IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention. of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS AND IN APPARATUS FOR
THE SAME." -A communication from abroad by Augustin Onésime
David, of Paris, France.
Scaled the 11th September 1874, and dated the 19th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 19th March 1874.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS AND
IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to improvements on a former Patent granted
to me and bearing date January 21st, 1870, No. 193, in which is
described the manufacture of chains of cast steel with weldless
double-eyed links, the said chains being distinguished from those of the

page_text: kind previously proposed by the increased strength obtained at all points
of the links (which are of a uniformly round section at their points of
contact) and by being made by hammering in dies, the links passing
through a series of these operations. A chain thus made possesses great
strength and more elasticity than those made of iron owing to the
facility for hardening and, tempering afforded by the nature of the
metal.
The present improvements relate to the production of the links by
means of a series of operations from flat steel bars, worn out railway
carriage springs, old wheel tires, and steel rails, after roughly shaping
with the shears or saw, or by rolling. The use of the leaves of old
springs is of importance in an econòmical point of view, inasmuch as
they may be at once employed without any previous preparation.
Sheets 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying Drawings illustrate the
different stages through which the blanks pass.
Figure 1 shows in plan, edge view, and cross section, a flat bar with
rounded edges and reduced, as at a, a', at the proper intervals to form
links of the desired length; Figure 2 shows different views of the same
bar with the shank or mid portion formed and the ends flattened;
Figure 3 shows different views of the same with the eyes or loops
punched out. These three preliminary operations are performed at one
heating and at same bench.
Figure 4 shows different views of the link after it has been opened out
and rounded in form by dies, the lower die being the matrix and the
upper one the punch.
Figure 5 shows different views of the finished link which is made
without leaving any burr on the inside and but little on the outside,
with the aid of two dies or swages, the lower, one which forms the
..mould being provided with conical punches of the exact form at base of
the eyes or loops of the links. These two latter operations are effected
at the same bench after a second heating, the exterior only requiring a
slight grinding to finish the link. When the links are of small
dimensions the whole of the above operations may be performed at one
heating and at the same bench.
A punch and die of special form are used for bending the links, and
also a special means for threading or connecting the links to make a

page_text: chain. Before the latter operation the links are bent, as in Figures 6
and 7, by means of the punch 6 and die c, shown in section in Figure 8.
This die is of the exact form of the link. When in the flat (Figure 5)
two projections d, d, passing through the eyes of the link to hold it in
place. When the punch 6 is brought down the shank of the link is
forced into the recess e of the die so as to bend the link as shown. The
links are connected together to form a chain by the aid of two jaws f
having lugs and a mandrel 1, Figure 9, of the same form as
the interior of the link when closed. The two jaws are operated
simultaneously by right and left handed screws and at a uniform
speed and pressure, whereby the link is compressed on mandril / to
give the link its definitive form, which is preferably that indicated by
the dotted lines in Figure 9. The lugs g, which slide one on the other,
serve to hold the eyes or loops of the links to ensure their being closed
together in the proper relative position. The bending and uniting of
the links may either be performed in separate machines provided with
the tools above described, or the latter may be combined in one
machine.
The Invention also relates to a species of shackle for uniting the two
ends of a chain of this kind, shown in Figures 10 and 11. Figure 12
shows views of the two parts of this shackle in the flat, it being formed
of two steel bars & shaped by a series of operations in a similar manner
to the other links j, j, except that the ends, instead of being formed with
eyes or loops, are flattened and provided with recesses 1, 1, and lugs 2, 2,
which are made to interlock by bending the links in the manner before
described, and united by welding without the use of any rivets.
The Invention relates also to a shackle or connecting link capable of
being united without welding, such being particularly useful where a
forge is not available. In this case the ends of the shackle or connecting
link (which is made in two parts as before) are dovetailed together, as
shown in Figures 13 and 14.
Figures 15 and 10 show the two halves l, m, of the shackle before
bending, and provided with dovetails 4 fitting into recesses 3, whereby
the two parts are united, they being further secured by rivets n, n, as
shown.
Figures 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, show pitch or endless chains made as
above described. The links are first brought to the form shown in

page_text: Figures 17 and 18, by the means before explained, and are then con-
nected together; but instead of the ends of each link being bent close
together, as before described, they are bent on a mandril of special form
which leaves them open as shown.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my exccutors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE
SAME," a communicaton to me from abroad by Augustin Onésime David,
of Paris, France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alexander Melville Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
66
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained

page_text: in and by the following statement, reference being had to the four
accompanying Sheets of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say).:-
This Invention relates to improvements on a former Patent granted
to me and bearing date January 21st, 1870, No. 193, in which is
described the manufacture of chains of tilted, cast steel with weldless
double-eyed links, the said chains being distinguished from those of the
kind heretofore proposed by the increased strength obtained at all
points of the links (which are of a uniformly round section at their
points of contact) and by being made not by punching out but entirely
by forging or swaging in a series of dies. A chain thus made possesses
great strength and more elasticity than those of iron owing to the
facility for tempering afforded by the nature of the metal...
The present Invention relates, 1stly, to the production of the links by
.a new series of operations in dies from flat steel bars, such as worn out.
railway carriage springs, old wheel tires, and the webs of steel rails,
after roughly shaping with the shears or saw, or by rolling.
Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings illustrates the different stages.
through which the blanks pass.
Figure 1 shows a plan, edge view, and cross section of a flat bar with
rounded edges and reduced, as at a, a, at the proper intervals to form
links of the desired lengths; Figure 2 shows different views of the same
bar with the web or mid portion formed and the ends flattened;
Figure 3 shows different views of the same with the slits for the eyes or
loops formed. These three preliminary operations are performed at one
heating and at samë bench.
Figure 4.shows different views of the link after it has been opened out
or enlarged and rounded in form by the dies, of which the lower one has
hollows to receive the link, and the upper one punchies to open out thề
eyes or loops.
Figure 5 shows different views of the finished link, which is made
without any burr on the inside and but little on the outside, with the
aid of two dies or swages, the lower one which serves to mould the link
being provided with conical punches of the exact form at base of the
eyes or loops of the link. These two latter operations are effected at the
same bench after a second heating, after which the link only requires a

page_text: slight grinding to remove the burr on the outer edges. When the links
are of small dimensions the whole of the above operations may be
performed at one heating and at the same bench.
The improvements relate, secondly, to a punch and die of special form
for bending the links, and also a special means for linking or connecting
together the links in a chain. Before this operation the links are bent,
as in Figures 6 and 7, Sheet 2, by means of the punch and die c,
shown in section in Figure 8. This die is of the exact form of the link
when in the flat (Figure 5), two horns or projections d, d, passing
through the eyes of the link to hold it in place. When the punch 6,
which is operated by a screw, lever, or otherwise, is brought down the
web of the link is forced into the recess e of the die so as to bend the
link as shown. The links are connected together to form a chain by
the aid of two jaws ƒ having lugs or claws g and a mandrel h, Figure 9,
of the same form as the interior of the link when closed. The two jaws
are operated simultaneously by right and left-handed screws, or by other
suitable means, whereby they are closed together at a uniform speed
and pressure so as to compress the link on mandril h and give it its
definitive form, which is preferably that indicated by the dotted lines in
Figure 9. The claws g which pass one in the other serve to hold the
eyes or loops of the links to ensure their being closed together in the
proper relative position. The operation of bending and connecting the
links may either be performed in separate machines, each consisting of a
suitable combination of mechanical parts combined with the several
tools above described, or the latter may be combined in one machine of
suitable construction, or the links may be bent as well as connected
together by the action of the same hammer by which the links are
formed.
3rdly. The Invention also relates to a species of splicing link or
shackle for uniting the two ends of a chain of this kind, as shown in
Sheet 3 in Figures 10 and 11. Figure 12 shows different views of one
half of this shackle in the flat, it being formed of two similar stecl
bars shaped by a succession of forging operations or as in the case of the
other links j, j, except that the ends, instead of being formed with cyes
or loops, are flattened and T shaped. Each half is bent in the manner
before described, and the ends mutually interlocked, so that the
recesses.1, 1, of the one embrace the lugs 2, 2, of the other, and the
whole united by welding without the use of any rivets.

page_text: The Invention relates, 4thly, to a splicing shackle or connecting link
capable of being united without welding, such being particularly useful
when a forge is not available. In this case the ends of the two halves
of the shackle or connecting link are so formed as to dovetail together,
as shown in Figures 13 and 14, Sheet 3.
Figures 15 and 16 show the two halves l, m, of the shackle beforo
bending. In this case they are not made alike but as represented in the]
Figures, the one being provided with dovetails 4 fitting into corre-
sponding recesses 3, whereby the two parts are firmly united, they being
> further secured by small rivets n, n, as shown.
The Invention relates, 5thly, to the.application of the before described
links to the manufacture of endless chains, known as Vaucanson chains.
Figures 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, Sheet 4, show endless chains made as
above described. The links are first brought to the form shown in
Figures 17 and 18 by the means before explained, and are then connected
together; but instead of the ends of each link being doubled close
together, as before described, they are bent on a mandril of special form
which brings the links to the shape shown in Figures 19 and 21. In this
manner a Vaucanson chain may be made in steel without welds and
suitable for gcaring with chain wheels or pinions of large or small
diameter, as shown in Figures 20 and 21. Each link may be so formed
on the inner side, as shown in dotted shade lines at a, a, in Figure 20,
as to embrace the adjacent link like a hinge and prevent them playing
loosely the one in the other.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the mannerof
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The production from flat bars, by the series of successive forging
operations, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3,
4, and 5 of the Drawings, of links having a round web or mid portion
and flattened eyes or loops at the ends of the form shown ready for
bending and linking together, as set forth.
2ndly. The splicing shackles of similar form to the other links con-
structed in two parts interlocked the one in the other, as shown in
Figures 10, 11, and 12, and welded or dovetailed and rivetted, as
in Figures 13, 14, 15, and 16, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
purpose

page_text: 3rdly. The employment in the formation of the endless or band
chains known as Vaucanson chains of the links produced, substantially
as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 17, 18, 19, 20, and
21 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
21 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
HARRY SWALES,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)