Improvements in the Manufacture of the Heads and Wheel Hubs of Safety Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Carriages:
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 11th Dec., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"Improvements in the Manufacture of the Heads and Wheel Hubs 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, Tinpate Workers
and Metal Workers, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of the hereindescribed improvements in the manufacture
of the heads and wheel hubs of safety bicycles and other velocipedes and motor
carriages. By our Invention we are enabled to make the said heads and wheel
hubs from sheet steel or other sheet metal in a much cheaper manner than here-
tofore and in such a way that the said parts will be as strong as necessary. By
the "head" of a bicycle or other velocipede or motor carriage we mean the part
which is usually formed of two lugs, namely a top and bottom lug, and a tubular
part to which the top and bottom ball head lugs are brazed.
In making a bicycle head or a similar head for any other velocipede or motor
carriage we raise the head from sheet steel or other sheet metal by top and bottom
dies worked in a stamp or press the said head when partly formed as it leaves
these tools having the shape which the head would have if the same were slit
through the socket parts of the top and bottom lugs and the back of the main
tubular part and opened out. The said blank is then closed in dies or by other
means so as to bring the two parts of the divided head together so that the blank
will now have the shape of the complete head. Fitting inside or outside the main
tubular part of the head we provide another tubular part which strengthens the
same, and the 'divided sockets for the top and bottom tubes are also held together
by two tubular ferrules which are placed on the outside of the sockets or on the
inside of the same. The whole of the parts are now sweated or soldered together
they having previously been tinned or made from tinned sheet metal; or instead
of being sweated together the said parts may be brazed together.
In another arrangement of making the said cycle head in accordance with this
Invent on, we make what we call the shell part of the head in halves as if the head
were divided vertically right across the centre and across the centres of the two
tubular scckets in which the tubes of the frame fit. Each of these half shells is
raised from sheet metal in top and bottom dies of the same shape. The two half
shells are then placed round a central tubular lining and there are also linings
inside or outside the tubular socket parts of the head and also if desired there is
a tubular strengthening piece fitting round the central tube of the head and the
parts are then sweated or soldered together as in the arrangement first above
described.
According to another method of making the said cycle head we first form an
open jointed tube of the proper diameter and length to form the tubular head this
tube being made from a piece of sheet metal preferably tinned. In this tube
there are two holes corresponding with the side sockets. The said sockets are each
raised from tinned sheet metal or other suitable metal with a flange at one end of
the proper size and shape to fit between the inside of the said tube and a tubular

page_text: lining which fits telescopically within the same. Inside or outside of each of the
said sockets there is fitted a tubular ring or ferrule to strengthen the same. The
said sockets may be made in halves so as to facilitate their being threaded through
the holes from the inside of the main tube. While the parts are held in position
they are heated so as to melt the tin on their adjacent surfaces and thus sweat
all the parts together to form the tubular head with the two annular socket like
lugs for fixing the tubes of the cycle frame.
We employ a somewhat similar method in making cycle wheel hubs from sheet
metal in accordance with this Invention, that is to say, we first raise by top and
bottom dies worked in a stamp or press two sheet metal shells preferably tinned
each of which has about the form of one half of the required wheel hub if the
same rere slit longitudinally into halves along the centre line, the flanges for the
spokes being raised in a hollow form. In each of these two hollow flanges we fit
a metal ring or washer preferably tinned. We then place the two halves of the
wheel hub together embracing the two rings or washers between them and a
tubular lining which is inserted into the hub through the rings or washers. The
whole is sweated or brazed together thus making a wheel hub with its two project-
ing flanges which are then drilled as usual to receive the spokes. The ends of
the wheel hub are or may be enlarged to receive the steel cups for the ball bearings.
According to another method of making cycle wheel hubs in accordance with
this Invention we take a piece of solid drawn steel or other metal tube of about
the same outside diameter as is the required wheel hub between the flanges and
having about the same length as the distance between the two flanges to which
the spokes have to be fixed. This tube may or may not have small flanges at each
end. We make the two flanges of the hub as separate stout metal washers or
collars and these two flanges with the said tube which forms the distance piece
are threaded on to a smaller tube the ends of which extend or may extend slightly
beyond the faces of the flanges. On to these projecting ends of the internal tube
collars are fixed which contain the cups for the ball bearings. The said collars and
the flanges are by preference screwed on to the said internal tube with the flanges
bearing against the ends of the outer tube and then the whole of the parts are sweated
soldered or brazed together but they are by preference tinned before being fixed
together so that their adjacent surfaces will the more readily adhere.
According to another method of forming a cycle wheel hub in accordance with
this Invention each of the flanges with the collar or enlarged part for containing
the cupped or grooved collar of the ball bearings is raised froin sheet metal the
flange part being thrown out and rolled or closed back upon itself so that the
flange is of double thickness The collar part is screwed or otherwise fixed on
to a central tube preferably after the ball bearing cups have been fixed in position.
Instead of making the flanges and collar parts of the hubs as above described,
these parts may be turned together to the proper shape from solid stampings and
then screwed and soldered or otherwise fixed on to the central tubular part of the
hub.
Dated this 8th day of Tonuo 1907
“Improvements in the Manufacture of the Heads and Wheel Hubs of
Safety Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Carriages."
We, FRANK TORNS GIBBS and WILLIAM WRIGHT, trading together as Gibbs & 5
Wright, of 70, Lower Hurst Street, in the City of Birmingham, Tinplate Workers

page_text: 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 consists of the hereindescribed improvements in the manufacture
of the heads and wheel hubs of safety bicycles and other velocipedes and motor
carriages. By our Invention we are enable to make the said heads and wheel
hubs from sheet steel or other sheet metal in a cheapen manner than here-
tofore and in such a way that the said parts will be as strong as necessary. By
the "head" of a bicycle or other velocipede or motor carriage we mean the part
which is usually formed of two lugs, namely a top and bottom lug, and a tubular
part to which the top and bottom ball head lugs are brazed.
We will describe our Invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a bicycle-or-like-head-constructed in accord-
ance with this Invention; Figs. 2 and 3 represent in elevation and in plan two
parts of the said head separately; and Fig. 4 is a plan shewing how the two parts
are brought together to form the head as represented by Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a
sectional eleva ion and Fig. 6 is a plan of another form of bicycle or like head
constructed in accordance with this Invention; Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation and
Fig. 8 is a plan of some of the parts of the bicycle head shewn by Fig. 6; Fig. 9
shews other parts of the said bicycle head separately: Fig. 10 is a longitudinal
sectional elevation and Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a bicycle or like wheel hub
constructed in accordance with this Invention and Figs. 12, 13 and 14 shew parts
of the said hub separately; Fig. 15 is a longitudinal sectional elevation and Fig. 16
is a side elevation of another form of cycle or like wheel hub constructed in accord-
ance with this Invention and Fig. 17 shews parts of the said hub separately;
Figs. 18, 19 and 20 illustrate modified ways of forming the ends of the wheel hub
shewn by Figs. 15 and 16; Fig. 21 is a longitudinal sectional elevation and
Fug. 22 is a side elevation of another form of cycle or like wheel hub constructed
in accordance with this Invention; Fig. 23 shews separately the parts of the wheel
hub represented by Figs. 21 and 22; Fig. 24 is a longitudinal sectional elevation
and Fig. 25 is a side elevation of another form of cycle or like wheel hub con-
structed in accordance with 'this Invention; Fig. 26 shews separately the parts of
the wheel hub represented by Figs. 24 and 25; Fig. 27 is a longitudinal sectional
elevation of another form of wheel hub constructed in accordance with this Inven-
tion; and Fig. 28 shews separately the parts of the wheel hub represented by
Fig. 27.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the drawings.
In one arrangement (illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) of making a cycle head
in accordance with this Invention we make what we call the shell part of the head
in halves as if the head were divided vertically right across the centre and across
Each
the centres of the two tubular sockets in which the tubes of the frame fit.
of these half shells is raised from sheet metal in top and bottom, dies of corre-
sponding shape. One of the half shells is shewn in elevation and plan by Figs. 1
and 2 and is marked A' the halves of the two tubular sockets being marked respec-
tively a¹a. The other half shell is marked B' the two half sockets which are
formed with it being marked respectively 61 62. The two half shells A¹ B¹ are
then placed round the central tubular lining marked C and there are also tubular
linings marked d¹³ fitted outside the tubular socket parts a¹ b¹ and a² 1ª or
inside the same or both inside and outside the same so as to strengthen them and
also if desired there is an open jointed tubular strengthening piece ³ fitting round
the central tubular parts A¹ B₁ of the head as shewn in Fig. 1 and the parts are
then sweated or soldered together they having previously been tinned or made
from tinned sheet metal, or instead of being sweated together the said parts may
be brazed together. The half shell A is by preference raised in a piece with the
half cup a3 at the bottom and a similar half cup a¹ at the top and the half shell B¹
is similarly raised in a piece with the half cup 63 at the bottom and half cup ¿ª
.

page_text: at the top so that these top and bottom half cups will, when the parts are fixed
together as above described, form the races for the ball bearings. Or the half
shells A¹ B¹ may be made without the cups and separate ball bearing cups sweated
or brazed on as in the arrangement shewn by Fig. 5.
According to another method of making the said cycle head (see Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8
and 9) we form the shell part of an open jointed tube E of the proper diameter
and length to form the tubular head this tube being by preference made from a
piece of sheet metal previously tinned. In this tube there are two holes marked
respectively el e corresponding with the side sockets a. The said side sockets a
(shewn separately in Fig. 9) are each raised from tinned sheet steel or other suit-
able metal with a flange at one end of the proper size and shape to fit between
the inside of the tube E and the tubular lining C which fits within the same.
The open jointed tube E is by preference raised with recessed parts e³ round the
holes el e to receive the flanges of the sockets a. After the sockets a have been
threaded through the holes e¹ e as represented in Figs. 7 and 8 the tube E is closed
round the liner C as shewn in Figs. 5 and 6. Inside or outside of the sockets a
there is or may be fitted a tubular ring or ferrule (not shewn upon the drawings)
to strengthen the same. Each of the sockets a is by preference raised in one piece
as shewn although they may if preferred be made in halves so as to facilitate their
being threaded through the holes e¹ e³. While the parts are held in the positions
shewn by Figs. 5 and 6 they are heated so as to melt the tin on their adjacent
surfaces and thus sweat all the parts together to form the tubular head and the two
annular socket like lugs a for fixing the tubes of the cycle frame. The top and
bottom cups as a for the ball bearings are raised from sheet metal and placed on
the ends of the tube C which project beyond the outer shell E before the parts are
sweated together as above described.
We employ a somewhat similar method in making cycle wheel hubs from sheet
metal in accordance with this Invention, that is to say, in one arrangement of this
Invention illustrated by Figs. 10 to 14 both inclusive we first raise by top and
bottom dies worked in a stamp or press two sheet metal shells marked respectively
FF preferably tinned each of which has about the form of one half of the required
wheel hub if the same were split longitudinally into halves along the centre line
the flanges f f for the spokes being raised in a hollow form. This will be clear
by an examination of Figs. 12 and 13.. In each of these two hollow flanges fi f
we fit a metal ring or washer preferably tinned, these rings or washers are marked
respectively G1 G2. We then place the two halves F1 F2 of the wheel hub together
embracing the two rings or washers G₁ G2 between them and a tubular lining C
which is inserted into the hub through the rings or washers G1 G2. The parts
will then have the appearance of Figs. 10 and 11. The whole is then sweated
or brazed together thus making a wheel hub with its two projecting flanges f¹f
which are then drilled as usual to receive the spokes. The ends of the wheel hub
can either be raised with internal flanges f³ f* as shewn or the ends of the wheel
hub can be raised without these flanges f³ f and similar washers inserted to
enclose the ends of the ball bearing cups as in other well known wheel hubs.
When the shell part of the wheel hub is raised with the internal flanges f³ f¹ as 4
above described the ball bearing cups H' H2 have to be fitted into the ends of the
tubular lining C as shewn before the parts are placed together and in this case
each of the ball bearing cups H¹ H² is by preference made with a small projecting
flange h¹ to bear against the ends of the tubular lining C which are cut off per-
fectly square in a lathe.
5
According to another method of making a cycle wheel hub (see Figs. 15, 16
and 17) in accordance with this Invention, we take a piece of solid drawn steel or
other metal tube I of about the same outside diameter as is the required wheel
hub between the flanges and having somewhere about the same length as the
distance between the two flanges G1 G2 to which the spokes have to be fixed. We 5
make the two flanges G1 G2 of the hub as separate stout metal washers or collars
and these two flanges G¹ G³ with the said tube I, which forms the distance piece

page_text: between them, are threaded on to a smaller tube or liner C the ends c¹ c³ of which
extend slightly beyond the faces of the flanges G1 G2. On these projecting
ends of the internal tube C the end collars J¹ J2 are fixed which contain the
cups H H (either made separately or in a piece therewith) for the ball bearings.
The end collars J1 J2 and the flanges G G are by preference screwed on to the
internal tube C with the flanges bearing against the ends of the outer tube I as
shewn in Figs. 15 and 16 and then the whole of the parts are sweated soldered
or brazed together but they are by preference tinned before being fixed together
so that their adjacent surfaces will the more readily adhere. The end bosses J1 J2
of the hub may be made in various way's for instance, the end
bosses J¹ Js shewn in Figs. 15, 16 and 17 (and to which it will be understood we
make no separate claim) have been turned and bored out of solid stampings or
castings with separate ball bearing cups H1 H2. The end boss J¹ shewn in Fig. 18
has been raised from a sheet metal blank and is furnished with an ordinary
separate ball bearing cup H¹; the end boss shewn in Fig. 19 which
is screw threaded on the outside to receive the sprocket wheel and lock nut
has also been raised from sheet metal blanks in two parts marked respectively
secured together by the flange j³ of the part j' being lapped over the flange formed
on the part . The end boss J shewn by Fig. 20 has been turned out of a solid
stamping or casting in a piece with the ball bearing cup.
Fig. 21, 22 and 23 shew another pattern of cycle wheel hub made in the manner
herein before described with reference to Figs. 15, 16 and 17 except that the
tubular lining C is made almost as long as the finished hub and has the ball
bearing cups HH2 fitted in its ends as will be clearly seen by an examination of
Fig. 23 and the end cups J J2 are made all along inside of the proper size to admit
the ends of the liner C right up to the end Hanges. Figs. 21, 22 and 23
illustrate our Invention as applied to the hub of a back wheel of a safety bicycle
which is required to have a sprocket wheel and lock nut screwed upon it. It will
be evident that the hubs for the front wheels are similarly made except that both
the end cups will then be made like that marked J' without the screw threaded part.
According to another method shewn by Figs. 24, 25 and 26 of forming a cycle
wheel hub in accordance with this Invention, the two flanges for the spokes,
instead of being made separate from the end bosses J¹ J2 as above described with
reference to Figs. 15, 16, 17, 21, 22 and 23, are raised from sheet metal in a piece
with the said end bosses J J2 as will be clear by an examination of Figs. 24, 25
and 26, where the flanges for the spokes are marked . These end cups J1 J2 are
raised of the proper size to fit on to the liner C. In this case the intermediate
tube I may if preferred be dispensed with or this tube I may be used between
the flanges if desired as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 25.
Figs 27 and 28 show a further slightly modified construction of the wheel hub
represented by Figs. 24, 25 and 26. In this case the end bosses J¹ J2 which
receive the ball bearing cups have each a flange for the spokes formed on its
outer end the other end of each of the bosses JJ having a reduced neck j³ to
fit upon the central tubular lining C and be there secured by any convenient means
as above described as by the ends of the lining C being spread out over the
inside of the end bosses J J2 as shewn in Fig. 27. In this form of wheel hub
each of the ball bearing cups H' He is by preference made rather smaller than the
interior of the bosses J J2 so as to be enclosed by the dust cap which as shewn
is made of a cup shape for the corresponding ball bearing cup H' or H³ to fit in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. Making a cycle head of the two stamped sheet metal half shells A¹ B₁ the
tubular lining C enclosed by said shells and the strengthening ferrules d
arranged inside or outside or both inside and outside the side sockets of the shell
the parts being arranged and sweated or otherwise similarly fixed together so as

page_text: to form a cycle head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
2. Making a cycle head of an open jointed tube E having the two holes el e
for the side sockets, the two side sockets a fitting in said holes and having
flanges to take inside the tube E, the tubular lining C fitting in the tube E,
and the end cups 65 66, the said parts being arranged and sweated or otherwise
similarly fixed together so as to form a cycle head substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
3. Making a cycle wheel hub of two stamped sheet metal half shells FF form-
ing the outside of said hub and raised with the hollow flanges f¹ f, the two rings
or ferrules G1 G2 fitting in said hollow flanges of the-shell and the tubular liner C
fitting in said flanges and enclosed by said shell the parts being arranged and
sweated or otherwise similarly fixed together so as to form a cycle wheel hub
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13,
and 14 of the accompanying drawings said wheel hub being either made with or
without the ball bearing cups H¹ H².
4. In a cycle wheel hub the combination of the tubular liner C, the flanges G G2
threaded on said liner, the distance tube I threaded on said liner between the
flanges and the end bosses J1 J2 threaded on to the projecting ends of the tubular
liner, the said parts being constructed arranged and fixed together so as to form
a wheel hub in any of the several ways substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a cycle wheel hub the combination of the tubular liner C, the ball bearing
cups H1 H2 fitted in the ends of the same, the flanges G1 G2 threaded on said liner,
the distance tube I threaded on said liner between the flanges, and the end
bosses JJ threaded on to the projecting ends of the tubular liner, the said parts
being constructed arranged and fixed together so as to form a cycle wheel hub
substantially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 21, 22 and 23 of
the accompanying drawings.
6. In a cycle wheel hub the combination of the tubular liner C, the ball bearing
cups HH2 fitted in the ends of the same, the end bosses J J2 threaded on the
ends of the liner and made integral with the spoke flanges j, said parts being
constructed arranged and fixed together so as to form a cycle wheel hub sub-
stantially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 24, 25 and 26 of the
accompanying drawings.
7. In a cycle wheel hub the combination of the tubular liner C, the bosses J1 J2.
fixed on the ends of the same and made with outside spoke flanges 7, and the
distance tube I arranged on said liner between said bosses and the ball bearing
cups HH2 and the dust caps K K fixed in said bosses said parts being constructed
arranged and fixed together so as to form a cycle wheel hub substantially as here-
inbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 27 and 28 of the acconipanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of October 1897.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.