Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Cycles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Cycles.
A communication from LA SOCIÉTÉ J. AUCOC ET DARRACQ, of 3, Rue Francois
Henri, Pré St. Gervais (Seine), in the Republic of France, Cycle
Manufacturers.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of cycles and consists
essentially in a new application and use of steel sheets and tubes, or other chased
or hammered metal or alloy, for the construction of the following principal parts
of the structure of cycles, viz. steering sockets or heads; crown-pieces or socket-
head of fork; sleeve or collar of steering post; joint of pin and saddle or L-pin;
which have hitherto been formed by forging stamping or moulding.
The following description will explain the new modes of manufacture of the
above-named parts on the principle set forth.
For the construction of a steering socket or head according to this invention a
steel sheet is used which after having been suitably shaped has been chased in such
manner that after being rolled it shows annular enlargements or sockets at top and
bottom serving as seats for the collars of the steering post and projecting hollow
arms on which the frame tubes are subsequently fitted and brazed.
The longitudinal joint of the entire steering socket is made by folding rivetting
soldering either in the ordinary way or by electricity, or in any other suitable
manner.
The frame or steering head may be constructed on the same principle.
In another arrangement the steering socket or head is formed by the union of
two parts chased and jointed together by any of the means above described.
In another arrangement two joint pieces formed either in one piece or in two
parts and joined together as before mentioned are brazed inside a chased sheet in
one or more pieces as described forming the whole steering socket or head.
The top or bottom parts only of any of the foregoing varieties may be employed
and united by a tube either inside or outside the said joint pieces.
•
Again a tube may be used whereof the ends have been chased or formed in such
manner as to form sockets and on the outside of the tube at each end may be fixed
the sheet metal joint pieces.
Lastly the steering socket may be constructed by combining the two joint pieces
brazed together with three tubes whereof the two outer tubes are chased to form
the steering socket ends.
The arrangements above enumerated and described are intended to facilitate the
comprehension of the principle of the invention, by giving a few examples of the
numerous modified forms which can be deduced from it; it must therefore be
clearly understood that the invention is not limited to the particular forms described
which as may be readily understood may be multiplied indefinitely.
The arms or joint pieces which unite the steering socket to the frame tubes

page_text: having a hemispherical end like a skull cap applied also in other joint-pieces
hereinafter referred to is an essential feature of this invention having for its object
to effect a better brazing joint, as well as to strengthen the tube and give it a
certain amount of elasticity by getting rid of any sudden changes in section due to
the brazing.
It is also proposed further to strengthen the tube at the joints by means of
diaphragms or ribs each of which bears with its edges against the inside of the
tube and is fitted into a slot cut in the hemispherical end of the joint piece or arm
and bears with its edges against the inside of the latter.
These added diaphragms may be replaced by flat plates simple extensions of the
hemispherical ends brought into juxtaposition; they are a flattened prolongation
of the tubular arm and form a partition. It is obvious that these prolongations
diaphragms or ribs may assume any other form with the object of partitioning off
the interior of the tube into three, four or more compartments instead of only two.
The crown-piece is formed of sheet metal with a central orifice into which the
tube or post fits which carries the fork crosshead and with joint pieces or sockets
for the reception of the fork-arms. In this manner a very light and strong crown-
piece is obtained.
The manufacture of the steering post collar is like that of the steering sockets
For heads previously explained that is to say that it is formed of sheet-metal
suitably shaped and then chased so that after being rolled it offers at bottom an
annular enlargement or socket which fits on to the top of the steering socket or
head and at top two lugs facing each other in which are bored the holes for the
reception of the screw-bolt which by pressing the lugs towards each other effects
the tightening and adjustment of the steering post.
The saddle pillar is formed in two parts or tubes of chased sheet, which are
brought into juxtaposition and brazed externally on the central tube of the saddle-
pillar and internally on the upper tube of the frame. They may also be brazed
outside the upper tube of the frame, if the hemispherical ends terminating the
shells as with the steering sockets are dispensed with.
The saddle pin is formed of two tubes cut obliquely at their junction joined
together by an angular strengthening sleeve formed of two parts or shells of chased
sheet metal and of a central diaphragm forming an angular partition in the axial
line of the pin and tending to consolidate the said pin.
This diaghragm may be replaced by arrangements similar to those mentioned in
reference to the steering socket.
Dated this 16th day of December 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT.
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Cycles.
A communication from LA SOCIÉTÉ J. Aucoc et Darracq, of 3, Rue Francois
Henri, Pré St. Gervais (Seine), in the Republic of France, Cycle
Manufacturers.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
nanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of cycles, and
consists essentially in a new application and use of steel sheets and tubes, or other

page_text: stamped or hammered metal or alloy, for the construction of the following
principal parts of the structure of cycles riz.: steering sockets or heads; crown-
pieces or socket-head of fork; sleeve or collar of steering-post; joint of ↳ pin;
and saddle or pin; which have hitherto been formed by forging, stamping or
moulding.
The following description has been prepared with special reference to the
annexed drawing and will suffice to explain the new modes of manufacture of the
above-named parts, on the principle set forth.
Figure 1 is an elevation in vertical section on the axial line of a complete tube,
and
Figure 2 is a plan in horizontal cross section of the steering sockets or heads.
Fig. 1 shows on a reduced scale a blank as stamped in a die of a tube such as
shown in Fig. 1.
For the construction of a steering socket or head according to this invention a
steel sheet is used, which, is suitably shaped preferably by stamping in a die in
such manner that, after being folded and rolled, into a tube it shows annular
enlargements or sockets at top and bottom, A. A' serving as seats for the collars of
the steering post, and projecting hollow arms B B³, on which the frame-tubes C C¹
are subsequently fitted and brazed.
The longitudinal joint of the entire steering socket D is made along the line XY
Figure 1 by folding a blank such as shown in Fig. 1 into a tube, and rivetting
and soldering either in the ordinary way or by electricity or in any other suitable
manner.
The frame- or steering-head may be constructed on the same principle in
accordance with the various modifiéd forms shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 3 and 4 the steering socket or head Dis
formed by the union of two parts D¹ D", stamped and jointed together by any of
the means above described.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 5 two joint pieces E El formed either in
one piece or in two parts and joined together as before mentioned, are brazed inside
a stamped sheet F in one or more pieces, as described, forming the whole steering
socket or head D.
The top or bottom parts only of any of the foregoing varieties may be employed
(as shown in Figures 6 and 7) and united by a tube G either inside or outside the
joint pieces E E' as in Figure 6, or outside of them as shown in Figure 7.
Again, as shown in Figure 8, a tube G may be used whereof the ends have been
stamped in a die or formed in such a manner as to form the sockets A A', and on
the outside of the tube at each end may be fixed the sheet metal joint pieces E E¹.
Lastly as may be seen in Figure 9 the steering socket D may be constructed by
combining the two joint pieces E E' brazed together with three tubes G G¹ and Gi
whereof the two outer tubes G' and G" are stamped to form the steering socket-
ends A A¹
The arrangements above enumerated and described are intended to facilitate
the comprehension of the principle of the invention, by giving a few examples of
the numerous modified forms which can be deduced from it; it must therefore be
clearly understood that the inventors do not in any way limit themselves to the
particular forms described and illustrated which as may be readily understood,
may be multiplied indefinitely.
The form of the arms or joint-pieces B B' which unite the steering socket D to
the frame-tubes C C¹ with a hemispherical end, like a skull-cap, applied also in
other joint-pieces, hereinafter referred to, is an essential feature of this invention,
having for its object to effect a better brazing joint, as well as to strengthen the
tube and give it a certain amount of elasticity at M M' (Figure 1) by getting rid
of any sudden changes in section due to the brazing.
The inventors also propose further to strengthen the tube at the joints by means
of the diaphragms or ribs H shown in Figures 1 and 2; each of which bears with
its edges against the inside of the tube, and is fitted into a slot H¹ cut in the

page_text: hemispherical end of the joint-piece or arm B B' and bears with its edges against
the inside of the latter.
These added diaphragms H may be replaced by flat plates H" H" simple
extensions of the hemispherical ends of B B' as shown in Figures 3 and 4; brought
into juxtaposition; they are a flattened prolongation of the tubular arm and form
a partition. It is obvious that these prolongations, diaphragms or ribs may assume
any other form, with the object of partitioning off the interior of the tube into
three, four, or more compartments instead of only two.
Figure 10 is a front view in elevation and longitudinal section; Figure 11 a plan
and Figure 12 a side view in transverse section of the crown piece or socket head
of the fork.
The crown piece T is formed of sheet-metal with a central orifice U into which
the tube or post fits which carries the fork-crosshead, and with joint-pieces or
sockets V V for the reception of the fork-arms. In this manner a very light and
strong crown-piece is obtained.
Figure 13 is a front view in elevation and vertical section and Figure 14 a plan
of the steering post collar.
The inanufacture of the steering post collar I is like that of the steering sockets
or heads previously explained, that is to say, it is formed of sheet-metal suitably
shaped and then stamped, so that, after being rolled, it offers at the bottom an
annular enlargement or socket J which fits on to the top A of the steering socket
or head and at the top are two lugs K K' facing each other in which are bored
boles L for the reception of the screw-bolt which by pressing the lugs towards
each other, effects the tightening and adjustment of the steering-post.
Figure 15 is a front view in elevation of one of the parts of the saddle pillar
and Figure 16 is a plan of the whole in longitudinal section.
The saddle-pillar clip is formed in two parts or tubes N N¹ of stamped sheet
metal which are brought into juxtaposition and brazed externally on the central
tube of the saddle-pillar, and interually in the upper tube of the frame. They
may also be brazed outside the upper tube of the frame, if the hemispherical ends Ŏ
terminating the shells N N' as in the steering sockets, are dispensed with.
Figure 17 is a vertical section of the saddle or
Figure 18 is a view of the interior diaphragm ;
pin.
Figure 19 is an elevation of the strengthening sleeve; and
Figure 20 a plan of the same.
The saddle-pin P is formed of two tubes P₁ P" cut obliquely at their junction
at Q joined together by an angular strengthening sleeve R formed of two parts or
shells R¹ R" of stamped sheet-metal, and of a central diaphragm S forming an
angular partition in the axial line of the pin P and tending to consolidate the
said pin.
This diaphragm S may be replaced by arrangement similar to those mentioned
in reference to the steering socket.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
=
1. The employment of sheet-metal stamped in a die or hammered, for the
manufacture of cycles and parts of cycles, such as steering sockets or heads fork-
crown pieces or socket-heads steering-post collars or sleeves saddles or L-pins and
saddle or L-pin joints characterised by:
(a) the simultaneous use of several pieces of stamped or hammered sheet i
metal;
(b) the simultaneous or separate use of stamped or hammered sheets or sheet-
metal tubes.
2. The hemispherical form given to the ends of the tubular parts of a cycle,
which are to be joined by brazing to the other parts of the machine for the purpose
of facilitating the work."
4

page_text: 3. The employment of internal diaphragms or ribs for the tubular parts of
cycles for the purpose of strengthening those parts such diaphragms or ribs being
made separately or formed by a flat prolongation of the internal parts.
Dated this 5th day of September 1894.
ALFRED J. BOULT,
London, Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester