IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SEATS OR SADDLES, APPLICABLE FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Agency for foreign
patent solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster Fellow
of the Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
SPRING SEATS OR SADDLES, APPLICABLE FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER
WHEELED VEHICLES a communication from Charles E. Duryea, a person
resident at Saint Louis, Saint Louis county, Missouri, United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors,
6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Fellow of the Institute of
Patent Agents
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SEATS OR SADDLES APPLICABLE FOR
BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES."-A communication from
Charles E. Duryea, a person resident at Saint Louis, Saint Louis County, Missouri,
United States of America.
This invention relates to a spring seat or saddle designed more particularly for
use on bicycles, but also adapted to be used on tricycles and other wheeled
vehicles,
It is the aim of the invention to provide a seat which shall be soft and elastic
but which shall yield only in a vertical direction, which will admit of the rider
sitting in close proximity to the backbone of the machine, and which may be
adjusted in tension to suit riders of different weights.
To this end it consists in a flexible frameless saddle or seat having its forward
ond connected positively and rigidly to the back-bone immediately in rear of the
steering head, and its rear end sustained by a transverse bar or plate secured to or
formed upon the upper end of an upright spring which has its lower end clamped
firmly but adjustably to the back-bone.
The improved saddle which consists primarily of a flexible or pliable sheet of
leather, canvas, or equivalent material of diminishing width from the rear en-i

page_text: forward, the outline being substantially the same as that of existing saddles. The
forward end of this flexible seat is provided with an eye or loop, through which
there is inserted a metal stirrup the forward end of which is secured to the forward
end or neck of the back-bone by means of a bolt passed transversely through the two
parts. It is to be noted that this bolt is inserted through the neck or raised
portion at the forward end of the back-bone immediately in rear of the steering
head, and that it serves as a means of positively sustaining or supporting the
forward end of the saddle above the back-bone, and of preventing the saddle from
At its rear end the seat is
being depressed so as to rest upon the back-bone.
connected firmly to and sustained by a narrow plate, of a form corresponding with
the edge of the seat. This plate is formed upon or secured rigidly to the top of the
flat upright spring the lower end of which is turned forward at substantially a
right angle so as to constitute a foot or base. This foot or base is seated upon the
back-bone and secured firmly in place by means of an encircling clip or any
equivalent fastening device. Screws may pass through the foot of the spring into
the back-bone but it is preferred to make use of a clip or an equivalent device
encircling the foot of the spring and the back-bone, for the reason that it avoids
the cutting or weakening of the parts, because it admits of the saddle being
applied without the employment of skilled labor, and also because it permits the
lower end of the saddle to be adjusted forward and backward upon the backbone
in order to vary its tension and the tension of the saddle as may be required.
The spring applied as above described under a proper degree of tension gives a
direct support to the rear end of the seat and at the same time exerts a strong
longitudinal strain or tension thereon. In this manner the seat is, given a
sufficiently rigid support to sustain the. weight of the rider in a proper manner,
but at the same time, is permitted to conform to the person of the rider and to riso
and fall with an easy comfortable motion. ⚫
In the event of the seat becoming stretched, or of its sagging in the middle, or
of its being required to carry an increased weight, it is only necessary to increase
the tension by moving the lower end of the spring backward.
The essential feature of the invention consists in a flexible seat or saddle without
a longitudinal supporting tree having its end sustained at elevated points, the
support at one point being an upright spring attached to the backbone and the
support at the opposite end being a connection with the head of the backbone of
The
such character as to maintain the saddle positively at the proper elevation.
foregoing is descriptive of a saddle attached to a bicycle but is also applicable to
saddles for tricycles and other similar vehicles and may be affixed to supports
provided for the purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of, the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Patent Office on the 29th April
1884.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors,
6 Lord Street Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Fellow of the Institute of
Patent Agents "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING 'SEATS OR SADDLES APPLICABLE FOR
BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES " :A communication from
Charles Edgar Duryea a person resident at Saint Louis, Saint Louis County,
Missouri, United States of America
This invention relates to a spring seat or saddle designed more particularly
for use on bicycles, but also adapted to be. used on tricycles and other wheeled.
vehicles.
It is the aim of the invention to provide a seat which shall be soft and elastic,
but which shall yield only in a vertical direction, which will admit of the rider
sitting in close proximity to the backbone of the machine, and which may bo
adjusted in tension to suit riders of different weights.
3
To this end it consists in a flexible frameless saddle or seat having its forward
end connected positively and rigidly to the backbono immediately in rear of the
steering head, and its rear end sustained by a transverse bar or plato secured to or
formed upon the upper end of an upright spring, which has its lower end clamped
firmly but adjustably to the backbone.
Referring to the accompanying drawings;―
Fig 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of an ordinary bicycle, having an
improved saddle applied thereto.
Fig 2 represents a top plan view of the same.
Fig 3 is a perspective viow looking against tho under side of the saddle as it
appears when detached.
:
Figs 4 and 5 are views illustrating modified forms of the spring.
Referring to the drawings:-
A represents the main driving and steering wheel which will be provided with
cranks or other propelling devices as usual: B the vertical fork in the lower end of
which the wheel is mounted and which is provided at the upper end with the
usual steering bar or handle: C the backbone or reach of the machine to the
forward end of which the fork is swiveled or jointed, and in the rear end of which
the rear wheel is mounted in the usual manner.
The drawings represent what is known in the art as a closed or Stanly head on
the fork adapted to embrace or encircle the vertical spindle at the forward end of
tho backbone.
:
E represents the improved saddle which consists primarily of a flexible or pliable
sheet of leather, canvas, or equivalent material, of diminishing width from the roar end
forward, the outline being substantially the same as that of existing saddles. Tho
forward end of this flexible seat is provided with an eye or loop b, through which
there is inserted a metal stirrup c, the forward end of which is secured to the forward
end or neck of the backbone by means of a bolt h passed transversely through the
two parts as represented. It is to be noted that this bolt is inserted through the
neck or raised portion at the forward end of the backbone immediately in rear of
the steering head, and that it serves as a means of positively sustaining or
supporting the forward end of the saddle above the backbone, and of preventing
the saddle from being depressed so as to rest upon the backbone. At its rear end
the seat is connected firmly to and sustained by a narrow plate d of a form
corresponding with the edge of the seat. This plate is formed upon or secured
i

page_text: rigidly to the top of the flat upright spring F the lower end of which is turned
forward at substantially a right angle so as to constitute a foot or base. This foot
or base is seated upon the backbone and secured firmly in place by means of an
encircling clip G or any equivalent fastening device. Screws may pass through the
foot of the spring into the backbone, but it is preferred to make use of a clip such
as shown, or an equivalent device, encircling the foot of the spring and the
backbone for the reason that it avoids the cutting or weakening of the parts,
because it admits of the saddle being applied without the employment of skilled
labour, and also because it permits the lower end of the saddle to be adjusted
forward and backward upon the backbone in order to vary its tension and the
tension of the saddle as may be required.
The spring applied as above described under a proper degree of tension gives a
direct support to the rear end of the seat, and at the same time exerts a strong
longitudinal strain or tension thereon. In this manner the seat is given a
sufficiently rigid support to sustain the weight of the rider in a proper manner,
but at the same time is permitted to conform to the person of the rider and to rise
and fall with an easy comfortable motion.
In the event of the seat becoming stretched, or of its sagging in the middle, or
of its being required to carry an increased weight, it is only necessary to increase
the tension by moving the lower end of the spring backward]
The essential feature of the invention consists in a flexible seat or saddlo without
a longitudinal supporting tree, having its end sustained at elevated points, the
support at one point being an upright spring attached to the backbone, and the
support at the opposite end being a connection with the head of the backbone of
such character as to maintain the saddle positively at the proper elevation. The
foregoing is descriptive of a saddle attached to a bicycle, but is also applicable to
saddles for tricycles and other similar vehícles, and may be affixed to supports
provided for the purpose.
"
Having now described the invention (as communicated to me) I wish it to be
understood that what I desire to protect under Letters Patont is:
1st. As a new article of manufacture, a bicycle saddle consisting of the frameless
flexible seat, the sustaining spring at its lower end, and the clip or equivalent
device at the forward end adapted for positive connection with the neck of the
backbone.
2nd. In combination with a bicycle, a frameless flexible seat E sustained at its
rear end by an upright spring F attached to the backbone, and sustained at its
forward end by a clip bolted securely to the backbone.
3rd. A flexible frameless saddle the forward end of which is connected to the
forward end of the backbone by devices adapted to sustain the saddle positively
against depression at the front.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto: set my
hand and seal this twenty eighth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
MITADSANT