Improvements in the Manufacture of the Frames of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 29th Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of the Frames of Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I, JOHN VERNON PUGH, of Whitworth Works, Rea Street South, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows :--
The frames of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes are made of steel or iron
tubing the junctions of which are made by brazing and for the purpose of
strengthening the framing at the junctions short tubular pieces are inserted in the
ends and parts to be joined.
According to one part of my invention I employ in place of the short pieces of
strengthening tubing described, cup like tubular strengthening pieces, that is
tubular strengthening pieces closed at one end. The said cup like strengthening
pieces are made by the drawing through process from discs of iron or steel.
In putting together the parts to be joined I prefer to connect the tubes
temporarily before permanently joining them by brazing in the following
manner.
I fix the cup like strengthening piece in the end of the tube by means of a side
screw and I fix the open end of the said tube to the cross tube to which it is to be
brazed by means of an axial screw passed through the closed end of the
strengthening piece the said screw taking into the cross tube and the cup like
strengthening piece situated in the said cross tube.
In order to permit more effectually the melted solder in the act of brazing to
pass between the strengthening cup and the tube in which it is inserted I prefer
to make a series of flutes on the cup like strengthening piece the said flutes forming
channels down which the melted solder can readily flow.
According to another of my improvements I form the junction of that part of
the framing called the back fork end in the following manner, I flatten the end
of the tubes which are to be joined at the back fork end, the end of one of the
said tubes being completely flattened that is, the opposite sides of the tube are
brought in contact. The end of the other tube is so far flattened as to fit it to
receive the end of the tube completely flattened. The end of the completely
flattened tube being inserted in the end of the other tube, and temporarily fixed
by pins or screws, the two ends are joined together by brazing.
Instead of flattening the end of the tubes in the way described they may both
be equally flattened but only to such an extent as will admit of their being fitted
upon a separate horse shoe shaped piece constituting the chain adjusting screw
fork to which they are attached by brazing. When the tubes are joined by the
method first described the said chain adjusting screw fork is formed by cutting
away a part of the joined ends.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of April 1895
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of the Frames of Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I, JOHN VERNON PUGH, of Whitworth Works Rea Street South, Birmingham,.
in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
The frames of bicycles, tricycles, and other velocipedes are made of steel or
iron tubing the junctions of which are made by brazing and for the purpose of
strengthening the framing at the junctions short tubular pieces are inserted in the
ends aud parts to be joined.
According to one part of my invention I employ in place of the short pieces of
strengthening tubing described, cup like tubular strengthening pieces, that is,
tubular strengthening pieces closed at one end. The said cup like strengthening
pieces are made by the drawing through process from discs of iron or steel.
In putting together the parts to be joined I prefer to connect the tubes
temporarily before permanently joining them by brazing in the following
manner.
I fix the cup like strengthening piece in the end of the tube by means of a
side screw and I fix the open end of the said tube to the cross tube to which it is
to be brazed by means of an axial screw passed through the closed end of the
strengthening piece the said screw taking into the cross tube and the cup like
strengthening piece situated in the said cross tube.
In order to permit, more effectually, the melted solder in the act of brazing to
pass between the strengthening cup and the tube in which it is inserted I prefer to
make a series of flutes on the cup like strengthening piece the said flutes forming
channels down which the melted solder can readily flow.
According to another of my improvements I form the junction of that part
of the framing called the back fork end in the following manner. I flatten the
ends of the tubes which are to be joined at the back fork end, the end of one of
the said tubes being completely flattened, that is, the opposite sides of the tube are
brought in contact. The end of the other tube is so far flattened as to fit it to
receive the end of the tube completely flattened. The end of the completely
flattened tube being inserted in the end of the other tube, and temporarily fixed
by pins or screws, the two ends are joined together by brazing.
Instead of flattening the ends of the tubes in the way described they may both
be equally flattened but only to such an extent as will admit of their being fitted
upon a separate horse shoe shaped piece constituting the chain adjusting screw
fork to which they are attached by brazing. When the tubes are joined by the
method first described the said chain adjusting screw fork is formed by cutting
away a part of the joined ends.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in front elevation and
Figure 2 in vertical section, two crossing tubes marked respectively A B of the
frame of a velocipede the junction of which tubes is strengthened by cup like
pieces inserted in the ends of the said tubes A B according to my invention.
Before connecting the two tubes A B and their strengthening pieces by brazing
I temporarily fix them in position by means of a small screw e taking through the
side of the tube A into its cup like strengthening piece a and by means of an
axial screw d the head of which bears on the bottom of the inverted cup piece
of the tube A and the screwed part of which engages in a screwed hole made in
the side of the tube B and its cup like strengthening piece b.
Solder in a granular condition is introduced into the tube A which collects on
the bottom of the inverted cup a as is represented in Figure 2 where the solder is

page_text: marked e.
On the heating of the junction of the two tubes the solder is melted.
and runs down the side of the cup a and the side of the tube A on to the side of
the tube B. When the solder in the tube A has been melted and effected the
soldering or brazing to it of the strengthening cup.a, the tubes A B are turned so.
as to bring the tube B vertical and with the bottom or closed end of its cup b..
uppermost. Granular solder is introduced into the tube B which melting effects.
the soldering or brazing of the cup 6 to the said tube B in a similar manner to that.
described with respect to the tube A and its cup a. The parts are thus firmly.
secured together and strengthened at their junction.
In order to permit more effectually the melted solder in the act of brazing to.
pass between the side of the tube and its strengthening cup, vertical flutes, as
represented in Figures 3 and 4, or spiral flutes as represented in Figure 5 may be.
made in the side of the strengthening cup.
Where a large bearing surface for the tube A is desired its strengthening cup
may be provided with a flange at its mouth as represented in elevation in Figure 6.
and plan in Figure 7 for seating itself on the crossing tube B.
Or a large bearing surface may be provided for the tube A by the employment.
of a cluster of cups in the end of the said tube; that is, two, three or more cups
fitting one within the other as represented in Figure 8. The bottoms or closed
ends of the several cups are separated a short distance apart. Granular solder is.
introduced between the bottoms of each pair of cups and also on to the top of the
largest cup and the junction being heated the series of cups is brazed together and.
to the tube A,
Figure 9 represents the last described arrangement applied to the junction of the
steering fork column with the crown of the said steering fork. In this arrangement
I have shown two cups only marked respectively a, a³, the outer cup a being of
much greater length than the inner cup a². Where thought sufficient one cup only
may be used or where great strength is necessary or desirable three, or more than
three cups, may be employed.
Figure 10 represents the application of the cup like strengthening pieces to the
angle of the Lpin or seat support and Figure 11 represents the application of the
said cup like strengthening pieces to the two tubes joining the middle of the bottom
bracket.
I do not think it necessary to illustrate further the application of the cup like
strengthening pieces to junctions at other parts of velocipedes as those shown are
typical of the many different junctions in the various kinds of velocipedes
manufactured.
Figures 12 and 13 represent respectively in side and end elevation one of the
back fork ends of the rear wheel of a safety bicycle the said back fork end being..
constructed according to my invention; Figures 14, 15 and 16 represent the parts
of the said back fork end before they are connected together.
In constructing the back fork end Figures 12 and 13 I completely flatten or close.
the end of the inclined tube f as illustrated in side and edge view and section in
Figure 14 and I nearly close the horizontal or nearly horizontal tube g as illustrated.
in side elevation end elevation and plan of underside in Figure 15. The space left
between the sides of the flattened end of the tube g is sufficient to permit of the-
introduction into it, through a slot or opening g' in its upper edge, of the flattened.
end of the tube f the extreme end of which passes through and is rivetted over an
opening in the lower edge of the tube g. The two tubes are preferably further
secured by a screw or rivet (not shown) prior to brazing the engaged ends together.
After the brazing of the parts together the part of the inclined tube rivetted over
the underside of the horizontal tube 9 is filed away so as to give a finished appear
ance to the said end. Although I have shown the flattened ends of the tubes f, g
slotted in Figures 14 and 15 I wish it to be understood that the slot in which the
back wheel spindle works is not made until after the two flattened ends are brazed
together.
In the open end of the horizontal tube g the loose plate represented detached.

page_text: in Figure 16, is inserted and against the turned out piece 2 of the said plate / the
adjusting nut of the eye bolt k bears.
Figures 17 and 18 represent respectively in side and end elevation a modified
method of constructing the back fork ends. Figures 19, 20, 21 and 22 represent
the parts of the same before they are put together. I make the extreme end of
the horizontal tube g of a U shape and the extreme end of the inclined tube f
of the figure of an inverted letter U and when the two parts are brought together
I insert and braze in them the horse shoe shaped piece or fork (shown separately
in Figure 21) and thus connect the two tubes f, g together. In the recess left at
the rear of the fork 7 the loose nut bearing washer m Figure 22 takes.
Back fork ends made in either of the ways herein before described and represented
have a strength unattainable by the ordinary method of construction and are much
neater in appearance than back fork ends as ordinarily constructed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in the manufacture of the frames of bicycles, tricycles
and other velocipedes":
First. Strengthening the junctions of the tubes of the frames of velocipedes by
brazing in the parts of the tubes to be joined together metallic cup like pieces or a
cluster of cup like pieces substantially as herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 1 to 11 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. Constructing the back fork ends of the frames of velocipedes by
flattening and closing the end of one tube and flattening and nearly closing the end
of the other tube to be joined to the first named tube and inserting the closed end
of the latter through a slot or opening into the nearly closed end of the other tube
and brazing them together substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in Figures 12 to 16 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Thirdly. Constructing the back fork ends of the frames of velocipedes by
forming the extreme ends of the two tubes to be joined of a U shape and brazing
in them a horse shoe shaped piece or forked plate substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 17 to 22 both inclusive of the accompanying
drawings.
o
Dated the Fifteenth day of January 1896.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.