US641858A - Front-fork crown for velocipedes. - Google Patents

Description

N0.-54|,858. Patented Ian. 23, I900. .1. B. HALIFAX.

FRONT FORK CROWN FDR VELOOIPEDES.

(Applicqtion filed May 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN B. HALIFAX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEO. L. THOMPSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

FRONT-FORK CROWN FOR VELOCIPEDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters. Patent No. 641,858, dated January 23, 1900.

Application filed May 22, 1899. Serial No. 717,732. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN B. HALIFAX, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Front-Fork Crowns for Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in stamped sheet-metal parts for bicycles,and refers more specifically to an improved construction in front or steering fork crowns of the arched type.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction which is built up of a number of stamped parts of simple and economical construction and of such form as to be capable of being readily assembled and which when assembled form a'crown of exceedingly strong construction and having a neat and finished appearance.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and will be readily understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a fork-crown embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an axial sectional View of the same, taken in the plane of the fork-arms. Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view taken at right angles to the fork-arms. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the outer shell or principal member when partly formed. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the inner reinforcement which forms the fork-nipples. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the outer shell in its partly-formed state with the inner reinforcements inserted in readiness for the final forming together of the parts.

Referring to said drawings, A designates the outer shell, which in the particular in stance illustrated herein is approximately semicircular or semi-oval in its main part, constituting the arms a, and is provided at the juncture of said arms with an integral nipple or stem a, adapted to telescope within the steering-head in the usual manner. The part A is drawn or struck up by means of suitable dies from a single sheet-metal blank of suitable shape. In the formation of said parts the nipple a is struck up from the center of the blank by means of one or more dies suitably shaped to form at the same time a cylindric base portion ta the upper end of which forms an annular shoulder or supporting-surface a, surrounding the base of the nipple and extending approximately at right angles therefrom. The arm portions a of the blank are only partially completed before the several parts constituting the entire crown, are assembled-that is to say, the external halves of the arms, considered with reference to the outer and inner halves of the fork-arms are brought into exact shape, or approximately so, while those portions a of the blank which subsequently become the inner sides of the crown-arms are left partly open in the position in which they are forced by the die, which imparts the form to the outer parts ofthe crown, the shape of this member at this stage being shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 6.

Within the nipple a, is inserted a lining or reinforcement B, which has the exact form of the interior of the nipple and is provided also with a radially-'outturned portion b,which underlies and reinforces the supporting shoulder a hereinbet'ore referred to, this rein forcement being driven or forced into place by means of a suitable die, so as to impart the utmost rigidity to those parts of which it forms the lining.

C designates the member which forms the main reinforcement of the crown, and which is also provided with portions 0, arranged to protrude from the ends of the crown-arms to form nipples to receive the fork-arms. In order to impart strength to the crown, this member is made in the form of a continuous U-shaped part arranged to extend entirely through and fit accurately within the crownarms a, and is provided at its center with an integral nipple or stem 0, the upper end of which is slightly reduced, as indicated at c", and arranged to telescope or project a short distance within the lower end of the stem a. (See Fig. 2.) At the juncture of the reduced portion with the larger portion of the nipple an annular shoulder a is formed,which abuts against the lower end of the reinforcement B, therebypositively limiting the extent to which said parts may be telescoped together and causing the nipple to form a perfect truss between the stem of the crown and the inner or lower side of the latter. The reinforcement C is semicircular in cross-section throughout the principal part of its length within the crown-arms, being formed to fit against the inside halves of said arms. The end portions of said member, however, which form the nipples for the reception of the fork-arms, are circumferentially complete throughout the length of the protruding portions and for a short distance within the crown-arms, as indicated clearly in Fig. 2, the edges of the blank being preferably arranged to meet along the center of the outer side of the nipple, as indicated at 0 The member C having been completely formed, as described and as shown in Fig. 5, is inserted and forced into place within the outer shell, and the portions a of the latter which are to form the inner sides of the crown-arms are thereafter folded or formed around the nipples c, the outer shellblank being of such shape that the edges of the same exactly meet around said nipples, forming a seam or joint of, extending along the center of the inner side of the crown. This last operation locks all of the parts rigidly together and in such manner that each part contributes to strengthen and reinforce the structure as a whole.

The seams of the nipples c, the seam 0 along the inner side of the crown, and the interstices between the parts are subsequently brazed or otherwise united, and it is to be noted that the parts are so assembled that the spelter will flow into all of the joints and unite the parts very perfectly. In order that the spelter may reach the interior of the nipple c and flow thence in between the main reinforcement and the crown-arms in case the crown be immersed in the spelter right side up, a perforation c is formed in the top of said nipple.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a construction embodying my invention can be very economically constructed, that it is extremely strong and rigid without being unnecessarily heavy, and is withal of neat and graceful appearance.

I claim as my invention- 1. Asheet-metalfork-crown, comprising an outer shell provided with hollow arms having a seam extending longitudinally throughout the length of both and an integral stem drawn out from a portion of the blank untraversed by said seam and a reinforcement inserted in said outer shell and extending through both crown-arms and protruding through the latter to form fork-nipples, said reinforcement being provided at its center with an integral nipple extending up into the stem of the outer shell and fitting the interior thereof.

2. A-sheet-metal fork-crown comprising an outer shell provided with hollow arms having a seam extending longitudinally throughout the length of both arms and an integral stem drawn up from a portion of the blank untraversed by said seam, a lining reinforcement fitting within said stem and provided with a radially-'outturned portion fitting within the base portion of the stem and a second main reinforcement inserted within said outer shell and extending through both crown-arms, said reinforcement being provided at each end with a fork-nipple arranged to protude from the end of the crown-arm and being provided at its center with an integral nipple extending to and telescoping partly within the stem of the outer shell.

3. A fork-crown comprising an outer shell provided with hollow arms having a seam extending longitudinally throughout the length of both arms along the inner sides of the latter and having an integral stern drawn out at the juncture of the arms at the side opposite the seam surrounded by an angular bearing supporting-surface, a lining reinforcement conformed to, and fitting within said stem and having a radial portion extending beneath the bearing supporting-surface, and a second reinforcement inserted in said outer shell, having arms extending through the crown-arms and protruding'from the latter to form forknipples and provided at its center with an integral nipple extending to, and telescoping partly within, the lower end of the stem; said reinforcement arms being made approximately semicircular in cross-section throughout the principal part of their length within the crown-arms and having circumferentially complete nipple portions, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 17th day of May, A. D. 1899.

JOHN B. HALIFAX.

Witnesses:

RICHARD W. FRANCIS, ALBERT H. GRAVES.

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