Improvements in the Construction of the Parts of Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1893—Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Parts of Velocipedes.
We PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF of Stoke in the County of Warwick, Engineer
and FREDERICK WESTWOOD of 44 Newport Road Moseley in the City of
Birmingham, Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is principally to substitute sheet metal pressed and
stamped or otherwise moulded to suit varying strains and purposes for the more
expensive and heavier parts usually made from steel stampings, forgings, malleable
castings or weldless tube.
For this purpose we shape one or more of the main parts (such as the socket;
the "bottom bracket," the fork crown,) to which two or more tubes have to be
joined, out of sheet metal into cylindrical form, the edges of the sheet either
overlapping each other or else overlaying each other so as to form a web.
Sometimes these edges themselves are pressed out radially so that when they
are joined they form pockets to receive the straight tubing of the framework;
sometimes the main tubing is terminated by T piece or belled out ends and the
sheet joints laid round these ends, circular or semicircular holes being provided in
the sheet metal for this purpose.
Sometimes however the fork crown is formed by two sheet metal bridges, each
of which has three cups thrown up to receive the socket tube and the two forks
respectively, thus affording greater brazing surface than the usual sheet metal
bridges. The two outer cups on the lower bridge are pierced; those on the upper
bridge have solid ends so as to close the top ends of the fork.
The seat lug is formed either by forming a loop out of sheet strip (to encircle
the diagonal tube of a "Diamond frame"), and bringing the ends together into
a tubular shape to receive or to be placed over the upper horizontal tube; it may
be utilised so as to form an internally split lug or clip capable of holding the
telescoping seat pillar; or else we press the centre of the strip so as to pocket
one end of the horizontal tube, bringing back the ends to encircle the diagonal
and then continue to form the lugs of the clamp for seat pillar adjustment; the
nip screw or bolt may be used to hold the back stays and the ends are preferably
semicircular in section so as to be sufficiently stiff laterally.
The fork end slots are pressed either out of separate pieces of sheet or out of
the extremities of the chain stays in such a manner that the extreme parts may
be pierced or otherwise utilised for the purpose of containing or holding the
tension draw bolts or tensioning nuts.
We preferably leave the extreme end of the slots open on the lower sides so
that the backwheel axle may be inserted without springing the chain stays.
Where tubes, such as the front forks or chain stays are subjected to greater
strains in one particular direction they may also be with advantage shaped out of
sheet metal with overlaying edges forming an outer web in the direction to be
stayed; these webs may be further utilised by the insertion of holes for the purpose
of carrying attachments of various parts of the frame, such as brake hinges,
chainguards &c.; besides this these webs will resist the torsional strains to which
the tubes are subjected at their roots or fixed ends.
The flanges of the hubs are formed out of sheet discs each of which is provided
with a series of cups or circular projections capable of being pierced for the
reception of a spoke head or nipple. The rims are provided with deep cups
pressed to semi spherical shape in order to receive spherical nipples; by their
means we ensure perfect straightness of spoke line.

page_text: The large chain wheel is formed out of two discs of slightly conical section,
riveted, brazed or otherwise joined, the teeth being ready pressed, and the centres
being formed into sleeves ready for brazing to the crankshaft or to a sleeve to
be keyed to the crankshaft.
The smaller chainwheel is formed out of two pieces, each of which has the
teeth pressed in; one of them is provided with a projection or a recess to receive
the hardened end bearing, the other may bear the spoke attachments.
The footrests and step are screwed into the web projecting from the forks or
stays, or where there are no webs, a piece of sheet is wrapped round the forks or
stays, the two edges overlaying in web shape; the part forming the step itself
acts either as the bolt or the nut to keep these webs locked together.
Dated this 19th day of September 1892.
PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF.
FREDERICK WESTWOOD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Parts of Velocipedes.
We, PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF of Stoke in the County of Warwick, Engineer
and FREDERICK WESTWOOD of 44 Newport Road Moseley in the City of
Birmingham, Agent 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:-
The object of this invention is principally to substitute sheet metal pressed or
stamped or otherwise moulded to suit varying strains and purposes for the more
expensive and heavier parts usually made from steel stampings or forgings, from
malleable castings, or out of weldless tube.
Referring to the drawings:
a¹
Fig. 1. shews our invention as applied to the socket of a safety frame, A being
a strip of sheet metal rolled or drawn into cylindrical shape, but with the longi-
tudinal edges lying parallel, so as to form a web; these edges are opened at
as shewn, so as to form pockets for receiving the ends of the tubes b,
have to be brazed in. We also make bottom brackets by the same method using
a suitable sectional diameter and forming the pockets at suitable angles.
which
Sometimes the edges, instead of forming a web, overlap as in A. Fig. 2. where
they are pierced to admit the tube 6; the extremity of the latter is belled out so
as to fit the inside of the cylinder.
In Fig. 3. two sheet metal bridges B, B', have each the centre c, c¹ pressed out
so as to form a sleeve to receive the steering post of the velocipede, the ends of
the plates B, B being provided with similar sleeves to receive the front forks of
the velocipede. These latter sleeves or recesses may be round as shewn in the
drawings, or oval according to the section of the forks and the sleeves on the
upper bridge have by preference solid or enclosed tops, in order to exclude rain
and dirt from the forks. It will be seen that we thus obtain greater brazing
surface than is possible in the case of ordinary skeleton bridges.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the joint of the top rail and the diagonal or seat pillar
tube of a so-called Diamond frame-the top rail being fitted into the sleeve e,
Fig. 5, or over or between the semi-circular ends d, d' of the looped strip in
Fig. 1. The top of the diagonal or seat pillar tube f. is slotted towards the front
in Fig. 4, and at the back in Fig. 5, so as to form a split lug for the purpose of
adjusting the height of the seat pillar. d, d', Fig. 5, the ends of the strip, being
of semicircular section are well calculated to resist the clamping action of the
screw or bolt.
Fig. 6 represents a slotted fork end, pressed either out of the chain tube itself
or out of a separate tubular end or out of a strip of sheet metal. The slot is
preferably open at its further and lower end, to enable the wheel to be extracted

page_text: without springing or forcing the stays, and the extreme end is formed into a loop
for the purpose of holding the chain adjustment screw.
Fig. 7 illustrates a fork constructed out of sheet, the edges forming a web,
which whilst affording greater rigidity, fore and aft, is adapted to carry the brake
pivot at hole g, and the footrests at a hole h.
Fig. 8 shews a hub flange with raised hollow and cylindrical projections i, i.
These are drilled transversely, & to the diameter of the spokes K, K', and the
latter inserted so that the spoke heads lie inside these cylinders, and the spokes
are led to the rim without any deflection.
Fig. 9. shews the rim provided with depressions 1, 1 suitable for containing
spherical nipples m for tensioning the spokes. By this means the tyre is not
interfered with nor the spokes deflected.
The axle chain wheel is stamped out of two sheets, n, n Fig. 10, the centres
being shaped into sleeves which may be brazed on to the axle or on to a separate
sleeve; sometimes the teeth are pressed out so as to be hollow on one sheet, n';
whilst the toothed edges on the other sheet n support and close them up.
The hub chain wheel in Fig. 11 is similarly formed out of a pair of pressed
discs, each provided with a central projecting cylinder or sleeve, one of them to
receive the ball cup or bearing o, the other to form a joint with p, the centre of
the hub; the inner flange may be provided with spoke attachments as in Fig. 8.
Fig. 12 shews a foot rest formed out a bolt q, passed through the sheet metal
clip r. By clamping a sheet metal strip around one of the back stays of a
velocipede and using a suitable bolt in a similar manner,-t
,-the latter may be used
as a step for mounting.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :
1) Forming cylindrical parts of the framing of velocipedes out of sheet metal,
such parts being provided with projecting hollow sleeves or pockets for the
purpose of receiving tubular or other parts of the framing for the purposes
described.
2) Forming the socket tubes or crank axle brackets of velocipedes out of sheet
metal and forcing pockets out of the sheet metal for the purpose of receiving the
main tubes of the framing.
3) Forming the socket tubes or the crank axle brackets of velocipedes out of
sheet metal with the edges joined web-wise, but opened at the proper intervals for
the purpose of receiving the main tubes of the framework as shewn in Fig. 1, and
substantially as described.
4) Forming the socket or bracket of a velocipede out of sheet metal with
overlapping edges and joining the tubes through holes in the former in the manner
shewn in Fig. 2 and substantially as described.
5) Forming the bridges or crowns of velocipede forks out of sheet metal
furnished with raised projections suitable for enclosing the steering tube and the
forks in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in Fig. 3.
6) The sheet metal bridge B, Fig. 3. with the hollow projections to receive the
forks, such projections or sleeves being solid or enclosed at the top in the manner
and for the purpose described.
7) Forming the joint of the top rail and the diagonal or seat pillar tube out of
sheet metal substantially in the manner described.
8) The split lug or clamp formed out of sheet metal and forming the joint of
the top rail and seat pillar socket as illustrated in Fig. 4.
9) The split lug or clamp formed out of sheet metal and enclosing the top end
of the seat pillar socket, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 5.
10) The fork end illustrated in Fig. 6 formed out of sheet metal or out of tube
with the extremity opened as illustrated and described and for the purpose of
containing a chain-adjusting screw,

page_text: 11) The back slot as illustrated in Fig. 6 with the further and lower end open
for facilitating insertion or removal of the hub axle.
12) The tube or fork illustrated in Fig. 7 formed out of web jointed sheet in
the manner and for the purpose described.
13) The hollow projections i, Fig. 8, raised on the surface of a sheet metal
hub flange for the purpose of spoke attachment, substantially as described.
14) The depressions 1, 1, Fig. 9 on the bottom of a rim for the purposes of
spoke attachment as described.
15) The spherical nuts or nipples m Fig. 9 in combination with spoke connection
substantially for the purpose and in the manner described.
16) A crank axle chain wheel pressed out of sheet metal substantially as
described.
17) The hollow chain wheel formed out of two parts n, n¹, Fig. 10, substantially
as described.
18) The hub chain wheel n n¹ Fig. 11 formed as described out of sheet
metal.
19) The combination of a sheet metal clamp (Fig. 12) with a bolt and nut q
for the purpose of forming a detachable footrest or step.
Dated this Nineteenth day of July 1893.
PHILIP LOUIS RENOUT.
FREDERICK WESTWOOD.