Improvements in Cycle Frames, and in the Manufacture thereof.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1893.
Complete Specification Left 11th lan 1907 Accented
3rd for 1907
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Frames, and in the Manufacture thereof.
I, FREDERICK ARTHUR ELLIS, of the Sylvan Works, Sylvan Grove, Old Kent
Road, London, S.E., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in cycle frames in aluminium alloy, and
in the manufacture thereof and means used therein, by which hard drawn tubes of
aluminium alloy may be connected to form the main members of the frame by
aluminium cast sockets; and consists of improvements in chill moulds, in jig
frames connecting the same, in the arrangement of cores and tubes to one another
to ensure sound castings in metal chill moulds, and in effecting firm attachment
between the said sockets and tubes.
Aluminium alloy has long been known as a metal giving high strength with
small intrinsic weight, and therefore eminently adapted to cycle frames but owing
to the difficulty found, in uniting parts homogeneously and reliably by soldering,
brazing, or attachment by casting, it has been the practice either to unite the joints
of such parts by various modes of screwing in an expensive manner and with
little strength, or on the other hand to cast the whole frame, the resulting product
of which is obviously much heavier, and without the strength and elasticity of
metal which has been wrought or worked, as in drawn tubes.
In carrying out any manufacture in which uniting sockets are attempted to be
cast about tubular frames a serious difficulty encountered in the production of
sound castings for the sockets,-particularly in metal chill moulds, is that when the
tubular members are closed at one end, the great expansion of the internal volume of
air by the heat of the casting, causes an irruption of air through the molten socket.
whilst being cast, and thus tends to make it unsound.
To avoid this difficulty :-One mode I employ to permit free escape to such
expanding air, otherwise than through the metal of the sockets and moulds, is to
pierce small holes through the tubes for ventilating purposes to the outer atmosphere ;.
but where such holes may not be desirable in the main frame tubes, I give free
ventilation from the interior of the tubes as follows:-
I first cast the lower socket to which the tail tubes and other tubes of the frame
are connected.
The upper end of one of the said other main tubes is in direct contact with a core
brought through the mould to meet the ends of these tubes, and perforated with a
suitable ventilating hole or holes to the outer atmosphere.
I pierce also a hole through these tubes towards the part where they are joined by
the upper back-bone of the frame and the front pillar tube and draw or work the
sides of these holes outwards, so as to make an entry into the interior of the said
back-bone or upper tube and of the front pillar tube the interior of which are thus
in communication with one another and the aforesaid back and front tubular-
members, are in communication through the said perforated cores with the open
atmosphere.
The interior volume of air within all the said tubes has thus free exit to the
atmosphere without passing through the molten metal of the sockets.

page_text: The ends of tubes are closed to prevent the ingress of the molten metal where-
necessary but are free to allow the egress of the air, by washers of asbestos.
Another serious difficulty in the manufacture of cast sockets about the ends of
tubular members of the frame is to ensure a homogeneous metallic fusion or
attachment between the said sockets and tubes, so that they will not become loose
and detached under shock, jar, or the effect of the weather, much deterioration
usually taking place in ordinary brazed or other joints, where dissimilar metals are
employed.
To overcome these difficulties I employ either a special aluminium braze, and
prepare the ends of the tubular members therewith as hereinafter more fully
described:
Or I may employ mechanical means for ensuring a firm and reliable attachment,
at the time of, or after founding, between the cast sockets and the ends of the tubular
members, or I may employ a conjunction of both these methods.
In one way, I insert a concave metal washer, such as copper, near the end of the
tubular member where it enters a socket, and provide a recessed groove in the
socket about the end of the tube. The concavity of the washer is presented away
from the socket. By a suitable rod or instrument I force down the concave face of
the said washer or disc until it becomes flat, and thus force out the periphery of the
washer and the end of the tube adjoining it, so as to force the expanded end of the
tube to engage into the groove in the socket. I provide a tapped hole in the washer
which serves either for ventilation, or to admit the tapped end of a rod to remove it.
As another effective way of ensuring attachment between the ends of tubes and
the cast sockets, I may drive a pin or rivet through the tube close to the end, and
allow the cast metal to enter the tube so far as to envelope the pin, which is thus
absolutely incorporated. with the metal of the socket.
Before running the cast sockets about the ends of the tubes I prepare the latter
by raising the ends of the tubes nearly to their temperature of surface melting,
taking care not to exceed such a point, and I then apply an aluminium braze
consisting as to 8th of its weight of aluminium and tin in the proportion of their
combining equivalents, viz. as 27.4 of aluminium to 118 of tin, and the remaining th
is made up of variable proportions of copper and spelter.
I melt the braze upon the surface of the tubes, and work it in well, care being
taken to remove all surface oxidations and impurities.
The ends of the tubes so prepared are ready to receive the cast sockets and the
temperature of the molten metal is just sufficient to melt the braze and produce
homogeneous amalgamation between the sockets and tubes.
I may pierce holes through the ends of the tubes where enveloped by the sockets,
so that the molten metal from the socket will enter the said holes and run around
the inside faces of the tubes to form a skin thereon.
For cheapness and convenience in manufacture it is advantageous to have the chill
moulds adjustably attached to one another, so that they can be set permanently in
the required positions to produce a flame of the desired dimensions.
Such attachments or adjustments must however admit of a certain slight
movement of the chills to one another, whilst the sockets are being cast, to admit of
expansion and contraction in the tubes, so that the latter do not detach themselves in
contracting from the sockets.
Dated this 9th day of Anril 1806
FELL & JAMES,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Cycle Frames, and in the Manufacture thereof.
I, FREDERICK ARTHUR ELLIS, of the Sylvan Works, Sylvan Grove, Old Kent Road,
London, S.E., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
inanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in cycle frames in aluminium alloy and in
the manufacture thereof, and means used therein, by which hard drawn tubes of
aluminium alloy may be connected to form the main members of the frame by
aluminium alloy cast sockets; and consists of improvements in chill moulds, in jig
frames connecting the same, in the arrangement of cores and tubes to one another
to ensure sound castings in metal chill moulds, and in effecting firm attachment between
the said sockets and tubes.
Aluminium alloy has long been known as a metal giving high strength with small
intrinsic weight, and therefore eminently adapted to cycle frames, but owing to the
difficulty found in uniting parts homogeneously and reliably by soldering, brazing or
attachment by casting, it has been the practice either to unite the joints of such parts
by various modes of screwing in an expensive manner and with little strength, or on the
other hand to cast the whole frame, the resulting product of which is obviously
much heavier, and without the strength and elasticity of metal which has been
wrought or worked as in drawn tubes.
In carrying out any manufacture, in which uniting-sockets are attempted to be
cast about tubular frames, a serious difficulty encountered in the production of
sound castings for the sockets, particularly in metal chill moulds, is that when
the tubular members are closed at one end, the great expansion of the internal
volume of air by the heat of the casting, causes an irruption of air through the
molten socket whilst being cast, and thus tends to make it unsound.
To avoid this difficulty: One mode I employ to permit free escape to such expanding
air, otherwise than through the metal of the sockets and moulds, is to pierce small
holes through the tubes for ventilating purposes to the outer atmosphere.
But where such holes may not be desirable in the main frame tubes I give free
ventilation from the interior of the tubes as follows:
I first cast the lower socket to which the tail tubes and other tubes of the frame
are connected.
The upper end of one of the said other main tubes is in direct contact with a
core brought through the mould to meet the ends of these tubes, and perforated
with a suitable ventilating hole or holes to the outer atmosphere.
I pierce also a hole through these tubes towards the part where they are joined
by the upper back bone of the frame and the front pillar tube, and draw or work
the sides of these holes outwards, so as to make an entry into the interior of the
said back bone or upper tube, and of the front pillar tube, the interior of which are
thus in communication with one another, and the aforesaid back and front tubular
members are in communication through the said perforated cores with the open
atmosphere.
The interior volume of air within all the said tubes has thus free exit to the
atmosphere without passing through the molten metal of the sockets.
The ends of tubes are closed to prevent the ingress of the molten metal where
necessary, but are free to allow the egress of the air, by washers of asbestos.
Another serious difficulty in the manufacture of cast sockets about the ends of
tubular members of the frame is to ensure a homogeneous metallic fusion or
attachment between the said sockets and tubes, so that they will not become loose.
and detached under shock, jar, or the effect of the weather, much deterioration usually

page_text: taking place in ordinary brazed or other joints where dissimilar metals are
employed.
To overcome these difficulties I employ either a special aluminium braze, and
prepare the ends of the tubular members therewith as hereinafter more fully described
or I may employ mechanical means for ensuring a firm and reliable attachment, at
the time of, or after, founding, between the cast sockets and the ends of the tubular
members, or I may employ a conjunction of both these methods.
In one way I, insert a concave metal washer such as copper near the end of the
tubular member where it enters a socket and provide a recessed groove in the socket
about the end of the tube. The concavity of the washer is presented away from the
socket. By a suitable rod or instrument I force down the concave face of the said
washer or disc until it becomes flat, and thus force out the periphery of the washer
and the end of the tube adjoining it, so as to force the expanded end of the tube
to engage into the groove in the socket. I provide a tapped hole in the washer which
serves either for ventilation or to admit the tapped end of a rod to remove it.
As another effective way of insuring attachment between the end of the tubes
and the cast sockets, I may drive a pin or rivet through the tube close to the end,
and allow the cast metal to enter the tube so far as to envelope the pin which is thus
absolutely incorporated with the metal of the socket.
Before running the cast sockets about the ends of the tubes I prepare the latter
by raising the ends of the tubes nearly to their temperature of surface melting, taking
care not to exceed such a point, and I then apply an aluminium braze consisting
as to ths of its weight of aluminium and tin in the proportion of their combining
equivalents ris. as 27-4 of aluminium to 118 of tin and the remaining this
made up of variable proportions of cupper and zinc. I melt the braze upon the
surface of the tubes and work it in well, care being taken to remove all surface
oxidations and impurities.
The ends of the tubes so prepared are ready to receive the cast sockets, and the
temperature of the molten metal is just sufficient to melt the braze and produce
homogeneous amalgamation between the sockets and tubes.
I may pierce holes through the ends of the tubes where enveloped by the sockets
so that the molten metal from the socket will enter the said holes and run around the
inside faces of the tubes to form a skin thereon.
For cheapness and convenience in manufacture, it is advantageons to have the
chill moulds adjustably attached to one another, so that they can be set permanently
in the required positions to produce a frame of the desired dimensions.
Such attachments or adjustments must however admit of a certain slight movement
of the chills to one another whilst the sockets are being cast, to admit of expansion
and contraction in the tubes, so that the latter do not detach themselves in contracting
from the sockets,
And in order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the same reference being had to the drawings hereto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a plan of a set of adjustable chill moulds adapted to carry out the
casting of joint sockets about the tubular members of an aluminium-alloy cycle frame.
Figure 2 is an enlarged section of the adjustable tension rods between chill plates.
Figure 3 is a cross section on XY of the same.
Figure 34 is a detached under view of mould plate.
Figure 4 shows a section view through the joints as cast in the respective chills, to
form a cycle frame, giving arrangements of ventilation from interior of tubes.
Figure 5 is an enlarged section of such a joint & socket and
Fig. 6 is an enlarged section of a cast socket and tube ends cast therein, with
special mechanical attachments between the tubes and sockets.
Solid drawn tubes of aluminium alloy having been prepared of the requisite length
to make up a desired cycle frame, and having been prepared as to their ends by the
application thereto of an aluminium braze or solder as hereinabove described, are
laid with their ends in the said moulds A A which are preferably made in copper

page_text: as chill moulds, provided with the usual ventilation holes, and with a runner giving
a head of metal, and divided into halves and sections, as is usual in chill moulds,
fitting together by steady pins or dowells and finally clamped together.
The ends of the tubes are supported in the moulds by the ends of the tubes.:
fitting the apertures of said moulds. The lower half of the chill mould is fixed to
the jig plates B conveniently by bolts c passing through radial slots c in the lower
plate to allow of angular adjustment of the chills to the supporting plates.
The jig. plates B are connected to one another by tension rods D each of which
is divided and provided with right and left handed threads, engaging with nuts E E,..
enclosed in a case F and turning therewith, the case F being externally hexagonal
or otherwise flat faced, so as to be adapted to turn with a spanner.
Between the ends of the nuts E and the caps G of the external case F, are
placed strong springs H which will allow the various chill moulds A and respective..
supporting plates B to move slightly as between mould and mould after the tension
rods D are set for casting the socket joints, should there be expansion in the tubes.
When the tension rods between moulds are adjusted to the required length, a
diagonal bracing rod K being also used to fix the relative angular position of the
members of the frame, an aluminium alloy is run into the closed moulds A, by a
runner, giving a head to the metal, and the sockets of the tubular frame are cast
in situ, and adhere or homogeneously unite with the metal of the tubes by reason
of the prior preparation of the ends of the tubes by an aluminium braze as above
described.
Where metal bushes, such as steel, are required within the sockets, I may place
these in the required position in the moulds A, after preparing their exterior surface
with aluminium braze, before running the cast sockets, and it will be found after
such running that they are seized by and firmly united with the said sockets.
To prevent the blowing of air from the expanded contents of the tubes through:
the molten metal, I may provide small holes L, Figure 4, pierced through the shell
of the tubes outside the sockets, as shown in the tail tubes.
Where it is not desirable to pierce these holes through the tubes externally to
the sockets, I pierce a hole M, Figure 4 in one tube P exactly opposite to the
point where the adjoining tube N abuts upon it. I draw the lips of the orifice M
so as to engage into the mouth of the tube N, thus making a steady pin between
them and giving access from the interior of one tube to the other.
between tubes P and N as described and between tubes Q and N and R.
This I do
Equivalently where it is desired that the molten metal of the sockets shall enter
to some distance into the interior end of the tubes, I insert a bush, preferably
steel m having a diaphragm n to check the inflow of metal and provided with an
open ventilation tube p therethrough, placing the interior of the tube N in com-
munication with that of P, and thus with the atmosphere, during the casting of
the socket.
At each end of the tube Q and at the one end of the tube P I may cause a
core S to be placed right through the chill mould and entering or meeting the
end of the tube. Through this core I pierce a ventilating hole S', so that the
interior of the tubes P and Q are in direct communication with the outer atmo-.
sphere and by the pierced holes M the other tubes N and R are also placed in
communication, with the former tubes and thus with the atmosphere. Equivalently
the tubes P and Q may have their ends brought completely through the mould into
the outer atmosphere as at S2 Fig. 5. In Figure 6 I show the asbestos waddings TT
inserted in the ends of the tubes to stop the flow of molten metal into the tubes.
I show also pins u u rivetted into and across the ends of the tubes, the asbestos
washer T being set far enough back to allow the molten metal of the socket to enter
the end of the tube far enough to envelope the pin u, which thus makes a firm
mechanical lock between the tube and the socket. In another tube I show a concave-
metal washer vinserted in the end of the tube at the back of the asbestos washer.
By inserting a rod or tool into the tube, I may force down the concave washer flat,
and thus expand out the ends of the tube which are split in two or three points.

page_text: longitudinally into a recess in the socket, or before the socket has set hard, and
thus makes a secure mechanical lock between the end of the tube and the cast socket.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is.
1st. In the manufacture of an aluminium alloy cycle frame the ventilation of the
interior of the tubular members which are outside the chill moulds, to the outer
atmosphere to permit escape of the expanded air from these closed tubes, by orifices
in the said tubes external to the sockets, or by junctions between the interior of said
tubes and ventilated cores through chills to external atmosphere, from interior of said
tubes, permitting escape of expanded air from said tubes otherwise than through the
molten metal substantially as described.
2nd. In the manufacture of an aluminium alloy cycle frame, the combination with
chill moulds or with plates carrying the same, of adjustable tension rods, capable of
being set to gauge, and of elastically admitting the expansion or contraction of the
tubes whilst the sockets are being founded, substantially as described.
3rd. In a cycle frame of aluminium alloy, in which sockets are cast about the ends
of tubular members, the arrangement of a pin transversely across the ends of tubular
members around which the molten metal of a cast socket is allowed to flow, to secure
a mechanically locked joint between the socket and the tube, without screwing,
substantially as described.
4th. In a cycle frame of aluminium alloy made as described, the combination with
a tubular member split at its end to allow of spreading, of a concave disc of metal
therein, adapted by flattening to expand the end of the tube into the socket, to make a
mechanically locked joint, without screwing, substantially as described.
5th. In a cycle frame, in which sockets are cast about and enter within the ends of
tubular members, the arrangement of an internal ferrule and diaphragm within the
ends of tubular members, where abutting upon other open tubular members, the said
diaphragm having an open tube there through, entering the said open tubular member,
to give free ventilation between tubular members, during the casting of the junction
sockets, substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of January 1897.
FELL & JAMES,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.