Improvements in and connected with the Building of Tubular Frames.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1897
Complete Specification Left 3rd Feb. 1898--Accepted. 9th Apr.. 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Building of Tubular
Frames.
I, PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF, of 19 and 20, Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to the shaping of the extremities of the tubes which are
used in cycle frames and tubular frames of similar construction. In cheap machines
the tubes are merely cut to length and joined in or over the angle pieces, but in
the best machines the various tubes are "mitred or shaped to join each other
perfectly, so that the angle pieces merely form a supplementary tie. The ends
of the tubes have therefore to be carefully filed by skilled hands and the lengths
carefully measured. Milling across the ends is not very practical, as the lighter
gauge tubes will not hold up against a cutter unless well supported internally;
further each tube would have to be cut to length first, involving a separate opera-
tion. I therefore cut across the tube, at the required angle, preferably with a
tubular saw or end mill. By this means I can with one cut part and "end" two
pieces out of one length to the same angle.
For this purpose I use a clamp or holder of such construction as always to pre-
sent the centre line of the tube to the centre of the tool spindle. Sometimes the
holder is capable of being swivelled to the required angle; it may be, in the case
of short tubes moved towards the drill or mill. In the case of long tubes, however,
it is more convenient to move the drill or mill to the holder.
Sometimes the holder is stationary and the drill or mill is swivelled to the
required angle; in this case the driving gear, whether of the bevel wheel, belt or
friction type must form a train, having one member the axis of which is at a
right angle to the centre line of the tube holder.
The tube holder may be provided with a long tray or support for the tube, and
with stops to gauge the lengths and also regulate the position of one cut on the
tube relating to a prior one.
1007
Improvements in and connected with the Building of Tubular
Frames.
I, PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF, of 19 and 20, Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
Price 8d

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
cause
My improvements relate to the shaping of the extremities of the tubes which are
used in cycle frames and tubular frames of similar construction. In cheap machines
the tubes are merely cut to length and joined in or over the angle pieces, but in
the best machines the tubes are mitred" or shaped to join each other closely, so
that the angle pieces merely form a supplementary tie. The ends of the tubes
have therefore to be carefully filed by skilled hands, and the lengths carefully
measured. Milling across the ends is not very practicable, as the lighter
gauge tubes will not hold up against a cutter unless well supported
internally or externally; such supports, if effective, are likely to
damage to the cutters, or else to be cut themselves by the cutter;
and further each tube would have to be cut to length first involving a separate
operation. I therefore cut across the tube at the required angle, preferably with
a tubular saw or end mill. By this means I can with one cut part and "end"
two pieces out of one length to the same angle, at the same time producing a
cleaner and more perfect result than is likely by the employment of face cutters.
For this purpose I use a clamp or holder of such construction as to always present
the centre line of the tube to the centre of the drill spindle. Sometimes the holder
is capable of being swivelled to the required angle; it may be in the case of short
tubes moved towards the drill or milf. In the case of long tubes, however, it is
more convenient to move the drill or mill to the holder.
23
Sometimes the holder is stationary, and the drill or mill is swivelled to the
required angle; in this case the driving gear, whether of the bevel wheel, belt or
friction type, must form a train, having one member the axis of which is at a right
angle to the centre line of the tube holder. The tube holder may be provided
with a long tray or support for the tube, and with stops to gauge the length and
also regulate the position of one cut on the tube relating to a prior one.
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 represents in plan a horizontal drilling
machine A, furnished with table B, which is capable of being swivelled to any
required angle. and 2 are lugs mounted on this table and set opposite to each
other so that they will hold the tube in front of the drilling spindle D, and
exactly at the same height as the spindle. On the end of the drilling spindle is
mounted an end mill E, (shewn enlarged on Figure 2). This end mill is prefer-
ably of tubular shape, as it will be understood that when the drilling spindle is
fed against the tube, this kind of cutter is not likely to be drawn out of centre. It
will readily pierce the tube C, thereby cutting out two washers, which are wasted,
and also separating the tube C into two parts, each of which has one end accurately
shaped to fit a tube of the same diameter as the tubular cutter E. To form a
perfect joint, therefore, between two tubes as shewn in Fig. 5, all that is required 4
is to part a length of tube out of which the member a is to be formed by means
of a tubular cutter or end mill, such as described, and of the same diameter as the
tube C.
As it is inconvenient to swivel a table such as B with long lengths of tube
mounted thereon, a tool as shewn in elevation in Figure 4 and in plan in Figure 5
is sometimes preferable. In these figures B is a long table for the purpose of
separating the rough lengths of tube. It, is furnished with tube guides 61 and 611
The drill spindle D) is mounted on a framework 1', capable of swivelling on a line
exactly crossing, and at right angles to the tube C. On this line of swivel is
mounted the pulley G, which drives the pulleys H, I: thus the drill spindle can
be driven at whatever angle the drill may be placed to the table B. If preferred,
transmission may be made by bevel or friction gear. K is a quadrant by means of
which the drill frame is supported at the required angle.
5
L is an adjustable stop mounted on the table B, by means of which the length
of the tubes is regulated. is a plug on this stop forming an abutment for the 5
tube, and of the same diameter as the tool E. By means of this, any number of
tubes can be cut to the same lengths, with full assurance that the second end will

page_text: be exactly in its proper position with the first end. Where the tubes on cycles
require to be cut to a different angle, at each end, the tubes are first cut into double
length, each end of which is formed at the same angle by the same cutter. These
double lengths are subsequently separated by a tool of the size and angle required,
to produce the second end of the tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my. said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The method of shaping the ends of tubes so as to form a perfect fit or abut-
ment against other tubes, as described.
2. The method of parting tubes at one cut so as to simultaneously shape two
tube ends, to form a perfect abutment against other tubes, as described.
3. The use of a hollow end mill (E) for the purpose of ending and shaping tubes,
in the manner described.
4. A machine tool, (shewn in Figs. 4 and 5), capable of being swivelled on a
line at right-angles to the tube to be cut and shaped, for the purposes described.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1898.
PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF.