Improvements in the Construction of Cycle Frames and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Cycle Frames and the like.
I SAMUEL PALMITER, Machinist of 331 East Second Street, Jamestown, in
the State of New York, United States of America 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and efficient method of putting
bicycles, velocipedes and other articles together which are made wholly or in part
of tubing and one that overcomes the objections found in the common method of
brazing.
The improvement consists in serrating or otherwise so preparing the parts to be
united that when properly expanded together a strong joint is made, all of which
will be fully understood by these Specifications and the accompanying drawings, in
which:
Fig. 1 shows a tube or part of a bicycle, the end being smooth ready to insert in
a coupling, provided on its inner surface with serrations.
Fig. 2 shows the parts united by my improved method, showing the serrations as
having been forced into the tube.
Fig. 3 shows the coupling as being smooth on its inner surface.
Fig. 4 shows the inner surface of the coupling with longitudinal parallel
serrations.
Fig. 5 shows serrations on the inner surface of the coupling as being cut at an
inclination to the axis thereof.
Fig. 6 shows how the handle bar is expanded into the head or steering part of
the bicycle.
Fig. 7 shows how I prevent too much expansion by inserting the parts into a
collar or clamp while being expanded.
Fig. 8 shows the joint on an angle.
The common method of making bicycles or other articles composed wholly or in
part of tubing, by brazing the sections or joints together, is found very expensive
and unsatisfactory for the following reasons: the parts to be brazed have to be
filed or otherwise made bright in order to have the solder adhere. The fittings
have to be made loose enough so the solder will flow through the joints and the
parts have to be pinned together to keep them in position when in the fire. The
fire injures and greatly deteriorates the tubing, and where the work has to after-
wards be made smooth for polishing or plating, the expense of filing and removing
all fire marks is not only costly but the outer surface of the tubing is destroyed
leaving it weak where it ought to be strong. All of these objections are overcome
where my improved method is used.
In the drawings, A is a piece of tubing cut of suitable length for one part of a
bicycle frame, B is the connection which may be straight or at any desired angle
as in Fig. 8, having serrations on the inner surface as shown. These serrations are
preferably made with a knurling tool, but other tools to do the same work might
be employed. The connection joint should be bored as near the exact size of the
circumference of the tubing, as may be, to make a close joint and when serrated as
at b, b2, 63, the end of the tube should be shoved into this connection and the tube
is expanded by the roller process, thus a strong joint is quickly made without
beating or in any way injuring or destroying the tubing. Fig. 6 shows a bicycle
head or steering post bored to the size of the section of handle C, shown in said

page_text: figure, and after being serrated the handle bar is expanded into the serrations,
which will cut into said handle bar as indicated on the surface of said bar, and so
closely uniting the bar and head that they cannot be separated without destroying
them.
It will sometimes be found advisable to employ a ring or clamp to go over the
parts to be expanded, to guide the party making the expansion, that he may know
when the desired amount of expansion has been attained, and for that purpose I
employ an adjustable ring or clamp as shown in Fig. 7. This should be drawn
closely around the parts before the expansion takes place, the edge of the clamp
may be made to fit any desired angle.
Where little strain comes on the joints, a slight roughening of the parts will be
sufficient, and it will hold quite well if left smooth, but such joints will not stand
constant jar and strain as when well serrated.
The method has been found specially adaptable for reinforcing tubing at or near
joints or where strains are likely to occur.
Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is:
1. The method of making the joints of bicycles and other articles made wholly
or partly of tubing, which consists in serrating one of the parts and uniting the
parts by expanding the inner part into the serrations by the cold roller process.
2. The method of making or reinforcing the parts or joints of bicycles or other
articles made wholly or partly of tubing, which consists in serrating one of the
parts and uniting the parts by expanding the inner tube into the serrations.
Dated this 1st day of October 1895.
SAMUEL PALMITER.