Improvements in Cycle Frames.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 30th June,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Frames.
I, GEORGE BARKER, of Sutton Coldfield in the County of Warwick,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object Improvements in Cycle Frames which renders
their construction more simple and at the same time adds stability to the frame.
Frames constructed on this principle are more suitable for general purposes, that is
to say, such frames may be constructed sufficiently strongly for men to mount from
the side as the compression or top tube of the ordinary diamond frame would not
generally be required though the invention is applicable to the diamond frame also.
The framing of cycles is generally made now from solid drawn tubes whether for
bicycles or tricycles but those made according to my invention are as follows:-
I form my frames generally in two parts from thin sheets of metal which are
produced by suitable presses, hydraulic or otherwise, or stamps, which form them
into two sides which are then brought together either close to one another or by
distance pieces a distance apart from each other, that is to say, taking a longitudinal
and vertical elevational section through the present bicycle frame. I form it in
two parts from two plates instead of by tubes as at present. The entire frame as
now known in the trade may be so formed in its entirety or in part from sheets of
metal whether steel or iron. But I also accomplish by this my invention the
possibility of constructing cheaply and rigidly a frame without the top tension
bar of the ordinary diamond frame by forming two sheets of metal having a
considerable depth under the handle bar and gradually narrowing at the waist in
descending towards the treadle shaft sufficiently under the treadle shaft to give the
desired strength against deflection or springing and then rising to the saddle and to
the. back wheel. Such sheets would be pressed or stamped in halves and then
brought together face to face and then united by flanges or lapping over the
junctions or by one edge fitting into the other or by intermediate pieces or blocks
of any suitable material so that the frame would be sidewise sufficiently strong.
The frame near the handle bar may be formed so as to form a socket for the front
wheel and also .so formed as to form a socket for the saddle bar. The part
sustaining or enclosing the pedal axle socket would be opened out & so formed in
the dies or tools to sufficient width to receive it. The members for supporting the
driving wheel of safety bicycles may also be formed from the same sheet or
separately and would have the necessary inclination and form given to them in the
tools so that the frame might in some places be united and in others the right and
left frame plate would be apart or the whole front part may have the flanges
sufficiently deep to be united only the back members being open to pass over the
back wheel. Frames so constructed do away with the necessity for a great deal
of the boring and turning now necessary at such parts as the treadle socket journal
where provision has to be made to receive the various tubes accurately for forming
the frame. It will also be obvious that every centre of my frames would be
absolutely alike in all their centre and also most rigid without expensive junctions,
indeed the only junction needed when the frame is in two pieces only would be
with the pedal spindle tube or casing for carrying the ball bearings and even this
may in some cases be formed out of the sides.
In forming the sides I may make them so that when brought together they form
a round tube in two parts at some points and swelled out at others or they may
form an oval or other figure in cross section. This mode of construction also

page_text: facilitates the inspection internally as well as externally of all the framework and
thus lessens the liability for defective material being used in the construction of
the framing which forms such an important part of all cycles. The part of the
plate or plates that forms the web or webs may be corrugated or fluted to stiffen
the intermediate part between the extremities. The frame may also be formed
from one plate for the sake of lightness so as to only have one web in thickness by
leaving sufficient length of metal to turn or work over to complete a hollow head
at each edge of the frame.
In case of the frame being made with two webs the parts may be so formed and
secured a distance apart as to form receptacles just below the steering pivot and
under the pedal axle as in my previous Patent No. 8387 A.D. 1893 where the
construction is by four or other tubes or members with intermediate connecting
sheets, that is to say -the two webs would be so separated or bulged out as to
form a box near the pedal axle.
Dated this 28th day of July 1803
Improvements in Cycle Frames.
I, GEORGE BARKER, of Sutton Coldfield in the County of Warwick,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object improvements in cycle frames which renders
their construction more simple and at the same time adds stability to the frame.
Frames constructed on this principle are more suitable for general purposes, that
is to say, such frames may be constructed sufficiently strong for men to mount
from the side as the compression or top tube of the ordinary diamond frame would
not generally be required though the invention is applicable to the diamond frame
also. The framing of cycles is generally made now from solid drawn tubes
whether for bicycles or tricycles but those made according to my. invention are
as follows:
I form my frames generally in two parts from thin sheets of metal which are
produced by suitable presses-hydraulic or otherwise or stamps which form them
into two sides which are then brought together, that is to say, taking a longitudinal
and vertical elevational section through the present bicycle frame. I form it in
two parts from two plates instead of by tubes as at present. The entire frame as
now known in the trade may be so formed in its entirety or in part from sheets of
metal whether steel or iron. But I also accomplish by this my invention the
possibility of constructing cheaply and rigidly a frame without the top tension bar
of the ordinary diamond frame by forming two sheets of metal having a con-
siderable depth under the handle bar and gradually narrowing at the waist in
descending towards the treadle shaft and descending sufficiently under the treadle
shaft to give the desired strength against deflection or springing, and then rising to
the saddle and to the back-wheel. Such sheets would be pressed or stamped in
halves and then brought together face to face and then united by flanges or lapping
over the junctions, or by one edge fitting into the other or by intermediate pieces
or blocks or ferrules or tubes of any suitable material so. that the frame would be
sidewise sufficiently strong. The frame near the handle bar may be made so as to
form a socket for the front wheel and also to form a socket for the saddle bar.
The part sustaining or enclosing the pedal axle socket would be opened out and so
formed in the dies or tools to sufficient width to receive it or the edges may be
united. The members for supporting the driving wheel of safety bicycles may
also be formed from the same sheet or separately and would have the necessary

page_text: inclination and form given to them in the tools so that the frame might in some
places be united and in others the right and left frame plate would be apart or the
whole front part may have the flanges sufficiently deep to be united, only the back
members being open to pass over the back wheel. Frames so constructed do.
away with the necessity for a great deal of the boring and turning now necessary
at such parts as the treadle socket journal where provision has to be made to
receive the various tubes accurately for forming the frame. It will also be obvious
that every one of my frames would be absolutely alike in all their centres and also
most rigid without expensive junctions, indeed the only junction needed when the
frame is in two pieces, would be with the pedal spindle tube or casing for carrying
the ball bearings and even this may in some cases be formed out of the sides.
In forming the sides I may make them so that when brought together they
form a round tube in two parts at some points, and swelled out at others or they
may form an oval or other figure in cross section as per Figure 10. This mode of
construction also facilitates the inspection, internally as well as externally, of all
the framework and thus lessens the liability of defective material being used in the
construction of the framing which forms such an important part of all cycles. The
part of the plate or plates that forms the web or webs may be corrugated or fluted
to stiffen the intermediate parts between the extremities. The frame may also be
formed from one plate for the sake of lightness so as to only have one web in
thickness by leaving sufficient length of metal to turn or work over to complete a
hollow head at each edge of the frame.
In case of the frame being made with two webs the parts may be so formed and
secured a distance apart as to form receptacles just below the steering pivot and
under the pedal axle as in my previous Patent No. 8387 A.D. 1893 where the
construction is by four or other tubes or members with intermediate connecting
sheets, that is to say, the two webs would be so separated or bulged out as to form
a box near the pedal axle.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto two double sized sheets of drawings, upon
which I have illustrated sufficient examples of my said improvements.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of one of my improved frames.
Figure 2, is a section on the line 1-2.
Figure 3, is a sectional plan on the line 3-4.
Figure 4, is a similar section to Figure 2 but showing a modification in the mode
of connection between the two parts.
Figures 5, are similar sections also showing modifications in the connections of
the two parts.
Figure 6, is a similar section showing a modification in the manufacture of the
frame.
Figures 7, are sections showing a still further modification.
Figure 8, is an elevation of a diamond frame made in accordance with my
improvements..
Figure 9, is a cross section through one of the members of Figure 8.
Figure 10, is a further modification showing oval section at top and bottom.
My frames are usually formed of two parts A and A' and are pressed or stamped
into the desired shape by suitable presses or stamps, hydraulic or otherwise. These
sides A and A' are brought together side by side and brazed or otherwise fastened
one to another, the sides being so shaped as. to obviate the necessity of the top
compression bar usual in the ordinary diamond frame, i.e. by retaining a sufficient
depth of metal between a and a³ to withstand the leverage of the steering rod and
fork and by adapting the metal to a graceful curve gradually-narrowed down at
the waist at where the strain being vertical is not so great and again curving the
underside down below the level of the crank axle so as to gain an increase in the
depth of the web and thus obtain the necessary increase of stability and rigidity
necessary at a, that is to say a³ is further away from a² at a. The curve of the
top side rises in an inclined direction at a to receive the saddle bar while the lower

page_text: part a is curved off towards the bearing of the rear or driving wheel W. The
sheets A and A' which are pressed or stamped right and left may be secured
together in a variety of ways as for instance as shown in section by Figure 2 in
which the one side A is formed slightly larger than the other so that the
edges a on the outer edges of all members will lap over the other side A to which
it is brazed while the web a' may also be brazed together or flanges as may be
formed on both of the sides A and A' as shown by Figure 4 the flanges being
brazed together or the flauge a of the one side A may be made longer than that
of the other side A¹ and be turned or clamped over the short flange as shown by
Figure 5. At at the sides are so shaped as to form the socket to receive the
steering rod B and at all are embossed out sufficiently to receive the crank axle
socket at C while the inclined upright a¹ is formed into a socket to receive the
saddle bar D. The stay a is also stamped or pressed in one with each side but
in the case of this member as well as that of a the two sides are divided as shown
at Figure 3 sufficiently for the wheel W to fit in between. In forming the sides I
may make them so that when brought together they form a round or oval tube or
tubes in section while at other points the faces of the two sides may butt together
as in the case of the web but in some parts such for instance as at as the sheets are
corrugated or raised to give lateral stability. The frame may also be formed with
a single plate A Figure 7 in which case there is only one web for the sake of
lightness, this being effected by leaving sufficient metal at a to turn or work over
into the hollow stiffening tube a whether round or oval or the hollow stiffening
tubes may be drawn with a slot and flanges for attachment to the web A by
brazing or rivets as shown by a¹ in Figure 6 while the web A may be strengthened
in this case by metal stiffeners a¹, or corrugated out of the web itself. In cases
where the frame is composed of the two sides A and A' the parts may be so
stamped up, bulged out, or secured a distance apart as shown by dotted lines at
Figure 3 as to form a receptacle just below the steering pivot al⁰ or under the pedal
axle as in my previous Patent No. 8387 A.D. 1893. The application of my
improvement to other designs of frames will be readily understood by reference to
the example shown by Figure 8 where the design of the ordinary diamond frame has
been adhered to the two sides A and A' being first stamped or pressed out of sheet
metal as before described the centre parts F afterwards being cut away and the two
:sides then brazed together.
The angles formed by the webs may of course be made larger and of any desired
configuration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. The improvements in cycle frames substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth and shown upon the accompanying drawings.
2nd. Cycle frames constructed of two sheet metal sides A and A'¹ and connected
together, substantially such as and for the purpose herein set forth and shown upon
the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In cycles, the sheet metal frame A mainly constructed from one sheet and
stiffened substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shown upon the
.accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of April 1894.
GEORGE BARKER.