Year: 1897

page_text: I, JOSEPH JACKSON TRAVELL, of 19, Noel Street, in the Borough of Nottingham,
Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in seats or saddles for velocipedes or the
like, and it has for its object to provide a seat or saddle which will be more
comfortable, and conform or accommodate itself more readily to the movements of
the rider, than seats or saddles as constructed heretofore.
In carrying out my invention the seating surface of the seat or saddle is
preferably formed of one piece of leather or other flexible material of suitable
breadth and length, with a preferably central extension of reduced width in the
front to form a peak, or an extension which may approximate to the ordinary peak.
This seating surface is preferably connected to the underframing at three points,
that is, at the two sides, and at or near the end of the front extension.
The underframing may be formed by a double or compound longitudinal spring,
which may be secured to the seat pin or pillar by a clip of the usual construction;
and a transverse member of suitable length secured to the rear of the longitudinal
spring.
The forward extension of the seating surface may be connected to the fore end
of the longitudinal spring by a hook or other convenient means, preferably
provided with a screwed shank, or a bolt, for adjusting the tension, whilst its two
sides are connected to the two ends of the transverse member.
At the point where the two sides of the seating surface are connected to the
transverse member of the framing, the edges may be strengthened or stiffened by
metal strips extending a suitable distance at the back and front of the point of
attachment, and the lugs or other means for attaching the seating to the
underframing, may be formed integrally with or connected to these strips, and the
latter be rivetted to the seating.
The rear part of the seating which is suspended at the two sides, is preferably
made of sufficient width, in order that the rider may sit between the two points of
suspension, and the tension of this part is adjusted transversely.
In order to provide an adjustment for this purpose, the connecting lugs on the
sides of the seating surface, may each engage with a screw or bolt which passes
through a bracket or lug secured to the transverse member, or through the
upturned ends of the transverse member, or hooks with screwed shanks, or other
convénient méans may be employed.
If preferred the two stiffened sides of the seating surface may be arranged to
oscillate in planes which are approximately vertical.
In this case I may form each of the side stiffening strips with a thimble or
bearing adapted to receive the outer end of a transverse pin, on which pins the said
stiffened strip will be thus pivotted.
The body of each pin is also formed with a screwed thread which is mounted in

page_text: and is thus adjustable in a bracket or lug secured to or formed on the transverse
member of the framing.
With this arrangement the stiffening strips or side supports of the seating
surface may oscillate, and the seating surface may thus accommodate itself to the
movements of the rider.
The tension of the rear part of the seating surface may also be readily adjusted
by adjusting the transverse pins in their supporting brackets.
If desirable india-rubber or other suitable packing material or cushions may be
placed between the metal stiffening strips or side supports and the seating surface.
Dated this 24th day of April 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, JOSEPH JACKSON TRAVELL, of 19, Noel Street, in the City of Nottingham,
Solicitor, 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 seats or saddles for velocipedes or the
like, and it has for its object to provide a seat or saddle which will be more
comfortable, and accommodate itself more readily to the movements of the rider,
than seats or saddles as constructed heretofore.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 2 a plan of a seat or saddle constructed according to my invention.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partly in section, and
Fig 4 a view of the under side of the seat or saddle.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 6 a plan showing a modified form of under framing.
Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section, and
Fig. 8 a view of the under side of a seat or saddle showing a modification of my
invention.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying out this invention, the seating surface of the seat or saddle is
preferably formed by one piece of leather or other flexible material AA¹ of
preferably the shape shown, the part A¹ being an extension of reduced width in the
front of the main transverse part A, in order to form or approximate to a peak.
The seating surface A A¹ as shown in Figs 1 to 6 is suspended or connected to
the underframing at three points, that is, at the two sides BB of the main
transverse part A, and at or near the end of the extension or peak A¹.
The underframing (see Figs. 1 to 4) may be formed by a double or compound
longitudinal spring C secured to the seat pin or pillar D by a clip D¹ of the usual
construction, and a transverse member E of suitable length secured to the rear ends
of the longitudinal spring C.
The extension or peak A¹ of the seating surface may be connected to the fore end
of the longitudinal spring C by an adjustable screw C¹ carried in a bracket C³
secured to the end of the spring C.
.
The end of the screw C¹ engages with a plate or lug C secured to the end of the

page_text: extension A and the tension of the latter may thus be adjusted by the screw C¹.
Other well known devices may however be used instead of the arrangement shown.
At each side B of the main transverse part or the seating surface A, is secured
a preferably metal stiffening strip F and the lugs or bearings G for attaching the
seating surface to the underframing, are preferably formed integrally with or
secured to these strips.
If desirable india-rubber or suitable packing material or cushions may be placed
between the upper surfaces of the metal stiffening strips F and the seating
surface A.
The lugs or bearings G are each formed with a preferably cylindrical hole
and fit on the plain outer ends of transverse pins or screws H, which latter are
carried in brackets I secured to the respective ends of the transverse members
E of the framing.
With this arrangement the two stiffened sides or edges at BB of the main
part A of the flexible seating surface, are capable of oscillating about the pins or
screws H as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the transverse part
may thus
accommodate or adjust itself to the movements of the rider who sits between the
two points of suspension B B.
By means of the screws H the tension of the part A of the seating surface may
also be adjusted transversely.
If preferred the sides B B of the main part A of the flexible seating surface may
be fixed, that is they may be so mounted as to be incapable of oscillating the
screws H being in this case merely eniployed for supporting, and adjusting the
tension of, the transverse part A of the seating surface.
In the modified framing shown in Figs. 5 & 6 the transverse member E of the
said framing is secured directly to a clip D¹ the latter in this case being provided
with extensions D2 to which the said member E is secured, and the extension of the
seating surface or peak A¹ is connected to the end of a spring L which is secured to
the member E or clip or both. With this arrangement the screw C¹ for
supporting and adjusting the tension of the part A¹ is mounted in a bracket Ca
secured to the spring L.
In the modification shown in Figs. 7 & 8 the extension or peak A¹ of the seating
surface is supported by an arrangement which also affords support to the middle of
the part A.
On the underside of the middle of the flexible seating surface A A', I place a
flexible spring J which preferably extends from the front of the extension or peak
A to the back of the main part A. This spring is supported by two or more
india-rubber or other suitable elastic buffers K, or suitable springs, placed at the
required points between the flat spring J and the spring L of the framing, the
latter being in this case placed in the position shown.
The middle supporting spring J, spring L and springs or buffers K, or a
modified form of the same, may if desired be used in conjunction with the extension
or peak supporting arrangement shown in Figs 1 to 6.
By suspending or attaching the flexible seating surface to the underframing in
the manner described, and adjusting the tension of the main part A transversely,
the said seating surface is prevented from forming an objectionable longitudinal
ridge in the middle, and it will also accommodate or adjust itself to the movement
of the rider.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1st. In a seat or saddle for a velocipede or the like suspending a flexible seating
surface such as A A¹ to an underframing at the sides BB of the part A and at or
near the front of the extension A' substantially as described.
2nd. In a seat or saddle for a velocipede or the like suspending a flexible seating
surface such as A A¹ to the underframing at the sides BB of the part A and at or

page_text: near the front of the extension A¹ the tension of the part A being adjusted
transversely substantially as described.
3rd. In a seat or saddle for a velocipede or the like suspending a single flexible
seating surface to an underframing at the sides so that they may oscillate
substantially as described.
4th. In a seat or saddle for a velocipede or the like suspending a single flexible
seating surface to an underframing at the sides so that it may oscillate and its
tension be adjustable transversely substantially as described.
5th. In a seat or saddle for a velocipede or the like the combination with a flexible
seating surface such as A A¹ suspended to the underframing at the sides B B of the
part A of a spring J and springs or buffers K substantially as described.
6th. In a seat or saddle for a velocipede or the like the combination with a
flexible seating surface such as A A¹ of an underframing such as CE lugs or
bearings G on the sides of the seating surface A and pins or screws such as H which
form pivots for the lugs or bearings G to oscillate upon and a means of adjustment
substantially as described.
7th. In a seat or saddle for a velocipede or the like the combination with a
flexible seating surface such as A A¹ of an underframing comprising a transverse
member such as E connected to a clip D' and a longitudinal member such as L for
supporting the extension or peak A² lugs or bearings such as G on the sides of the
seating surface and pins or screws H which form pivots for the said lugs or bearings
to oscillate upon and a means of adjustment substantially as described.
8th. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete seat
or saddle for a velocipede or the like substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
J. JACKSON TRAVELL.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.