Improvements relating to Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM DOWNER MCCOY, residing at Franklin Avenue, in the Township of
Belleville, County of Essex, and State of New Jersey, United States of America,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The object of this invention is to secure increased lightness or reduced weight
in bicycles or velocipedes, to obtain greater simplicity without reducing the advan-
tageous riding qualities, and to reduce the cost of construction.
Other specific advantages will be referred to in connection with the descriptions
of the working parts.
Upon the frame of any ordinary bicycle is placed a vertical tube in which is
arranged telescopically a vertically sliding supplemental bar or portion, having a
horizontal extension on which the saddle has its bearings.
The sliding movement is regulated and controlled by a spring having a coil
and arms one of which latter has a bearing on the tube and the other on the
sliding portion the latter bearing being preferably a sliding collar held on said
rod by a set screw and thus adjustable.
By this construction the spring takes the weight of the rider.
At the horizontal part of the sliding bar is secured adjustably a seat carrying a
spring held by a suitable set screw.
The spring is firmly held on said seat and is of peculiar construction. At its
rear extremity, where it engages the seat, it is downwardly arched by which
means the angle of the spring and the saddle carried thereby can be adjusted
to suit the rider.
From the said curved or arched portion the spring extends upward and
forwardly to a point where it receives the suspension saddle seat. I prefer to form
said spring so that it extends upward and forward from the arched portion at an
acute angle with the horizontal portion of the sliding bar; then bend it to lie
horizontally to form bearings for a cantle spring and then, from said horizontal
part, give said spring a sharp upward and backward bend and finally a forward
turn, to engage the pommel of the saddle seat, the spring at its forward end
having a resemblance to a swan's neck.
The cantle is held by a cantle spring which is held to the pommel spring by
a clip and set screw, the said spring having a fixed relation to said cantle spring
so that the latter will not slide longitudinally thereon when pressure is brought
to bear on the pommel and said clip preferably having a slight pivotal movement
or play on the pommel spring, the set screws entering recesses or centres which
prevent slipping. An elastic spring or rubber may be interposed to further reduce
chattering.'
"
"
The rear portion of the cantle spring extends upward and enters the cantle
plate, a suitable socket being provided to receive it.
The pommel and cantle springs and the saddle seat are in proper relation to
one another by the tension of the said saddle seat, although they may be otherwise
held.
It will be noted that the pommel spring has a fixed bearing on the seat secured
to the horizontally adjustable portion of the frame of the bicycle, back from the
vertical line of the horizontal centre of the saddle seat, thus securing a very free
movement of the said seat and the forward bearing of the cantle spring, on the
pommel spring, is forward of said centre which also conduces to freedom at the
cantle.
Again, there are no coils interposed between the pommel and cantle supports

page_text: and as a result great tension can be brought on the flexible saddle to secure a firm
support for the body.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact constructions
positively described as changes may be made of a mechanical nature without
departing from the invention.
Dated this 20th day of March 1899
WILLIAM DOWNER MCCOY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM DOWNER MCCOY, residing at Franklin Avenue, in the Township of
Belleville, County of Essex, and State of New Jersey, United States of America,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 has for its object to secure increased lightness or reduced weight
in the saddles of bicycles or velocipedes, to obtain greater simplicity without
reducing the advantageous riding qualities and to reduce the cost of construction.
Other advantages will be referred to in connection with the description of the
working parts.
The invention consists in the improved bicycle or velocipede saddle and in the
arrangements and combinations of parts substantially as will be hereinafter set
forth and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.
Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like letters indicate corre-
sponding parts in each of the figures,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention, the saddle seat being in section
and
Figure 2 illustrates a variety in the form of the seat spring, also in side
elevation.
In said drawing, a indicates a vertical, tubular bar forming a part of the frame
of the velocipede, a', indicates a supplemental portion having a sliding telescopic
relation and operation to said portion a, as will be understood. The sliding
movement is regulated and controlled by a spring, b, having a coil, b, and arms 62
and 63. The arm, 3, has a suitable bearing on the vertical bar, a, while the arm b³,
has its bearings on the sliding portion a', the bearing, a³, being preferably a collar
held on said rod by a set screw, a', and thus adjustable thereon. The arm, 63, may
slide in the eye, a', of the collar. By this construction, the spring, b, takes the
weight of the body and admits of an easy vertical movement thereof.
At the upper part of the sliding bar the same has a horizontal turn, a², on
which is an adjustable seat, c, for a seat carrying spring d. The said seat being
horizontally adjustable and held by a set screw c¹. The spring, d, is firmly held on
a scat c, or upon the portion a¹, a³, by set screw or screws, c', and is of peculiar
construction. At its rear extremity, where it engages the seat, r, the spring is
given the form of a curve or are, the convexity being downward, by which means
the angle of the spring with the horizontal portion, a², and the position of the
saddle seat are changed or adjusted to suit the desire of the rider.
From the curved portion, d', thus described, the spring extends upwardly and
for wardly to a point where, in the preferred construction, it is adapted to engage
co-operating bearings of the suspension saddle. The means of connection between
the supporting spring and the pommel of the seat, may be any of those commonly
employed, but I prefer the construction and arrangement shown in the drawing, in
which the spring is shown to extend upward and forward from the arched

page_text: portion, d, as at d³, forming an acute angle with the horizontal bar, a', and thus
admitting of a vertical vibration of the saddle. At, the said spring is bent to
ie horizontally and provide bearings for a spring or rod, g, for supporting the
cantle of the saddle seat. From this bearing, the spring is given a sharp upward
and backward bend, as at d', and then a forward turn, as at d³, to engage the
bearing f. of the pommel, the spring here having a shape resembling that of a
swan's neck as ordinarily represented.
This shape of the spring, however, may be varied to suit other styles of seats or
connections as indicated in Fig. 2. The cantle spring or rod g, is, in the preferred
construction, held to the spring, d, at d³, by a clip, 91, and set screw, g³, the said
clip having a fixed relation to the said spring g, so that the latter will not slip or
slide longitudinally forward when pressure is brought to bear on the pommel and
the clip preferably having a slight pivotal movement or play on the bearing d³, the
set screws entering recesses or centres, d, which thus allow pivotal movement but
prevent slipping. An elastic spring or rubber block, r, may be interposed to
further reduce chattering or rapid vibration.
The rear portion of the cantle supporting spring or bar, g, extends upward and
enters the cantle plate, h, a suitable socket being provided to receive the said
spring at the centre thereof. The springs d and g, are held in or on their
bearings, and h, by the tension of the seat i, although they may be held in place
in any other suitable manner.
The arrangement of the pivoted rod, g, with the co-operating saddle supports is
such that when pressure of the body is brought upon the saddle seat, the pivotal
movement of said rod, operating on a centre beyond or apart the centre of the seat,
will tend to tension the said seat with great force and the greater the pressure on
the seat the greater will be the tension. As a result, central bowing or sagging
of the seat is largely prevented and a firm seat of peculiar or distinct quality and
yet having considerable elasticity is secured. It is evident that I may reverse
the arrangement of the seat supports to secure the peculiar tensioning effects
described.
Again it will be noted that the spring, d, has a fixed bearing at c, back from or
of the vertical line, m, of the horizontal centre of the saddle seat, i, thus securing a
very free movement of said seat.
The forward bearing of the spring, g, is forward of said centre, also conducing to
freedom of movement in an opposite direction.
By the construction described, the rider is allowed a free vertical movement
governed by the spring b, forward and rearward vibrations governed by springs g
and d, objectionable chattering is avoided, a firm seat for the body is secured, and
all without complicated combinations of parts and heavy weight of metal.
As before intimated, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the
exact construction shown, as I am perfectly well aware that various changes may
be made without departing from the scope of my invention.
9
I have illustrated one variety of the spring in Figure 2 where the parts d and
are shown as being integral. This construction is preferred where neatness and
simplicity is advantageous. In this case also, the bearing d¹, for the pommel
support is back of the centre line m, while the cantle support extends forward of
said centre line, but the clip is dispensed with and the integral connecting parts g¹
corresponding therewith forms counter bends d, g, with the partsd and g respectively,
and admits of a limited freedom of movement of the centre g³. In this case also
the weight of the rider tensions the seat i and yet allows of vertical freedom of
movement.
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
claim is :-
1. The improved velocipede seat herein described, in which is combined a seat, a
sanding downward and rearward to encare the frame of the

page_text: velocipede, a clamp for separable and adjustably securing the said spring to
the frame and a spring secured to said pommel spring about midway between its
bearing extremities and extending upward to support the cantle, substantially as
set forth.
2. A bicycle saddle composed of a bow shaped seat spring formed of two
members adjustably clamped together near the front end of the seat, the front
member being extended downwardly and backwardly from the point at which
the members are clamped together, to form a supporting arm for attachment to a
bicycle frame and a seat leather having its front and rear ends attached respec-
tively to the ends of the bow spring, substantially as set forth.
3. In combination with the horizontal portion, a², of the frame of a velocipede,
and a tension saddle, a spring secured upon said portion, a², back or from the hori-
zontal centre of the seat and extending forwardly and upwardly to receive the
pommel end of the seat and a cantle support having its lower bearing on the
spring, d, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. In combination with the frame a, of a velocipede, a vertically sliding
portion a', having the horizontal portion, a³, a saddle fastened on said portion, a³,
and a spring, b, having arms 3, 63, bearing on said parts a, a, respectively,
substantially as set forth.
5. In combination with the tubular frame portion a, having the bearing to receive
or engage the spring b, a sliding supplemental portion, a', having the horizontal
part a², and the adjustable collar a³, said spring & having bearings on said portion a,
and said collar, and a saddle seat, all said parts being arranged and combined
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. In combination with the pommel supporting spring, and the suspended seat i,
a cantle support g, pivoted upon said pommel spring, and an interposed spring r, at
the pivotal joint, substantially as set forth.
7. In combination with the pommel supporting spring and the suspended seat i,
a cantle supporting spring g, pivoted upon said pommel spring, substantially as set
forth.
8. In combination with the pommel supporting spring and a seat i, a cantle
supporting spring g, pivoted upon said pommel spring, and an interposed spring or
elastic block r, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
9. In combination with the pommel supporting spring and a seat i, a cantle
spring and clip, g¹, by means of which last the said cantle and pommel springs are
connected, and set screw or screws admitting of an adjustment of one spring on the
other to change the relation of the cantle or increase or diminish the tension of the
seat substantially as set forth.
10. In combination with the scat i, a pommel supporting spring having a recess
or recesses, d³, therein, a cantle spring bearing on said pommel supporting spring
and a set screw or screws for holding said springs in proper relation, the said screws
entering said recesses to prevent forward displacement when weight is brought to
bear on the cantle, substantially as set forth.
11. In combination with the seat i, a pommel supporting spring d, having a
bearing, d¹, an upward and forward extension, d², a bearing d³, for the cantle spring,
an upward and forward extension from said bearing d³, to receive the seat pommel,
and a cantle support pivotally secured on said bearing d³ and curved upward
directly to the cantle bearing, substantially as set forth.
12. In combination in a saddle, a seat i, a spring, d, engaging said seat at the
forward end thereof and extending backward and affording a bearing for attach-
ment to the frame of the vehicle, a support, g, secured to said spring and extending
rearward therefrom to receive the seat, a clamp securing said support to said
spring and holding the same in operative relation, and a spring interposed at the
point of connection between said spring, d, and support to allow of a limited
freedom of movement at the point of connection, substantially as set forth.
13. In a saddle, the combination with a pommel supporting spring d, a cantle
support pivoted upon the said pommel spring, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 14. In a saddle the combination with a flexible seat i, a support connected at one
end to one end of said seat and from thence passing the centre of said seat toward
the opposite extremity thereof, and engaging bearings thereat, a support for the
opposite end of the seat extending past said bearing toward the first said end
extremity of the seat, substantially as set forth.
15. In a saddle, the combination with the suspension seat of flexible material
and a suitable frame or bearing a³, of a seat support g, at one end carrying one of
the ends of the seat and having its opposite end extend beyond the centre of said
seat and thereat provided with pivotal bearings, substantially as set forth.
16. In a vehicle saddle, the combination with the seat i, and frame a³, and elastic
pommel support having a lower bearing back of the centre of the seat and a cantle
spring having its lower bearing forward of said seat centre, substantially as
described.
17. In combination in a saddle a seat i, and a supporting frame for said seat
composed of two members for supporting the pommel and cantle ends of the seat
respectively said pommel support having its lower bearing rearward of the centre
of the seat and said cantle support having its lower bearing forward of said centre,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of January 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.