The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-29
CHAINS, BIG AND LITTLE.
How They Are Made and Tested-The
First English Patent for Their Manu-

ROW Ihcy are MADE and rested he
First English Patent for Their Manu-
facture.
Among the curiosities which were
preserved in the old state library at AL
bany, none attracted more attention
than the few links of the monster chain
Which did service in the days of the
revolution to prevent the progress of
the British ships up the Hudson river
The great chain, with links more than
two feet in length, was stretched across
the river near West Point, and rem
rial are preserved in various parts of
the country, several links being in the
possession of Abram S. Hewitt.
Bombs, mines, Notifications and tor
pedoes have taken the place of the
chain as barrier against ships, but
monster chains are still manufactured
In large quantities, and the Jones &
Laughlins Company is now making a
chain the links of which are formed out
OF rolled steel three inches in diameter.
Welding by electricity, winding the
metal rod from which the links are
made around mandril, cutting the
pieces by machinery and joining them
by blows from powerful steam ham,
mers, binding the links and testing the
completed chains with hydraulic pres
sure are all modern processes in the
chain-making industry, but the great
chains used in the shipbuildng trade
are made much as they We're made
many years ago. But according to the
statement of manufacturer the Am
eflcan now has the satisfaction Of
using the product of American Shops
Formerly, and until about ten years
ago, about 80 per cent of the chains
used in the United States came from
England, and now fully 95 per cent of
the amount consumed is made in this
country. Some concerns still carry
English chains in stock in order to be
able to supply English ships whose
commanders usually refuse to buy any
other than chains which have British
stamp.
The commercial article, as made in
this country ranges from three-six-
teenths of an inch to one and three
quarter inches, and no chains are put on
the market unless they have been test
ed. Thus hree-siXteenth- inch chain
or f1Ve pounds average weight per foot
Is guaranteed to hold seven hundred
pounds, and the better grades as high
as nine hundred pounds. A one-inch
chaln which weighs about ten pounds
to the foot will hold twenty-four thou
sand pounds, and a chain with links
OF one and three-quarter inches, weigh
ing thirty-one pounds to the foot, is
supposed to resist 71,600 pounds, and the
best quality Of the same size chain is
marked Proof 9O575 pounds"
IN an interesting article on the sub
Ject or chains, an English writer points
10 the fact that notwithstanding the
frequent mention of chains in the Bible
rhe article is comparatively new. The
same author says:
Some authorities give the Britons
credit for originating the cable chain
because Julius Caesar is Vacorded as
having been unable to cut the cables of
me Gauls' vessels, "as they were made
OF iron" This may have been a chain
IN the present acceptation of the term,
but it is doubtful because the first
patent Tor chain making was obtained
IN England in 1884 by a blacksmith
named Philip White. The patent was
FOR fourteen years, and in considera-
ton Of 1t White had to pay e5 in law