Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1994-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
I, ADOLPHE CLEMENT, of 20 Rue Brunel, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved construction of crown for the forks of
velocipedes, and it has for its object obtaining an extremely light and rigid crown,
at a low cost.
According to my invention I produce the improved crown from a single-piece of
sheet steel by a series of stamping or pressing operations. By the first operation
the piece of sheet steel is caused to assume the shape of a rectangular saucer, the
ends of which are deeper and wider than the middle portion thereof. By the second
stamping or pressing operation a more decided shape is given to the saucer-shaped
piece and the sides thereof which will ultimately constitute the cross piece of the
crown are increased in height, and the bottom of the recesses at the ends of the
saucer-shaped piece are caused to assume a more regular oval shape. By the third
stamping or pressing operation the recesses at the ends of the saucer-shaped piece
assume a still more regular oval shape with the edges having still a slight slope,
and the bottom of the middle portion of the saucer-shaped piece assumes a semi-
cylindrical shape. By a fourth stamping or pressing operation the recesses at the
ends of the piece are given their final shape to receive the limbs of the fork which
they are intended to receive internally. Then by a rolling operation the lateral
wings are closed in to give the middle portion of the crown a tubular shape. To
give this crown increased strength a short length of tube may be placed lengthways
between the recesses to receive the limbs of the fork before these lateral wings are
rolled in.
The crown thus formed is adapted to receive the stem of the steering fork either
by forming in the centre of the crown a socket to receive the said stem into which
it is brazed, the said socket being formed in the manner now well-known, or a
hollow T-piece blocked and stamped out of a piece of sheet metal in.the well-known
manuer may be used, the horizontal part of the T-piece being placed over the
centre of the crown and the vertical part thereof being adapted to receive the hollow
stem of the fork.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
I, ADOLPHE CLEMENT, of 20, Rue Brunel, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to he performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved construction of crown for the forks of
velocipedes, and it has for its object obtaining an extremely light and rigid crown
at a low cost.

page_text: According to my invention I produce the improved crown from a piece of sheet
steel or other suitable metal by a series of stamping or pressing and rolling
operations. The several stages of manufacture are illustrated by Figures 1 to 16
of the accompanying drawing.
To make my improved crown I take a flat piece of sheet steel A cut or pressed
out of the shape shown by Figure 1 and by the first stamping or pressing operation
cause it to assume the shape of a rectangular saucer, the ends a, a, of which are
deeper and wider than the middle portion c thereof as shown by Figures 2, 3 and 4.
By the second stamping or pressing operation a more decided shape is given to the
saucer-shaped piece, and the sides b, b, thereof, which. will ultimately constitute
the cross piece of the crown, are increased in height, and the bottom of the
recesses a, a, are caused to assume a more regular oval shape as shown by
Figures 5, 6 and 7. By the third stamping or pressing operation the recesses a, a,
assume a still more regular oval shape with the edges having still a slight slope,
and the bottom of the middle portion c of the saucer-shaped piece assumes a semi-
cylindrical shape as shown by Figures 8, 9 and 10. By a fourth stamping or
pressing operation the recesses a, a, are given their final shape to receive the limbs of
the fork as shown by Figures 11, 12 and 13. Then by a rolling operation the
sides b, b, are closed in to give the middle portion of the crown a tubular shape as
shown by Figures 14, 15 and 16.
To give this crown increased strength a short length of tube B may be placed
lengthways between the recesses a, a, before the sides b, b, are rolled in as shown by
Figures 14 and 16.
The crown thus formed as shown by Figure 17 is adapted to receive the stem of
the steering fork, either by forming in the centre of the crown a socket C to
receive the said stem as shown by Figure 18, or a hollow T-piece D blocked and
stamped out of a piece of sheet metal in the well-known manner may be used to
encircle the plain middle part of the crown and to receive the stem E of the steering
fork as shown by Figure 19.
The recesses a, a, are intended to receive the members F, F, of the fork internally
as shown by dotted lines in Figure 19.
When the respective parts have been assembled together they are brazed or hard
soldered together in the usual manner.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details of construction hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawing, but that I hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as
fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved construction of fork crowns for velocipedes, substantially as
herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
2. The improved fork crown for velocipedes, as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by Figure 18 of the accompanying drawing.
3. The improved fork crown for velocipedes, as herein before described and
illustrated by Figures 17 and 19 of the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 17th day of Anơust 1894.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.