An Improved Method of Connecting Metal Tubes or Rods, or Lengths of Bamboo or Wood, as Used in Constructing the Frames for Cycles or other Carriages.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct.,
1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Connecting Metal Tubes or Rods, or
Lengths of Bamboo or Wood, as Used in Constructing the
Frames for Cycles or other Carriages.
I JOHN HOWARD PLANT of Abberley Street, Dudley in the County of
Worcester, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Usually when metal tubes have been used in the manufacture of cycle frames
they have been brazed into the sockets of the various fittings or junction parts;
and when lengths of bamboo or wood have been used, such lengths have been
jointed or connected by being fitted in the sockets of the various fittings or junction
parts and secured therein by screwing, pinning, clamping or the like.
The brazing process is costly, requiring considerable skill and care, whilst it is
liable to weaken the tube where it should be strongest.
In consequence of the varying conformation of bamboo the ends have to be
pared so as to fit into the sockets. This fitting is also somewhat costly, and
moreover it weakens the bamboo by removing its silicated surface.
The object of my invention is to substitute the following means and method for
such brazing & fitting.
I make some of the fittings or junction parts in the form of brackets, the arms
whereof are open, hollowed or trough shaped, some having at their base rimmed
buffers or very shallow sockets. I make such hollowed arms of a suitable size to
receive the metal tube or length of bamboo intended to be laid therein. The
arms of such brackets may or may not be of equal size or length, and the extreme
ends thereof may or may not be strengthened by fixing a stay bar across: such
stay bar may be a separate part or it may be made with and form part of the
bracket.
Before I place or secure the tube or bamboo length into the arm of the bracket
or into the socketed trough shaped arm of the fitting I interpose some slightly
compressable material, such as vulcanized india-rubber, and this may be done in a
variety of ways, either by placing, fixing or cementing the same into the shallow
arm of the bracket or into the socket of the fitting or junction part, or preferably
by coating therewith the end of the tube or bamboo length for a distance
co-extensive with the length of the arm of the bracket.
Having so prepared the parts I introduce the metal tube, or the bamboo or
wooden length as the case may be into the arm, resting it as required against the
rimmed buffer or into the shallow socket, and then I connect the whole together
by screw clips, or by tightly wrapping or binding with wire or other suitable
material; or by any other method.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1895.

page_text: An Improved Method of Connecting Metal Tubes or Rods, or
Lengths of Bamboo or Wood, as Used in Constructing the
Frames for Cycles or other Carriages.
I, JOHN HOWARD PLANT of Abberley Street, Dudley, in the County of
Worcester, 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 relates to cycle frames composed of a series of assembled
members connected together by junction lugs or sockets, and has for its object, the
securing of the said members to the said lugs or sockets without brazing.
By the ordinary process of brazing frame members into their junction sockets,
the metal becomes softened and deteriorated in strength by the heat to which they
are exposed, and further, the process is costly and requires skill and care to be
exercised in its performance, whilst in connecting the ends of bamboo members,
the same have to be pared down to fit the sockets, thus removing the silicated bark
of the wood, hence considerable weakness is occasioned.
My invention consists in the employment of particularly constructed sockets,
lugs or junctions and in securing the ends of the frame members to the said
lugs or sockets by clips or by wrapping, with a yielding medium preferably
interposed between the attached ends of the said members and the said sockets
. Bo as to give better frictional adhesion or to reinforce the holding power of the
joint.
In carrying out one form of my improvements, I take an ordinary lug socket
and fit or provide the same with one, two or more semi-sockets or semi-circular
troughed seatings wherein the ends of the members to be connected lie and are
secured in their assigned positions, by wrapping or by clips, preferably of the band
order drawn tightly around the frame member ends by screw nuts or equivalents
and with a yielding material located between the seat and the end of the member
to be connected to its socket without brazing.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents one form of my system of
connecting cycle frame members to their sockets, the said view showing the ball
head of a safety bicycle, with the top and bottom stays connected thereto
according to my invention.
Figure 2 represents a cross section of the joint upon the dotted line & Figure 1.
a¹ is the top junction lug of a cycle ball head a, which lug a¹ has a semi-socket
or semi-circular seating a³, alike unto an inverted semi-circular trough, connected
to the junction a', by a shank a³, with the said combined shank and semi-socket
carrying a flange or bracket as, having bossed eyes a wherethrough the parallel
screwed ends 6', (having nuts e, therein) of a pair of loose embracing band clips.b,
pass and take around the inner end c¹, of a tubular frame member c, with a rubber
or other yielding sleeve d, surrounding the said end and coming between it and the
inner face a, of the seating which is preferably ring-corrugated or undulatory-in
order to reinforce the holding properties of the clips when drawn up, and if
necessary, the ends of the members to be connected may be made undulatory
as well.
The rubber facing, besides forming an additional means of holding-in the
members, coustitutes a yielding joint which stops off vibration by preventing solid
contact.
Figure 3 represents a modified form of my invention shown in connection with a
seat lug and Figure 4 is a cross section of the same upon the dotted line ¹.
a is the lug, a' the semi-socket and bare the band clips, which take through

page_text: holes in the walls of the semi-socket and are drawn up by nuts e. c is the end of
the tube member and d the interposed sleeve.
Figure 5 represents a further form of connection, in which a' is a junction lug,.
a semi-socket, 6 the clips and a semi-circular shield, around which the said
clips b, pass, with the rubber sleeve.d, located between the inner face of the shield.
and the inside surface of socket a', and the end of a frame member c.
Figure 6 represents a like socket as shown in the previous views, but instead of
employing band clips the connection is made by wrapping the joint with waxed.
cord or thread, wire or the like.
a is the lug, c the frame member, and a' the semi-socket which is inside corru--
gated, whilst d is the rubber felt or like sleeve or lining and b the wrapping, which
when pulled up tight, draws the end to be secured rigidly up to its seating, hence a
fast connection.
Figure 7 shows a back elevation and Figure 8 a side elevation of a back-stay
end connected to the back stay according to this last form of my invention.
a is the stay end, a' the semi-socket, c the stay member, d the rubber sleeve-
surrounding the same and 6 the securing wrappings.
Figure 9 represents in cross section a modified form of Figure 1, in which a.
drawing-up nut e, is only employed on one end 6 of each band clip b, whilst the
other end 6, is made fast to the semi-socket a².
Figure 10 represents an elevation of a still further modification of my invention.
in which an open-sided socket and seating is employed.
Figure 11 is a cross section of the same upon the dotted line ².
a is the lug, a³ side gaps or piercings in the same, b the securing wrappings,
e the frame member and d the interposed sleeve on the end.of the same.
Figure 12 represents my invention applied in the securing of a cycle handle-bar
to the summit lug of a steering pillar, and Figure 13 is a cross section of the same
upon the dotted line '.
Figure 14 shows a side elevation of a bottom bracket provided with semi-sockets
or frame-end seatings constructed according to my invention, and Figure 15 is a.
topside plan of the same.
Instead of employing rubber, felt or the like as the interposed medium between
the member ends and the insides of the semi-sockets or seatings, I may bind the
said ends of the members with twine or waxed twine or the like for the same.
purpose. Such a binding has the advantge of not puckering up when being
introduced into its place within the socket.
The application of my improvements to the junction parts of carriage and other
framings differs in no essential respect from its application to cycle framings as.
described.
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
First. In the junction lugs or junction parts of cycle and like framings, providing
the same with outstanding semi-sockets or gapped sockets or open or open-sided
seatings, wherein the ends of the framing members are secured by clips or other
means, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly. In cycle framing junction lugs or junction parts as referred to in the
preceding claim, securing the ends of the frame members within the said semi-
sockets or gapped or open-sided seatings or sockets of the same by adjustable:
embracing band clips, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1, 2, 3,.
4, 5 and 9.
Thirdly. In cycle framing junction lugs or junction parts as referred to in the
first claim, securing the ends of the frame members within the said semi-sockets
or gapped or open-sided seatings or sockets of the same by drawn-up wrappings of
wire, waxed twine, or the like substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11.

page_text: Fourthly. In cycle and like framings, the improvements in the means of securing
the frame members to the junction lugs or parts thereof, substantially as herein
described and set forth..
'
Fifthly. In the junction parts of cycle and like framings, reinforcing the holding
power of a joint by interposing a rubber, felt, waxed twine or other like medium
between the end of the member to be connected and the inside face of the
semi-socket or seating, substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 31st day of Inly 1896
"
JOHN HOWARD PLANT, :
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.