Improvements in Cycle Saddles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Cycle 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 relates to the under or supporting framings of cycle saddles, and
has for one of its object, the supporting of the seat, and for another object, the
keeping the seat in a constant state of tension and for a further object, the keeping
the back supports always vertical or preventing the same falling or being drawn
inwards on pressure coming upon the seat and these objects are mainly accomplished
through the medium of two pairs of compensating parallel arins, with the outer.
ends of each pair jointedly connected to a vertical rod carried by the skirting or
back plate.
In carrying out my improvements, I take a suitably constructed framing or a base
framing, such as two pierced metal plates running fore and aft under the seat of the
saddle and tied together at their front and rear ends, forming a trussed bracket, with
the topside of the after end of the same having a plate between which and the leather
hammock seat stretched between the front and back plates of the saddle, pillar coiled
springs, volute springs or other springs come and form auxiliary means for assisting
in supporting the rear part of the seat.
Disposed upon the two opposite sides of the trussed bracket or framing and
preferably running from near the middle to the ends, are two pairs of parallel
slightly oblique or horizontal rods or links, alike unto parallel motion rods, with
the inner ends of each pair jointedly connected to the sides of a framing or
equivalent and with the onter ends of each pair jointedly connected to separated
parts of the lower portion of an upright rod, whose upper part (the end of which
is connected to the back plate) may be greater in extent than the distance between
the joints on the lower part, so that when pressure coines upon the seat of the
saddle and the same gives to such pressure, the relative change in the plane, causes
the rods to be lowered vertically and preserve always a constant vertical position,
and by such movement the stretch on the leather is maintained.
If necessary, only back springs may be employed, and these may be of any suitable
construction, but when intermediate body springs are employed the strain is divided
between them and the compensating arms.
It is also understood that the contracting nature of the material of the seat brings
the parts back to their normal positions when strain is relieved.
The supporting means hereinbefore described may be applied to the front as well as
the back of a saddle, or to the front of a saddle only.
In carrying out a further form of my invention, the seat of the saddle, inward of
the cantle, is supported by a laterally directed bracket or bridge bracket with the ends
connected, or jointedly connected, to bearer plates upon which the underside of the
seat rests, or which form bases upon which the rest ends of intervening seat supporting
springs come.
The middle part of this lateral bracket, which is set down a distance below the
underside of the seat rests upon a rod or rods or upon a frame running longitudinally
from fore to aft along the underside of the seat, and with the back end or ends resting
upon a pillar or other spring carried or supported by a depending or other bracket

page_text: secured to the back plate or other supporting part of the framing. The other end or
ends is or are or may be connected or jointedly connected or yieldingly connected to
a part or parts of the tension or framing.
The aforesaid means of support may be applied to any of the forms of framing
(principally of the hammock type), now in vogue, such as single or trussed framings
with or without loop coils introduced into the members and with the back and front
ends fashioned as desired.
Dated this 29th day of June 1896
Improvements in Cycle Saddles.
I, JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS of Great Charles Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what inanner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to the under or supporting framings of cycle saddles, and
has for one of its objects, to dispense with the use of seat-stretcher rods in spring-
supported saddles and also to provide a non-tucking seat, or a seat which yields and
becomes soft on downward pressure being applied thereto by the weight of a rider,
and this is accomplished by the employment, in conjunction with the framing, of a
pair or two pairs of separated stretcher arms or links, the inner ends of the said
links being jointed to the base framing, bracket or support whilst their outer ends
are jointedly connected at separated points, one above another, to fixed hanging
brackets or rods or their equivalents made fast to the underside of the back ends
of the seat through the medium of the back plate or otherwise.
The peak end of the seat may be made fast to an under plate carried by the fixed
supporting bracket or base framing, between whose rear or outer ends, or cross
extensions of them, and the back plate, pillar coiled or other springs may be
interposed and thus support the rear end of the seat.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents, partly in side elevation and
partly in vertical section, a cycle saddle with the underframing and its cognate parts
constructed, arranged and operating in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 represents an underside plan of the said saddle, with portions in section.
Figure 3 represents a like sectional view as Figure 1, but with the whole of the
parts in elevation other than the seat and back plate, but with the springs compressed
and the back of the seat depressed, slightly slackened and rendered soft. The dotted
lines represent the position from which the seat has descended.
Figure 4 is a back view of the saddle, with the parts in the same positions as
represented in Figure 1.
Figure 5 represents a back elevation of the saddle with the parts in the same
positions as represented in Figure 3.
Figure 6 represents a sectional view of the back part of the saddle upon the dotted
line, Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow.
Figure 7 represents a view of the saddle showing the bracket or under-supporting
framing and coiled springs removed, leaving only the depending vertical rods and
stretcher and connecting links, which are shown in section.
Figure 8 is an elevation of the back end of the saddle, with the seat in section and
the springs removed.

page_text: Figure 9 represents the said saddle, with the parallel links and depending rods
removed, and showing only the supporting bracket and the end springs, and Figure 10
is an underside plan of Figure 9.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
Directed from front to back of the underside of the leather seat a, of the saddle, is
a rigid underframing b, composed of two sides ', with the fore end parts 62, rivetted
or otherwise made fast to and perfectly rigid with the peak plate c, carried underneath
the peak a', of the seat a, and passing through the bracket c', of the said peak plate
is an adjustable tension d.
The back end a², of the said seat is made fast to and rigid with depending rods or
hanging lever brackets e, through or by means of the back or skirting plate e', which
is made fast to the back of the seat by rivetting or the like and also carries studs e²,
for receiving the upper ends of the springs f, located between the said back plate and
cross extensions or rests 63, of the tie bar b, bracing together the rear or after ends,
of the bracket sides b'. The stand-side or lower ends, of the springs take around
the studs 6, and rest upon the top sides of the cross extension or rests b³, so that the
compression of the springs occurs between the underside of the seat and the fixed.
rests, which latter always remain quiescent as it is kept immovable by the boss g,
attached to a seat support or pillar.
are two pairs of parallel and separated seat-stretcher or connecting arms or
links, located upon the two opposite sides 4, of the after end of the rigid frame b, and
jointedly connected thereto at their inner ends by rivets or pins i, and at their outer
ends to the lower parts e³, of the depending rods or hanging brackets e, by loose
rivets e, about which the stid arins or links turn as centres, alike unto the
other ends.
OPERATION.
In this form of my invention, the saddle and its parts normally. take the positions
represented in Figure 1, with the seat a, held taut, through the agency of the stretcher
links, which are kept nearly in a right line with the framing by the expansion of the
springs, acting upon the underside of, and lifting the said seat. Thus, when the stretcher
rods are in nearly a straight line, or nearly at a right angle with the depending rods,
which always remain in a constant vertical plane, then the seat is kept taut.
Now immediately a seat becomes weighted by a rider, then the back end of the
saddle is depressed, turning upon the leather at the peak and as a centre, compressing
the springs, and lowering the depending brackets e, which take with them the outer
ends of the stretcher links h, h', which are turned at an angle upon their joint
centres, into a less depressed position to that represented in Figure 3, but more
depressed than in Figure 1 whereby the extreme tension of the seat is slightly slacked
and a comfortable softness, without tucking, is attained, but it is obvious that
should the machine suddenly jolt the back of the seat might be lowered to its fullest
extent and compress the springs and depress the links to the position shown in
Figure 3, which further slackens the seat and hence a desirable and increased softness
for neutralizing concussion incidentally occurs.
On relieving pressure, the springs, assisted to a small extent by the flexibility of
the seat, take the parts back to their normal positions with the seat leather fully
stretched.
It is obvious that in the event of a tight seat being desired, without softness, then
the parallel links will require to be directed obliquely upwards from their inner
centres towards the back of the seat, so that when pressure is applied, the back end of
the seat, which turns about the material at the peak as a centre, is constrained to
move outwardly until the links are depressed into a horizontal position when they
may be limited from further movement by suitably arranged stops. By this change
of position, the seat is constantly and progressively stretched from the commencement
to the end of the fall of the back and then assumes its normal tension on the back
returning to its ordinary position.

page_text: According, to another modification, the stretch or tension of the seat may be
arranged so as to be practically constant or unchanged. in all positions during the
rise and fall of the back, and this is accomplished by jointing the inner ends of the
stretcher links to the fore part of the framing instead of at the rear, as in
the preceding arrangements.
Instead of two stretcher links being employed on each side, three or a suitable
number of links or an equivalent arrangement, may be employed for the same
purpose, or I may employ only a single pair of links disposed between the sides of
the framing and having their outer ends connected to a depending rod or rods,
brackets or equivalent at the back of the seat, whilst the inner ends may be jointed
to a cross piece or equivalent carried by the framing.
Instead of the stretcher rods or links being jointedly connected at their outer ends
to depending and long hangers or brackets, they may be connected directly to lugs or
short arms carried by the back plate, the said rear ends of the links being bent or
turned upwards if required.
The links may he of dis-similar lengths, dissimilarly centred so as to give a like or
approximate parallel movement, and instead of the springs coming directly upon
the underside of the seat, they may be located between the lower arms of the
. parallel motion and the top of the bracket or framing, as
represented in
Figure 11.
As another modification, instead of the body of the seat turning upon the material
at the peak or front as a centre, it may turn upon a horizontal pivot or joint
carried by the framing, the peak plate or other convenient part and instead of
the joint being formed by a pin the front of the saddle may have a hook engaging
with the extreme fore end of the framing and about which the saddle seat turns
as a centre.
The aforesaid means of support may be applied to any of the forms of framing
(principally of the hammock type), now in vogue, such as single or trussed
framings and with the back and front ends fashioned as desired, and further the
said supporting means may be applied to the front as well as to the back of a
saddle, or it may be applied to the front of a saddle only.
I also wish it to be understood that instead of employed coiled or other metallic
springs as described, I may interpose rubber blocks or springs between the seat and
base framing, or between the base framing and the stretcher links.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. In cycle saddles, employing in connection with, or providing the seats of the
same with, a pair or two pairs of parallel or equivalent stretcher links, disposed one
above the other and jointedly connected at their ends respectively to the supporting
framing of the saddle and to the underside of the seat, or to rigid brackets or
rods depending from the underside of the seat, substantially for the purpose set
forth.
Secondly. In cycle saddles, connecting the framing, or an unconnected end part of
the framing, to the seat, or to the back part thereof, or to hanging or levering
brackets depending from the said back part of the seat, by links, or a pair of links,
brought into their normal positions by a spring or springs interlocated between said
framing and seat, or between the said framing and the links, substantially for the
purpose set forth.
Thirdly. A cycle saddle with the seat rising and falling at the back and turning
upon the material at the peak end, or upon a
centre, in combination with a frame connected to the rear part of the said seat by
joint or pivot at the peak end, as a
links or pairs of links, said rear being supported by springs interposed between
it and the framing and adapted to take the links into set positions for giving the
normal stretch to the seat, substantially as described and set forth.

page_text: Fourthly. The general construction, arrangement and combination of the parts.
of cycle saddles, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Dated this 18th day of March 1897
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant..
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS,.
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant..