Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles, Tricycles, and like Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles, Tricycles, and like Vehicles.
We HENRY MESINGER and FREDERICK MESINGER, both Mechanics, residing at
No. 1632 Second Avenue in the City, County and State of New York, 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 :-
+
Our immediate object is to improve the saddles or seats of bicycles, tricycles and
the like vehicles and our invention includes the following specified improvements,
to wit: the combination of woven or plaited strips of rattan or similar material.
with a jacket of pliable material like leather, devices for taking up the stretch of said
rattan, an improved form of saddle bar and an arrangement of super-imposed
seat sections suitably shaped and perforated to avoid undue pressure on the perineum
of the rider:
In order to clearly explain these improvements we have provided the annexed
drawings, in which
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are, respectively, side, top and bottom views of a saddle
embodying said improvements.
Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on line x-x of Figure 2 and
Figure 5 is a sectional view on line z-z of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view on line y-y of Figure 3.
Figure 7 is a detached view of a convenient form of clamping device by means
of which the saddle may be attached to the saddle-post.
In these drawings a indicates the saddle-post of a bicycle and b the so-called
saddle-bar to which is attached the saddle proper as we shall explain. The saddle-
bar is formed of a single piece of wire that is doubled back upon itself as best
seen in Figure 3, thus providing two substantially parallel portions upon which is
mounted a simple form of clamping devicé by means of which the saddle may be
adjustably secured to the post a. Said clamping device is formed of two principal
sections c-c and a set-screw d. Section c is formed as a half part of a journal
bearing adapted to fit the saddle-post. It has also lateral extensions c 2 adapted
to hook under the doubled saddle-bars and is cut through at its central part to
receive the companion clamp-section e', which latter extends through section c and
is formed with lateral extensions c 3 that hook over the saddle bars b (see Figure 7).
The lower body portion of the section c¹ is formed with an opening through which
the saddle-post a may pass freely and is also drilled and tapped to receive the set-
screw d already referred to. After having adjusted the saddle in the proper
position relatively to the post a, the act of turning the set-screw d home results
in drawing the hooks c 2-c3 more closely together, causing them to bind securely
upon the saddle-bars band; by the same operation, the sections c-c are firmly
clamped, on the post a. When it is desired to change the position of the saddle
it is only necessary to ease back the set-screw d when the clamp sections are
immediately loosened and may be adjusted freely either on the bars b or upon the
post a.
The described clamping device forms no part of our present invention but is
shown and explained in detail as a convenient means of securing our duplex
saddle-bar to an ordinary saddle-post.
The woven rattan strips are doubled around a screw or stud e at the front of

page_text: the saddle and their. several ends are then- secured to a curved bantle-plate hat
the rear of said saddle. The screw passes through'a metallic shoe f and is secured
into a collar 9 whose opposite sides are formed with grooves to receive the ends
of the saddle-bars b. The inner walls of the shoe fare also grooved to receive
said bars as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings.. After the ends of the bars 6
have been entered into the described grooves the screw e is then turned to draw
the collar g into the chambered shoe f thus clamping the bar ends securely in place
in the shoe. The upper portion of shoe f is curved to give proper shape to the
pommel-of the saddle. The doubled end of bar b rests upon the cantle-plate h and
may be clamped to said cantle-plate by means of a cross-bar i and a bolt that
extends through said plate, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5.
We find it desirable in some, .cases to take up the stretch of the rattan strips
so we have provided a slotted metallic plate k that underlies the cross-bar i and is
formed at its outer end with an eye k through which the bar 6 passes. The
inner end of plate k has a right-angular portion-k 2 that is drilled and tapped to
receive a screw m whose end abuts the cross-bar i (see Figure 4). Should the
flexible seat become stretched it may be quickly, strained to its normal tension by
first unscrewing the nut j of bolt and then screwing the screw m forcibly against.
the cross-bar thus forcing said cross-bar and the connected cantle-plate h away
from the pommel end of the saddle. When the proper tension has been reached
the nut is screwed home to bind the cantle-plate firmly to the saddle-bars.
We have provided an outer covering or jacket n of pliable material like leather
and an intermediate pad n¹-preferably of felt, which together serve to cover and
protect the woven strips of rattan and also to furnish a more comfortable and
healthful seat than heretofore. The jacket n is moulded to conform to the desired
shape of the saddle and is held in place at the front end by the same screw e that,
supports the doubled portion of the rattan strips. The rear end of said. jacket
is stretched over the cantle-plate h and is secured thereto by a string o that, is laced
through the jacket and cantle-plate. By thus securing the jacket it may readily be
removed if necessary and may also be stretched simultaneously with the stretching
of the rattan.
The jacket n is formed with a "V" shaped opening n 2 so located that the pressure
on. the perineum is entirely avoided and the serious effects resulting from such
pressure prevented: Opening n2. also provides desirable ventilation and thus
prevents the heating and chafing of the rider's parts so common in ordinary saddles.
The thick pad n' in effect separates the rattan from the outer jacket a considerable
distance thus forming a recess or open space under the rider..
Our improvements do not add materially to the cost of saddles of this class,
yet they serve to greatly increase their efficiency, durability and healthfulness.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In combination, a saddle-bar, having at one end a stud e and at the opposite
end a cantle-plate, substantially as set forth, and means for adjusting said bar and
cantle-plate relatively to each other and to take up the stretch of the woven seat.
2. In a bicycle saddle, in combination with a saddle-post, a saddle bar composed
of a single rod doubled to form two substantially parallel bars, a seat adjustably
secured to said bars and means for adjustably clamping said post and duplex bar
together.
3. In combination, a saddle-bar, a stud secured to one end of said bar and a
cantle-plate secured to the opposite end of said bar, a seat secured to said stud and
cantle-plate consisting of interwoven strips and an outer jacket of leather, and
means for taking up the stretch of said seat.
4. In a bicycle saddle, in combination with suitable supports, a seat composed
of interwoven strips and an outer jacket of pliable material, and means for taking
up the stretch of said seat.

page_text: 5. In combination with suitable supports, a saddle seat composed of a layer of
woven strips and one or more super-imposed layers of pliable material, the latter
being provided with an opening n 2 substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 18th day of January 1896.
HENRY MESINGER.
FREDERICK MESINGER.