IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES." 1 L T HAKA BICYC
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Thomas Townsend, of Nuneaton, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES."
1
L T
HAKA
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Thomas Townsend at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th January 1878.
ISAAC THOMAS TOWNSEND, of Nuneaton, in the County of Warwick.
MENTS IN BICYCLES."
"
'IMPROVE-
My Invention relates to improvements in bicycles, and consists, first, in an im-
provement in sliding seats, whereby the seat can readily be shifted when required
without being liable to move when not desired to do so.
The mechanism of my improved sliding seat is strong, durable, and reliable in its.
action, and can be used in connection with any ordinary saddle.
According to my Invention, the seat, instead of being clamped to the seat spring
by a cross bar as usual, is bolted to a plate that lays upon the spring, and has
grooved friction rollers embracing and working along the edges of the spring at the
front end, and towards the rear end is connected to a pair of radius levers working
on centres carried by a cross bar clamped adjustably to the spring. The connection
between the plate and levers is by a cross spindle connecting the two levers, the
said spindle passing through a box formed on the plate, and having wound tightly
upon it a spiral spring attached by one end to the spindle, and by the other to the
box, so that on swinging the levers and sliding the plate backwards, the spring
receives an additional amount of torsion which tends to return the plate to its
forward position again.
The seat is moved backwards by the rider pressing against the forward edge of
the saddle, and is retained in the backward position against the power of the spring
by the rider's weight, the seat springing forward automatically immediately it is
released of the weight.
My Invention consists, secondly, in an improved bind wheel bearing, and consists
in a parallel bearing made adjustable by circular bosses or shoulders formed on the

page_text: inside of the hind wheel fork around the spindle, the said bosses or shoulders being
received in recesses in the hub of the wheel containing hard polished steel washers
for the bosses to work against, and being surrounded by annular leather washers
fitting in the recesses in the hub of the wheel to keep out the dust.
The hub of the wheel is fitted with a parallel steel bush, and the axis or spindle
on which it runs is a parallel steel pin secured by screwing in the hind wheel fork
through the bosses, and locked by a nut. This arrangement enables the limbs of
the fork to be drawn closer together, and the bosses to be tightened up against the
washers which are loose on the pin, the object being to prevent the side shake
arising from the wear of the bush and spindle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Isaac Thomas Townsend in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
July 1878.
ISAAC THOMAS TOWNSEND, of Nuneaton, in the County of Warwick. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BICYCLES."
My Invention relates, first, to an improvement in sliding or movable seats for
bicycles, and consists in an arrangement whereby the rider is enabled to shift the
saddle backwards along the spring at will, without leaving go of the handles or
losing command of the pedals.
The mechanisn which can be used in connection with any ordinary saddle is
strong, durable, and reliable in its action; the seat can be readily moved backwards
when desired without being liable to slip when it ought to be firm, and it is thrown
forward again to its normal position by a spring enclosed, and so arranged as to
admit of the saddle being readily adjusted to any position on the seat spring
without interfering with the action.
According to my Invention the saddle, instead of being clamped to the seat spring
by a cross bar as usual, is bolted to a plate that lays upon the spring, and has
grooved friction rollers embracing and working along the edges of the spring at the
front end, and towards the rear end is connected to a pair of radius levers working
on centres carried by a cross bar clamped adjustably to the spring. The connection
between the plate and levers is by a cross spindle connecting the two levers, the
said spindle passing through a box formed on the plate, and having wound tightly
upon it a spiral spring attached by one end to the spindle, and by the other to the
box, so that on sliding the plate backwards the spring receives an additional amount
of torsion which tends to return the plate to its forward position again.
The seat is moved backwards by the rider pressing against the forward edge of
the saddle, and is retained in the backward position against the power of the spring
by the rider's weight, until by slightly raising his body the rider partly relieves
the saddle of his weight, whereupon the seat is thrown forward again by the
spring.
My Invention relates, secondly, to an improved hind wheel bearing, and consists
in a parallel bearing made adjustabie by circular bosses or shoulders formed on the

page_text: the wear of the bush and spindle.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of the improved sliding seat mechanism for
bicycles, the seat being in the forward position in Figure 1, and in the backward
position in Figure 2.
Figure 3 and 4 are front and back elevations; and Figure 5 an under side view
of the same, the seat spring being partly broken away in the latter Figure.
Figure 6 is a central vertical section of the hind wheel hub and bearing.
The saddle A is fixed to a plate B of malleable cast iron by bolts a passing
through ears on said plate at either side of the seat spring C. This plate B is
furnished at the front end with two downwardly projecting pins carrying grooved
friction rollers b which embrace and run along the edges of the spring C, as shown,
to prevent the horn of the saddle rising during the backward and forward move-
ment. The plate B rests upon the spring C, and is provided with an upwardly
curved rear extension to support the cantle of the saddle. At the rear end of the
flat part of the plate B it is jointed between a pair of radius levers D, D, one at
either side of the spring C. These levers D work on centres d, d, carried by a
clamp E passing under and embracing the edges of the spring C, and firmly secured
in place thereon by a set screw e passing through the clamp E, and bearing against
the under side of spring C. By releasing this screw the position of clamp E may be
readily adjusted as required, so that the saddle may be set to any point of the
spring C, and will always shift backwards the same distance from the point to
which it is set.
The levers D are connected at their other extremities by a cross spindle F fixed
in said arms, and passing freely through holes in the end of a small half-round
box G formed on plate B. Around this spindle a spring g, Figure 5, is tightly
wound and connected by one end to said spindle, and by the other to the plate B,
so that as the spindle F is rotated in the box G by the movement of the arms D
through the circular are indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1 in the act of sliding
the saddle backwards, the spring g is wound tighter and tends to throw the saddle
forward again. During this backward and forward movement the hind part of the
saddle is raised by the levers D, as the latter describe the said arc, and so the
weight of the rider by keeping the seat down when in its backward position,
prevents the spring g throwing the seat forward again until the weight is removed.
The extent of traverse of the saddle depends upon the length of levers D, and is
generally about three inches, more or less, as required.
To facilitate mounting the bicycle a catch H, Figure 2, may be provided on the
saddle to engage with the spring C and hold the saddle back until the rider is
seated if required.
In Figure 6, I is the hind wheel hub fitted with a parallel steel bush i; K, K, are
the extremities of the hind wheel fork formed with circular bosses or shoulders k on
the inside, and L is the axle or spindle on which the hind wheel runs. The
bosses are received in recesses of somewhat larger diameter bored in the ends of
the hub of the wheel, and sufficiently deep to receive also hard polished steel
washers m for the bosses to work against, as shown; n, are annular leather
washers which completely fill up the space around the bosses k, and thus exclude
dust. The spindle L is a parallel steel pin secured either by being screwed into

page_text: F
the one boss k, and locked by a nut, as shown, or by a taper pin in lieu of the screw.
By either of these means the fork K may be tightened up against the washers m to
take out the side shake; or it may be tightened up by inserting thicker or
additional washers m, supposing the length of the spindle L to be invariable.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. Connecting a bicycle seat or saddle movably to the seat spring by radius
levers or arms, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2nd. The combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as shown and
described for connecting the sliding seat of a bicycle adjustably to the seat spring
and for automatically returning it to its forward position after it has been moved
backwards, as specified.
3rd. A parallel hind wheel bearing of a bicycle made adjustable to compensate
for wear, and dustproof, by means of bosses on the hind wheel fork received in
recesses containing washers in the hind wheel hub, and tightened up therein, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Thomas, Townsend, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
T
תזוAITY-YONA