Miq
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
I've been trying to figure out how the saddles on bikes developed over time, especially in the early 1900's. I have not collected hundreds of vintage bikes, so I'm trying to figure it using patents and ads.
Please add any ads, catalogs, patents, brochures, etc that help date some of the common designs. I concentrated on Troxel, Mesinger, Brooks, and Persons patents but I bet there are others I should consider.
There are some very early patents for saddles from the late 1800s that are super old timey and the TOC guys probably are familiar with them. Saw some bizarre designs with completely separate pads for each butt cheek.
You can also see in the Provoost patent above that there are springs in the front (nose) and rear of each side.
Once they started making single pan seats the designs quickly evolved into the 3 spring seats with a spring in the nose and two in the rear.
3 spring design from Brampton 1902
3 spring design from Mesinger 1904
3 spring design from Troxel 1908
Then there's a period of time where the saddle makers are experimenting with better spring arrangements for the rear springs.
In 1909 Mesinger gets close to the basic counter acting spring pairs but the design looks too complicated and expensive. The link 23 and 26 is whacko but you see the basic form of a nose coil spring and helical spring pairs in the rear. One helical spring 18 is compressing while the other 19 is expanding.
Persons is close in 1910 too. The top spring 21 resting on the cross bar 24 is kind of like Mesinger above.
and even more complicated in 1911
Then in 1912 Troxel nails the rear opposing springs with this patent. The nose spring is missing but the rear springs are fully developed.
Persons is still working on some interesting designs in 1912 and 1914
This one from Persons in 1914 is pretty cool with the compression spring wound around the expansion spring formed from the same spring steel rod.
Brooks is working on overly complicated designs in 1914 too.
Mesinger is getting closer in 1915 but its a single long spring
Persons gets the opposing springs figured out in 1916 walking a close line to the 1912 Troxel patent.
more variation from Persons in 1916.
In 1923 Mesinger shows this design with a more formed platform 13 between the opposed springs and a nose coil at the front.
In 1935 Linder at Troxel patents the classic Troxel long spring design with a nose coil and two opposed rear springs connected in the middle. Notice how the bottom springs are attached to the center rods by threading on at 11, not with nuts like the designs above.
In 1937 Hayes at Troxel shows the Tool Box Saddle design.
In 1942 Kalter at Troxel shows the oval shaped nose coil and the bell shaped bottom springs
And also the cupped spring attachment
Please add any ads, catalogs, patents, brochures, etc that help date some of the common designs. I concentrated on Troxel, Mesinger, Brooks, and Persons patents but I bet there are others I should consider.
There are some very early patents for saddles from the late 1800s that are super old timey and the TOC guys probably are familiar with them. Saw some bizarre designs with completely separate pads for each butt cheek.
You can also see in the Provoost patent above that there are springs in the front (nose) and rear of each side.
Once they started making single pan seats the designs quickly evolved into the 3 spring seats with a spring in the nose and two in the rear.
3 spring design from Brampton 1902
3 spring design from Mesinger 1904
3 spring design from Troxel 1908
Then there's a period of time where the saddle makers are experimenting with better spring arrangements for the rear springs.
In 1909 Mesinger gets close to the basic counter acting spring pairs but the design looks too complicated and expensive. The link 23 and 26 is whacko but you see the basic form of a nose coil spring and helical spring pairs in the rear. One helical spring 18 is compressing while the other 19 is expanding.
Persons is close in 1910 too. The top spring 21 resting on the cross bar 24 is kind of like Mesinger above.
and even more complicated in 1911
Then in 1912 Troxel nails the rear opposing springs with this patent. The nose spring is missing but the rear springs are fully developed.
Persons is still working on some interesting designs in 1912 and 1914
This one from Persons in 1914 is pretty cool with the compression spring wound around the expansion spring formed from the same spring steel rod.
Brooks is working on overly complicated designs in 1914 too.
Mesinger is getting closer in 1915 but its a single long spring
Persons gets the opposing springs figured out in 1916 walking a close line to the 1912 Troxel patent.
more variation from Persons in 1916.
In 1923 Mesinger shows this design with a more formed platform 13 between the opposed springs and a nose coil at the front.
In 1935 Linder at Troxel patents the classic Troxel long spring design with a nose coil and two opposed rear springs connected in the middle. Notice how the bottom springs are attached to the center rods by threading on at 11, not with nuts like the designs above.
In 1937 Hayes at Troxel shows the Tool Box Saddle design.
In 1942 Kalter at Troxel shows the oval shaped nose coil and the bell shaped bottom springs
And also the cupped spring attachment
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