Improvements in Spring Apparatus for Carrying the Saddles or Seats of Velocipedes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Spring Apparatus for Carrying the Saddles or
Seats of Velocipedes.
I, ALBERT H. OVERMAN, of Columbus Avenue, Boston, in the state of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object the construction of an improved spring arrangement
on which a frameless leather or like saddle or seat is stretched or niounted and which
saddle or seat can be readily removed therefrom in case of rain or for other purposes
and whereby I am also enabled to adjust the tilt of such saddle or seat.
I arrange a suitable base or clamp for attaching the arrangement to a backbone,
seat-pillar or other part of a velocipede, and which may consist of a plate or base
carrying a split collar furnished with lugs to receive a bolt or pin and so be clamped
to such backbone, seat-pillar or otherwise.
To this plate or base I clamp by eyeletted screwed bolts and nuts or otherwise, the
ends of springs advantageously of steel rod or wire, the extreme ends of which can
enter holes or recesses in the said plate or base.
From the eyeletted bolts or securing devices, the springs are coiled forwards and
then proceed backwards and upwards on each side where they are again coiled, their
ends then taking a vertical or approximately vertical position.
These ends then enter into lugs or bosses on each side into which they are secured
by suitable locknuts. These lugs or bosses are joined by a horizontal bar or rod
which is advantageously cranked at its centre or provided with means for mounting
the bearing or pivot of a lever or handle as will be hereafter more particularly
described.
For convenience of description I will designate this bar or rod the "tie bar."
From the aforesaid "tie-bar" proceeds forward and at right angles to it a rod or
bar which I designate the "guide bar."
The forward end of the guide bar is pivotted to an arm or lug. To the arm or lug
is secured by bolt and nut a plate carrying a slotted projection at its upper end which
I designate the "hook-plate." Between the hook-plate and the arm or lug aforesaid
729

page_text: are clamped the vertical ends of another pair of springs, similar to those before
mentioned which are coiled below the hook-plate and arm or lug, which latter are
capable of sliding or being adjusted on the vertical portions of such springs, and after
the aforesaid coiling the springs proceed backward and are again coiled, their ends
entering and being secured to the plate or base by eyeletted bolts and nuts or like
clamping devices.
I form guides or grooves on the ends of the tie-bar to receive rods or bars united to
a collar or boss working on the guide-bar their ends being clamped in the said collar
or boss by set-screws or otherwise. These rods or bars after leaving the guides or
grooves in the tie-bar proceed horizontally then are curved upwardly and forwardly
and then are curved upwardly and backwardly where they unite in a seginent or
sweep to carry the back of the saddle.
I designate this the "stretcher.". To the collar or boss on the guide-bar I attach a
link pivotted to a handle working on a pivot or centre on the tie-bar which, as before
described, is advantageously cranked for the purpose.
By moving the handle the collar or boss working on the guide-bar is forced to
advance or retreat carrying with it the stretcher. The back of the saddle or scat
carries a channelled or hooked plate to engage with the stretcher and the front end a
hook or catch to engage with the hook-plate carried on the arm or lug aforesaid.
To ship the saddle or seat the handle is depressed which pulls the stretcher forward
on the guide bar. The chanelled hook or plate on the back of the saddle or seat
engages with the stretcher, and the hook on the front end is engaged with the hook
plate, the handle is then raised, the stretcher retreats and the saddle or seat is firmly
held at both ends resting on the springs.
Its front can be tilted or adjusted by moving the hook plate and arm or lug afore-
said on the vertical ends of the front springs.
To unship the saddle the handle is lowered and the stretcher advancing, the saddie
or seat can be unhooked at once.
I can if desired vary the arrangement by using a strap or connection to be
tightened by handle or otherwise to stretch the saddle or seat on the spring frame.
Dated this 11th day of February 1887.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Apparatus for Carrying the Saddles or
Seats of Velocipedes.
I ALBERT H. OVERMAN of Columbus Avenue Boston in the State of Massachusetts
United States of America Cycle Manufacturer 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 invention has for its object the construction of an improved spring arrangement
on which a frameless leather or like saddle or seat is stretched or mounted and which
saddle or seat can be readily removed therefrom in case of rain or for other purposes
and whereby I am also enabled to adjust the tilt of such saddle or seat.
In the accompanying drawings;
Figure 1. shews a side elevation of my apparatus the saddle being shewn in
section.
Figure 2. is a plan of the same the saddle being absent.
Figure 3. is a front elevation of the same.
Figure 4. is a detailed view of the handle and link operating the stretcher as
hereinafter described part of this view being shewn in section.
Figure 5. is a side elevation of an alternative arrangement.
To the above Figures and letters indicating different parts I now refer.
I arrange a suitable base or clamp for attaching the arrangement to a backbone,
seat or pillar or other part of a velocipede and this may consist of a plate or other
suitable device carrying a split collar furnished with lugs to receive a bolt or pin and
so be clamped to such backbone, seat, pillar or otherwise. To this plate or base A. I
clamp by cycletted screwed bolts B and nuts C or by other suitable securing devices
the ends of springs E. E' E E³ formed advantageously of steel rod or wire, the extreme
ends, F, (as shewn in the side view Figure 1.) of which can enter holes or recesses in the
said plate or base A. The said ends are shewn as bent after passing through the cycletted
bolts B. and entering the holes in the base A which bolts being screwed are then
secured by the nuts and washers C abutting on the under face of the base A. thus the
ends of the springs are firmly secured to the base or plate A. This plate or base is
shewn with a split lug G to clamp on to the L-pillar or other portion of a velocipede
or it can be otherwise fitted thereto.
From the eyeletted bolts or like devices securing the ends of the said springs they
are coiled forwards as at I. I' the limbs J. J¹ proceeding backwards where they are
again coiled at K. K' where their ends L. L' take a vertical or approximately vertical
position.
These ends L. L' then enter into lugs or bosses M. M' on each side into which they
are secured by suitable lock nuts N. N¹. These lugs or bosses M. Mare carried by
or joined to a horizontal bar or rod O which is advantageously cranked at its centre

page_text: as at P or may provided with means such as any suitable joint for mounting the
bearing of a lever or handle Q as will be hereafter more particularly described.
For convenience I will designate this bar or rod O, the " tie-bar as it connects
the upper portions of the rear coils of the springs.
"
From the aforesaid "tie-bar" (as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2) and from its cranked
portion proceeds forwards and at right angles to it, a rod or bar R which I call the
guide bar."
<<
The forward end of the "guide bar " R is pivoted to an arm or lug S and to this
arm or lug S is secured by bolt and nut T a plate U carrying a slotted projection V
at its upper end and having a slot in it where it abuts on the arm or lug and through
which the bolt T passes so that I can adjust it vertically and so tilt the fore-end of the
saddle or seat. I designate this the "hook-plate."
Between the "hook-plate" and the arm or lug S aforesaid are clamped the vertical
ends FF of another pair of coils 12 13 the "hook plate" U and the arm or lug S
being capable of sliding or moving on the said vertical ends F F and being clamped
thereto by the bolt T so as to tilt the fore-end of the saddle or seat if required by
raising the arin or lug S and hook plate U and clamping them or the ends F¹ F2.
After the aforesaid coiling as at 12 I³ the springs proceed backwards and are again
coiled as at K1 K2 their ends entering and being secured to the plate or base by eye-
letted bolts B1 B2 and nuts C1 C2 or like clamping devices. I form guides or grooves W
on the end of the tiebar Û to receive the rods or bars X united to a collar or boss Y
working in the guide bar R their ends being clamped in the said collar or boss by set
screws Z as shewn in drawing or otherwise.
These rods or bosses X after leaving the guides or grooves W in the tie-bar O
proceed horizontally then are curved upwardly as at a. a¹ (see Figs. 1 and 2)
where they unite in a sweep or segment 6 to carry the back of the saddle and I call
this sweep or segment the "stretcher."
To the collar or boss Y on the guide bar RI attach a link e pivoted to a handle Q
before referred to and working on a pivot or centre d in the crank of the tie bar 0.
By moving the handle the collar or boss Y is forced to advance or retreat carrying
with it the "stretcher" b. The back of the saddle or seat carries a channelled or
hooked plate e to engage with the "stretcher" (see Fig. 1) and the front end of the
saddle or seat a hook or catch to engage with the slot V in the hook plate U.
To ship the saddle or seat the handle Q is depressed (as shewn in dotted lines
Fig. 1) pulling the "stretcher" forward on the guide bar R. The channelled hook
or plate e on the back of the saddle or seat can now engage with the stretcher and
the hook on the front end of the saddle or seat is engaged with .the hook plate U,
the handle is then raised, the stretcher retreats and the saddle or seat is firmly held at
both ends resting on the springs as clearly shewn in Fig. 1.
The handle Qabuts on the channelled or hooked plate e and owing to the way it is
pivoted in the crank portion of the tie bar and to the link e requires force to depress
it so that it does not fall by mere riding or mounting and so release the saddle or
slacken its tension.
The saddle or seat front can be tilted by moving the hook plate U and the arm or
lug S on the vertical ends F1 F2 of the front coils I.
To unship the saddle or seat the handle Q is lowered and the stretcher advancing
the saddle or seat can be unhooked at once.
I can if desired vary the arrangement by using a strap or connection to be operated
so as to allow the saddle or seat to be stretched on or detached from the spring
frame.
Figure 5. shews the above arrangement. I connect the plate U and stretcher 6 by
a strap which when pulled down by a handle or strap 9 enables the plate U and
stretcher b to be pulled together and so allow the saddle or seat to be unshipped.
The strap takes the place of the guide bar or connection R when this method is
adopted.
The handle or strap g can engage with the ✓ pillar or other part of the machine
when the saddle is to be kept in position.

page_text: 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
First. The spring arrangement for carrying and unshipping the saddles or seats of
velocipedes substantially as described herein and illustrated by the accompanying.
drawings.
Secondly. A spring arrangement for carrying the seats or saddles of velocipedes
formed of alternating wires or rods coiled in opposite pairs, the ends of such coils
being attached to extensible devices for fitting a saddle or seat to such spring sub-
stantially as described.
Thirdly. Connecting the ends of a compound spring such as hereinbefore described
by a jointed rod or bar such as R and applying to the said rod or bar a stretching
device or guide capable of travelling thereon and adapted to engage with the rear end
of the saddle or seat and hold the same when such is to be mounted on the spring
substantially as described.
Fourthly. In combination with the jointed guide bar R the hook plate U the stretcher
lug or boss Y linke handle Q and the saddle carrying the hooks or plates adapted to
engage with the said hook plate and stretcher, substantially as described.
Fifthly. In combination with pairs of springs such as described furnished with
devices for engaging with hooks or plates on a saddle or seat, a strap or depressible
device connected to the opposite ends of the compound springs so that the same can
be drawn together to release the saddle or seat stretched thereon substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of November 1887
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.