Improvements in the Manufacture of Certain Parts of Cycle Frames.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Certain Parts of Cycle Frames.
We, BENJAMIN JOSEPIL HAMMERSLEY, of Selly Park, Birmingham, Warwick-
shire, Manufacturers' Manager, and CHARLES WILCOX, of Park Hill, Harborne,
Birmingham, aforesaid, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to the back forks of the frames of safety bicycles
and other velocipedes. Heretofore each half of the said back fork has consisted of
two tubes fixed respectively to the seat pillar lug and to the bottom bracket and
radiating towards the centre of the back wheel where they are brazed to a stamped
or cast fork end which is slotted longitudinally to allow of the adjustment of the
back wheel to suit the driving chain. By this Invention we are enabled to
dispense entirely with the cast or stamped fork ends and to make the said ends in a
piece with the tubes which form the fork. The said back forks can thus be made
cheaper and stronger than heretofore as there is no brazed joint.
In carrying out this Invention the end of the bottom tube is flattened down to
the shape of the flat part of the usual slotted fork end which is thus made of two
thicknesses of metal which are divided from each other. The lower end of the
inclined tube from the seat pillar lug is also flattened and is inserted between the
two thicknesses of metal forming the flattened end of the bottom tube and is there
secured by any convenient means as by merely pressing the two portions of the
flattened end of the bottom tube to grip the flattened end of the diagonal tube
between them. Or for additional security the said parts may be rivetted together
or otherwise secured. The said flattened end of the bottom tube is slotted longi-
tudinally for the axle of the back wheel and the screw of the chain adjustment.
Instead of flattening the end of the inclined tube and securing the same between
the two thicknesses of metal of the flattened end of the bottom tube as above
described, the lower end of the inclined tube may be made with a fork as usual to
receive the flattened end of the bottom tube and be jointed thereto by a cross pin
in the usual way. In this case the two thicknesses of the flattened end of the
bottom tube will not have to be divided from each other as the lower end of the
inclined tube does not have to pass between them.
Dated this 14th day of September 1896.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Certain Parts of Cycle Frames.
We, BENJAMIN JOSEPH HAMMERSLEY, of 66, Dudley Road, Tipton, Staffordshire,
late of Selly Park, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Manufacturers' Manager, and
Prire Sill

page_text: CHARLES WILCOX, of Park Hill, Harborne, Birmingham, aforesaid, Manufacturer,
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:-
This Invention has reference to the back forks of safety bicycles and other
velocipedes. Heretofore each half of the said back fork has consisted of two tubes
fixed respectively to the seat pillar lug and to the bottom bracket and radiating
towards the centre of the hack wheel where they are brazed to a stamped or cast
fork end which is slotted longitudinally to allow of the adjustment of the back
wheel to suit the driving chain.
By this Invention we are enabled to dispense entirely with the cast or stamped
fork ends and to make the said ends in a piece with. the tubes which form the fork.
The said back forks can thus be made cheaper and stronger that heretofore as
there is no brazed joint.
We will describe this Invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the end portions of one side of a bicycle back
fork constructed according to this Invention; Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of the
bottom tube of the same and Fig. 3 is an end view of the said bottom tube; Fig. 4
is a side elevation of the end portions of one side of a bicycle back fork illustrating
an alternative method of constructing the end of the bottom tube in accordance
with this Invention; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same and Fig. 6 is a plan of
the end of the said bottom tube.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
Figures of the drawings.
A is one of the bottom tubes of the back fork which is as well known extends
from the axle of the back wheel to the bottom bracket and B is one of the inclined
tubular stays forming a part of the back fork and extending from near the back
wheel axle to the seat pillar lug.
In carrying out this Invention the end portion al of the bottom tube A is
flattened down (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3) to the shape of the flat part of the usual
slotted fork end which is thus made of two thicknesses of metal marked respect-
ively a which are divided from each other forming a slot e between them to
admit the flattened end of the tubular stay B. Between the two parts al a³ of
the forked end of the tube A the distance piece is brazed or otherwise fixed so as
to make this forked end solid. As aforesaid the lower end of the inclined tube B
from the seat pillar lug is flattened and inserted between the two thicknesses of
metal forming the flattened end of the bottom tube A and is there secured by
any convenient means as for instance by brazing or by the screw D passing there-
through. The said flattened end at a² of the bottom tube A is slotted longitudinally
at for the axle of the back wheel and the screw of the chain adjustment.
Instead of flattening the end of the inclined tube B and securing the same
between the two thicknesses of metal a a² of the flattened end of the bottom
tube A as above described, the lower end of the inclined tube B may as shewn
by Figs. 4 and 5 be made forked at 62 as usual to receive the flattened end a¹ a²
of the bottom tube A, and be brazed thereto or jointed thereto by the cross pin
such as D in the usual way. In this case the two thicknesses al a² of the flattened
end of the bottom tube A will not have to be divided from each other but will be
close, together as the lower end of the inclined tube B does not have to pass
between them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
ciaim is:-
1. Making the forked end of the bottom tube of a cycle frame in a piece with
the said bottom tube by flattening down the end of said tube so as to form the forked
end of two thicknesses of metal which receive the flattened end of the inclined 4
tubular stay between them substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. Making the forked end of the bottom tube of a cycle frame in a piece with
the said bottom tube by flattening down the end of said tube so as to form the
forked end of two thicknesses of metal to engage with the forked end of the
inclined tubular stay substantially as set forth.
3. A bottom tube for the back fork of a cycle frame having the end flattened
down to form the forked end of two thicknesses of metal al a2 adapted to, receive
the flattened end of the inclined tubular stay between them and having the dis-
tance piece c brazed or otherwise fixed between the two thicknesses of the forked
part, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of June 1897.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.