Improvements in Mechanical or Brazeless Joints for Connecting together Parts of Cycle, and like Framings.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 6th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1899
Improvements in Mechanical or Brazeless Joints for Connecting
together Parts of Cycle, and like Framings.
I, CHARLES THOMAS BROCK SANGSTER, Works Manager to The Cycle Components
Manufacturing Company, Limited, of Bournbrook, near the City of Birmingham, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to mechanical or brazeless joints for cycle and analogous
frame construction, of that class in which the end of a tubular member to be con-
nected is expanded within the inside of a lug or junction by the employment of a
sectional or split expanding block.
According to my invention, I take a sectional or split drum-shaped or cylindrical
block, circumferentially channelled upon the middle of its outer periphery so as to
make annular lifts or band contacts at the two opposite ends, and with a hole directed
through the meeting faces of the sections, at right angles to the axis of the block
and preferably out of the middle and through which a screw pin passes, with the bead
end coming outside the lug, the shank passing through coincident holes in lug and
tube, and the tail or screwed fore end taking into an internally wormed conoidal plug,
nipple or block, which seats itself within a like shaped seating formed at the one end
of the transverse hole, half of which is formed on the respective flat opposed faces of
the cylindrical block sections, whilst the other end of the hole is only of such a
diameter as to fit the shank of the pin.
To prevent the rotation of the conoidal block-expanding plug or nipple, whose
larger end lies on the outside of the block, a small keep pin is arranged between the
sections, or a rib or feather on the cone may take into a groove in one of the block
sections, or the opposed parts may have flats to prevent rotation.
By the direction of force coming out of the centre of the block, it will cant the
sections more on one side than on the other, so as to effect a leverage.
To make a junction place the block segments, with the expanding cone coming
between them, in the end of the tube; then place the tube into the lug, and pass
the operating screw through coinciding holes in lug and tube and through the
clearances between the sections of the block into the expanding cone. By now
tightening up the pin or screw by rotating it from the outside, the conoidal non-
rotating plug or nipple is drawn between the sections, which are forcibly separated
or opened out and the end of the tube is enlarged and its walls expanded within the
interior of the lug to such an extent as to create sufficient frictional adhesion between
the parts to form an immovable or rigid joint.

page_text: exact diameter of the cylinder or of the liner in which the piston is to work, and is
then ground and scraped to an accurate fit, the solder of course being afterwards
melted out.
The piston is constructed by arranging upon one end of the valve spindle a boss
carrying a lateral flange or cheek faced for the reception of the piston ring, which
piston ring is supported upon the other side by a corresponding faced flange or cheek
carried by means of a boss upon the spindle, such boss abutting against another
carrying a further lateral flange or cheek faced for the reception of the second ring
such ring being held upon the other side by means of another flange or cheek
mounted upon the spindle by means of a boss; the whole series of flanges and
intermediate rings being forced into close contact by means of a nut screwed upon
the extremity of the valve spindle. This nut is maintained in position under the
action of the spring tending to maintain the faces of the flanges in contact with the
respective faces of the rings by means of a keep carrying the spring wbich abuts.
against a tail piece or projection provided upon the tightening nut so that thereby
good tight joints are maintained while to rings are free to move or expand.
I do not limit my invention to the actual construction of a piston having rings
provided as herein before described, for it is obvious that such rings may be fixed in their
determined position by other convenient means without departing from the essential
feature of my invention. It is also obvious that other means may be provided than
those herein before described for the purpose of maintaining the wedge piece outwardly
thrusting to expand the ring.
I, WILLIAM JAMES HAY, of 9, Dalhousie Place, Arbroath, N.B., Engineer, 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 relates to piston valves and pistons generally and has for its object
to provide a piston and piston ring that shall effect a perfect steam tight joint and
that shall be capable of automatic adjustment on the wear of the surfaces in
contact.
as to
The invention consists in providing a piston ring longitudinally or axially cut and
with its abutting edges so formed or inclined as to permit of a wedge being thrust
between with the tendency of expanding or increasing the circumference to make
good the wear of the ring and cylinder or liner in which it works and so
preclude the possibility of the wedge being forced back whatever the pressure of
steam; and the invention further consists in the construction of the piston whereby
the rings are held so as to ensure a perfect steam tight joint while permitting
freedom of the outward radial movement of the piston rings.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings:-
Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation of a piston valve made in accordance with
the invention.
Figure 2 is a partial end elevation, and
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the line a b (Figure 1).
In carrying the invention into effect in its application to a piston valve as illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings I provide two piston rings A A¹ which serve to

page_text: operate in connection with the respective ports A² A³ of the engine cylinder, such
rings being split or cut longitudinally or radially and having the respective abutting
extremities of faces a a inclined so as to permit of the introduction of a wedge
therein, which, by its outward radial movement, serves to increase the circumference
of the ring A, the angle of the wedge being slightly less than the angle of repose for
the surfaces in contact, so that whatever the pressure outside the ring it can never
force the ring inwards and press back the wedge, thus causing leakage of steam past
the ring. The wedges C employed are preferably provided respectively with a bridge-
piece or flange G for the reception upon each end thereof of spiral springs D held in
position by projections or pins H H provided thereupon, such springs abutting against
corresponding projections H' H₁ provided upon a segmental piece I, such segmental
piece I being held to preclude circumferential movement by means of a longitudinal
rib J provided upon the interior of the cast iron ring A or A¹, which rib enters into a
corresponding recess J¹ within the segmental piece, or vice versa. The springs D
may be adjusted to give the ring just the small sufficient pressure against the walls of
the liner E to keep the ring steam tight. It will thus be seen that a great advantage
is secured over pistons whose rings are forced outwards by means of springs at back
thereof that require to be made strong enough so that when the ring covers the port
during compression the pressure of steam will not force the ring inwards and the
ring must therefore be pressed against the cylinder or liner with a great pressure
tending to set up excessive friction. By the arrangement of the spiral spring upon
each side of the wedge piece C the valve spindle K is capable of passing between.
Each of the cast iron rings such as A A¹ is first turned to about 1th of an inch
larger than the finished size, then cut and the wedge, which is preferably provided in
phosphor bronze, is carefully fitted in with the ring perfectly free. The wedge piece
is then slightly soldered to the ring at each side so that the ring becomes solid.
The ring is next turned to the correct depth and to the exact diameter of the cylinder
or of the liner in which the piston or piston valve is to work and is then ground and
scraped to an accurate fit, the solder of course being afterwards melted out.
The piston is constructed by arranging upon one end of the valve spindle Ka
boss L carrying a lateral flange or cheek for the reception of the piston ring A¹
which piston ring is supported upon the other side by a corresponding faced
flange or cheek M¹ carried by means of a boss N upon the spindle, such boss N
abutting against another carrying a further lateral flange or cheek M² faced for the
reception of the second ring A, such ring A being held upon the other side by means
of another flange or cheek M³ mounted upon the spindle by means of a boss o, the
whole series of flanges and intermediate rings being forced into close contact by
means of a nut Q screwed upon the extremity of the valve spindle K. The nut Q is
maintained in position by the action of a spiral spring Q' tending to maintain the
faces of the flanges in contact with the respective faces of the rings by means of a
keep carrying the spring Q which abuts against a tail-piece or projection S provided
upon the washer R which is fitted on square part of valve spindle, so that thereby
good tight joints are maintained while the rings are free to expand.
I do not limit my invention to the actual construction of a piston having rings
provided as herein before described for it is obvious that such rings may be fixed
in their determined position by other convenient means without departing from
the essential feature of my invention. It is also obvious that other means may be
provided than those hereinbefore described for the purpose of maintaining the wedge
piece outwardly thrusting to expand the ring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The construction of pistons and piston valves substantially as herein before
described.
2. In pistons and piston valves means for making good the wear of the piston ring