Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Tubes, chiefly intended for Velocipede Frames.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Tubes, chiefly intended
for Velocipede Frames.
I, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL, of Ferndale, Church Road, Moseley, near
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Managing Director of The Cycle
Components Manufacturing Company, Limited, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of tubes, from sheet metal.
The chief novelty of the invention consists in the introduction of an internal strip
or liner of metal for the purpose of strengthening the joint in tubes.
As applied to velocipedes this method is suitable for the manufacture of front
forks, back forks, tubes, rims and other tubular parts.
In the usual method of making tubes from sheet metal the two edges of the
folded strip are joined together by what is commonly known as a scarf joint or a
lap joint, the two edges being tapered and laid one on the other and then brazed.
This method of making the joint entails a good deal of labour, there is a great risk
of producing a weak joint and it depends entirely for its strength upon the spelter
or hard solder with which the brazed joint is made.
According to my improved method I bring the two edges to be joined, together,
in the form of a butt joint and either then, or previously, punch small holes at
alternate places in the two opposing sides of the joint.
A second piece of sheet metal, preferably steel is then prepared preferably
by a press, to form the internal liner; said liner having formed on its edges spikes
or projections which correspond with and fit into the holes made in the two
opposing sides of the joint. These spikes or projections are turned up at right
angles to the strip or liner which is then placed inside the tube and the projections
are passed through the holes aforesaid. The ends which project from the two
opposing sides of the joint are then turned over or clinched thus holding the
internal strip or liner in position and binding the two sides of the joint together.
In order to prevent damage to the tube while bending over and clinching these
projections, a mandrel of suitable section and size is introduced into the tubes so as
to prevent indentation of the same.
The tube is now brazed or soldered and the projections filed or ground off the
surface of the tube so as to present a smooth exterior. In this manner I form
a joint which is not entirely dependent on the spelter used in brazing the joint, but
has also the assistance of the projections from the internal strip or liner and
constitutes what may be termed a "lock" joint.
I sometimes make the tube with a thickened portion at that part which receives
the spoke heads for the purpose of ensuring a firmer hold on the spokes.
My invention also comprises the making of tubes for similar
without
purposes
the use of a liner in the following manner, that is to say, I take a strip of plain or
thickened bottom strip steel and while leaving one edge of the same plain I cut
the other edge preferably by a press so as to form projections or spikes in said
edge. I then suitably pierce the opposing plain sides to receive these spikes and
bend the spiked edge into a channel form, so that when the strip is folded up
into a tube the channelled portion so formed takes the place of the liner above
described.
1 1004

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Tubes, chiefly intended
for Velocipede Frames.
I, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL, of Ferndale, Church Road, Moseley, near
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Managing Director of The Cycle
Components Manufacturing Company Limited, 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:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of tubes or tubular articles from sheet
metal.
The chief feature of my said invention relates to the provision of an internal strip
or liner of metal for the purpose of strengthening the joint.
As applied to velocipedes this method is suitable for the manufacture of front
forks, back forks, tubes, rims and other tubular parts.
According to the method of making tubes from sheet metal heretofore usually
practised the two edges of the folded or bent strip are united by a scarf joint,
the two edges being tapered and laid one on the other and then brazed. This
method of making the joint entails a good deal of labour, there is a great risk of
producing a weak joint, and it depends entirely for its strength upon the spelter
or hard solder with which the brazed joint is made..
According to my improved method of construction I bring together without
overlapping the two edges that are to be united and I then introduce within the
tube thus formed an internal "liner" or metal strip of suitable form and braze the
same to the aforesaid edges thus forming the joint.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood I will now describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figures 1 to 7 are detail views to be hereinafter described illustrating my
improved method of constructing tubular front forks for velocipedes.
Figures 8 to 18, illustrate various modifications of my invention to be hereinafter
described.
Figures 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 18 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
Like letters denote corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring first to Figures 1 to 7 A is a sheet of metal of the required size for
forming a tubular fork for velocipedes, for example. According to my invention
I bring together the two edges A₁ A¹ that are to be united as shown in Figure 2,
and I either then or previously punch small holes A2 A' near the two edges A' A'.
The holes near one edge are preferably made to alternate with those near the
opposing edge.
A second piece of sheet metal, preferably steel, is then stamped out or otherwise
prepared, to form the internal liner B Figure 3; the said liner has formed on its
edges spikes or projections B', B' which correspond with and fit into the aforesaid
holes AA. The spikes or projections B', B' are turned up at right angles to the
strip or liner, as indicated in Figure 4. The liner is then placed inside the tube
and the projections B' B' are passed through the holes A³, A' into the position
shown in Figure 5. The points which project beyond the surface are then turned
over or clinched (see Figure 6) thus holding the internal strip or liner B in position
and binding the two sides of joint together.
In order to prevent damage to the tube while bending over and clinching the
projections B', B', a mandrel of suitable section and size is introduced into the tube
to preserve the shape of the same during this operation.
The tube is now brazed or soldered and the projections B', B', filed or ground
off so that the tube will present a smooth exterior surface. In this manner I form
a joint which is not entirely dependent on the spelter or solder used in the brazing

page_text: or soldering operation, but one which has the assistance of the projections from the
internal strip or liner and constitutes what I a term a "lock" joint.
I sometimes provide the internal liner B with a central longitudinal rib B² as
shown in Figures 8 and 9. When employing such a T-shaped liner to form a joint
the two opposing edges A' A' of the tube are not brought into actual contact with
one another but sufficient space is left between them to receive the rib B on the
liner, as shown in Figure 10. The said rib B' and the projections B' B' are then
clinched or rivetted over and the joint brazed or soldered and finished as
hereinbefore described.
I may altogether dispense with the projections B1, B' on the edges of the liner B
and therefore with the corresponding perforations along the edges of the strip A.
In such a case therefore the liner is of a simple T-shape as shown in Figures 11
to 13. After the said liner is placed in position in the tube the rib B is rivetted
over to hold the liner in position during the brazing operation.
My invention also comprises the manufacture of tubes for similar purposes
without the use of a liner, in the following manner, that is to say I take a strip of
steel (Figure 14) and while leaving one edge thereof plain I cut the other edge
preferably by a press so as to form projections or spikes A A³ on the said edge.
I then suitably pierce holes A' A' in the opposing plain side of the strip A to
receive the spikes A³ A³ and I bend the spiked edge into a channel form.
(Figure 15) so that when the strip A is folded up into a tube (Figure 16) the
channelled portion so formed takes the place of the liner hereinbefore described.
The joint is then finished in a manner similar to that above described.
In manufacturing tubular rims for velocipedes according to my invention
I sometimes provide the tube with a thickened portion at that part A Figures 17
and 18 which receives the spoke heads for the purpose of ensuring a firmer hold on
the spokes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. An improved method of constructing tubes from sheet metal in which method
the two edges to be joined are brought together as in a butt joint, and an internal
liner or strip B of metal formed with projections or spikes at the edges to enter
holes in the tube is secured to the said edges, substantially as described.
2. In the manufacture of metal tubes the employment of a liner or strip B
having a central rib B, and with or without the projections or spikes at the edges,
substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
3. An improved method of constructing metal tubes without the employment of
an internal liner which consists in forming a channel along one edge of the strip of
which the tube is made, and providing the said edge with spikes or projections A³, A³,
in combination with holes A' A' in the opposite edge of the strip, substantially as
described with reference to Figures 14 to 16.
4. A metal tubular rim constructed by any of the methods herein described and
having a thickened portion A' at that part of the rim into which the spokes are
secured, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
5. A tubular metal article made according to any of the methods of construction
herein described.
Dated this ofth day of Lou 1905
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.