Improvements in Saddles for Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
Improvements in Saddles for Cycles.
GEORGE HENRY BASSANO, No. 23, Lodge Lane, Derby, Manufacturing Elec-
trician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements in cycle saddles consist in the arrangement of the springs
of such saddles in a spring box or tube such springs to be operated upon by
a flanged spindle working through holes in the top and bottom of the spring
box after the fashion of buffers as applied to railway carriages.
And I carry out my said improvement or invention in the following manner
as one of the ways in which it may be applied.
I take a steel or brass tube of any shape in section (preferably round) about
1½ in. in diameter and about 2 in. in length (or any other suitable length or
size as will best suit my purpose) and I plug one end up with a washer or plug
of suitable thickness having a hole through its centre of any suitable size say
about 3 of an inch in diameter which may be of any section square or round
for example. This washer which may be called the bottom washer of the spring
box may be fastned in any suitable way as by brazing, soldering or screwing.
This washer or plug. when fastned forms the bottom of the spring box. To
the top of the box thus formed is fitted by screwing or otherwise so as to be
moveable a washer or plug similar to the bottom washer or plug having a similar
hole in its centre. I have thus a box of steel or brass (or it can be made of any
other suitable material) one end of which (the bottom preferably) is permanently
fastned and the other end of which can be removed when desired & through each
end of which is a hole into which a spindle may be fitted.
Into this box I fit a spindle in such a manner that it fits the top and bottom
holes in the washers or plugs. On this spindle is fitted (in a suitable place) a
flange which is made to fit loosly the inside of the box. I then fit into the box
a spiral spring of suitable strength and size and of such a length so that when
it is placed in the box and rests on the bottom it occupies such a space in the
box that when the flange of the spindle rests on the top of it the flange and the
spring together nearly fill the box so that when the top washer or plug is
screwed into the top of the box it forces the flange of the spindle down upon
the spring and thus puts both the spindle and spring in a state of
tension and by suitably adjusting the strength of the spring and the distance
to which it may be screwed down by the to washer any desirable tension may
be put upon the spindle of the arrangement.
I propose to use any kind of spring inside the box such as a spiral spring
made of round wire or any other section or it may be a flat spiral spring made
after the fashion of the springs used in the buffers of railway carriages. Or I
may get a suitable tension on the spindle for my purpose by means of India
rubber of suitable size and shape.
The metal springs may be made of steel or brass or any other suitable metal.
The arrangement of springs in a cycle saddle is well known and I propose

page_text: to use the spring boxes described to replace the present open springs. This
may be done by fastning the top of the spindles by any suitable means (such as
by screws) to a suitable frame work attached to the leather top of the saddle
and by attaching the box itself (in any suitable manner) to a bottom frame
work which is fastned to the seat lug of the cycle by means of a suitable clip
or_clips.
I propose to use a suitable number of spring boxes two or more as may be
required and is found most suitable. I propose to give additional elasticity to
the movement of the spindles when attached to the saddle by inserting suitable
rubber washers at each end of the box or boxes where the spindle moves
getting by this means any slight side or other movement (owing to the clas
ticity of the rubber) that may be required.
Dated this Eleventh day of December 1897.
GEORGE HENRY BASSANO, Manufacturing Electrician, 23, Lodge Lane, Derby,
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:-
My improvements in cycle saddles consist in the arrangement of the springs
of such saddles in a spring box or tube such springs to be operated upon by a
flanged spindle working through holes in the top & bottom of the spring box
somewhat after the fashion of buffers as applied to railway carriages. And I
carry out my said improvement or invention in the following manner as one of
the ways in which it may be applied:
I take a piece of steel or brass tube (or it may be tube made of any other
suitable materiel) of any shape in section preferably round about 1in. in
diameter and about 2 in. length and I plug one end up with a washer or
plug in. in thickness having a hole through its centre in. in diameter
which may be of any section, this washer which may be called the bottom
washer of the spring box, may be fastened in any suitable way as by brazing
or screwing. This washer when fastned. forms the bottom of the spring box.
To the top of the box thus formed is fitted by screwing so as to be moveable
a washer about 1/4 in. in thickness similar to the bottom washer having a
similar hole through its centre. I have thus a box of steel or brass (or it can
be made of any other suitable materiel) one end of which the bottom end is
permanently fastened and the other end of which can be removed when desired
and through each end of which is a hole into which a spindle can be fitted.
I now fit a steel spindle about 3 in. long into the box making it to fit in the top
and bottom holes in the box: on this spindle is fitted & brazed. so as to
be fast a steel flange about 1/16 in. in thickness and of the same diameter as
the inside of the spring box.
.
I have thus complete a metal box the bottom of which is fast and the top
capable of movement by screwing into which is fitted a flanged spindle or piston
to work inside it.
I now fit into this box a spiral spring (preferably a flat sheet spiral spring
made after the fashion of the springs used in the buffers of railway carriages
and technically known as buffer springs. of suitable strength and size and of
such a length so that when it is placed in the box and rests on the bottom it

page_text: occupies such a space in the box that when the flange of the spindle rests on the
top of it, the flange and the spring together nearly fill the box so that when
the top washer is screwed down into the top of the box it forces the flange of the
spindle down upon the spring and thus puts both the spindle and spring in a
state of tension, and by suitably adjusting the strength of the spring and the
distance to which it is screwed down by the top washer any desirable tension
may be put upon the spindle of the arrangement.
propose to use any kind of spring inside the spring box such as a spiral
spring made of round wire or of any other section." Or it may be a flat sheet
spiral spring made after the the fashion of the springs used in the buffers of
railway carriages. This kind of spring may be made for the present purpose
by taking a piece of sheet steel and of an inch in thickness and rs of an
inch in width and coiling it flatways spirally round a piece of round steel of
the same diameter as the spindle of the spring box. And it must be wound
so that when about four turns has been given to it, it is long enough when
levelled on the top & bottom to fill tightly the space between the flange of
the spindle & the bottom of the spring box when the spindle is in its place in
the box and the top washer screwed down. After it is thus made it is hardned
& tempered in the usual way.
Or I may use in place of the metal springs india rubber washers of suitable
size and shape. This may be done by taking three india rubber washers with
holes in their centres of the same diameter as the spindle. Two of these washers
to be of the same outside diameter as the inside of the spring box and the other
washer to be about 1 of an inch less in diameter than the inside of the spring
box. These washers are arranged in the spring box as follows. One of
the washers of the larger diameter is placed in the box at the bottom then the
washer of smaller diameter is placed in. and lastly the other washer of the
larger diameter and there washers together must be of such a thickness as to
fill tightly the space between the flange of the spindle and the bottom of the
spring box when the spindle is in its place in the box and the top washer is
screwed down.
The metal springs may be made of steel or brass or any other suitable metal.
The arrangement of springs in a cycle saddle is well known and I propose
to use the spring boxes here described to replace the present open springs.
This may be done by tapping the top of the spindle of the spring box and
fitting thereto a screw as is shewn in Fig. 2. G this screw when in its place
in the saddle passes clearly through the leather top and also clearly through
the iron frame work to which the leather top is attached and then screws into
the top of the spindle and thus fastens the spindle of the spring box firmly
to the saddle top.
When the required number of spring boxes are fixed to the saddle top in
this manner, (I prefer to use three springs boxes two at the back and one at
the peak of the saddle as is shewn in Fig. 1). I further attach the outside of
the boxes themselves to a suitable iron frame work or girder by means of screws
as is shewn in Fig. 1 which in its turn is fastened to the seat lug of the eye'
by means of a suitable clip. I propose to use any suitable number of sprin
boxes in a cycle saddle but preferably three, two at the back and one at the
peak of the saddle.
In order that my invention may be better understood I now proceed to de-
scribe the same with reference to the drawings hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 shews how an arrangement of three spring boxes herein described may
be attached to the leather top of the saddle.
The screws which fit into the top of the spindles pass in clearance through
the leather top and also in clearance through the iron frame work to which
the leather top is attached and then screws into the top of the spindles.
The iron frame work or girder is shewn attached to the outside of the boxes

page_text: by means of screws two being used at the back and one at the peak of the
saddle.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the arrangement of a complete spring box.
A is the tube or spring box.
B is the plug or washer which screws into the top of the spring box.
C is the spindle which works freely in the holes which are made through the
centre of the top and bottom washers of the spring box.
D is the flange fastened on the spindle which impinges on and works the
spring in the spring box.
E is a spiral spring through which the spindle passes.
F is the bottom washer of the spring box.
G is a screw which screws into the top of the spindle and is used to fasten
the arrangement to the top of the saddle.
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:-
The use in a cycle saddle of the combination of a spring or springs with a
spring box the springs thereof being operated upon by a spindle or piston
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Dated this Tenth day of September 1898.
GEORGE HENRY BASSANO.