Patent GB-190015949-A (GB)
Title: An Improved Machine for Automatically Making Chains, more particularly Fine Chains for Eye-glasses Necklaces and the like.
Inventor: BRUCKMANN LUDWIG
Filed: 1900-09-07
Granted: 1901-06-08
Abstract: 15,949. Bruckmann, L. Sept. 7. Making chains for eyeglasses, necklaces, &c. Consists of a machine provided with means for coiling a helix from a roll of wire, for cutting off one winding of the coil to form an open link, for engaging the open link with a previously-formed link, closing the open link, and then soldering it. The main spindle c, which may be driven by a handwheel, is geared to a spindle f, which, in turn, drives the spindle o of the coiling-device. The coiling-device consists of a mandrel 10, of a section suitable for the form of link to be produced, fixed in a spindle z, which carries a spur-wheel 6 in gear with a segmental wheel 5 of twice its diameter on the spindle o ; the mandrel makes one complete revolution for half a revolution of the spindle o ; during the other half it is locked by a stud 9, on a flat spring 8, placed parallel to the wheel, which enters a recess in its surface ; a stud 121 on the wheel 5 presses back the spring as the wheels come into gear ; a spring 7 is also provided to press against a stud on the wheel 6 and act as a brake. Mounted upon the spindle z is a slide 13 coupled to a block 15, which receives a reciprocating motion from an eccentric v on a spindle u, driven by bevel gear from the spindle o ; this slide carries two rods 11, 12, forked at the ends ; to embrace the mandrel. The wire 20 is led up from a reel 18 through a tension device composed of rollers 19, one of which is pressed towards another by a spring, and through the forked end of the rod 12 to the mandrel. While the mandrel is making its revolution, the slide is moving to the right, and the forked end of the rod 12 lays the wire along it ; when it is stationary the slide moves to the left, and the rods shift the coil along the mandrel until the end winding is opposite the gripper 24. This is composed of two levers 24<a>, 24<b>; the lever 24<a> is operated by a cam m on the spindle f, a lever 32, and links 30 ; the lever 24<b>, provided with an adjustable stop 40, is drawn to the left by a spring 38, and is moved in the opposite direction when required by a crank-pin w<1>, on the spindle u, and levers 46, 42. A lever 21, operated by a cam q on the spindle o, presses upon the rod 11, and deflects the coil so that it may be seized by the gripper; the gripper then moves to the left, slightly opening the coil, and the slide 48 which carries the cutters 50, 51, is advanced by the cam s into cutting position, whereupon the cam r acting upon the tail of the cutter 51 forces it forwards to cut off the coil, and thus form an open link. The machine shown is adapted for making four chains 90 each of which, as it is formed, passes over a guide-roller 93, and is gathered upon a reel 89 arranged radially upon vertical shaft 60 ; this shaft receives an intermittent motion by means of cams h, k on the spindle f, and jointed rods 64, 69 on the ends of which are wedgeshaped dogs adapted to engage with pins 74 on a disc 73, secured to the shaft. Another disc 61, at the upper end of the shaft, carries pins 62. with which the bevel end of a spring arm 75 is adapted to engage. This shaft also carries four sets of fingers 80, 82, in which the ends of the chains are held ; the fingers 82 are pivoted to the fingers 80, and are coupled to corresponding vertical rods 84, which are pressed downwards to close the fingers by springs, and upwards to open them by a pin disc i and a lever 91, the end of which is under a rod when this is in the correct angular position at which the corresponding fingers are required to be opened. The gripper 24 carries forwards the open link, and hooks it upon the last link of the chain held by the fingers immediately facing it ; the fingers then open and liberate the chain, which is now suspended from the gripper 24, and the open link is closed by pressure against the beak 54 of a slide 55, which is elevated for this purpose by a pin wheel l and a lever 58, the fingers having made a small retrograde movement under the action of the spring 75 upon the pins at the upper end of the shaft. The fingers then return to their former position, and the gripper advances and yields up to them the closed link, which is ready for soldering. The rotation of the shaft brings up other sets of fingers into position to receive the links, and carries that which has just been closed past a wick 100 projecting from a pot 98 containing the soldering flux, and opposite the orifice 105 of a pot charged with soldering-powder, which is forced out by a reciprocating plunger 107 worked by a pin wheel ; upon the continued onward movement of the shaft the link, covered with soldering- powder and flux, arrives opposite the gas jet 114, where the solder is melted and the link completed. The rolls are caused to rotate to wind up the chain as they revolve with the shaft by contact with a spring arm 102.