Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Bicycles and Tricycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th May, 1897-Accepted, 26th June, 18-7
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Bicycles and
Tricycles.
We FREDERICK HENRY YOUNG Commercial Traveller of 561 Stratford Road
Birmingham and JOSEPH JONES Gunmaker of 35 Whittall Street Birmingham, both in
the County of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in the utilization of fluted tubing in combination with new
and originally shaped tube-connections as a means of producing cycle-frames and
other cycle parts, also in the utilization of specially prepared fluted tubing having
plain ends, with ordinary tube-fittings.
By the first modification of our invention we provide fluted tubing made preferably
from very thin material, the rigidity of such fluted tubing being attained more by
the depth of the corrugations than by the thickness of the material from which the
fluted tube is made.
In the make up of a cycle-frame under our new system and new combination we
provide the pedal-spindle-bracket carrying the usual short arms or lugs, we also
provide the remainder of tube-connections "technically known as tube-fittings" of
the required lengths and angles to in each case connect with pieces of tubing and
so form a cycle-frame, each of such tube-fittings carrying its one two or more short
arms or lugs would be shaped at each lug in a new and original manner, that is to
say, each short arm or lug would be formed or pro-luced so as to present to view
internal projections and concavities suitable to receive and fit the external projections
and concavities of the fluted tube; the required number of pieces of fluted tube of
the several required lengths would be cut from a stock length of corrugated tube,
each of such lengths would next be slipped into a fitting, so that by the combination
of the tube-fittings of the desired and required angles, with the several lengths of
corrugated tubing, a cycle-frame of any desired configuration would be thereby
manufactured and produced, the novelty of each and all of such cycle-frames con-
sisting of the female or internal projections and depressions provided in each lug or
arm of each tube-fitting to receive the male or external end of corrugated tube.
The consolidation of the corrugated tubes within the tube fittings may be effected
by compressing the parts together between suitable press-tools or by soldering,
brazing, or other suitable and equivalent means.
The method of construction hereinbefore described is equally applicable to and
equally descriptive of the process of building, constructing, or making a racing-frame,
a roadster-frame, a ladies-frame, a tandem-frame in respect in each case to bicycles,
and the method of construction hereinbefore described is also applicable to the process
of building, constructing or making a gentleman's tricycle or a ladies' tricycle, each
and all of such frames consisting of "tube fittings with arms or lugs of various
angles connected to straight or bent corrugated tubes.
In some cases we use steel from which to form our corrugated tubes, in other cases
we use gold, silver, brass, copper, aluminium, or any other metal or alloy of metals,
and in other cases we uso papier-machè, cane, cotton-pulp or any combination of any
material suitable for use in the make-up of a bicycle or tricycle, the novelty in each
case consisting of the internal depressions and projections of the tube-fitting, taking

page_text: over the male or external ends of the corrugated material forming the tubing and
forming with the fittings, the bicycle or tricycle frame.
The corrugated tubes may be round oval, or of any suitable transverse section,
the short arms or bosses of the fittings being of corresponding transverse section.
In the make up of a fork or any other part of a bicycle or tricycle usually produced
out of tubing, or that can effectually and economically be produced out of tubing,
we provide corrugated tubing of the desired transverse section, taking into en.l-parts
provided with internal projections and depressions as hereinbefore fully described in
relation to bicycles and tricycle franies.
By a second modification of our invention we manufacture corrugated tubes of
any desired transverse section and of any desired stock-length, each of such stock-
lengths having any desired and determined number of gaps, such gaps shewing a
continuous non-corrugated surface, this non-corrugated surface may be of the lesser
diameter across the depressions or flutes, or of the greater diameter across the ribs,
as may he desired; the stock-lengths of tubing so produced under this second
modification of our invention would be afterwards cut at the gap parts and so
produce a quantity of short lengths of corrugated tubing ready to build into a cycle-
frame.
We next provide and utilize the ordinary tube-fittings without the internal
proje tions and depressions hereinbefore described in first modification, such as are
used in the make up of ordinary cycle-frames and cycle parts.
We build up a cycle-frame out of our improved corrugated short lengths by
passing the non-corrugated, smooth, ferrule-end of the tube into the ordinary tube
fitting at the desired angle, each of the two ends of such short piece of tube
being provided with the ferrule- or plain part, the frames so constructed out of the
required number of fittings and short lengths of tubing would be sweated and
brazed at the fitting-joints by any of the ordinary methods of securing the tube-fitting
of a cycle-frame to its tubes, nevertheless a new manufacture is hereby shewn by the
connection of the ferrule-ended short lengths of corrugated tubing with ordinary
smooth bored tube-fittings, because the production of the corrugated lengths each
length having a plain thimble or ferrule part at each end, is a new process in
connection with the manufacture of cycle-frames, and the combination as described
is both novel and useful.
By the corrugation of the tubing a maximum of strength is obtainable with a
minimum of weight; deep corrugations can be produced which will butt against
the end of fitting-lug after the ferrule-end part of tube has passed inside the
fitting-lug.
We are aware that corrugated tubes have been used in the make-up of cycle-
frames, the flutes of such corrugated-tubes being shallow, the connections being made
by passing the fluted tube directly into the fitting-lug, but the point of connection
in all such cases merely consists of the outer apex of each arch or corrugation,
such a connection is imperfect and weak because reliance must be made entirely
on the filling of all the flutes with brazing material at the joint and the amalga-
mating of such quantity of brazing material with the end of tube and inside of
fitting-lug.
By the first modification of this our invention the internal projections and
indentations provided in the tube-fittings constitute the novelty in combination with
deep-fluted or corrugated tubing.
By the second modification of our invention the thimble ends or ferrule-ends of
the corrugated tubing taking into ordinary tube-fittings constitute the novelty.
Dated this 20th day of July 1896.
ALFRED WILLIAM TURNER,
Cobden Buildings, Corporation Street, Birmingham,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Bicycles and
Tricycles.
We FREDERICK HENRY YOUNG Commercial Travelier of 561 Stratford Road
Birmingham and JOSEPH JONES Gunmaker of 35 Whittall Street Birmingham both
in the County of Warwick 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 in the utilization of flututed tubing in combination with new
and originally shaped tube connections as a means of producing cycle frames and
other cycle parts also in the utilization of specially prepared fluted tubing having
plain ends with ordinary tube fitting.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood we have appended a sheet of
drawings.
Figure 1 is a view of a frame and other parts of a cycle to which our invention
relates.
Figure 2 is a view shewing an enlargement of one of the joints.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 but shewing a modification.
Figure 4 is also a similar view to Figure 2 but shewing a further modification.
Figures 5 & 6 are sections of tubing illustrating possible variations in the shape
of the flutes or corrugations.
By the first modification of our invention we provide fluted tubing made preferably
from very thin material the rigidity of such fluted tubing being attained more by the
depth of the corrugations than by the thickness of the material from which the fluted
tube is made. In the make up of a cycle frame under our new system and new
combination the pedal spindle bracket B which carry the usual short arms or lugs
and the remainder of the tube connections C, D, E, and F, and which are technically
known as tube fittings, are shaped at each lug in a new and original manner-that
is to say each short arm or lug such as is formed our produced so as to present to
view internal projections and concavities suitable to receive and fit the external
projections and concavities of the fluted tube A as shewn by Figure 2 in which case
the required number of pieces of fluted tube of the several required lengths are
inserted into the fitting so that by the combination of the tube fittings of the desired
and required sections and angles, a cycle frame of any desired configuration is thereby
produced the novelty of each and all of such cycle frames consisting of the female or
internal projections and depressions provided in each lug or arm of each tube
fitting to receive the projections a' and depressions 2 of the male or external end of
the corrugated tubes A. In making up the fork H seat pillar J or other part of a
cycle usually procuced out of tubing or that can effectually and economically be so
produced, we provide tubing corrugated or shaped to the desired transverse section,
and fitting into lugs or joint pieces provided with internal projections and depressions
as before described with regard to the frames.
By a second modification of our invention we manufacture corrugated tubes of any
desired transverse section and of any desired stock-length each of such stock-lengths
having any desired number of spaces which are not corrugated, and this non-corrugated
surface may be of the lesser diameter across the depressions or flutes, or of the greater
diameter across the ribs as may be desired; the stock-lengths of tubing so produced
under this second modification of our invention would be afterwards cut at the spaces
and so produce a quantity of short lengths of corrugated tubing having ends of
circular section as shewn by Figure 4 where A' is the portion of the tube not corrugated
the corrugation in this case being stopped at a³. I such cases the ordinary tube fittings

page_text: such as are used in the make up of ordinary cycle frames and cycle parts may be used
as shewn by dotted lines K Figure 4. We build up a cycle frame out of our improved
corrugated short lengths by passing the non corrugated smooth ferrule end A' of the
tube into the ordinary tube fitting at the desired angle each of the two ends of such
short piece of tube being provided with the ferrule or plain part the fitting joints being
sweated and brazed by any of the ordinary methods of socuring the tube fitting of a
cycle frame to its tubes, or the fixing of the plain ferrule end A' of the corrugated
tubes A may be effected by using mallable lugs and compressing the parts together
between suitable press tools, so that the lugs are pressed in to follow the depressions
of the tube as shown at Figure 3 the lug being pressed in at 2 so as to follow the
section of the tube while both the end of the tube and the top of the lug are circular
in section by which means the tube is firmly secured without brazing & cannot be
turned in or withdrawn from the lug. By the corrugation of the tubing a maximum
of strength is obtainable with a minimum of weight; deep corrugations can be
produced which will butt against the end of fitting lug after the ferrule end part of
tube has passed inside the fitting lng. Our improvements are applicable to all classes
of cycles and we may form such cycles of any metal or alloy of metal found desirable.
We are aware that corrugated tubes have been used in the make up of cycle frames
the flutes of such corrugated tubes being shallow the connections being made by passing
the fluted tubes directly into the fitting lug but the point of connection in all such
cases merely consists of the outer apex of each arch or corrugation, such a connection
is imperfect and week because reliance must be made entirely on the filling of all the
flutes with brazing material at the joint and the amalgamating of such quantity of
brazing material with the end of tube and inside of fitting lug. The corrugated tubes
may be round or oval as for the fork H & other parts or of any suitable transverse
section, the short arms or bosses of the fitting being of corresponding transverse
section.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. A new or improved cycle frame and parts consisting of corrugated tubes such
as A in combination with corrugated tube fittings B substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth & shewn.
2nd. A new or improved cycle frame & parts consisting of corrugated tubes such as A
in combination with plain tube fittings secured together by either pressing or brazing
substantially as herein set forth & shewn.
11
1007
JOSEPH JONES.
FRED. H. YOUNG.