Improvements in Saddle or Seat Supports, more particularly applicable to Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Saddle or Seat Supports, more particularly
applicable to Velocipedes.
We, JOHN ALEXANDER SHAW-MACKENZIE, M.D., of 31, Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor
Square, and ERNEST AUGUSTUS CROWSLEY, Cycle Agent, of 167, Victoria Street,
Westininster, both in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in saddle or seat supports; and it is more
particularly applicable to velocipedes, although it may be employed in connection
with other vehicles or machines.
The object of our invention is to provide a saddle supporting device that will
permit said saddle to rock in a lateral or transverse direction and thereby accommodate
itself to the movements of the rider during the movement of his legs in actuating the
pedals, the means employed for affording this rocking movement being independent
of the construction of the saddle.
According to our invention we provide a saddle support in which that portion of
the support to which the saddle is secured, is pivotally carried or is mounted in a
sleeve or tubular support or supports in which it is free to turn or oscillate, the
amount of its movement being limited by a suitable stop or stops.
For example, in one form of our invention, as applied to a bicycle or tricycle saddle
support, we construct the saddle post with a tubular socket at its upper end adapted
to fit over the cylindrical or tubular pin, or that portion to which the saddle is
secured. This latter portion of the saddle support is provided with one or more
grooves or slots into which projects the inner extremity of one or more pins or
studs screwed or otherwise secured in the said tubular socket. The length of the
groove or slot is governed by the extent of oscillatory movement that it is desired to
allow to the saddle. The said pin or stud also serves to prevent longitudinal
displacement of the saddle pin in its socket.
It is obvious however that we may employ other means for preventing the longi-
tudinal displacement of the saddle pin and for limiting the amount of its angular
movement. For instance these purposes may be effected by suitable stops, such as
nuts or projections, carried by the saddle pin and arranged at each end of the socket,
and adapted to come against corresponding projections formed on the said ends,
whereby the angular movement of the saddle pin will be limited.
If desired these stops may be adjustable and removable.
I may sometimes employ a ball bearing for the oscillatory saddle pin.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Saddle or Seat Supports, more particularly
applicable to Velocipedes.
We, JOHN ALEXANDER SHAW-MACKENZIE, M.D., of 31, Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor
Square, and ERNEST AUGUSTUS CROWSLEY, Cycle Agent, of 167, Victoria Street,
Westminster, both in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in saddle or seat supports; and it is more
particularly applicable to velocipedes, although it may be employed in connection
with other vehicles or machines having pedals for driving them.
The object of our invention is to provide a saddle supporting device that will
permit said saddle to rock in a lateral or transverse direction and thereby accommo-
date itself to the movements of the rider in actuating the pedals, the means employed
for affording this rocking movement being independent of the construction of the
saddle.
According to our invention, the portion of the support to which the saddle is
secured, is pivotally carried or mounted in a sleeve or socket in which it is free to
turn or oscillate, the amount of its movement being limited by a suitable stop or
stops.
By this arrangement the centre of oscillation may be brought very near to the
plane of the seat, so that the lateral displacement of the seat in its oscillatory move-
ment is comparatively small.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect, we will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the accom-
panying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a part sectional side elevation of one form of our improved saddle
support, showing the saddle thereon.
Figure 2 is a plan of a portion of the support; and
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, x of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a part sectional side elevation; and
Figure 5 a plan of another form of saddle support constructed according to our
invention.
Like letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.
A is the saddle; B is the saddle pin, or that portion of the saddle support to which
the saddle is attached by means of the clip a or by other appropriate means; and C
is the saddle post, or that portion of the saddle support that is secured to the
velocipede, or other vehicle or machine to which our invention may be applied.
Referring first to the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the saddle post is
provided with a tubular socket c at its upper end constituting the barrel or case of
a ball bearing by which the saddle pin is supported, as shown.
c¹ is a cylinder or sleeve having bevelled edges forming the cones of the bearing,
the said cylinder fitting the pin which is adapted to be detachably secured therein by
the stud screwing into corresponding holes formed in the cylinder and in the
saddle pin. c2 c² are the cups or ball races of the bearing provided with screw threads
on their peripheries engaging corresponding screw threads on the socket c, whereby
they are capable of adjustment. The ends of the socket are split and provided with
lugs which are engaged by bolts by means of which said ends may be tightened upon
the cups in the usual manner.
The socket c is provided with a groove or slot d' into which projects the extremity
of the stud d. The length of the groove or slot is made to correspond with the
extent of oscillatory movement that it is desired to allow to the saddle. Two or more
such grooves d¹ and studs d may be employed. In order to maintain the saddle

page_text: normally in its horizontal or central position we may employ springs d² d², which may
be secured to the socket and bear against the stud d, or may be attached to said stud
and bear against projections on the said socket.
Instead of the stud however we may employ other means for limiting the amount
of the angular movement of the saddle pin. For instance, this purpose may be
effected by suitable stops, such as a nut or projection or nuts or projections
carried by the saddle pin and arranged at one or at each end of the socket, and
adapted to come against corresponding projections formed on the said ends, whereby
the angular movement of the saddle pin will be limited. If desired these stops may
be adjustable and removable; and they may also serve to secure the pin B to the
cylinder c¹. Moreover, instead of the springs d, we may employ one or more helical
springs connected at one extremity to the socket and at the other to the saddle
pin.
In the construction shown in Figures 4 and 5 the saddle pin itself forms the barrel
of the ball-bearing and is carried by a spindle b secured to the socket c, provided at the
extremity of the saddle post, in any suitable manner. In the construction shown the
end of the spindle screws into such socket and is adapted to be secured therein by
the set screws c* c*. The saddle pin is provided with fixed cups or ball races c² c², and
the spindle with a fixed cone c¹ and an adjustable cone cx, in the well known
manner.
For controlling or limiting the angular movement of the saddle pin we employ a
plate & rivetted or otherwise secured to the saddle pin B, the end of which plate
projects beyond said pin and is adapted to come against, and to be limited in its
movement by, the stops d¹ d' fixed upon the socket c. Any other device may however
be employed for this purpose.
It will be observed that, in both the constructions shown, the saddle pin is rever-
sible, that is to say it may be disposed either in front of, or at the rear of, the saddle
post. In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 3 the reversal would be effected by
unscrewing and removing the stud d, withdrawing the pin B from the cylinder c¹ and
replacing it therein from the opposite end of said cylinder. In the construction
shown in Figures 4 and 5 the reversal would be effected by releasing the set screws cx,
unscrewing and removing the spindle from the socket and replacing it therein from
the opposite end.
In connection with longitudinally divided saddles, we may employ two oscillating
saddle pins, one half of the saddle being mounted on each pin.
It is to be understood that, with reference to the bearing for the oscillatory saddle
pin, instead of balls we may employ rollers or other antifriction devices; or we may
dispense with the use of an antifriction bearing and mount the said saddle pin
rotatably in a sleeve or socket formed at the upper extremity of the saddle post, in
which case the stud d, or other contrivance employed for effecting the purpose
thereof, could also serve to prevent longitudinal movement of the saddle pin
relatively to the sleeve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performned, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A saddle or seat support in which the saddle pin is so combined with the saddle
post that said pin is capable of oscillatory movement, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
2. A velocipede saddle support having its parts constructed, arranged and combined
to operate substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, or Figures 4
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.