Improvements in Cycle Saddles or Seats.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Saddles or Seats.
1, JOHN LUTHER PULLMAN, Merchant, Mount Pottinger, Belfast, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improvement in expanding cycle saddles, and it
consists, first, in a seat for cycles which is formed of two parts pivotted together
at their front ends, and which automatically open or expand from the pivot at the
front end toward the rear one; second, in a cycle saddle composed of two parts
which are pivotted together at their front ends and which expand or open outward
towards their rear ones combined with a spring for forcing the two parts of the
saddle away from each other at their rear ends; and third, in a cycle saddle
composed of two parts which are pivoted together at their front ends, combined
with a longitudinal spring which supports the entire saddle and two springs
extending at right angles to the longitudinal spring, and which two springs support
the rear ends of the saddle, as will be more fully described hereinafter.
The objects of my invention are to provide an expanding saddle for cycles,
intended more especially for ladies' use so as to give them proper support while
riding to support the entire saddle by a spring which extends longitudinally
therewith, and to support the rear ends upon two separate springs which allow the
ends to freely open and close; and to provide the saddle with an automatically
releasing mechanism, and a spring for expanding the rear end of the saddle as the
rider mounts thereon.
The longitudinal supporting spring is secured to the frame of the cycle by a
suitable clamp which allows it to be adjusted longitudinally therein as may be
desired. This spring supports the entire saddle, and has its front end curved
upward and backward so that the front ends of the two parts of the saddle can be
secured thereto by means of a pivotal bolt upon which the two parts of the saddle
freely move as they are opened and closed. Each portion of the saddle consists of
sheet metal plates or supports which are turned up at their edges and which are
connected at their front ends by the pivotal bolt, between the turned up edges of
the sheet metal plates are secured blocks or pieces of any suitable material upon the
top of which two pads are formed, and which pieces extend at their front ends
within a short distance of the bolt. The pads may be pneumatic, stuffed, or made
in any manner desired, and a sheet of leather, rubber, cloth, or other material with
which the pads are covered will be stretched. across from one pad to the other so
as to form a cover for the open space between the two pads when they are opened
outwards, and thus help to form a continuous sent the whole width of the saddle.
This covering, extends forward beyond the pads and over the top of the bolt, so
as to form a cover for the entire saddle. When the parts of the saddle are opened
outwards the cover is stretched tightly, but when the saddle is closed, the surplus
material drops down between the two portions of the saddle out of the way. The
rear end of the saddle is supported by two vertical springs which are preferably
curved and which have their upper ends secured to a suitable metallic framework,
and their lower ends secured to rods, which connect together two slotted inverted
U shaped supporting plates. The lower ends of the springs are bent around the
rods, and the upper ones are bent around their pivotal rods, and hence both parts
L
L

page_text: of the saddle are free to move when being opened and closed. The two U plates.
are supported upon the rear end of the supporting spring which passes through the
slots in the tops of the plates.
While the supporting spring extends longitudinally with the saddle, the two
vertical springs extend at right angles thereto, and support the rear end of the
saddle whether in an open or closed position. Secured to the underside of each
half of the saddle is a suitable metallic frame and secured between these two
frames is a coil or other suitably shaped spring which throws the two parts of the
saddle apart as soon as they are left free to move. In order to hold the two parts
of the saddle in the closed position the two parts are provided with a latch, which,
when the parts are pressed together, automatically locks them in a closed position.
In order to make these two parts of the saddle automatically separate when the
rider mounts thereon, a bent rod is provided having its lower end secured to one of
the vertical springs, and its upper end which is slotted made to project above the
lower portion of one of the parts of the saddle. Through the slotted portion of
this rod extends a horizontal handle which is connected to the outer end of the
pivotted portion of the latch. When the rider mounts upon the saddle his or her
weight causes the saddle to descend and when the handle strikes against the bottom
of the slotted portion of the bent rod, the outer end of the latch is raised and the
inner end depressed so as to cause the two parts of the latch to separate, when
the two portions of the saddle are instantly forced apart by the spring without any
attention whatever on the part of the operator. The two parts of the saddle are
closed by hand to allow the rider to mount more readily upon it, but as son as he
or she does mount it opens to its greatest extent as soon as the saddle is depressed
by the weight of the rider.
Dated this 6th day of November 1895.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
I, JOHN LUTHER PULLMAN, Merchant, Mount Pottinger, Belfast, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improvement in expanding cycle saddles, and it
consists, first, in a seat for saddles which is formed of two parts pivotted together
at their front ends, and which automatically open or expand from the pivot at the
front end toward the rear end; second, in a cycle saddle composed of two parts
which are pivotted together at their front ends and which expand or open outward
towards their rear ones, combined with a spring for forcing the two parts of the
saddle away from each other at their rear ends; and, third, in a cycle saddle
composed of two parts which are pivotted together at their front ends, combined
with a longitudinal spring which supports the entire saddle and two springs
extending at right angles to the longitudinal spring, and which two springs
support the rear ends of the saddle, as will be more fully described hereinafter.
The objects of my invention are to provide an expanding saddle for cycles,
intended more especially for ladies' use so as to give them proper support while
riding to support the entire saddle by a spring which extends longitudinally
therewith, and to support the rear ends upon two separate springs which allow. the
ends to freely open and close; and to provide the saddle with an automatically.

page_text: Casing mechanism, and a spring for expanding the rear end of the saddle as the
rider mounts thereon.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have
hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the saddle.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the saddle, the parts being shown as expanded in full lines and
closed in dotted lines.
Fig. 3 is a view of the rear end of the saddle as it appears when expanded.
Fig. 34 is a detail plan view.
Fig. 4 shows in side view and Fig. 5 in back view a slightly modified arrangement
of the supporting springs.
Fig. 6 is an inverted plan of the saddle frame.
Referring to the drawings:-
The longitudinal supporting spring a is secured to the frame of the cycle by a
suitable clamp b which allows it to be adjusted longitudinally therein as may be
desired. This spring a supports the entire saddle and has its front end curved
upward and backward so that the front ends of the two parts of the saddle can be
secured thereto by means of a pivotal bolt c upon which the two parts A, B, of the
saddle frame freely move as they are opened and closed. Each portion of the
saddle consists of sheet metal plates or supports which are turned up at their
edges A, B, and which are connected at their front ends by the pivotal bolt c.
Between the turned up edges of the sheet metal plates are secured blocks or
pieces d of any suitable material upon the top of which two pads e, el are formed,
and which pieces extend at their front ends within a short distance of the bolt.
The pads may be pneumatic, stuffed, or made in any manner desired, and a sheet
of leather, rubber, cloth, or other material with which the pads are covered is
stretched across from one pad to the other so as to form a cover f for the open
space between the two pads when they are opened outwards, and thus help to
form a continuous seat the whole width of the saddle.
This covering f extends forward beyond the pads and over the top of the bolt c
so as to form a cover for the entire saddle. When the parts of the saddle are
opened outwards the cover f is stretched tightly, but when the saddle is closed, as
shown in dotted lines at Fig. 2, the surplus material drops down between the two
portions of the saddle out of the way. The rear end of the saddle is supported by
two vertical springs g, gl, which are, preferably, curved to an S shape, as shown in
Fig. 3, and which have their upper ends secured to a suitable metallic framework h,
and their lower ends secured to rods k, which connect together two slotted inverted
Ushaped supporting plates (see also Fig. 34). The lower ends of the springs.
are bent around the rods k and their upper ones are bent around the pivotal rods /
of the framework h, and hence both parts of the saddle are free to move when
being opened and closed. The two plates; are supported upon the rear end
of the supporting spring a which passes through the slots i in the tops of the
plates j.
While the supporting spring a extends longitudinally with the saddle, the two
vertical springs g, g', extend at right angles thereto, and support the rear end of
the saddle whether in an open or closed position. Secured to the frames /, at the.
underside of the saddle, is a coil or other suitably shaped spring 1, which throws
the two parts of the saddle, apart as soon as they are left free to move. In order
to hold the two parts of the saddle in the closed position shown in dotted lines at
Fig. 2 they are provided with a latch m, n which, when the parts are pressed
together, automatically locks them in a closed position. The catch n is pivotted
at n whilst the catch mis pivotted at m¹. o is a staple. In order to make these
two parts of the saddle automatically separate when the rider mounts thereon, a
bent rod p is provided having its lower end p¹ secured to the vertical spring g' and
its upper end, which is slotted at p2, made to project above the lower portion of
one of the parts of the saddle. Through this slotted portion p² of the rod extends
a horizontal handle which is connected to the outer end of the catch n.
When
•

page_text: the rider mounts upon the saddle his or her weight causes the saddle to descend
and when the handle q strikes against the bottom of the slotted portion p² of the
rod p the outer end of the catch n is raised and the inner end depressed so as to
cause the two parts m, n of the latch to disengage, when the two portions of the
saddle are instantly forced apart by the spring l without any attention whatever
on the part of the operator. The two parts A, B, of the saddle are closed by hand
to allow the rider to mount more readily upon it, but, as soon as he or she does
mount, it opens to its greatest extent as soon as the saddle is depressed by the
weight of the rider.
In the modification shown at Figs. 4 and 5 the rear S shaped springs 9, 9', are
rivetted at 1, r, to an inverted V strip t to which is rivetted a piece 8.
The longi-
tudinal spring a is passed through the space i", which corresponds to the slot i
Fig. 3, left between the pieces t, s. The frame A, B, has fitted to it lock
plates A, B, to which the two parts of the latch are secured. As will be seen at
Fig. 5 the latch is made in the form of a double catch the catch m² being pivotted
at m³ to the plate B and the catch n' being pivotted at n³ to the plate A³.
guide staple for the catch n². The outer end of the catch m² has a pin q' which
works in the slotted upper end p³ of the rod p as before. A slot p³ for the pin q¹
to work in is also made in the plate B³.
O is a
The upper ends of the springs g, g', are bent round pivotal bolts h² of inverted
Tshape as shown at Fig. 4.
The view Fig. 6 shows the underside of the hinged frame which can be made
with cut out parts u, u', for lightness. is a slotted bar which can be secured by
bolts,, to the frame. This bar serves to retain the parts A, B, in their proper
relative positions when opening out or closing. The bolts v1, v2, are of course free
to slide in the slot in accordance with the movements of the parts A, B.
The saddle may be further modified in its details of construction without
departing from the invention.
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
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. A saddle or seat for cycles formed in two parts which are pivotted or hinged
together at their front ends and are capable of automatically opening or expanding
at their rear ends, substantially as herein before described with reference to the
drawings annexed.
2. A saddle or seat for cycles formed in two parts which are pivotted or hinged
together at their front ends and are adapted to open at their rear ends, combined.
with a spring for forcing the rear ends apart, substantially as herein before
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. A saddle or seat for cycles formed in two parts which are pivotted or hinged
together at their front ends and are adapted to open at their rear ends, combined
with a spring for forcing the rear ends apart when left free to move and a latch or
fastening device for holding the two parts of the saddle together when closed,
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
4. A saddle or seat for cycles formed in two parts which are pivotted or hinged
together at their front ends and are adapted to open at their rear ends, combined
with a spring for forcing the rear ends apart when left free to move, a latch or
fastening device for holding the two parts of the saddle together when closed, and
automatic mechanism for unlocking the latch whenever the saddle is forced down-
wards by the weight of the rider, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
5. A saddle or seat for cycles formed in two parts which are pivotted or hinged
together at their front ends and are adapted to open at their rear ends, combined
with a longitudinal spring which supports the entire saddle and two separate
springs, such as g, g', which support the rear ends, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
I.

page_text: 6. A cycle saddle constructed substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
at Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and under a modified arrangement at Figs. 4, 5 & 6 of the-
annexed drawings.
Dated this 28th day of March 1896.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent..