Year: 1898

page_text: I, KARL SCHELL, of Schlitz, Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
―:
This invention relates to the construction of seats or saddles as used on cycles,
in such a manner that the parts shall follow the action of the rider's limbs, and
thus render the seat easier and less liable to cause discomfort or injury when
in continuous use.
Many attempts have been made to effect this result with more or less success,
the more successful being costly and designed more with the object of relieving
the perineal pressure than of giving freedom of movement in the saddle.
A disadvantage of this form is that though good from an hygienic point of view,
it is frequently uncomfortable in other respects owing to the rigidity of the frame-
work of the saddle.
Now the object of my invention is to construct a saddle which shall be not only
hygienically and anatomically good, but shall also be comfortable to ride, and
which by reducing the friction between the rider's body and the saddle, shall be
capable of being ridden for a long time continuously without causing the chafing,
and soreness, which are the result of long riding on ordinary cycle saddles.
.
My improvement consists in dividing the actual saddle itself into two halves,
each of which halves, instead of being rigidly connected to the spring gear under-
neath the saddle as in the ordinary way, is mounted upon a hinge or swivel which
allows it to oscillate backwards and forwards for a certain distance between two
fixed stops, the pin of the hinge acting as the fulcrum about which the piece
oscillates.
The
This hinge pin is connected to a bar, which in its turn is connected to two spiral
springs underneath the saddle, and consequently the saddle has all the advantages
of the ordinary spring attachment with its freedom from vertical vibration.
ordinary saddle has simply a movement up and down owing to the action of the
spring gear just mentioned which neutralizes the inequalities and obstacles upon
the road; in addition to this movement of a rider upon the saddle there is however
another movement brought into play by the action of the riders legs in following
the pedals, one leg rising while the other is falling and no movement of the
ordinary saddle corresponds to this, the action simply producing friction between
the rider and the saddle. By my invention this additional movement is obtained,
each side of the saddle following the rider's leg according as it is rising or falling,
and therefore no friction is produced by this action, in consequence of which the
saddle may be ridden much longer without causing discomfort or soreness.
The spiral springs above mentioned rest on a looped horizontal spring which is
connected to the saddle pillar of the machine, so that vibration in all directions is
absorbed, and by leaving a space between the halves of the seat no perireal
pressure is exerted

page_text: By means of adjusting screws on the framework of the saddle and also on each
half of the seat proper, the angle of the saddle and also the width apart of the
halves may be altered to suit the rider.
In the seat portions of the saddle I use a layer of horsehair between two layers
of leather, one of which is cut away where the main weight of the body rests.
Dated this 20th day of September 1898.
SYDNEY E. PAGE, A.M.I.C.E.,
18, New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
1, KARL SCHELL, of Schlitz, Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, 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 the construction of seats or saddles as used on cycles,
in such a manner that the parts shall follow the action of the rider's limbs, and
thus render the seat easier, and less liable to cause discomfort or injury when
in continuous use.
Many attempts have been made to effect this result, with more or less success,
the more successful being costly and designed more with the object of relieving
the perineal pressure than of giving freedom of movement in the saddle. A
disadvantage of this form is that though good from an hygienic point of view,
it is frequently uncomfortable in other respects owing to the rigidity of the
framework of the saddle.
Now the object of my invention is to construct a saddle which shall be not only
hygienically and anatomically good, but shall also 'be comfortable to ride, and
which by reducing the friction between the rider's body and the saddle, shall be
capable of being ridden for a long time continuously without causing the chafing,
and soreness, which are the result of long riding on ordinary cycle saddles.
My invention consists amongst other improvements in dividing the seat itself
into two halves, each of which halves, instead of being rigidly connected to the
spring gear underneath the saddle as in the ordinary way, is mounted upon hinges
or pivots which allow it to oscillate backwards and forwards for a certain distance
between two fixed stops, the pins of the pivots acting as the fulcrum
about which the piece oscillates. The inner pivots are formed by
screwed studs, upon
which I provide adjusting nuts by means of
which the width apart of the two halves of the seat may be altered to suit a
particular rider. These pivots are also connected to a cross-bar, which in its
turn is connected to two spiral springs underneath the saddle, and these again
are connected to a horizontal coil spring, consequently the saddle has all the
advantages of the ordinary spring, attachment with its freedom from vertical
vibration.
The particular nature of my improvements will be readily understood on
reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same letters refer to like
parts in all the views.
Figs. 1 and 2 show one arrangement of the apparatus as described above.
Fig. 2, being a perspective view of the saddle from underneath with the spring
gear removed, and rig. 1. being a side elevation with the spring gear attached.
Referring first to Fig. 2, which shows my invention most clearly, A and B are
the two halves of the seat proper upon which the body rests. Cis a bar passing across

page_text: the whole width of the saddle, and having its ends reduced to form the pivots Q
and R, to which the separate halves of the seat are connected by means of the
brackets shown at D and E. At F and G are other two brackets connected to the
separate halves A and B respectively of the seat, and it will be seen that the half
marked A works on the two pivots Q and K while the half B works on the
pivots R and L. In order to give the motion of each half a slightly outward
direction with respect to the centre line of the saddle, the inner pivots K and L are
not attached directly to the bar C, but are carried by means of the lug H, so
that their centres are a short distance away from the bar, though each is still in
a line with one end of the bar, which is bent into such a form that the pivots Q
and K are in the same straight line, and the pivots R and L are in another straight
line slightly inclined to the first.
An important feature of my invention is that by adjusting the nuts M, O, N, P the
distance apart of the two halves of the seat may be altered, thus enabling a rider
to vary the width of the saddle to suit his or her fancy.
In order that the saddle shall not tip backwards too far, two projections S and T
are fixed on the cross-bar C so that the rims V, W, of the seat come against them
as at U (Fig. 1,) and prevent further backward movement. Springs are provided
to keep the seat against these stops when being mounted. The rims V and W
are made of metal or other suitable material, of such a form as to render the saddle
comfortable, and they form a framework to which is attached a cushion of leather,
horsehair, or other suitable material. This cushion is reduced in thickness
at Z, Z forming on the top side two recesses, where the body of the rider presses
most heavily.
cross-bar.
Referring now to Fig. 1 the parts shown in Fig. 2 are attached to the spring
gear by means of the clip I and bolts Y passing through the cross bar at X X
(Fig. 2). These bolts hold the tops of the spiral springs a, a firmly attached to the
The lower ends of these springs are in their turn connected at b to the
back ends of the horizontal coil spring c, the other end of the coil spring being
held by the clip I. This arrangement is intended mainly for rider's of light
weight and for ladies use, and is attached to the saddle pillar of the cycle by an
ordinary clip and bolt.
Fig. 3 shows another construction of spring gear suitable for heavier riders
more especially of the male sex as the length of the spring in front will not
interfere with masculine clothing, but it must be understood that I can reduce the
length of this spring gear to suit female riders wearing a skirt.
In this case I continue the top springs d spreading out the ends so as to be held
by the bolts Y, Y to the cross-bar. I insert a distance piece 9 connecting the
lower ends of the springs a, a and I further strengthen the bottom springs by the
addition of the spring f, supporting the main spring e at h. The spring dis
connected to the spring e by means of the hook m and is prevented from becoming
displaced by means of the clip k and screw I. This spring gear is attached to the
saddle pillar of the cycle by means of the clip o.
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;
-
1. In a cycle saddle the combination of a divided seat working on hinged joints
connecting it to the spring gear, and means for adjusting the width of the
saddle, with an arrangement of spiral and coil springs all substantially as herein
described.
2. In a cycle saddle the combination of a divided seat working on hinged joints
connecting it to the spring gear, with means for adjusting the width apart of the
two portions of the seat, substantially as herein described.
3. The combination in a cycle saddle of a divided seat, with adjusting screws
and nuts, for altering the width apart of the two halves, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: 4. In a cycle saddle of the character described the combination with a cross-
bar having a bracket and clip attached to its centre, of an arrangement of spiral
and coil springs, substantially as herein described.
5. In a cycle saddle, connecting the seat portion with the spring gear by means
of a hinged joint substantially as described herein.
LT
1041 v of Narambar 1808
SYDNEY E. PAGE, A.M.I.C.E.,
18, New Bridge Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.