motion, and with the said arins inwardly
terminated by the hanging or suspended coils, supported from the vertical or bracket
termination, formed from the inner terminations of the said last-named coils.
On a rider pressing upon the seat of the saddle, the frame rods slightly straighten
out, and contract, to a slight extent, the frame coils, and consequent upon which
straightening out of the said framing, the fore part of the seat of the saddle, makes
a slight retrograde movement, and as the suspension, hanging or 'slung coils, are
immediately connected to the said front, they are slightly closed, so that collateral
action occurs between frame springs and suspension springs, consequent upon the
rear action of the seat, when the frame coils are contracted.
It is a necessary condition in the mounting of the seats of saddles, that there
shall be a relative and collateral movement in the resilient adjuncts of the framings,
so that the one shall take up or follow the movement of the other or others, on one
or other changing its figure, consequent upon compression or the like.
I may observe that the hanging or suspended coil comes immediately above the
horizontal members of the frame rods and immediately underneath the peak of the
saddle, and that the frame connection, with the advanced coils, is alike unto a bell-
cranked lever, wth joint coils rear of the upward limbs, so that when the seat of the
saddle approaches more or less the frame rods, consequent upon compression,
the said hanging loops swing with the saddle seat and take up horizontal change of
position, whilst the advanced loops take up all the vertical movement.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents partly in vertical section, and
partly in side elevation, a constant-tension hainmock cycle saddle, with the framing
constructed, provided and fitted according to one form of my invention.
The saddle seat is thus shown to be mounted or supported upon nearly parallel
directed framings, located under the said seat.
Figure 2 represents an underside plan of the said saddle Figure 1, showing the
dispositions of the fore part suspension and self tensioning means, and also the
primary tension.
Figure 3 represents a cross section upon the dotted lines A. B. Figure 1 showing
the loop end of the slung coil.
The seat of the saddle, which is marked a, is supported upon under frame rods
directed from front to back of the said seat, and at a distance from it, and with the
rear ends, or parts rear of the angle pin boss, formed into loop coils b', whilst.
the extreme ends are made into horizontal loops or eyes b³, and are threaded upon

page_text: hanging pins c and come between cushioning blocks d, d', threaded upon the said
pins, which have nuts c³, taking upon their threaded ends.
The terminations of the frame rods b, forward of the L pin boss, are fitted with
bridge connections e, e* in the form of transversely directed plates, having a primary
tension screw f passing through them.
Thus, the extreme ends of the frame rods b, are made fast to the bridge
connection e², and pass through slide holes e', in the bridge plate connection e gare
compound action lever coils, comprehending vertical loop coiled springs gl and slung
loop coiled springs g, with the former connected to the latter by connection rods g,
and the latter connected to the saddle or the front underside of its seat, by a loop
end 9, taking upon or engaging with the hook, of an underside bracket h, whilst
the coils g', are connected to the primary framing rods b, by ends y, being made
fast to the bridge plate-connections e, and with the parts of the said ends 9, sliding
through holes e, made within the plate e², so that the primary tension screw f, is
rotated, the relative position of the combined suspension and self-tension attach-
ment is changed, by the sliding of the bracket plate e, upon the ends b*, of the
rods b, and the sliding of the bridge plate e³, carried by the said ends b', on the end
members g of the coils g.
In carrying out a further form of my invention, I make the frame members of
the front of the saddle extend in advance of the same, and shaped alike unto a
sleigh runner front, which forms, in other words, upright brackets, and from the
terminal ends of which, hanging or suspended coil members are jointed.
These coil members have arms or limbs crossing each other and which are
directed to right and left, and with the limbs or branches of the one members
hooked or connected to the front of a seat of a saddle, and the terminals of the
other members, connected to and suspended from a cross pin supported by the
terminal ends of the sleigh end members.
:
Thus, the hanging or suspended loop coiled members are slung or depend down-
wards, with the loops at the lowest parts, and the limbs or arms, crossing and
directed upwardly, and with the free ends of the said arms of the hanger coils,
which are in double order, connected and jointed to the saddle and top of the sleigh
runner shaped framing or parts respectively.
Figure 4 represents partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, the said
further form of my invention.
Figure 5 is an underside plan of the fore part of the same.
The seat of the saddle a, is mounted upon parallel frame members b, having loop
coils b', rear of the pin boss, and fitted with rubber blocks d, d', disposed on the
two opposite sides of the extreme looped or eyed ends, of the terminal ends, of
the rods b, and with the whole of the looped ends and cushioning expedients strung
upon hanging pins c, and provided with screw nuts c³, as before.
9,
The other and fore ends of the said frame rods, are fashioned into sleigh-runner
shaped brackets b', terminated by bearing ends 6, wherethrough a pin horizon-
tally passes, and upon which said pin, looped or eyed ends of crossing armed
alung coils 9, take as bearings, and from which, the said coils with their crossing
arms 9, 9, are suspended, whilst the arms g, are terminated by a loop or returned
end 9, which takes upon the hooked end of a primary tension screw f, taking
through a plain hole in a bracket h, and with a nut f³, taking upon the end of the
said tension screw, rear of the said bracket h.
I wish it to be understood that the swinging or slung spring g, having upwardly
directed and crossing arms, may be an attachment or means for suspending the
back of the seat of the saddle, as well as the front, irrespective of the particular
construction of framings, and further, the said jointed and slung spring may con-
stitute a suspending attachment between the end of a saddle and that of a pillar,
post or frame of a cycle, when a saddle is directly suspended or hung from an
upright part of a machine, as in the saddle of a geared ordinary or of an ordinary
bicycle.

page_text: Figure 6 represents partly in elevation and partly in vertical section a nammock
suspension saddle, supported or slung according to a still further form of my inven-
tion. In this arrangement, ordinary helical coiled springs are made to constitute
the resilient means of suspensión.
The coils of the springs, on pressure being put upon the seat of the saddle, are
closed or contracted, by the sliding in contrary directions of drawbar members,
consisting of links, jointed or connected to brackets on the underside of the seat of
the saddle and the terminations of the metal of the general framing.
Figure 7 is an underside plan of Figure 6, showing one of the helical coils in
section.
The seat of the saddle is marked a, and is suspended by and upon reaction
compression springs i, threaded upon draw bars g, h, passing through the axes of
the said coils, and with the terminal ends 8, 1, forming the abutments or the
shoulders, which, on the bars being drawn in opposite directions, as indicated by
the arrows, close the coils of the springs, which react and again open when pressure
upon the bars is released.
The bars or rods g', are continuations of the metal of the coils g¹, of the primary
frame rods b, whilst the other draw bars ', which are essentially links, are con-
nected and jointed at their inner ends by cross pins h³, carried by a hanging
bracket h, made fast or secured to the other side of the saddle seat.
Instead of the loop coils g', I may employ joints, so that the rising and falling of
the saddle seat, on the movement of the rider, allows the draw bars to take a
natural inclination relative to the position of the seat, and according to the said
pressure, so the coils of the springs are closed or open out.
By mounting, the seats of saddles, or the fronts or the backs upon reaction
compression springs, a resilient hammock seat is obtained, without risk of the
springs becoming broken.
Instead of employing metal coiled springs, I may employ rubber such as
represented in Figure 8, where draw bars or links are threaded through a hollow
cylinder, or tubular length of rubber.
Thus, 9', h are draw bars, passing through the axis of a rubber block or
cylinder i, with end metallic washers, and with the respective ends h³, 98, of the
draw bars, impinging or taking their bearings at the backs of the washers, on
the said draw bar members being pulled out.
The draw bar members h', g', may be respectively connected as in the preceding
Figures 6 and 7, or they may be connected and jointed in any suitable way,
according to the character and mounting of the saddle.
One coil, or more than two coils, may be employed, either at the front, back or
other parts of the seat of a saddle, and further, the means of compression, viz., the
draw bars, may be made in the form of open frames, which compress the ends of
the springs by the said frames working in opposite directions over the said
springs.
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 :-
:―
First In cycle saddles, mounting or supporting the seats of the same, or the
fronts of the seats of the same, upon slung lever coils, or upon compound action
lever coils, whereby the said seats are hammock-slung or supported, and automatic
constant-tension given to the same, as set forth in Figures 1 and 2.
Secondly-In cycle saddles, mounting or supporting the seats of the same, or
the fronts of the seats of the same upon or through the medium of slung, jointed
and armed loop-coiled springs, or crossing armed loop coiled springs, or a pendulous
slung coiled spring or springs, whereby the seat of the saddle is supported hammock-
wise, and automatic constant-tension imparted thereto at the same time, as set forth
in Figures 4 and 5.
Thirdly-In cycle saddles, the combination with a sleigh-runner shaped, or

page_text: erect frame front or rear framing, of a pendulous slung coiled spring, with arms
crossing each other, as set forth in Figures 4 and 5.
Fourthly-In cycle saddles, mounting or suspending the seats of the same, or
the fronts of the seats of the same, upon compression reaction springs, having draw-
bars or rods through their middles, or embraced by frames, which act in contrary
directions upon the ends of the said springs, and compress the same when pressure
is put upon the seat of a saddle, and the reserve power thus created by the
compression, is given out on the said pressure being relieved or relaxed as set forth
in Figures 6, 7 and 8.
Fifthly-In cycle saddle supporting springs, the combination with the springs
of loop coil or pin jointed draw-bar compression devices, or jointed compression
frames, as set forth in Figures 6, 7 and 8.
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.