Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Certain Parts of Safety Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Carriages.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 7th May, 1898
Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Certain Parts
of Safety Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Carriages.
We, FRANK IORNS GIBBS and WILLIAM WRIGHT, trading together as Gibbs &
Wright, of 70, Lower Hurst Street, in the City of Birmingham, Tinplate Workers
and Metal Workers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention has reference to the front forks of safety bicycles and other velo-
cipedes and motor carriages and consists in constructing the upper parts of the
fork, commonly known as the fork crown and crown plate, from sheet metal and
securing the same to the fork sides and to the tubular steering pillar all in the
several ways hereinafter described whereby the cost of manufacture is considerably
reduced and the parts are rendered very light and strong.
In one arrangement of carrying out this invention our fork crown (which takes
the place of the usual fork crown and crown plate) is made of about the same depth
as the usual fork crown and crown plate together and is raised in a hollow box like
form from sheet metal and consists of four stamped sheet tin or other stamped sheet
metal blanks two of which have the shape of the fork crown as if it were divided
vertically across the centre of the fork sides and steering tube so that when fitted
together these two stampings will form a box with two oval holes in the top and
bottom for the fork sides and a central circular hole in the top and bottom for the
steering tube. The other two stampings which are raised with rims all round are
respectively made to fit on the top and bottom of the box like part so as to form a
cap and bottom for the same. The said box like part has a raised top and bottom
strengthening rib running all round it forming a corresponding internal top and
bottom groove or channel. The top ends of the fork sides are flanged outwardly
slightly so as to fit into the said upper channel of the box like part and threaded on
to each of the fork sides there is an oval ferrule made with a bottom flange which
fits in the bottom groove or channel of the box like part. Thus these flanges dis-
tribute the weight from the fork sides on to the fork crown. In fixing the parts
together, the two fork sides are embraced by the two halves of the box like part of
the fork crown the flanges of the fork sides engaging in the grooves or channels.
The cap stamping is placed on the top and the bottom stamping is threaded up the
fork sides against the bottom of the box like part so that the latter is then held
between the top and bottom stampings. The parts are pegged together if necessary
and then sweated together their surfaces having previously been tinned. Or the
parts may be brazed or otherwise fixed together. There is by preference a boss
raised round the central hole in the cap to receive the steering tube which fits round
an indented pommel formed on the bottom.

page_text: In another arrangement of this invention the said box like part of the fork crown
is strengthened by two internal thick sheet metal blanks one at the top and one at
the bottom of the same fitting within the grooves or channels running round the
box like part and each made with two oval holes to receive the fork sides and with
a central circular hole to receive the steering tube. When these thick blanks are
used within the box like part of the fork crown the said top and bottom stampings
or one of them may if desired be dispensed with. The said strengthening blanks
may be stamped with raised edges.
In another arrangement of carrying out this invention instead of the inter-
mediate box like stamping being formed of two box like sheet metal stampings
which meet together in a vertical plane passing through the two fork sides and the
central steering tube as above described we form the intermediate box like part
from two stamped sheet tin or other metal blanks forming two trough like shells
which are arranged one above the other and meet together at about the horizontal
central line of the fork crown, that is in a plane at right angles to the steering
pillar. Each of these trough like stampings has two oval holes formed in it for
the fork sides to pass through and one central circular hole for the steering pillar
and the edges are or may be rebated all round for strength and for the said top
and bottom stout blanks to fit in and in addition these top and bottom blanks may
be covered by the said stamped cap and bottom above described, or the said thick
blanks may be used with the intermediate trough like stampings without the top
and bottom caps; or the latter may be used with the trough like stampings without
the said internal strengthening blanks.
According to another arrangement of carrying out this invention instead of the
said two trough like stampings forming the box like part of the fork crown being
made to fit one on the other as in the arrangement last above described these two
trough like stampings may be made deeper and have their bottoms pierced out so
that the two trough like stampings will fit and telescope one within the other as
far as the rebated edge of the inner one will allow.
It is to be understood that in all the arrangements of our said invention herein-
before and hereinafter described, the various parts are by preference raised from
tinned sheet steel so that after being fitted together their surfaces will by being
heated readily adhere or sweat together.
In another arrangement of this invention we employ in combination with the
said top and bottom caps raised with rims all round as above described, an inter-
mediate tubular piece of corresponding shape and of the proper depth to fit within
the raised rims of the top and bottom caps and with them to form the hollow box
like fork crown. The said intermediate tubular piece may be made of one or more
thickness of metal.
In another arrangement of our invention the box like fork crown is stamped
or otherwise raised in one piece from sheet metal this stamping forming the top
(or the bottom) and the sides and ends of the fork crown made of the proper shape
to receive the fork sides and steering tube and by preference provided with one
of the said caps which is soldered or otherwise fixed to the said box like part.
The ends of the fork sides and of the steering tube are or may be strengthened
by liners inserted inside them, or into which the fork sides and steering tube are
inserted, these liners being raised from sheet metal blanks into a cup shape
corresponding with the tube in or on which they fit.
Dated this 25th day of May 1897.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Certain Parts
of Safety Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Carriages.
We, FRANK IORNS GIBBS and WILLIAM WRIGHT, trading together as Gibbs and
Wright, of 70, Lower Hurst Street, in the City of Birmingham, Tinplate Workers
and Metal Workers, 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 front forks of safety bicycles and other veloci-
pedes and motor carriages and consists in constructing the upper parts of the
fork, commonly known as the fork crown and crown plate, from sheet metal and
securing the same to the fork sides and to the tubular steering pillar all in the
several ways hereinafter described whereby the cost of manufacture is considerably
reduced and the parts are very light and strong.
We will describe our invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the upper part which we call the crown of a
bicycle front fork constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan
of the same and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the same; Fig. 4 shews the upper
part of one of the tubular fork sides of the same; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 shew the four
thin sheet metal stampings of which the said upper part or crown of the front
fork is formed; Fig. 8 is a front sectional elevation and Fig. 9 is a side elevation
of a modified form of our improved cycle front fork crown; Fig. 10 shews one of
the parts of the same separately; Fig. 11 is a sectional side elevation and plan of
an alternative construction of the part represented by Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a front
sectional elevation of a further modification of our improved cycle front fork
crown and Figs. 13 and 14 shew two of the sheet metal stampings of which the
front fork crown represented by Fig. 12 is partly formed; Fig. 15 is a sectional
front elevation of another form of cycle front fork crown constructed according
to this invention and Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation of the two sheet metal stamp-
ings forming the main portion of the said cycle front fork crown and Fig. 17 is a
plan of one of the said stampings; Fig. 18 is a front sectional elevation of another
form of cycle front fork crown constructed according to this invention and Fig. 19
is a plan of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts where they occur in the
different figures of the drawings.
In one arrangement of carrying out this invention as illustrated by Figs. 1 to 7
both inclusive our front fork crown which takes the place of the usual front fork
crown and crown plate is made of about the same depth as the usual fork crown
and crown plate together and is raised in a hollow box like form from sheet metal
and consists of four stamped sheet tin or other sheet metal blanks marked respec-
tively A B C D two of which namely B C have the shape of the fork crown as if
it were divided vertically across the centre of the fork sides E¹ E2 and steering
tube so that when these two stampings B C are fitted together they will form a
box with two oval holes 61 2 in the top and bottom for the fork sides E 2 and
a central circular hole 63 in the top and bottom to receive the steering tube F.
The stamping A is raised with a rim a¹ all round and the stamping D is similarly
raised with a rim & all round it and are respectively made to fit on to and embrace
the top and bottom of the central box like part B C as shewn in Fig. 3 so as to
form a cap and bottom for the same. The half stamping B has a raised top
strengthening rib b running round it and also a raised bottom strengthening rib 65

page_text: forming corresponding top and bottom grooves or channels 66 77, and the other
half of the box like part has also a raised top strengthening rib c running round
it and a raised bottom strengthening rib forming corresponding internal top and
bottom grooves or channels. The top ends e¹ of the fork sides E¹ E² are as
shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 flanged outwardly slightly so as to fit into the said upper
channel of the box like part B C, and threaded on to each of the fork
sides E E² there is an oval ferrule made with a bottom flange g¹ (see Fig. 4) which
as shewn in Fig. 3 fits in the bottom groove or channel 67 of the box like
part BC. The ferrule G is made long enough to take against the underside of
the flange el. Thus these flanges e¹ g¹ distribute the weight from the fork
sides E2 on to the fork crown.
In fixing the said parts together the two fork sides E¹ E are first embraced by
the two halves BC of the box like part of the fork crown the flanges e¹ g' engaging
in the side grooves or channels. The cap stamping A is placed on the top and the
bottom stamping D is threaded up the fork sides E' E against the bottom of the
box like part BC so that the latter is then held between the top stamping A and
the bottom stamping D. The parts are pegged together if necessary and then
sweated together their surfaces having previously been tinned as they are by
preference stamped out of tin plates. Or the said parts may be brazed or other-
wise fixed together. There is by preference a boss a² raised round the central
hole a³ in the top to receive the steering tube F which latter fits round the indented
pommel formed on the bottom D. The top cap A is also by preference made
with indented pommels as a to take into the tops of the tubular forks E' E2 and
the holes in the bottom fork D are strengthened by raised bosses which fit
round the tubular fork sides E¹ E².
In another arrangement of this invention illustrated by Figs. 8, 9 and 10 the
box like part formed of the two stampings BC as above described is strengthened
by two internal thick sheet metal blanks HH2 one of which is shewn separately
by Fig. 10. One of these blanks namely H¹ fits within the groove or channel b6c+
running round the top of the box like part and the other sheet metal blank H* fits
in the corresponding groove or channel running round the bottom of the box like
part BC. Each of these blanks HH2 are made with two oval holes h¹² to receive
the fork sides and the central circular hole h³ to receive the steering tube the out-
line form of the said blanks being made to correspond with the interior grooves of
the box like part BC in which these blanks H'H³ fit. When these thick
blanks H¹ H2 are used within the box like part BC of the fork crown the said top
and bottom stamping A D may be dispensed with; or if desired only one of the
stampings A or D may be used with the strengthening blanks H1 H2 and the box
like part BC for instance as shewn by Fig. 8. The said strengthening blanks H¹ H²
may if desired be made of thinner metal and stamped with raised edges h* as repre-
sented for instance by Fig. 11.
In another arrangement illustrated by Figs. 12 and 13, of carrying out this
invention, instead of the intermediate box like part of the fork crown being formed
of the two box like sheet metal stampings BC which meet together in a vertical
plane passing through the two fork sides E¹ E2 and the central steering tube F as
above described, we form the said intermediate box like part of the fork crown from
the two stamped sheet tin or other sheet metal blanks forming the two trough like
shells I¹I³ which are arranged one above the other as represented by Fig. 12 and
meet together at about the central horizontal line j of the fork crown that is a plane
at right angles to the steering pillar F. Each of these trough like stampings I¹ I
has two oval holes formed in it for the fork sides E¹ E2 to pass through and
one central circular hole for the steering pillar and the edges 24 are or may be
rebated all round for strength and for the said bottom and top stout blanks H¹H²
to fit in and in addition these bottom and top blanks HH2 may be covered by
the stamped cap and bottom AD above described; or the said blanks H¹H2 may
be used with the trough like stampings II without the top and bottom caps A I),

page_text: or the crown plate may be formed of the two intermediate stampings I¹ I² and the
top and bottom stampings AD without the internal strengthening blanks H¹ H2.
According to another arrangement illustrated by Figs. 15, 16 and 17 of carrying
out this invention instead of the two trough like stampings II2 forming the box
like part of the fork crown being made to fit one on the other as in the arrangement
last above described and illustrated by Figs. 12, 13 and 14, these two trough like
stampings II may as represented by Figs. 15 and 16 be made deeper than shewn
in Figs. 13 and 14 and have their bottoms pierced out so that the two trough
like stampings will fit and telescope one within the other as represented by Fig. 15
as far as the rebated edge of the inner one 22 will allow.
In another arrangement illustrated by Figs. 18 and 19 of our invention the box
like fork crown is stamped or otherwise raised in one piece K from sheet metal
this stamping forming the top ¹ (or the bottom) and the sides and ends of the
fork crown and is made of the proper shape as shewn to receive the fork sides El E²
and steering tube F and by preference provided with one of the caps say D in which
the stamping K fits and is soldered or otherwise fixed. This stamping K has a
raised central circular hole for the steering tube and two oval depressions ³
to take into the open tops of the tubular fork sides E E³.
It will be understood that the ends of the fork sides El E2 and of the steering
pillar Fare or may be strengthened by ordinary liners inserted inside them or
into which the fork sides and steering tubes are inserted in the usual way. These
liners being well known are not shewn upon our drawings and they are raised from
sheet metal blanks into a cup shape corresponding with the tube into or on to
which they fit.
It is to be understood that in all the arrangements of our invention hereinbefore
described the various parts are by preference raised from tinned sheet steel so that
after they have been placed together their surfaces can by being heated readily
adhere or sweated together.
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 claim is
1. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of four sheet metal hollow
stampings two of which have the shape of the fork crown as if it were divided
vertically across the centre of the fork sides and steering tube and form a box with
holes for the fork sides and steering tube, the other two stampings forming respec-
tively a top cap and a bottom cap adapted to receive the fork sides and steering
tube and embrace the half stampings, the whole four stampings being sweated or
otherwise fixed together so as to form a hollow cycle front fork crown substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the accom-
panying drawings.
2. The combination of a cycle front fork crown such as denoted under Claim 1
with the two tubular fork sides such as E¹ E made with flanges el at the top to
bear against the interior of the top cap of the fork crown and with flanged
ferrules G to bear against the inner side of the bottom cap of the fork crown so as
to form a combined cycle front fork and fork crown substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 1, to 7 both inclusive of the accompanying draw-
ings.
3. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the four sheet metal stamp-
ings ABC and D shaped and fixed together in the manner substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the two hollow stamp-
ings BC made with interior channels and exterior ribs and the two strengthening
plates HH adapted to receive the tubular fork sides and steering pillar and fitted
in said channels of and embraced by the said two hollow stampings the whole

page_text: forming a cycle front fork crown substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figs. 8, 9, 10 or 11 of the accompanying drawings.
5. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the two hollow sheet metal
stampings BC made with internal channels and exterior ribs, the two strengthen-
ing plates H'H2 adapted to receive the tubular fork sides and steering pillar and
fitted in said channels and embraced by the said two hollow stampings, and the
top cap A and bottom cap D or one of them, adapted to receive the tubular fork
sides and steering pillar and embracing the hollow stampings BC the said parts
being fitted and fixed together so as to form a cycle front fork crown substantially
as herein before described with reference to Figs. 8, 9, 10 or 11 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the two hollow sheet metal
stampings II meeting at about the horizontal centre line of the fork crown and
made with rebated edge it, the two strengthening plates H'H² adapted to fit in
said rebated edges and the stamped sheet metal top and bottom caps AD adapted
to enclose said strengthening plates and embrace the rebated edges of the stamp-
ings 11 the said parts being fitted and fixed together so as to form a cycle front
fork crown substantially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 12, 13
and 14 of the accompanying drawings.
7. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the hollow sheet metal
stampings I'I made with rebated edges, the two strengthening plates H'H³ fitted
therein and adapted to receive the tubular fork sides and steering pillar, the said
parts fitted and fixed together so as to form a cycle front fork crown substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 12, 13 and 14 of the accompanying
drawings.
8. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the two hollow sheet metal
stampings II meeting at about the horizontal centre line of the fork crown, and
the two stamped sheet metal top and bottom caps A and D adapted to embrace
the edges of the said hollow stampings the said parts being fitted and fixed together
so as to form a cycle front fork crown substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figs. 12 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.
9. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the two hollow sheet metal
stampings II adapted to telescope and fit one within the other and made with
rebated edges, the two strengthening plates H'H² adapted to fit in said rebated
edges, the stamped sheet metal top and bottom caps AD adapted to enclose said
strengthening plates and embrace the rebated edges of the stampings I'I2, the
said parts being fitted and fixed together so as to form a cycle front fork crown
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 15, 16 and 17 of
the accompanying drawings.
10. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the two hollow sheet metal
stampings II made with rebated edges and adapted to telescope and slide one
within the other, the two strengthening plates H¹ H2 fitting in said rebated edges
and adapted to receive the tubular fork sides and steering pillar, the said parts
being fitted and fixed together so as to form a cycle front fork crown substantially
as herein before described with reference to Figs. 15, 16 and 17 of the accompanying
drawings.
11. A cycle front fork crown consisting essentially of the two hollow sheet metal
stampings II made with rebated edges and adapted to telescope and slide one
within the other, and the two stamped sheet metal top and bottom caps AD adapted
to embrace the edges of the said hollow stampings, the said parts being fitted and
fixed together so as to form a cycle front fork crown substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 15, 16 and 17 of the accompanying drawings.
12. A cycle front fork crown consisting of the hollow stamping K made with
the oval depressions ¹³, to take into the open tops of the fork sides and the
stamped sheet metal bottom cap D made with upturned edge adapted to embrace
the edge of the stamping K and also made with oval holes d³ to receive the fork
sides and with the pommel & fitted and fixed together so as to form a cycle front

page_text: fork crown substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 18
and 19 of the accompanying drawings.
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CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.
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