Improvements in and relating to Saddles for Velocipedes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Saddles for Velocipedes.
A communication from abroad by ARTHUR LOVETT GARFORD of Elyria County of
Lorain and State of Ohio, United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester both in
the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Civil
Engineer 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a saddle that can be adjusted to riders of
different weights; that will be easy to ride; that will have very little, if any, side
motion, and that when the main spring is depressed the motion of the rider will be
rearward and downward.
These objects are attained by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2 a front view of the invention, showing its
application to the common saddle support of a tricycle or safety bicycle.
Referring to the parts by letters:
A represents the usual form of L-shaped saddle support of a tricycle or safety
bicycle. B represents a flat and substantially U-shaped spring, the lower leg of
which lies in a substantially horizontal plane. This spring B may be made of two
or more round wires or of any other shape of material curved and bent into
substantially the form shown in the drawing and perform the same functions; but
it is preferable to make it of flat steel, as shown in the drawing, herein particularly
described. The lower leg of the spring is of sufficient length to pass through the
clamp by which it is secured to the support of the bicyclo or tricycle, and also
to be capable of any desired adjustment forward or backward to give it any desired
elasticity to suit the weights of different riders. The rear end of the upper leg of
this spring is curved more or less upward and provided with a bolt hole or other
means for attaching the back of the frame of a saddle seat thereto. C represents an
adjustable clamp having a hole through which the lower leg of the spring B passes,
and having also a second hole below the first for the reception of the saddle support.
c represents a set screw for holding the lower leg of the spring B rigidly in engage-
ment therewith, and c¹ a set screw for securing the clamp to the bicycle or tricycle
saddle support. D represents another adjustable clamp, which so constructed as to
be rigidly secured to the upper leg of the spring near the front end thereof, which
clamp may be moved back and forth along said leg for the purpose of taking up slack
in the saddle seat. To this clamp D is attached a spring d, of substantially the form
shown in the drawing, the essential characteristic of which is, when combined with
the other parts of the device as shown, that the motion of said spring, at the point of
attachment with the saddle seat, will principally be rearward and very slightly down-
ward. The front end of the saddle seat or cover is attached to the upper end of this
spring d by any suitable means. E represents the back frame of the saddle, of any
suitable form, which is attached to the rear end of the upper leg of the spring B and
to the rear end of the saddle seat or cover, which is of proper length to be held
taut when attached at its front end to the spring D, as described, and its rear end
to the frame E.
When the parts above described are secured together in the manner shown, and the
saddle is secured to the bicycle support, it is adjusted to accommodate the weight of
the riders as follows:-
The greater the weight of the rider, the farther rearward the lower leg of said

page_text: spring should be fastened in the clamp C; and the less the weight of the rider, the
farther forward should said leg be held by said clamp. The weight of the rider being
principally back of the point of attachment of this spring to the clamp C, the
motion of the saddle seat or cover when depressed by a rider will be rearward
and downward. The width of the spring B should be sufficient to prevent any
twisting or side motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a saddle, for a bicycle or tricycle, the substantially U-shaped spring B, having
the rear end of its upper leg curved upward and provided with means for attaching
thereto the back frame of the saddle seat, substantially as described.
2. In a saddle, for a bicycle or tricycle, a substantially U-shaped spring having the
rear end of its upper leg curved upward, a clamp C provided with a suitable hole in
which the lower leg of said spring is adjustably held, and provided also with a second
hole below the first, and adapted to fit the L-shaped saddle support of a tricycle or
bicycle, and set screws for securing said clamp to said spring and saddle support
respectively, substantially as described.
3. In a saltlle support, for a bicycle or tricycle, the combination of the substantially
U-shaped spring, the upper leg of which is curved upward at its rear end, a sub-
stantially vertical spring secured to the forward end of said upper arm, with a saddle
seat suitably attached at its rear end to the upper end of the U-shaped spring and
at its front end to the free end of the other spring, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
4. In a saddle, for a bicycle or tricycle, in combination, a substantially U-shaped
spring, the upper leg of which is curved slightly upward at its rear end, a spring d, a
clamp for securing one end thereof to the upper leg of the U-shaped spring, and a
saddle seat suitably attached at its rear end to the upper end of the U-shaped spring,
and at its forward end to the free end of said spring d, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 7th day of July 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co..
Agents for the Applicant.