IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES AND THEIR FASTENING DEVICES FOR BICYCLES, TRICYOLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the firm of W. P. Thompson aud Co., Agents
for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, and of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES
AND THEIR FASTENING DEVICES FOR BICYCLES, TRICYOLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
(A communication from Charles Edgar Duryea, of Saint Louis, in the State of
Missouri, United States of America, Gentleman) to be as follows:-
"
The object of this invention is to provide a light and elastic saddle, the tension
of which may be readily controlled and which may be applied with facility to
existing machines and adjusted forward and backward thereon at pleasure.
It is also a further object of the invention to produce a saddle which shall be
free from the ordinary liability which exists in adjustable saddles of the parts
becoming loosened by the vibration of the machine so as to move out of position.
To this end it consists essentially in a flexible seat or saddle having its two
extremities attached to an elastic supporting frame composed essentially of two
longitudinal parallel springs arranged in such manner as to admit of their passing
downward on opposite sides of the backbone or reach, and of their maintaining
a longitudinal strain or tension to the seat.
It also consists in the frame constructed of a single piece of metal doubled or
bent into the form hereinafter described.
It also consists in clips or fastening devices of peculiar construction adapted to
secure the elastic frame to the backbone.
The saddle consists of a flexible seat or saddle proper and of a supporting spring
attached to the two extremities thereof.
The seat or saddle proper consists of a sheet of leather, canvas, or equivalent
pliable material which may be given essentially that same form or outline as
saddles now in common use that is to say a decreasing width from the rear end to
the front or modified at will.

page_text: The supporting spring is preferably constructed of a single rod or bar of steel
doubled or bent into a peculiar form. At its forward end the spring has a
horizontal portion to receive and sustain the forward end or neck of the seat which
is preferably looped around the same and secured by rivets.
From the two ends of this horizontal portion, the spring is extended downward
forming upright arms, and bent thence backward in a substantially horizontal
direction to a point near the rear end of the saddle, there they are curved upward
and attached to the underside of a plate riveted or otherwise secured firmly to the
underside of the seat. This plate is made of a form corresponding with that of the
rear end of the saddle whatever it may be. The ends of the spring may be
attached to the plate and the plate attached to the seat in any suitable manner.
It is preferred to bend the rear-ends of the spring upward in a horizontal direction.
to give them a broad and firm bearing against the underside of the plate, and to
pass the rivets downward through the seat, the plate, and the arms, one set of
rivets thus serving to hold the three parts firmly together.
In making use of the saddle the spring arms are dropped downward on opposite
sides of the backbone thus-bringing the saddle proper in position directly over the
backbone and behind the steering head as required. The springs may be attached
firmly to the backbone in any suitable manner, but for various reasons it is
preferable to make use of fastening clips. These fastenings consist of U shaped
clips or stirrups adapted to fit transversely on the upper side of the backbone with
their ends turned outward to engage beneath the two springs to give support
thereto, and of corresponding clips adapted to fit transversely upon the under side
of the backbone with their ends extended laterally above the spring arms and
provided with set screws to bear on said arms. There may be any desired number
of the clips, and they may be located at any suitable points in the length of the
springs, their location being adjustable at the will of the user in order to regulate
the tension of the springs or the position of the saddle. By adjusting the screws
the springs may be drawn tightly upon the backbone and caused to engage firmly
upon the spring arms so as to hold the saddle securely in position.
10121 1
1OOA

page_text: I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the firm of W. P. Thompson & Co Agents
for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of Lan-
caster, and of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SADDLES
AND THEIR FASTENING DEVICES FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
"
(A communication from abroad by Charles Edgar Duryea of Saint Louis, in the
state of Missouri, United States of America, Gentleman,) and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide a light and elastic saddle, the tension
of which may be readily controlled and which may be applied with facility to
existing machines, and adjusted forward and backward thereon at pleasure.
It is also a further object of the invention to produce a saddle which shall be
free from the ordinary liability which exists in adjustable saddles of the parts
becoming loosened by the vibration of the machine so as to move out of position.
To this end it consists essentially in a flexible seat or saddle having its two
extremities attached to an elastic supporting frame composed essentially of two
longitudinal parallel springs arranged in such manner as to admit of their passing
downward on opposite sides of the backbone or reach, and of their maintaining a
longitudinal strain or tension to the seat.
It also consists in the frame constructed of a single piece of metal doubled or
bent into the form hereinafter described.
It also consists in clips or fastening devices of peculiar construction adapted to
secure the elastic frame to the backbone.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,-
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of a bicycle having the saddle
applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line x-x.
Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the saddle in an inverted position.
A, represents the front steering and driving wheel of an ordinary bicycle; B, the
swiveling fork in which the wheel is mounted, and which is provided with the
steering bar; and C, the backbone or reach, the forward end of which is swiveled
or journalled to the fork as shown, while the rear end is adapted to receive the
rear wheel. All of the foregoing parts are constructed in the ordinary manner and
constitute no part of this invention, which relates solely to the construction of the
saddle and fastening devices.
The saddle consists, as most plainly represented in Fig. 2, of a flexible seat or
saddle proper, D, and of the supporting spring E, attached to the two extremities
thereof.
The seat or saddle proper consists of a sheet of leather, canvas, or equivalent
pliable material, which may be given, as represented in the drawings, essentially
the same form or outline as saddles now in common use, that is to say, a
decreasing width from the rear end to the front, or modified at will.
The supporting spring E, is preferably constructed as represented of a single rod
or bar of steel doubled or bent into the peculiar form shown. At its forward end
the spring bas a horizontal portion a, to receive and sustain the forward end or
neck of the seat, which is preferably looped around the same and secured by rivets
as shown.
From the two ends of the portion a, the spring is extended downward forming
the upright arms b, and bent thence backward in a substantially horizontal

page_text: direction to a point near the rear end of the saddle, where they are curved upward
and attached to the underside of a plate e, riveted or otherwise secured firmly to
the underside of the seat. This plate e, is made of a form corresponding with
that of the rear end of the saddle, whatever it may be. The ends of the spring
may be attached to the plate, and the plate attached to the seat in any suitable
manner. It is preferred to bend the rear ends of the spring upward in a horizontal
direction to give them a broad and firm bearing against the underside of the plate
and to pass the rivets downward through the seat, the plate, and the arms as
shown, one set of rivets thus serving to hold the three parts firmly together.
In making use of the saddle the spring arms are dropped downward on opposite
sides of the backbone as represented in the drawings, thus bringing the saddle
proper in position directly over the backbone and behind the steering head as
required. The springs may be attached firmly to the backbone in any suitable
manner, but for various reasons it is preferable to make use of the fastening clips
represented in the drawings. These fastenings consist of U shaped clips or
stirrups f, adapted to fit transversely on the upper side of the backbone with their
ends turned outward to engage beneath the two springs to give support thereto,
and of corresponding clips g, adapted to fit transversely upon the under side of the
backbone with their ends extended laterally above the spring arms and provided
with set screws h, to bear on said arms. There may be any desired number of the
clips and they may be located at any suitable points in the length of the springs,
their location being adjustable at the will of the user in order to regulate the
tension of the springs or the position of the saddle. By adjusting the screws the
springs may be drawn tightly upon the backbone and caused to engage firmly
upon the spring arms so as to hold the saddle securely in position.
It will be observed that the spring arms exert a longitudinal strain or tension
upon the seat, which is permitted, however, to yield in a vertical direction when a
weight is applied sufficient to overcome the tension of the rear ends of the arms.
The short upright portions b, are practically rigid, and consequently the seat is
without any tendency to move in a forward or backward direction, its yielding
movement being confined practically to a vertical direction. By shifting the clips
forward and backward with respect to the spring arms the seat may be given more
or less elasticity.
When the clips are all located near the forward end of the spring arms it will be
seen that the rear ends of the arms are free to rise and fall bodily, thus permitting
the saddle to yield without the flexion of the seat.
The adjustment of the clips toward the forward end of the arms also has the
effect of increasing the length of the flexible portion or portion which is free to
yield and thus to permit the seat to sink beneath a lighter weight.
It is to be observed as a peculiarity of this saddle that it may be adjusted
forward and backward to and from the head of the machine without affecting its
tension, and that on the other hand its location may be modified without varying
its tension, these two independent adjustments being highly advantageous in that
they admit of the saddle being adjusted to riders of different weights and to tastes
of different riders, some of whom prefer to have the saddle nearer the head than
others.
It is manifest that the clips bearing screws may be applied to the top of the
backbone and the others applied to the underside. If one set of clips be longer
than the other this reversibility will be found to be of advantage in that it admits
of the saddle being raised or lowered.
It is also manifest that the screws may be applied to both the upper and the
lower clips, as represented in dotted lines, and in this manner provision made for
raising and lowering the saddle bodily.
It is known that a flexible seat has been combined with a single supporting
spring exerting a longitudinal strain thereon, but the construction of saddle herein
described differs therefrom and is superior thereto in that the double spring may
.be applied to the two sides of the backbone, thus allowing the seat to be placed in

page_text: close proximity to the backbone instead of being raised an objectionable distance
therefrom.
The employment of the double springs is also advantageous in that it enables
one to secure the saddle more firmly against lateral movement, and in that it
admits of the saddle being raised and lowered upon the machine.
While it is preferred as before stated, to construct the entire spring E, of a
single piece of metal, it is manifest that two spring arms applied in the same
relative positions may be connected at the forward end by a device of any suitable
character adapted to sustain the forward end of the seat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The improved saddle for a bicycle, consisting of a flexible seat or saddle
proper, and a supporting spring having two substantially parallel arms with
upturned ends attached to the seat and adapted as described to apply a longitudinal
tension thereto.
2. In combination with the flexible seat of diminishing width toward its front
end or neck, the supporting spring consisting of a single elastic rod doubled and
bent upon itself and having its ends upturned and connected to the extremities of
the seat, substantially as described.
3. In a bicycle saddle, the combination of a flexible seat having a widened
rear end, and a supporting plate attached to the rear edge of the seat, and two
parallel spring arms attached to the plate and extended thence downward and
forward to the forward extremity of the seat.
4. In combination with the backbone of a bicycle, a flexible seat or saddle, two
longitudinal springs located on opposite sides of the backbone and connected to
the extremity of the seat to maintain a longitudinal tension thereof, and means
substantially as described connecting said springs with the backbone.
5. In combination with the backbone of a bicycle, a flexible seat or saddle, two
spring arms extending lengthwise of the saddle on opposite sides of the backbone
and acting as described to strain the seat longitudinally, and clips or fastening
devices adjustable longitudinally with respect to the backbone, whereby the saddle
may be adjusted forward and backward without affecting its tension.
6. In combination with the backbone of a bicycle, clips or fastening devices
applied thereto, and a saddle having two longitudinal springs connected to the
extremities of the seat and adapted to strain the same longitudinally, said springs
being adjustable longitudinally with respect to the clips, whereby the saddle may
be adjusted forward and backward and its tension or stiffness modified at the
same time,
7. In combination with the backbone and two saddle supporting arms on
opposite sides thereof, the clips applied to the upper and lower sides of the
backbone, and the adjusting screws applied substantially as shown.
8. In combination with a backbone and two saddle supporting arms on opposite
sides thereof, clips applied to the top of the backbone and engaging at their
ends beneath the arms, and secondary clips applied beneath the backbone and
engaging at their ends above the arms as described.