Improvements in or relating to Saddles, and in the Method of Attaching same to Cycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr.. 1897-Accepted, 26th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
ROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Saddles, and in the Method of
Attaching same to Cycles.
JOHN CAWSEY DENNIS and HERBERT RAYMOND DENNIS, trading as Dennis
Brothers of 94 High Street, Guildford in the County of Surrey, Cycle Manufacturers
do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as follows:
Our improvements relate to that class of saddles known as "pneumatic saddles "
and the object of our invention is to render the pneumatic portion of the saddle more
readily detachable from the underframe than those at present in use and to provide a
firm seat for cycles used for racing purposes.
According to our invention we form the underframe of the saddle of a channel or
trough section and preferably with turned over edged. The air pad or tube is fitted
with a valve and enclosed in a leather or other suitable cover in the edges of which
endless or adjustable wires are inserted (or the edges may be thickened) and so
arranged relatively to the frame that the inflation of the air tube or pad causes the
cover to grip the frame thus securing the whole in place. When the air tube or pad
is deflated the cover is readily removed by any of the methods now generally known
and practised with regard to pneumatic tyres.
In order to ensure a firm seat for cycles used for racing purposes, we form the
frame of the saddle as part of or integral with the frame of the cycle, the back
stays being connected to the back portion of the saddle frame, the diagonal tube to
the middle portion and the top tube to the peak portion of the saddle frame, by
preference, but other points of connection may be substituted therefor.
For ordinary use, the frame is provided with the usual clip or clamp with or
without the use of springs.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.
Improvements in or relating to Saddles, and in the Method of
Attaching same to Cycles.
We, JOHN CAUSEY DENNIS and HERBERT RAYMOND DENNIS, trading as Dennis
Brothers at 94 High Street, Guildford, in the County of Surrey Cycle Manufacturers,
do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Our improvements relate to that class of saddles known as "pneumatic saddles"
and the object of our invention is to render the pneumatic portion of the saddle more
readily detachable from the under frame than those at present in use, and to provide
a firm seat for cycles used for racing purposes.

page_text: According to our invention we form the under frame of the saddle of a channel or
trough section, and preferably with turned over edges. The air pad or tube is fitted
with a valve and enclosed in a leather or other suitable cover, in the edges of which
endless or adjustable wires are inserted (or the edges may be thickened) and so
arranged relatively to the frame that the inflation of the air tube or pad causes the
cover to grip the frame, thus securing the whole in place. When the air tube or pad
is deflated the cover is readily removed by any of the methods now generally known
and practised with regard to pneumatic tyres.
In order to insure a firm seat for cycles used for racing purposes, we form the frame
of the saddle as part of or integral with the frame of the cycle, the back stays being
connected to the back portion of the saddle frame, the diagonal tube to the middle
portion and the top tube to the peak portion of the saddle frame, by preference, but
other points of connection may be substituted therefor.
For ordinary use, the frame is provided with the usual clip or clamp with or without
the use of springs.
And in order that our said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the saddle.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the metal frame of the saddle.
Fig. 3 is an underside plan view of the saddle top or cover with the inflatable tube
removed..
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional detail views.
Fig. 7 is an elevation illustrating a method of fitting the saddle to the frame of a
cycle, in order to provide a firm seat.
Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view of Fig. 7.
a is the metal under frame of the saddle, which is shown formed of a channel or
trough section, the edges being preferably turned over. b is the outer cover or saddle
top formed of leather or other suitable material and provided with a continuous or
adjustable wire in both edges, c, of the cover. The wires are of such a length that
when forced beneath the edges of the frame a they remain in position until again
removed by hand, force in a certain direction being necessary to detach the wires (and
cover) from the frame. The inflation of the air tube d causes the wires to still further
grip the frame whereby accidental blowing off or removal is prevented. As an extra
security we may form a lip al at suitable portions of the frame, as shewn in Figs. 2
and 4. The air tube d is provided with a valve e similar to an ordinary pneumatic
tyre valve, the valve passing through a hole in the frame, the edges of which are, at
this point, opened out to accommodate the valve stem.
In order that the ischial bones of the rider may not sink too far into the hollow of
the saddle, we provide straps of leather, webbing, or other suitable material, or two
pieces of leather laced together. The straps or pieces of leather are secured to the
cover or to the frame as desired; buckles may be fitted so that, should the leather
become stretched, the slack may be taken up and adjusted to the required tension.
The edges of the cover may be thickened without the use of wire, such thickened
edges serving to hold the cover to the frame in a similar manner to the wire
herein before described.
Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the saddle is shown connected to the frame of a cycle
without the use of a saddle pillar. The diagonal tube g is brazed to the upper tube h
in the usual manner, but the back stays i are connected to the diagonal tube by a
plate or crown k in which they are brazed.
The plate or crown k is formed with slots ll, in which two bolts m, m, (attached to
the saddle frame) slide. The front or peak end of the saddle frame a is provided
with a slotted tube n, in which a bolt o, passing through the top tube h, slides. The
bolts are each provided with nuts, rubber cushions p, and rubber or leather washers r
to check vibration, and to secure the necessary adjustment of the saddle.
The diagonal tube g is provided with a clamp or clip's for use when a saddle pillar
is used, the tube being cut or slotted longitudinally for this purpose.

page_text: The improved saddle may be fitted with or without springs, and the means for
attachment may be varied to suit different requirements; the method of attachment
shown by Figs. 7 and 8 being especially applicable for racing purposes, where a firm
seat is a necessity, and the frame is built to the measurements of the rider.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The hereinbefore described improvements in or relating to saddles and in the
method of attaching same to cycles, substantially as specified.
2. In pneumatic saddles for cycles, the method of and means for securing the outer
cover to the frame, consisting in providing the edges of the cover with a wire, or
otherwise forming thickened edges on the cover, in combination with a frame formed
of a channel or trough section, operating substantially as and for the purpose herein
described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, of the drawings.
3. In pneumatic saddles, the combination with a wired or thickened edge outer
cover and trough section frame as herein before described of the lips a' and straps or
pieces of leather f, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
4. The improved method of securing saddles to the frames of cycles, substantially
as herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings.
Dated 17th April 1897.
GEO. DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.