Improvements in Coupling Devices for Connecting the Parts of Bicycles and for similar purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1896-Accepted, 9th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coupling Devices for Connecting the Parts of
Bicycles and for similar purposes.
I, WILLIAM WALLACE TUCKER, of 105 Huntington Street, Hartford,
Connecticut, United States of America, Contractor, 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 coupling devices having a clamping action, and the
object of the invention is to provide an improved means of this character whereby
members may be adjustably and removably, but at the same time firmly aud
rigidly, connected together; and it is adapted more especially for use in connecting
tubular members-such as the adjustable fraining parts of bicycles and the handle-
bars or scat-posts thereof.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means of this
character, which, while rigidly and firmly connecting the members together, will,
at the same time, constitute a reinforcing means for such members, when subjected
to lateral flexure or stress, and thus increase the strength of the same.
A further object of the invention is to provide means of this character which
will permit one member to be quickly and easily adjusted relatively to the other
member thereof.
In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, of this improved coupling means, shown,
connecting two tubular members together.
Fig. 2 is a view, also partly in section, showing another application of this
improved coupling means, in connection with such tubular members.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of one form of coupling-member.
Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a supplemental coupling-
member adapted for use with this improved coupling means.
Fig. 5 is a view of the clamping-member, detached. Fig. 6 is an end view
thereof; and Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal partly-sectional view thereof.
Similar characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
This improved coupling device comprises, in a general way, clamping means and
coupling means coacting with each other, whereby two independent members may
be removably and adjustably connected together-such, for instance, as two tubular
members, or two members, one constructed in the nature of a tubular member, and the
other constructed to slide therein; such coupling device being preferably herein
shown, however, as applied to two tubular members; and in the preferred form thereof
herein shown and described, the outer tubular member 12 has a tapering or flaring
interior face 13 at one end thereof and suitable screw-threads 14 on its peripheral
face, adjacent to and encircling said tapering or flaring face 13. Closely fitting
within the outer tubular member 12, for sliding adjustment relatively thereto, is an
inner removable member 15.
The clamping means in its preferred form comprises a clamping-member in the
nature of a sleeve 16, formed on its inner face to closely fit the inner tubular
nember 15, and on its outer face to form two oppositely-tapering cones or faces a
and b, and forming thereby a double wedge. This clamping-member 16 is
longitudinally slotted for a portion of its length, to permit the same to be readily
compressed and opened; and which slots 17 are preferably disposed in alternation-

page_text: that is to say, one slot extends from the edge of the cone a inward a portion of the
length of the sleeve, while the next. slot extends from the edge of the cone
inward a portion of the length of the sleeve, and so on.
The coupling means in its preferred form comprises a coupling-member in the
nature of a sleeve 18, having a polygonal nut 19 for the reception of a wrench, and
having interior screw-thrends 20, adjacent to one end thereof, adapted to engage
the screw-threads 14 of the tubular member 12. This coupling-member 18
preferably tapers, as at 21, from its screw-threaded part, inwardly, to the opposite
end thereof, whereby it is adapted to closely engage one of the tapering faces of
the clamping-member 16 in a manner hereinafter set forth.
In assembling the parts of this improved coupling device, the coupling-member 18
is placed with its tapering portion 21 in engagement with one of the cones or
tapering faces, as a of the clamping-member 16, and the combined coupling and
clamping members then slipped on the inner tubular member 15, which is then
inserted into the outer tubular member 12, and adjusted into its desired position.
The clamping-member 16 is then pushed into position to have one of its tapering
faces, as a, engage the tapering face 13 of the outer tubular member 12. The
coupling-member 18 is then turned, to permit its screw-threads 20 to engage the
thrends 14 of the outer member, whereby on the continued turning of said
coupling-member 18, it operates to force the clamping-member 16 with its tapering
face into tight engagement with the tapering face 13 of the outer tubular
member 12, to thereby compress said clamping-member 16 upon the inner tubular
member. This action of the coupling-member 18 tends to compress the
clamping-member in all directions, botli at its point of engagement with the tapering
face 13 of the outer tubular member and also at its point of engagement with the
tapering face 21 of said coupling-member 18, whereby the inner tubular member is
clamped at all points by the clamping-member and rigidly held against movement,
without in anywise distorting said inner tubular member from its true cylindrical
form; and, owing to the fact that the clamping-member 16 is of greater thickness
adjacent to the middle portion of its length than at its outer ends, it acts in the
manner of a lever on all sides of the inner member 15 to reinforce the same and
also to reinforce the entire coupling device at the transverse plane where the
outer tubular member 12 ends, so as to practically overcome or materially reduce
the tendency of the entire structure, when submitted to relatively-great transverse
strain, to bend at the point where said outer tubular member torminates; as said
clamping-member-being partly within the outer member and extending outwardly
some distance longitudinally of the outer surface of the inner member, and being
formed tapering-constitutes a true reinforcement of the joint between the two
members 12 and 15, which is further augmented by the coupling-member, and
whereby the strength of the tubular members, when subjected to lateral flexure or
stress, is retained.
By having the threads 14 of the outer tubular member immediately outside of
and encircling the tapering part 13 of said member, the outer tube is not only
prevented from spreading by the coupling-member 18, when the clamping
member 16 is in position with its cone face bin engagement with said tapering
portion 13-as would be the case if the screw-thrends 14 were placed beyond the
point of engagement of said coupling-member with said outer tubular member
but by having the coupling-member bearing on the augular surface of the screw
threads 14, the internal wedge-namely, the tapering face of the clamping
member is, to a certain extent, resisted by an inclined or wedge surface formed
by such screw-threads; and thus by this particular construction, not only is n
greater clamping action by the clamping-member obtained, but the spreading of
the outer tubular member 12 is prevented.
In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the inner member 15 is connected with the
outer tubular member 12 by means of a supplemental coupling-member preferably
comprising an exteriorly and interiorly threaded sleeve or tubular member 25
which takes the place of the screw-threaded and tapered end of the outer tubula

page_text: member 12. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The interiorly-threaded portion of this sleeve 25
engages with an exteriorly-threaded portion of the outer member 12, which is
shown provided in the usual way with suitable ball-bearings. In this construction.
the coupling-member 18 has a shoulder 26 at the inner part of its screw-threaded'
portion for the inner end of the supplemental coupling-member 25. By this
improved construction, the thickness of the outer tubular member 12 can be
somewhat reduced, owing to the fact that the pressure-both exterior and interior-
does not come opposite to the threaded end of said member but on the end of the
supplemental coupling-member 25.
When in the use of this improved coupling device, it is desired to adjust one
member relatively to the other member thereof-as is frequently the case with the
handle-bars or seats or adjustable framing parts of bicycles, to which this improved
coupling device is more particularly adapted-it is ouly necessary to unscrew the
coupling-member 18 a sufficient distance to permit the release of the inner
member 15, whereby the same can be slid to any desired position, and the
coupling-member again screwed firmly on the outer tubular member, thereby again.
compressing and forcing the clamping-member 16 into the outer member 12, and
thus rigidly holding the inner member within the outer member, by means of this
reinforcing clamping-member, with a high degree of strength and efficiency.
By means of this improvement, all the requirements of practical work are fully
met, and without the necessity of dividing the outer tubular member, as heretofore,
which necessarily greatly reduces the lateral strength of the same.
In practice, the tapering or cone faces, as a and b of the clamping-member,
will preferably be made of different lengths, whereby the face b, in engagement
with the tapering face 13 of the outer tubular member, will be more quickly
compressed relatively to the tapering face a, and a greater clamping action
obtained at this point.
It will be understood that the screw-threads on the outer tubular member 12
or the supplemental coupling-member 25 need not necessarily extend to the end
thereof in all cases.
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 :-
1. In a device of the class specified, an outer member, and an inner member
disposed therein, one of said members being adjustable relatively to the other
member thereof; in combination with a clamping-member disposed on said inner
member, and having a tapering face in engagement with the outer member; and
coupling means engaging said outer member and said clamping-member to thereby
force the tapering face of said clamping-member into the outer member, to thereby
compress said clamping-member on to the inner member..
2. In a device of the class specified, an outer member having an interiorly-tapered
end, and an inner member disposed therein, and one of said members being adjustable-
relatively to the other member thereof; iu combination with a clamping-member
disposed on said inner member, and having oppositely-disposed tapering faces, and also
having a longitudinal slot, one of said tapering faces engaging the tapering face of
the outer member; and coupling means engaging the outer member and the other
tapering face of the clamping-member to thereby force one of the tapering faces
of said clamping-member into said outer meinber, to thereby coinpress said
clamping-member on to the inner member.
3. In a device of the class specified, a tubular member having an interiorly-
tapered end and having screw-threads on its exterior face, and an inner member
adapted to slide therein; in combination with a clamping-member engaging said
inner member, and having oppositely-disposed tapering faces, one of said tapering
faces engaging the tapering end of said tubular member, and also having
alternately-extending longitudinal slots; and a coupling-member having an.
interiorly-threaded end engaging the exterior threads of the tubular member, and.

page_text: also having a tapering end engaging the other tapering face of the clamping-
member, whereby on turning said coupling-member one of the tapering faces of the
clamping-member will be forced into the tubular member, and said clamping-
member thereby compressed on to the inner member.
4. A telescopic joint comprising an outer member, an inner member; a
clamping-wedge shiftably supported on the inner member, and having a bearing
engagement with the outer member; and a coupling-member engaging the wedge
and the outer member, for forcing said wedge into engagement with said outer
member.
5. In a device of the class specified, the combination of an outer member; an
inner member; a clamping-member having oppositely-disposed wedge-shaped faces
shiftably supported on said inner member, one of said wedge-shaped faces having a
bearing engagement with the outer member; and a coupling-member engaging the
outer member and the other wedge-shaped face of the clamping-member.
6. In a device of the class specified, the combination of an outer member; an
inner member; a clamping-member having oppositely-disposed wedge-shaped faces
shiftably supported on said inner member, and also having alternately-disposed
longitudinal slots, one of said wedge-shaped faces having a bearing engagement
with the outer member; and a coupling-member engaging the outer member and
the other wedge-shaped bearing of the clamping-member.
Dated this 17th day of February 1896.
WILLIAM WALLACE TUCKER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.