A New or Improved Brazeless or Mechanical Joint for Connecting the Parts of Tubular Structures.
Year: 1898

page_text: •
AL
A New or Improved Brazeless or Mechanical Joint for Connecting the
Parts of Tubular Structures.
We, MATTHEW THOMPSON, MATTHEW GARIBALDI THOMPSON, and WILLIAM
HAVELOCK THOMPSON, all of Eslington Engineering and Cycle Works, Bolam
Street, Teams, Gateshead-upon-Tyne, in the County of Durham, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to brazeless or mechanical joints for connecting the parts
of tubular structures such as velocipede frames.
In constructing a joint according to our invention we employ a lug of usual
form and bore the same with a parallel hole or preferably a conical hole enlarging
inwardly, which hole is made a fairly close fit for the end of the tube to be
secured therein. We make one or more slight longitudinal grooves in the lug
and provide the tube end with corresponding ribs. These ribs may be pressed
on the tube or otherwise formed thereon so as to produce corresponding channels
in the interior thereof; the ribs may be confined to the ends of the tube or may
extend along the whole or a shorter part or parts thereof.
A liner, preferably of somewhat greater length than the lug, is fitted into the
end of the tube. This liner is provided on the exterior with one or more ribs
adapted to engage in the channels in the tube end; it is tapped internally with
a fine thread for a distance corresponding to the length of the lug, and is split
longitudinally with say two diametrically opposite cuts extending along and some
distance beyond its tapped portion. The said tapped portion of the liner is
made slightly taper internally, contracting towards the complete end. The liner
is inserted in the end of the tube with its complete end furthest from the end
of the tube.
The end of the tube is adapted to be expanded within the lug by a slightly
taper hollow plug which screws into and expands the liner. The plug is screw
threaded and tapered externally to correspond to the interior of the liner but is
of slightly larger average external diameter than the average internal diameter
of the said liner. The bore of the plug is made of other than circular transverse
section, so that the said plug may be rotated by a tool of suitable form thrust.
thereinto. A suitable form for the bore of the plug may be obtained by drilling
a series of equidistant holes lengthwise through the plug, the effect of the
drilling being to cut away the axial portion of the plug and leave a series of
internal parallel ribs which materially assist the plug in resisting radial crushing,
strains and afford a hold for the rotating tool.
To construct the joint, the liner is fitted into the end of the tube with the
ribs on the former engaging in the channels in the latter, and the plug is screwed
into the liner as far as may be without interfering with the entering of the tube,
end into the lug, the grooves in which lug receive the ribs on the tube. Finally,
the plug is screwed well into the liner, and the tapering of these two parts causes
the expansion of the split part of the liner, which in turn causes the expansion

page_text: of the tube end and the jamming thereof within the lug. The engagement of
the ribs and grooves and the like forms an important part of our invention as
unless relative rotary movement of the lug, tube and liner be prevented the parts
are very liable to get out of position as soon as any considerable force is exerted
in screwing in the plug, and the construction of the joint is prevented. The part
of the liner extending beyond the lug acts as a reinforcement. Any suitable
means may be employed for screwing in the plugs, such means being preferred
which do not involve the drilling of large additional holes in the lugs or other
part of the frame.
By these means the end of the tube, which may be split or entire, is gripped
between the liner and the lug and is firmly secured to the said lug.
According to a modification, the end of the tube, which in this case need not
be ribbed, is provided with one or more longitudinal slots; the ribs on the liner
extend through these slots into the grooves in the lug. The ribs on the liner
may be narrower than the slots in the tube so as not to bear against the edges
thereof, and they are made of such a depth that, though they project through the
tube, they do not bear against the bottoms of the grooves in the lug, so that
when the plug is screwed up tight, the tube end receives the full pressure of the
grip. In this case the ribs on the liner are preferably arranged just beyond the
cuts therein, reckoning in the direction of the screw thread, and the relative
rotation of the parts is prevented by the lateral engagement of the ribs on the
liner with the grooves in the lug.
The invention may be applied to structures in which the tubes are made of
steel, aluminium or other suitable ductile metal or material. Similarly, any
suitable material may be employed for the lug, liner and plug.
Dated this 28th day of October 1898.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry,
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham.
Patent Agent for the Applicants.
A New or Improved Brazeless or Mechanical Joint for Connecting the
Parts of Tubular Structures.
We, MATTHEW THOMPSON, MATTHEW GARIBALDI THOMPSON, and WILLIAM
HAVELOCK THOMPSON, all of Eslington-Engineering and Cycle Works, Bolam
Street, Teams, Gateshead-upon-Tyne, in the County of Durham, Engineers, 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:—
Our invention relates to brazeless or mechanical joints for connecting the parts
of tubular structures such as velocipede frames; and in order that the same may
be properly understood we will describe the same with the aid of the accompanying
drawings wherein,
Figure I is a side elevation of a joint showing, by way of example, the top tube
of a velocipede frame connected to the upper lug of the steering head.
Figure II is a central vertical section through the joint.
Figure III is a transverse section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

page_text: Figures IV, V, VI and VII are end elevations of the lug, tube, liner and
plug respectively.
Figure VIII is a side elevation of the liner.
The same numerals refer to the same parts throughout the drawings.
We employ a lug 2 of usual form and bore the same either with a parallel
hole, or a conical hole enlarging slightly inwardly, preferably the latter. The
said hole is made a fairly close fit for the end of the tube 4 to be secured therein.
We make a number of slight longitudinal grooves 5 in the lug and provide the
tube end with corresponding ribs 6. These ribs may be pressed or drawn on the
tube or may be otherwise formed thereon so as to produce corresponding channels 7
in the interior thereof; the ribs may be confined to the ends of the tube or may
extend along the whole or a shorter part or parts thereof.
A liner 8, preferably of somewhat greater length than the hole 3 in the lug 2,
is fitted into the end of the tube 4. This liner is provided on the exterior
with ribs 9 adapted to engage in the channels 7 in the tube end; it is tapped
internally with a fine thread 10 for a distance corresponding to the length of the
hole 3, and is split longitudinally with say four equidistant cuts 11 extending
along, and some distance beyond, its tapped portion 10. The said tapped portion
of the liner is made slightly taper internally contracting towards the complete
end 12. The cuts 11 are preferably made near to the left sides of the respective
ribs 9 to prevent. displacement of the parts of the liner when putting the joint
together. The liner & is inserted in the end of the tube with its complete part 12
farthest from the mouth of the tube.
The end of the tube 4 is adapted to be expanded within the lug 2 by a
slightly taper hollow plug 13 which screws into and expands the liner 8. This
plug is screw threaded and tapered externally to correspond to the interior
of the liner but is preferably of slightly larger average external diameter than
the average internal diameter of the said liner. The bore 14 of the plug is
made of other than circular transverse section, so that the said plug may be
rotated by a tool of suitable form thrust thereinto. A suitable forni for the bore
of the plug may be obtained by drilling a series of equidistant holes lengthwise
through the plug, the effect of the drilling being to cut away the axial portion of
the plug and leave a series of internal parallel ribs 18, as shown. These ribs
materially assist the plug in resisting radial crushing strains and afford a
hold for the rotating tool.
The lug is preferably provided with external ribs such as 17, to compensate
for the weakening effect of the grooves 5.
To construct the joint, the liner S is fitted into the end of the tube 4 with the
ribs 9 engaging in the channels 7, and the plug 13 is screwed into the liner as
far as may be without interfering with the entering of the tube end into the
lug, the grooves 5 in which lug receive the ribs 6 on the tube. The end of the
tube, carrying the liner and plug, is then thrust into the hole 3 in the lug.
Finally, the plug 13 is screwed well into the liner 8, and the tapering of these
two parts causes the expansion of the split part of the liner, which in turn
causes the expansion of the tube end 4 and the jamming thereof within the
lug 2.
The engagement of the ribs 6 & 9 with the grooves and channels 5 & 7
respectively, forms an important part of our invention, as unless rotary move-
ment of the tube 4 and liner 8, relatively to the lug 2, be prevented the parts
are very liable to get out of position as soon as any considerable force is exerted
in screwing in the plug, and such displacement would prevent the proper con-
struction of the joint. The part 12 of the liner extending beyond the lug acts as
a reinforcement. Any suitable means may be employed for screwing in the plugs,
those means being preferred which do not involve the drilling of large additional
holes in the lugs or other parts of the frame.
By these means the end of the tube 4, (which may be split or entire) is gripped
between the liner 8 and the lug 2 and is firmly secured to the said lug.

page_text: Our invention may be applied to the formation of other suitable joints in a
similar manner; and in all cases detail modifications may be made without
exceeding the fair scope of our invention.
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 we
are aware that it has already been proposed to corrugate those parts of tubular
structures which form the joints and we do not broadly claim the same, but
what we do claim is:-
1. A brazeless or mechanical joint for connecting the parts of tubular structures,
constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described
and illustrated.
2. A brazeless or mechanical joint for connecting the parts of tubular structures
comprising, one or more longitudinal grooves in the lug; one or more ribs on and
channels in the tube end; a liner having external longitudinal ribs, an internal
screw thread at one end which is tapered, and one or more longitudinal splits
extending beyond the screw thread; and a taper plug having an external screw
thread; all combined, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.
3. A brazeless or mechanical joint for connecting the parts of tubular structures
comprising, one or more longitudinal grooves in the fug; one or more ribs on
and channels in the tube end; a liner having external longitudinal ribs, an
internal screw thread at one end which is tapered, and one or more longitudinal
splits extending beyond the screw thread; and a taper, hollow plug having an
external screw thread and a bore of non-circular transverse section; all combined,
arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.
4. In a brazeless or mechanical joint for connecting the parts of tubular
structures, providing the tube end with external longitudinal ribs and with
internal longitudinal channels, the former being adapted to engage with corre-
sponding grooves in the lug, and the latter being adapted to receive corresponding
ribs on the liner, to prevent relative rotary movement of the lug, tube and liner
in constructing the joint, substantially as set forth.
Tlated 1001
T
1000
DOUGLAS LEECHMAN, M.Cy.E.I.,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry,
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham, and
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.Č.
Patent Agent for the Applicants.