Improved Means and Apparatus for Joining Together Tubes or Tubular Bodies.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1897---Accepted, 26th Feb., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Joining Together Tubes or
Tubular Bodies.
I, WALTER CLAUDE JOHNSON, of 14, Union Court, Old Broad Street, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be
as follows:
According to my invention I effect the joining together of two tubes or tubular
bodies, by interposing between the inner and outer tubes a piece, or pieces of metal
of a harder nature than that of the tubes, and having either recesses, roughnesses,
holes, or projections, on both sides so that on exerting pressure either outwardly
on the inner tube, or inwardly on the outer one, the metal of the two tubes would
be impressed into the recesses, etc., of the interposed sleeve of harder metal.
It will be evident that the interposed metal may take any form whereby the
keying action of both tubes will be effected; thus it may consist of one or more
rings, strips, flutings, or of gauze wire, etc.
The arrangement would have the advantage that there is no weakening of the
one or other tube by forming recesses in the thickness thereof.
Thus according to one arrangement I form a spiral of hard steel wire of any
gauge and fix this on the smaller tube, insert this into one end of the larger
tube and by driving a taper plug, mandril or other suitable tool through, the inter-
posed spiral of steel wire will be firmly embedded into both tubes thus completing
the joint.
The tubes are externally supported when subjected to the said internal pressure,
by a strong suitably divided inould or matrix, the parts of which can be moved
away from each other to allow of the introduction of the tubes and which can be
held together by mechanical means, hydraulic pressure, or compressed air.
According to another arrangement and which is specially applicable to tubes of
the same outside diameter, and where a flush joint is necessary, I employ a sleeve
of metal of the same nature as the tubes, the outside diameter of which is a little
less than the inside diameter of the tubes to be joined; round this sleeve I fix a
spiral of hard steel wire (or as before described, this interposed metal may be of
any other shape or size) and proceed with the method hereinbefore referred to of
completing the joint.
Or in the case of joining any number of tubes of long lengths I fix half of each
sleeve into a length of tube, in the manner previously described. All the tubes and
sleeves being now placed in position and each joint being externally supported as
herein before referred to, I draw through the tubes a taper plug, mandril, ball, or
other suitable tool, as before described, attached to a chain or rope of any description.
The use of a ball would admit of joining curved tubes together in this manner.
In the application of the above "interposed metal" joint to the manufacture of
cycle frames I cast or machine the sockets to form a lip at the front, the bore of
which would be exactly the same as the outside diameter of the tubes, this would
form a chamber for the reception of the interposed metal such as the hard steel

page_text: wire spiral, etc. These spirals, etc., having been placed in their various sockets, etc.,
the tubes are now put in position and the whole frame placed in a suitable jig or
mould and by applying internal pressure, the tubes are firmly secured to their
sockets, thus making all the joints of the frame at one operation. The joints may
also be made separately.
The above jig or mould being conveniently divided I fix one half to the bed
plate of a suitable machine, the other half, being secured to one or more powerful
screws, or one or more hydraulic rams, can be lowered down on to the bottom jig
and firmly held, to resist the aforesaid internal pressure, or the reverse arrange-
ment may be used, thus obviating the necessity of using a large number of bolts
for securing the moulds together.
In the moulds are bored grooves to receive the tubes and large chambers to
receive suitable dies in one or more parts to thoroughly cover the more complicated
parts of a cycle frame such as the bottom bracket, etc., or according to another
arrangement I pour into these chambers after the frames and jigs are in position
a fusible metal, such as lead, tin, etc., or material such as sulphur, cement, resin, etc.,
to resist the pressure applied within the tubes and tubular parts, and to prevent
leakage of the fluid used for exerting such pressure, as it is obvious that if the
tubular parts are very complicated in form it would be impossible to apply to such
parts any form of metal dies that would fit such parts closely enough to resist the
internal pressure, after the operation this metal can be easily fused or melted out
of the dies to admit of the removal of the cycle frame.
Dated this 13th day of March 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Joining Together Tubes or
Tubular Bodies.
I, WALTER CLAUDE JOHNSON, of 14, Union Court, Old Broad Street, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer, 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:-
In the Specification to my application for Letters Patent No. 4449 of 1897 I
described the joining together of two tubes or tubular bodies, by interposing
between the inner and outer tubes a piece or pieces of metal of a harder nature than
that of the tubes and having other recesses, roughnesses, holes or projections on
both sides so that on exerting either mechanical or fluid pressure either outwardly
on the inner tube or inwardly on the outer one, the metal of the two tubes would
be impressed into the recesses, etc., of the interposed sleeve of harder metal.
It was also stated that the interposed metal may take any form whereby the
keying action of both tubes will be effected, thus it may consist of one or more
rings, strips, flutings, or of gauze, wire, etc.
The said method of operating would have the advantage that there is no weaken-
ing of the one or other tube by forming recesses in the thickness thereof.
My present invention relates to means for carrying out the said method of
joining tubes, as I will describe with reference to the accompanying drawing.
According to one arrangement I form a spiral of hard steel wire of any gauge
and fix this on the smaller tube, insert this into one end of the larger tube and by
driving a taper plug, mandril or other suitable tool through, the interposed spiral
or steel wire will be firmly embedded into both tubes thus completing the joint."

page_text: The tubes are externally supported when subjected to the said internal pressure,
by a strong suitably divided mould or matrix, the parts of which can be moved
away from each other to allow of the introduction of the tubes and which can be
held together by mechanical means, hydraulic pressure or compressed air.
Figures 1 and 2 show a front view and longitudinal section of an arrangement
in which the joint is formed by the reduced end of one tube A being inserted
within the other B, and after being expanded by one of the methods described
the interposed keying material (in this case a spiral of hard steel wire C) is com-
pressed within the lapping surfaces thus making a secure connection. 1) are dies
between which the tube is held in a powerful screw clamp E for supporting the
outside tube against the internal pressure exerted by the expander.
According to another arrangement and which is specially applicable to tubes of
the same outside diameter and where a flush joint is necessary I employ a sleeve
of metal of the same nature as the tubes, the outside diameter of which is a little
less than the inside diameter of the tubes to be joined, round this sleeve I fix a
spiral of hard steel wire (or as before described, this interposed metal may be of
any other shape or size) and proceed with the method herein before referred to of
completing the joint.
Or in the case of joining any number of tubes of long lengths I fix half of each
sleeve into a length of tube, in the manner previously described. All the tubes
and sleeves being now placed in position and each joint being externally supported
as hereinbefore referred to, I draw through the tubes a taper plug, mandril ball
or other suitable tool as before described, attached to a chain or rope of any
description. The use of a ball would admit of joining curved tubes together in this
manner.
Figures 3 to 6 show sectional views of arrangements by which tubes of equal
A is a
and uniform diameter may be joined in the above described manner.
tubular joint-piece or sleeve of suitable length and diameter around which is
wrapped a spiral or net of hard steel wire Chalf the length of this sleeve is
inserted within the end of one of the tubes B, then by means of an ordinary roller
expander G Figures 3 and 4 the sleeve is expanded until the surfaces of sleeve and
tube come in contact the interposed spiral being thus embedded in said surfaces.
The expander is now removed and another length of tube is passed upon the pro-
jecting part of the sleeve A as at Figure 5 which is then expanded by means of a
cone D forcibly drawn through by nut E turning on screw F. In most cases during
expanding, the outer tube must be securely supported between suitable dies or
abutment surfaces as indicated but where a light tube is to be connected to a very
heavy one this would not be necessary.
Figure 6 shows a sleeve A being expanded within the tubes B by forcibly drawing
through a ball G to which is attached a wire rope D'. H is a clamp screw which can
be arranged and secured at any position along the rope and by means of nut I
the requisite power is given to draw forward the ball through the sleeve, expanding
the same and completing the joint; as in Figure 5 the sleeve is first secured in one
of the two tubes to be connected.
In the application of the above interposed metal joint to the manufacture of
cycle frames I cast or machine the socket to form a lip at the front, the bore of
which would be exactly the same as the outside diameter of the tubes, this would
form a chamber for the reception of the interposed metal such as the hard steel
wire, spiral etc. These spirals &c., having been placed in their various sockets etc.,
the tubes are now put in position and the whole frame placed in a suitable jig or
mould and by applying internal pressure, the tubes are firmly secured to their
sockets, thus making all the joints of the frame at one operation. The joints may
also be made separately.
The above jig or mould being conveniently divided I fix one half to the bed
plate of a suitable machine, the other half being secured to one or more powerful
screws, or one or more hydraulic rams can be lowered down on to the bottom jig
and firmly held, to resist the aforesaid internal pressure, or the reverse arrange-

page_text: ment may be used, thus obviating the necessity of using a large number of bolts
for securing the moulds together.
In the moulds are bored grooves to receive the tubes and large chambers to
receive suitable dies in one or more parts to thoroughly cover the more complicated
parts of a cycle frame such as the bottom bracket, etc., or according to another
arrangement I pour into these chambers after the frames and jigs are
in position a fusible metal, such as lead, tin, etc., or material such
as sulphur, cement, resin etc., to resist the pressure applied within the tubes
and tubular parts and to prevent leakage of the fluid used for exerting such
pressure, as it is obvious that if the tubular parts are very complicated in form it
would be impossible to apply to such parts any form of metal dies that would fit
such parts closely enough to resist the internal pressure; after the operation this
metal can be easily fused or melted out of the dies to admit of the removal of the
cycle frame.
Figures 7 and 8 show sections of an arrangement whereby tubes may be con-
nected in the bottom bracket of a bicycle frame by the application of fluid pressure
to the inside. A is the bottom bracket in section showing the tube B expanded,
the interposed net C of hard steel wire being impressed into the contact surfaces.
A shows a socket before the tube 13 is expanded, the wire net being in position.
K is a part of stout frame or jig with recesses to exactly fit the tubes of the cycle
frame. L is a cavity of larger size than the bottom bracket, the intervening
space M being filled with suitable metal or other material which may be put in
in a liquid or partly liquid state; the two halves of jig may then he brought
together and forcibly held, thus preventing any escape of the afore mentioned
material, which with the jig, prevents any bulging or distortion of bracket and tubes
during application of the fluid pressure within the tube and connections. The
material between tube sockets and jigs could also be forced or run through a suitable
passage into such cavity after the halves of jig are brought and held forcibly
together, the said passage being closed again before the pressure is admitted into
the cycle frame.
Though the drawing only illustrates part of the mould or jig it will be clear
that in a jig of this description the whole of the joints in a cycle frame can be done
at one operation.
Though the various methods above described mention spirals of hard steel wire
as the keying medium, this may be in many other forms as wire netting, gauze,
stamped or rolled sheeting, etc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. For joining tubes together by the interposition of pieces of a harder metal
between the tubes and then subjecting them to mechanical or fluid pressure the
use of appliances arranged and operating substantially as herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
2. In the joining of tubes to each other or to sockets or brackets by the inter-
position of pieces of a harder metal between the tubes and then subjecting them
to fluid pressure, supporting the outer surfaces of the outer tube socket or bracket
by means of an envelope surrounding the said outer tube socket or bracket such
envelope being formed by running round the said tube &c., a suitable metal or
material in a liquid form that will afterwards solidify, such envelope being removed
after the joining of the tubes &c. has been effected, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 13th December 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.