Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1896
I, JAMES HUMPHREY SNOW, of 16 Old Change, St. Paul's Churchyard in
the County of London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following stateinent :-
The present invention relates to a construction of saddle for velocipedes, with a
base or support for a pneumatic cushion having separate chambers or compart-
ments on opposite sides of the longitudinal middle line of the saddle, and a
communicating passage permitting both chambers to be inflated through a single
opening; this passage, however is so small that the air does not readily pass from
the one chamber to the other, so that while the cushion on the one side of the
Baddle can yield, the air passing from it into the cushion on the other side, there is
no such sudden passage of the air from the one side of the seat to the other, as
can produce objectionable instability.
The base portion which forms the support for the pneumatic cushions is covered
with a somewhat yielding material such as leather, which also covers and encloses
the pneumatic cushions, in junction with which a padding material is preferably
employed, extending along the periphery of the seat portion of the saddle, and
covering the horn portion, but such padding may be dispensed with, and a
pneumatic cushion employed having a supplemental chamber extending over the
horn portion of the saddle, and communicating with the other air chambers.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of the base or supporting portion of the saddle, with the cushion
and its cover removed.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of the base portion with the cushion on, a portion of the
cushion being shewn in section.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the saddle complete.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section.
Fig. 5 a plan partly in section showing a modification.
The base portion a, Fig. 1, is preferably of wood and of the usual shape for a
velocipede saddle, having a main seat portion of substantially oval shape with a
horn projection at the front. It has a central longitudinal rib a projecting
upwards, to which the outside cover of the saddle is secured, as will be hereinafter
described.
With the form of saddle shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the sides and horn portion
of the base are covered with padding as, such as felt.
The padding at the front or horn portion of the base extends completely over
the rib a, as shewn in Fig. 4, the upper face of the rib being somewhat cut away
30 as to give more room for the padding; the rib is extended to the front of the
saddle merely for the purpose of strengthening the base. Supported upon the
base a is a pneumatic cushion consisting of chambers 6 and 62, one lying on each

page_text: 63
side of the rib a³ and extending to the periphery of the saddle over-lying the
padding a which thus forms a yielding support for the outer edges of the cushion.
The chambers 6 and 62 as indicated in Fig. 2 are connected by a small passage
in a tube, which extends across from one side to the other at the rear of the
rib a', which is cut away at a 20 for this purpose.
The passage 63 affords only a restricted communication between the two cushions
which are inflated through a suitable valve nipple 6, the air pumped into the
chamber 6 passing through the passage 63 to the chamber b.
Over the pneumatic cushion a covering of yielding material such as leather is
stretched and secured at the rear of the saddle to the side of the base a by
screws c³, passed through a band of metal c to tightly clamp the leather against
the edge of the base.
The base a at its rear edge is preferably thickened at 6 to afford a wider bearing
for the clamping piece c, as shewn in Fig. 4.
Along the side and horn portions of the saddle the leather cover is preferably
inade with an edge portion or binding stitched to the edge of the cover at c
this binding being sufficiently wide to extend under the base and to be secured by
tacks c.
The leather cover is preferably moulded to form a depression along the middle
line thereof, the depressed portion lying upon the surface of the rib a² and being
secured thereto by means of screws or tacks c', a strip of metal or other suitable
material, being preferably interposed between the leather and the heads of the
screws c. This metal strip e8 preferably extends down as shewn in Fig. 4 along
the rear end of the saddle to the lower edge of the thickened part 6°.
The saddle may be supported as usual, and may have, as shewn, a spring or
supporting piece d secured to the under side by bolts which preferably extend
through the rib a².
By the construction above described, a pneumatic cushion is provided on the
main or supporting portion of the saddle, while the horn, which is not adapted to
support any of the rider's weight, is maintained in shape and sufficiently cushioned
by means of the padding.
Two practically separate cushions are provided, one on each side of the saddle,
in which the pressure is substantially equal, thus providing an even seat, all
unsteadiness, however, being obviated, by the restricted nature of the com-
municating passage between the two chambers, which admits, however, of a
gradual yielding of oue side when required.
If desired, the horn may be provided with a pneumatic cushion, the padding a
being dispensed with. This construction is shewn in Fig. 5, in which there is the
supplemental chamber connected to the chambers and 6 through the small
metallic tubes & supported in the partitions 6 which separate the three chambers.
In this case, the passage is dispensed with and the rib a extends quite back to
the rear edge of the base a as indicated in Fig. 5.
In saddles constructed according to this invention, the pneumatic cushions may
be easily removed for repairs, by taking out the screws, c and lifting the rear flap
of the cover c, without disturbing the permanent fastenings along the sides and
front. In the form shewn in Fig. 5 it is also necessary to remove the middle
fastening strip in order to allow the front air cushion to pass over the rib a³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A velocipede saddle comprising a base or support, a longitudinal middle rib
projecting from the upper surface of the base, padding material secured along the
edges and covering the horn a pneumatic cushion on each side of the middle rib
and a cover of yielding material secured to the base, and covering the padding
and cushions, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. A velocipede saddle comprising a base or support, a pneumatic cushion, on
each side and on the horn portion, and a cover of yielding material, secured to the
base and covering the cushions substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of September 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.