Patent GB-464589-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to chain making machines
IPC: B21L9/00
Filed: 1935-12-10
Abstract: 464,589. Making chains. HARCOURT, B. W., and MANN, A. J. Dec. 10, 1935, No. 34170. [Classes 83 (ii) and 83 (iv)] Assembling force fts; riveting ; shearing.-A machine for making chains comprises means for transferring flat links from an initial position to a position where they are correlated with previously assembled links, and rivets are inserted, the links then moving to a riveting position, and a shear block to sever rivets from wire stock and to carry the rivets to the inserting position, concurrently with the transference of the links. Links 2 pass from a delivery channel 3 to a guide channel 4 in which they are advanced by a slide 7 formed with a notch 8 in which the central link enters when restrained by spring fingers 21, so that the set of links is fed forward in the required spaced relation. The pusher 7 is pivoted at 10 to a member 71 which is normally caused to reciprocate with a slide 6 under the action of a spring 12 and abutments 13, 14, but may move relatively thereto against the spring 12 if the member 7 is obstructed, thereby releasing a cable 122 which permits the machine clutch to be thrown out under spring pressure. After the set of links has been advanced up to the chain already assembled, a slide 15 moves with the member 7 through a lost-motion coupling 19, 20, a spring-pressed member 16 thereon engaging assembled links of the chain to feed it forward. Wires 38 for the rivets are fed into apertures in a shear block 37 which is then advanced to shear lengths and to transfer them to the inserting position. The wires are fed by pivoted grippers 58 in a reciprocated head 54, the pawls swinging idly against the action of a plunger 68 when the head 54 is returned by a spring 62. Grippers 59 in a head 55 prevent retrograde movement of the wires. The shearing and transferring block 37 is reciprocated by engagement with a recess therein of a projection 42 on a block 41 to which is secured a rod 40 having an enlargement 43. Springs 45 within the recess 44 in the member 6 in which the enlargement 43 engages, normally cause the block 37 to move synchronously with the slide 6 but permit independent movement for the shearing operation, and further permit the slide 37 to be brought to rest by engagement of the projection 42 with a slot 130 in a fixed plate 131 intermediate the members 37, 41, so that the rivets are accurately located. Plungers 69 advance to enter the rivet holes in the assembled links so that they are brought into accurate registration, and the rivets are then forced into the holes by plungers 70 as the plungers 69 retract. The chain is then advanced to bring a pair of unheaded rivets to the riveting position. The tools 90 which head the two ends of a rivet simultaneously are rotated by pulleys 91, and are mounted for movement towards and from each other on shafts 92. The riveting tools are carried on a frame 94 which pivots about trunnions 95, 96, so that in one complete cycle the tools are swung to head both rivets of a pair while the chain is stationary. All the movements of the machine are derived from cams mounted on a shaft 34. The machine may be modified for the production of chains comprising a different number of links in each set.