IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR SUPPORTING THE SADDLES OR SEATS OF BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ANDREW PEDDIE Junior of Sunderland in the County of Durham Foreman
Boiler Maker do hereby declare the nature
of my
said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR SUPPORTING THE SADDLES OR SEATS OF BICYCLES
AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to provide springs for supporting the saddles or
seats of bicycles and other velocipedes by the use of which the saddle or seat is
brought nearer to the backbone or frame and therefore in the case of bicycles a
larger wheel can be used without inconvenience while at the same time these
springs are very easy and give or yield to every motion of the body of the rider.
To carry out this object in a bicycle I pass a bolt or pin through the backbone in
a suitable position near the neck thereof and on each end of this bolt or pin
I secure the foremost end of a spring. These two springs one on each side of the
backbone are preferably exactly similar and may be made of any section or shape
that may be most convenient. For my purpose as aforesaid I prefer to make
them not too bowed in shape as the nearer they can allow the saddle to the
backbone the better so long as the saddle when the weight of the rider is on it does
not touch the same. In a convenient position at or about the middles of these
springs I flatten or broaden them out and form therein two corresponding series of
holes and in one or more pairs of these holes the saddle can be secured. This
arrangement allows me to adjust the position of the saddle forwards or backwards
on the springs while at the same time when once fixed the saddle cannot slip and is
very secure.
The rear ends of the springs which are preferably circular in section
pass through and work in two suitable holes or sockets in a bracket secured on
the backbone in the proper position therefor. These holes or sockets are formed in
the bracket in such a position that the springs as they bend work just clear and by
the side of the backbone. The saddle which may be of any pattern is secured on
these springs and is thus brought much nearer to the backbone than is usual
without decreasing in the slightest degree the ease and comfort of riding.
In other velocipedes I secure these springs in the same manner on the sides of
the backbone or other part of the frame in the required position.
Dated this 30th day of January 1884.

page_text: I ANDREW PEDDIE Junior of Sunderland in the County of Durham, Foreman
Boiler Maker do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGS FOR SUPPORTING THE SADDLES OR SEATS OF BICYCLES
AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The object of my Invention is to provide springs for supporting the saddles or
seats of bicycles and other velocipedes by the use of which the said saddles or
seats are brought nearer to the backbones or frames of the velocipedes and
therefore in and with bicycles a larger wheel may be used without inconvenience
while at the same time these springs are or can be made very easy and comfortable
for they give or yield to every motion of the body of the rider.
To carry out this aforesaid object instead of placing the spring for supporting
these saddles or seats above or on the top of the backbone or frame of the
velocipede as is usual I use two springs and I place one of these springs on each
side of the backbone or frame of the velocipede as is hereinafter explained. As the
weight of the rider is thus divided between two springs each spring can be made
lighter than is usual whereby the ease and comfort thereof in use is increased.
In order to particularly describe and clearly ascertain my Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed I refer to the accompanying Drawing in
which I have shewn my Invention as applied to a bicycle.
Figure 1 is an elevation of part of the backbone of a bicycle and Figure 2 is a
plan of the same.
A is the backbone of a bicycle and to apply my Invention thereto I pass a pin B
through the said back bone A in a suitable position in or near the neck C thereof
and on the two ends of the pin B I secure the foremost ends of the two springs D
and D¹. The pin B is made of such a length and the springs D and D¹ are secured
thereon in such a position that the said springs D and D' are just clear of the two
sides of the backbone A one of the said springs being on each side of the said
backbone. The springs D and D₁ are preferably exactly similar to each other in
shape and strength so as to give or yield equally and the said springs D and D'
may be made of any section and of any shape that may be convenient or desirable
in each case. For my purpose as hereinbefore mentioned especially for bicycles
I prefer to make the springs not too bowed in shape as the nearer they can allow
the saddle to approach the backbone so long as the saddle when the weight of the
rider is thereon does not touch the backbone the better it is as a larger wheel can
be used. I consider that the shape as shewn in Figure 1 is very suitable for this
purpose. In a convenient position at or about the middles of the springs D and D'
I prefer to flatten or broaden the same out as shewn at E and E' and in these
flatter or broader parts I then form two corresponding series of holes F and F' and
in one or more pairs of these holes F and F¹ the saddle or seat can be secured in
any convenient manner. The rear ends of the springs D and D¹ which are
preferably circular in section pass through and work in two suitable holes or
sockets formed in a bracket G secured in any convenient manner on the backbone A
in a suitable position for supporting the said rear ends of the springs D and D.
These holes or sockets are formed in such a position in the bracket G which said
bracket G is shaped accordingly that the springs D and D¹ as they give or bend
under the weight of the rider work just clear of and by the side of the backbone A.
I shew in the Drawing two convenient methods of securing the bracket G is
position on the backbone. Figure 3 is a cross section of a backbone shewing the

page_text: bracket G secured thereon by two or more screws or bolts H which pass through
the base plate of the said bracket G into holes tapped in the said backbone therefor.
This method is likewise shewn in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 is a cross section of a
backbone shewing the bracket & secured on one part of a suitable band K which is
made in two separate parts and this band K. so made is secured round the backbone
by screws or bolts passing through flanges on the ends of the said separate parts
or the corresponding ends of the said separate parts may be hinged together on one
side if I should so prefer. But though I consider that these methods as herein-
before described and shewn are the best for my purposes I do in no wise limit
myself to the same for I may secure the bracket to the backbone in any suitable
and convenient manner.
It is sufficiently obvious also that I can fit and secure these springs on the sides
of the backbones or other parts of the frames of other velocipedes of all kinds in
the same manner as is hereinbefore described and shewn and no further description
or explanation thereof can be needed.
The saddle or seat which may be of any pattern is secured on these springs in
any convenient manner preferably when the springs are so formed in the holes
made in the broader parts or portions of these said springs. This arrangement
allows me to adjust the position of the saddle backwards and forwards on the
springs with ease and rapidity while at the same time when once fixed the saddle
cannot slip and is very secure.
Thus by my Invention the saddle or seat is brought much nearer to the backbone
or other part of the frame of the velocipede not only without inconvenience but
with an increase of the ease and comfort of riding.
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
'
1. The springs for supporting the saddles or seats of bicycles and other
velocipedes the said springs each consisting of and being the two springs placed on
either side of the backbone or frame of the velocipede substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and set forth.
2. The combination of the two springs D and D¹ the pin B and the bracket G
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
3. The combination with the two springs D and D' and the supporting pin B and
bracket G herein before claimed of the flattened or broadened parts E and E¹ of the
said springs D and D' wherein are the series of holes F and F the whole combined
and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and
declared.